Full Scholarships Available and the application fee is waived.

Applications are accepted online through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). You will need to create an LSAC account in order to submit your application. Should you have any technical difficulties using this service, you may contact the LSAC Help Desk at (215) 968-1393.

To apply for the LL.M. program, click here, or to apply for Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.), click here.

Application for Admission

Applications for the Fall 2023 Entering Class open September 1, 2022. The early decision deadline is December 1, 2022. If your application is completed by December 1, you will be able to find out by December 22 if you've been accepted to Catholic Law.

As a part of our effort to convert our office to a fully paperless process this year, we will be offering automatic application fee waivers for anyone who applies electronically through the LSAC before our preferred deadline.

Applying for First Year Admission

To be eligible for admission, an applicant must have received an undergraduate degree from a college or university accredited by one of the regional associations and demonstrated satisfactory performance on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). The preferred deadline for applicants to both day and evening divisions is March 15. First year students begin their studies only in the fall semester.

In most cases applications are complete when the following has been received:

• The application with a $65 non-refundable application fee (The application fee for the current recruitment cycle has been waived);
• Personal Statement;
• An official report from the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report containing a transcript analysis and LSAT score.
• At least two but no more than three letters of recommendation. All letters must be submitted directly to LSAC.
• A note to international applicants: Transcripts from colleges and universities outside the United States or Canada must be evaluated by an organization such as World Education Services or Educational Credential Evaluators. We will also accept international transcripts through the Law School Admission Council's Credential Assembly Service.
• Please note that applicants whose native language is not English and whose undergraduate education was not received in a school where English is the language of instruction, must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The results should be forwarded directly to the Law School.

Applicants with disabilities

If you have a disability that you believe should be taken into consideration in reviewing your credentials, please so indicate in your application and supply appropriate documentation. Specific tests are required to document a learning disability. This optional and confidential procedure is intended to enhance applicants' opportunities for admission and will not be used to discriminate against individuals.

Some applicants may have disabilities that may not require testing accommodations or special consideration in the credentials review, but may require planning by the Law School to assist students when enrolling. Such disabilities may be mentioned on the application, or students may notify the school after acceptance. It is useful to have as much advance notice as possible to enable the Law School to make necessary accommodations.

Transfer Applications

Students may be admitted with advanced standing from a law school accredited either by the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools after completing the first year of law school elsewhere. Students must be in good standing and eligible to continue at their original school. The application deadline is July 1. In addition to your application, personal statement, and resume, the following documents are required:

• Official Law School Transcript demonstrating first-year grades;
• A letter of good standing from the Dean of Academic Affairs;
• Of the two required letters of recommendation, one must be from a current law professor;
• A full CAS report sent to the Admissions Office either by Law Services or the current law school; and
• An official undergraduate transcript sent directly from the degree-granting school.

Visiting Student Applications

Click here for details and deadlines for visiting student applicants.

Joint Degree programs

Applicants to joint Masters/J.D. programs must apply to each program separately, satisfy the requirements of each school, and be accepted by each school independently. For more information on the Masters degrees offered by CatholicU, you may visit the Graduate School's website.

Admission to the Bar

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.

Candor in Application

Accurate answers to questions on the application are very important. Past arrests, criminal convictions and disciplinary offenses are assessed individually on factors including applicant's age at the time, time lapse since the event, seriousness of the offense, whether the record suggests an isolated event or a pattern, and surrounding circumstances. Such events are rarely the deciding factor in an application, but rather form an element for consideration in the application. Lack of candor and inaccurate disclosure on the application are serious matters which can result in suspension or expulsion if discovered after admission.

At The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law our goal is to create a community of learning rich in multicultural diversity. Soliciting applicants from a vast array of racial, religious, social and ethnic backgrounds cultivates an educational environment where free thought in the marketplace of ideas is not just accepted, but the norm.