University of Houston Law Center – Law School Frequently Asked Questions

We require that you have a 4-year bachelor's degree from an accredited university. The exact major is NOT important. You should select a major that interests you because you are more likely to earn better grades in such a program. Additionally, we recommend that you take courses that will help you develop your writing skills. There is an exception to the bachelor’s degree requirement if you are a University of Houston 3+3 Undergraduate/Law Dual Degree Program applicant

We value strong academic performance; earning a competitive GPA should be a priority. Along the way, work on developing skills in writing, research, critical thinking, and public speaking, as these will serve you well in law school. Get involved on campus through student organizations or leadership opportunities and meet regularly with your university’s pre-law advisor for guidance. Finally, begin learning about the application process, including the LSAT and other admission requirements by reviewing resources such as the FAQs to stay organized and plan ahead. We recommend using the Pre-Law Checklist for reference.

The best way to connect with our admissions team is through one of our many group sessions. We have Chats with an Admissions Professional on a frequent basis, as well as Chats with an Admissions Ambassador. These are held virtually for your convenience. Additionally, we hold in-person information sessions, building tours, and class visits. Register for a session by utilizing our calendar.

We do not review application materials prior to submission of your application. For review of these types of documents, we recommend you seek guidance from your undergraduate academic advisor or pre-law advisor.

We recommend parking in the visitor section of the Elgin Street Garage.

The regular decision deadline is March 15th for the full-time program and May 15th for the part-time evening program. The early decision deadline is November 15th for both programs. It is to your advantage to submit your application as early as possible.

No, we do not offer spring admission. All entering 1L law students begin their enrollment in the fall semester.

We will accept applications for admission beginning September 1st. We utilize a rolling admissions process, reviewing applications in the order they are received.

The early decision option is non-binding, and the only difference between the two options is the timing of the review of your application. Early decision applicants whose files become complete by December 15th should expect to receive a decision by the end of February. Regular decision applicants should expect to receive a decision by mid-May if applying to the full-time program, and by mid to late July if applying to the Part-Time Evening Program.

No, we do not offer provisional admissions.

No. The University of Houston Law Center is comprised of students of all ages. As a non-traditional student, you can play up your experience and wisdom in your application.

If you have committed a felony, you must wait 5 years after you have served your sentence to register for the bar. Although you can register for the bar, this does not necessarily mean that you will be admitted to practice. If you have committed crimes less than a felony, there is no waiting period. Always feel free to contact the Board of Law Examiners. https://ble.texas.gov/home

Yes. We allow Spring Admission for transfer or visiting students only. Entering 1L students can only apply for the Fall.

You need a 4-year bachelor's degree from an accredited university and a current LSAT or GRE score, the UH Law Center application, a personal statement, 2 letters of recommendation, and a list of extracurricular activities and/or a resume. Applicants educated in the U.S. must also register with CAS. There is an exception to the bachelor’s degree requirement if you are a University of Houston 3+3 Undergraduate/Law Dual Degree Program applicant. There is an exception to the required LSAT or GRE score if you are a Houston Law Express applicant.

Yes. All applicants to UHLC are required to register with the CAS; foreign educated applicants will submit their foreign transcripts to the LSAC JD Credential Evaluation Service for evaluation. For information on CAS go to http://www.lsac.org.

Given that all applicants have earned a 4-year bachelor’s degree, primary consideration is given to the undergraduate cumulative GPA. We will review graduate transcripts subjectively.

The personal statement is a very important component of your application. The Admissions Committee does not conduct interviews; therefore you should approach the personal statement as an interview on paper. You may write about your special skills, advanced degrees, work experiences, personal challenges you have overcome, and professionally related extracurricular activities. The personal statement should be 2-3 pages double-spaced and remember to proofread carefully!

We do not have a set minimum LSAT score. Typically, the lowest LSAT we accept is in the mid-140s. The median LSAT score for the most recent admission cycle was 163. Accepted applicants with lower LSAT scores tend to have higher GPAs and strong personal statements, letters of recommendation, and work experience or evidence of leadership. Class Profile

We do not have a set minimum GPA. Typically, the lowest GPA we accept is in the 2.50 range. The median GPA for the most recent admission cycle was 3.79. Accepted applicants with lower GPAs tend to have higher LSAT or GRE scores and strong personal statements, letters of recommendation, and work experience or evidence of leadership. Class Profile

No

For early decision, you may take the LSAT as late as November. We recommend that applicants to the full-time program take the LSAT no later than the February administration. LSAT scores submitted after the February administration will be considered on a space-available basis.

Applicants to the Part-Time Evening Program should take the LSAT no later than April, but June LSAT scores will be considered on a space-available basis.

Consider the LSAT timeline for guidance on the appropriate dates.

You can register for the GRE at any time.

LSAT/GRE scores are valid for five years.

You can take the LSAT 5 times in a given cycle, and 7 times over your lifetime. You can take the GRE once every 21 days, up to 5 times within any continuous rolling 12-month period (365 days). This applies even if you canceled your scores on a test taken previously.

All LSAT/GRE scores will be reported, however primary consideration is given to your highest scores.

The medians provide guidance on the typical class profile, however there are students admitted above and below the medians. The numerical factors are important, but not decisive. A holistic review is conducted, where all components of your application are considered including personal statement, letters of recommendation, resume and optional addenda.

