Application Process | Early Decision | Application Fee
Personal Statement | Recommendation Letters | Re-Application | E-Line
Application Requirements Checklist | Applicant Deadlines
Application Information | Fraudulent Documents
Application Process
The application process at CUNY School of Law begins October 1st, when applications are first received. Members of the Admissions Committee review completed application files and then vote on a decision. Interviews are not part of the admissions process, although an applicant may be asked by the Admissions Committee to provide additional information to help with its review. Applicant requests for personal interviews will not be acknowledged or granted.
For admission to CUNY School of Law, a bachelor’s degree is required from an institution, accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the Department of Education.
Applications that are denied are not subject to appeal.
The application form, personal statement and other materials submitted in support of the application must be submitted electronically through LSAC.org at the time of application.
No part of the application will be returned for any reason.
Early Decision
CUNY Law accepts a small number of students via Early Decision each year. The application deadline for Fall 2023 is January 1, 2023. All supporting documentation, including your LSAT Writing Sample, must be received by this deadline to be evaluated as an Early Decision applicant. The last LSAT we will consider for this program is the November 2022 LSAT. Decisions will be rendered by January 15th. If admitted, should you choose to accept our offer, a condition of submitting your seat deposit to the school is that you withdraw all your applications to other law schools and submit a $250 seat deposit no later than February 1. The early decision program is binding, and all candidates will be considered for scholarships.
Application Fee
An application fee of $60 (U.S) paid electronically (only) through LSAC is required of each applicant. This fee is not refundable and will not be credited toward any other Law School or University charges. We offer fee waivers on a first-come, first-serve basis. To request one, please email andrea.braveboy@law.cuny.edu.
Please note that tuition and fees are subject to change by the Board of Trustees of the City University of New York.
Personal Statement
The Admissions Committee seeks to evaluate an applicant’s writing skills, commitment to the Law School’s principles and involvement in extracurricular or service-related activities through an assessment of the required personal statement.
There is no minimum or maximum length requirement.
Your personal statement should include:
- What led you to the decision to apply to CUNY Law, a public interest law school;
- Your reasons for wanting to be a lawyer;
- Examples of traits you possess that you believe would benefit you in law school and as a lawyer
CUNY School of Law is a progressive institution that invites diversity in all forms. Classroom discussion and life experience contributions are encouraged. Throughout your law school career and beyond your beliefs will be challenged. Therefore we encourage you to use one of the following prompts to frame your personal statement:
- Describe a time when you changed your mind about a belief you had previously formed. How did you ultimately come to another conclusion?
- Describe a time when you discovered you were wrong or mistaken. How did you come to that conclusion and what did you learn from it?
- Describe a time you interacted with someone with whom you disagreed or who had a different perspective from your own. How did you resolve the situation or learn to coexist?
- Describe a time when you actively worked to promote change and provide examples. Examples include anti-racism work, how you engage communities, how you respond to disagreements, etc.
- Where do you see yourself 5 years after graduation from CUNY Law?
You may include up to two statements if the purpose and topics are clearly disparate and demonstrative of your foundation to attend law school (E.g. Personal Statement and Diversity Statement).
Recommendation Letters
Two letters of recommendation are required to complete an application for admission. We seek letters from individuals who know your work and abilities in unusual depth and detail, and who are willing to take the time necessary to provide us with a deeper understanding of the activities, work or events that demonstrate your strength in one or more of the areas of particular interest to our admissions committee.
The specialized nature of the Law School’s program, and the criteria utilized in the admissions process, are not typical ones. If there are two individuals who can provide special insight into your experience, aptitude or ability, particularly with respect to the criteria on which we base admissions, you should ask them to submit letters. For example, letters from a professor who has taught you, or from a supervisor on a job or at a volunteer activity, or from a community or spiritual leader with whom you have worked, can be especially helpful. Letters from friends of the family who only know you socially are not helpful. Letters from relatives are not acceptable.
Letters of recommendation are an important part of the Admissions Committee’s review process. All applicants are required to have two letters of recommendation submitted on behalf of their application for admission. If you are currently enrolled in undergraduate school or received your undergraduate degree within the last two years, it is strongly encouraged that one of your required letters be written by the professor of one of the undergraduate courses for which you received academic credit. (This is an “academic” letter.) All letters must be recent, signed, dated and on letterhead stationery. These two required letters must be submitted through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service.
If you previously applied to CUNY School of Law, we recommend that you provide us with two new letters of recommendation submitted on your behalf. If you provided an academic letter of recommendation in your previous application (dated within five years of the current application), we will honor that letter as one of the two required letters.
We welcome supplemental letters of recommendation from CUNY Law graduates and others who have a special connection to our program. Each letter must be on letterhead, dated within the last year and have the recommender’s original signature.
Re-Application
Persons who have previously applied for admission to the Law School and who wish to apply again are considered re-applicants.
Re-applicants must follow all procedures and meet all deadlines established for first-time applicants. Previous applications cannot be “reactivated.” A 2022-23 electronic application and non-refundable $60 (U.S.) application fee must be submitted through LSAC. In addition, re-applications require a current CAS subscription even if you did not retake the LSAT or since your last application. We offer fee waivers on a first-come, first-serve basis.
E-Line
tudies have shown that students facing obstacles created by systemic racism, disparities in access to education and resources, and the challenges of competing priorities, such as working or caregiving, benefit from programs steeped in foundation-building. This systems-based approach informed the pilot’s focus on the first semester.
CUNY Law will continue to assess the pilot as part of its commitment to transforming legal education and supporting student success and will make a decision on whether it will be offered in 2023 later this academic year.
Application Requirements Checklist
Applicants for first-year admission must submit the following, in accordance with our policies, to complete an application file for review by the Admissions Committee:
- a completed 2023-24 application (submitted electronically through LSAC.org on or before May 15th)
- a non-refundable $60 (U.S.) application fee;
- a personal statement;
- a resume;
- an active and complete CAS subscription, including a recent LSAT score and LSAT Writing Sample (Please note that to be considered for Fall 2023, the last accepted LSAT scores will be the April 2023 LSAT);
- two letters of recommendation
- if you answered “yes” to any of the Character and Fitness questions on the application form, you must attach an addendum with complete explanation, including relevant dates.
Transfer applicants and re-applicants for readmission may have different or additional requirements. All applicants are encouraged to carefully read and follow these instructions before completing and submitting an application. It is strongly advised to submit your LSAT Writing Sample promptly. It is the responsibility of the applicant to allot for possible delays in processing by the Law School Admissions Council and ensure that it is available for view on your CAS Report by our posted deadlines. Applications will not be evaluated for admission without the LSAT Writing Sample. Please contact the Office of Admissions if you have questions or you do not understand any part of these instructions.
Applicant Deadlines
First-Year Entering Students Application Deadline
- Fall – Apply by May 15th (April 1st is the suggested deadline for International applicants)
- Spring admission is not offered to first-year entering students.
Transfer & Visiting Application Dates and Deadlines
- Spring – The application opens on October 1st. The application is due by January 1st.
- Fall – The application opens on April 1st. The application is due by July 1st.
The review of an application begins only once it is complete; early application is advised.
Application Information
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Fraudulent Documents
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