JD Application
Illinois Law recruits individuals with the ability, character, and life experience to become exceptional lawyers and leaders. In its holistic review of applicants, Illinois Law values intelligence, integrity, creativity, grit, public spiritedness, teamwork, hard work, diversity, and a global perspective. Students come from across the world to share ideas, learn collaboratively, and develop the knowledge and skills necessary to excel in complex, high-profile professional settings.
We welcome your application and look forward to learning more about you. There is no application fee.
Admissions Timeline
From application deadlines to notifications in the spring, the following is our general timeline for the admissions process.
| September 1 | Applications for the following fall are accepted. |
|---|---|
| January | Applicants seeking admission for the following fall are encouraged to take the LSAT no later than this month. |
| March 15 | Preferred deadline for applicants. Applications will be accepted after this date, however decisions will be released as we are able. |
| March 24 | Admitted Student Open House (in person) |
| March 31 | Admitted Student Open House (virtual) |
| April 17 | First Deposit Due |
| May 22 | Second Deposit Due |
Application Requirements
All applicants must apply to the College of Law by submitting materials electronically through the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) and must register with the LSAC Credential Assembly Services (CAS). We will only accept applications submitted through the LSAC Electronic Application. Please read the Application Instructions included with the LSAC Electronic Application and follow them carefully.
Applications requirements include:
Complete Academic History
Applicants must provide undergraduate and graduate school transcripts reflecting a complete history of academic performance at ANY and ALL undergraduate programs and/or any graduate schools, regardless of length of attendance at those schools. All transcripts must be submitted and processed through the CAS.
Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
All applicants are required to take the Law School Admission Test and submit a valid LSAT score. An LSAT score is considered valid if it was received within five years of the date of your application. You must submit all LSAT scores that you have received.
Résumé
We require a detailed résumé listing your educational history, extracurricular activities, community and volunteer activities, and all full- or part-time work experience.
Letters of Recommendation
We require two letters of recommendation and will accept up to four. You must submit your letters of recommendation through the CAS Letter of Recommendation Service. In reviewing letters of recommendation, we look for insight into a candidate’s academic promise, as well as personal qualities such as intellectual curiosity, enthusiasm, and commitment. Letters of recommendation should come from an expert in a relevant academic or professional field, and the author of the letter should have personal knowledge of the applicant.
Personal Statement
The personal statement is an important part of every application and is your opportunity to demonstrate what you will contribute to our community and in your future professional life. In general, a personal statement with a narrow focus on a personal attribute or experience is far more helpful to the Committee than either a broad statement about the law or a restatement of your résumé.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
Applicants whose native language is not English and who have not completed an undergraduate degree at an English-speaking institution are required to submit the results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The College of Law requires a minimum score of 6.5 for the IELTS. The University of Illinois Graduate College has set a minimum TOEFL score of 611 on the paper-based, 254 on the computer-based score, or 103 on the internet-based test. TOEFL scores are valid for two years before the proposed term of entry.
Character and Fitness
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.
Appeals Process
The admissions process involves a careful and extensive review of each applicant’s file. As such, the sole basis for an appeal of an adverse admissions decision would be significant information that was not available at the time the application was originally submitted.
For the information to be significant, it must materially change the strength of the application. For example, winning a major award would be significant information, while an additional semester of grades would not.
If an adverse admissions decision is appealed, the determination of whether the information is significant and was not available at the time of application submission shall reside solely with the assistant dean for Admissions and Financial Aid (Admissions Dean). If s/he determines that the submitted information meets these criteria, the Admissions Dean may either (i) affirm the original decision (if the admissions dean concludes the information does not justify reconsideration of the original decision) or (ii) send the full file to the faculty members of the College of Law Admissions Committee (“Admissions Committee”) without further recommendation. Reversal of the original admissions decision may only be made by a majority vote of the faculty members of the Admissions Committee. Determinations made by the admissions dean and/or the faculty members of the Admissions Committee pursuant to this process are final.
Appeals must be submitted in writing within 30 days of the adverse decision. A letter stating the rationale for the appeal along with any supporting documentation must be sent to:
University of Illinois College of Law
Office of Admissions
504 East Pennsylvania Avenue
Champaign, IL 61820
Annual Security and Fire Safety Report
The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available. This report includes statistics from the previous three years concerning reported crime that occurred on campus, in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus and statistics for fires in on-campus student housing. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security and other safety information along with fire safety policies and procedures. You may obtain a hard copy of this report by contacting the Division of Public Safety or by accessing the following website.