All law schools accept the LSAT, however not all accept the GRE. It is important to determine the testing requirements of the law schools in which you plan to apply. The Law Center accepts both the LSAT and GRE. We will only consider either the LSAT or GRE, not both. Please only take one or the other

If you plan to retake the LSAT/GRE in a future administration, please email our office at lawadmissions@uh.edu and request a hold on your application until the new LSAT/GRE score is available

We require two letters of recommendation, however you may submit up to three. Letters of recommendation should be written by someone who knows you well and can speak to your character, and academic or professional work ethic. Preferred recommenders include professors, clients, or employers.

Letters of recommendation may be addressed to the “Admissions Committee.” Letters must be submitted using the CAS letter of recommendation service. Visit http://www.lsac.org for more information.

No. We require that you use the CAS recommendation service. We will not confirm receipt for letters sent directly to our office.

Yes, letters remain active for the life of your LSAC account. You can reuse them for different schools or future application cycles.

The best letters come from professors, employers, or clients who know you well and can speak to your academic abilities, work ethic, and personal qualities. A letter from someone with a high profile—like a judge or politician—is less valuable if they don’t know you personally.

Law schools understand that not all applicants are recent graduates. If you’ve been out of school, consider asking employers, supervisors, or clients who can speak to your professional skills, leadership, and character.

As a state institution, our non-resident enrollment is limited to 35% of the student body.

We do not consider residency as a factor in the application review process.

Please review the University of Houston residency requirements – https://www.uh.edu/undergraduate-admissions/resources/residency-requirements/index

You should not wait until you have been admitted to complete the FAFSA. You can complete the FAFSA beginning on October 1st at https://studentaid.gov/. The University of Houston will not decide on your financial aid until you have been admitted into a degree program.

Admitted students are automatically considered for a merit-based Dean’s scholarship. There is no separate application. Dean's Scholarships are renewable for the three years of the full-time program, or the four years of the part-time program, as long as you remain in good standing. You can find additional information at www.law.uh.edu/financialaid/scholarships.asp.

No. We do not review a file until all documents are received, including the CAS Report. It is imperative that you comply with all of LSAC's requirements so your CAS Report is submitted without delay.

Email lawadmissions@uh.edu for any email or physical address changes.

Decisions are made on a rolling basis. Early decision applicants whose files become complete by December 15th should expect to receive a decision by the end of February. Regular decision applicants should expect to receive a decision by mid-May if applying to the full-time program, and by mid to late July if applying to the Part-Time Evening Program. We understand that some schools may notify you, and therefore require a deposit from you, earlier than that. You will need to decide whether to play it safe and put down a deposit on a school you may not attend. We cannot act more quickly on your application because you heard from another school first.

Please consult the Application Status Checker on the LSAC website. The Office of Admissions does not provide status updates or application decisions over the phone.

No. The same review process is utilized for both early and regular decision applications, therefore we will not hold early decision applications for re-review for regular decision. Admission decisions are final and cannot be appealed

The Admissions Committee will begin to review applicants on the waitlist after all decisions have been rendered, generally in late May to mid-June. Please be advised this review often continues throughout the summer and up until the start of classes. The waitlist is not ranked, and candidates will receive a second full-file review by the Committee. There are no set number of seats in the entering class reserved for candidates on the waitlist, and decisions to admit candidates from the waitlist are made on a space available basis. If you would like to submit a Letter of Continued Interest (LOCI), you may do so by uploading the document through your LSAC online portal. We will only accept LOCIs through the online portal, please do not send them directly to our office.

After completion of your first-year curriculum, you may request to switch programs with the Office of Student Affairs.

Deferments are considered on a case-by-case basis. If you feel your situation is compelling, you should submit a written request for deferment to lawadmissions@uh.edu outlining the reason(s) for seeking a deferment. We will notify you of the decision via email. If you are granted a deferment, you will be required to sign a pledge not to seek or hold deferment elsewhere, or to apply to another law school while on deferment.

Transferring to the Law Center is competitive. Decisions are based primarily on first-year grades and class rank. We also consider the competitiveness of your law school, whether you would have been admitted to the Law Center as a first-year student, your reasons for seeking transfer admission, and the other elements of your application.

To be considered for transfer admission, you must have between 22 to 30 credit hours in law school. The Law Center will not accept any credits beyond 30.

If you are a student in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school, you may apply to visit. You must have permission from your home law school to enroll in classes at the Law Center. Law students approved to visit at the Law Center will register for classes after priority enrollment for current UHLC students, so you should have several alternate courses in mind in case you are unable to enroll in your first choices. Additionally, visiting law students generally may not enroll in clinical legal education courses or litigation skills classes.

Attorneys licensed in Texas may audit a class. Please contact the Office of Student Affairs for more information at LawOSA@uh.edu or by calling 713-743-2182.

We offer a J.D./M.B.A. with UH; a J.D./M.S. in Finance with UH: a J.D./M.A. in History with UH; a J.D./M.S.W. with UH; a J.D./M.D. with Baylor College of Medicine; a J.D./MPH at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health; a J.D./J.D. with the University of Calgary Faculty of Law through UHLC's International Energy Lawyers Program; and a J.D./LL.M. (both completed at UHLC). For more information, visit the dual degree program website https://www.law.uh.edu/academic/dual-degree.asp.

You will have to apply and be admitted to both programs separately.