J.D. Admissions

September 1, 2020 
We will begin accepting applications for Fall 2021. All applicants must apply through LSAC.org.

December 1, 2020
Early Decision Applications must be received in our office (and must be completed by December 15, 2020). Early Decision admissions are binding.

An early decision applicant may apply for admission to other law schools on a non-binding basis, but once admitted to the University of Richmond School of Law as an early decision applicant, the applicant must withdraw all other law school applications and may not initiate any new applications for admission.

February 15, 2021
Priority deadline for scholarship consideration. We will continue to award after that date, but there may be a delay.

February 25, 2021 (or as soon as possible thereafter)
FAFSA should be on file (FAFSA available for submission on October 1, 2020). Our FAFSA code is 003744.

March 1, 2021
Priority consideration for admission. We will continue to accept applications thereafter until the class is filled.

Application Form

The application must be completed in full, with all required and any relevant optional questions answered. Applications may be submitted prior to receiving LSAT scores. All applications must be submitted through the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). The application includes a section on character and fitness qualifications for admission to the bar.

Transcripts

After you register for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), you must have a transcript sent to LSAC from each undergraduate and graduate institution you have attended. This includes dual credit in high school, college-level summer school, transfer credit, etc. Applicants are advised to wait until they have completed at least six semesters of undergraduate work before requesting transcripts.

LSAT

Students must register and take the exam through LSAC. While applications can be submitted prior to receiving LSAT scores, they will not be evaluated until an LSAT score is received.

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants should use the Letter of Recommendation Service offered through CAS. Two letters are required; up to four will be accepted. We encourage at least one letter of recommendation come from a professor who can address your academic abilities, unless you completed your undergraduate work more than five years prior to your application. Note: Letters of recommendation are held in confidence. The submission of your application constitutes your waiver of any and all rights to review letters of recommendation retained by this law school.

Letters are used for law admissions purposes only.

Résumé

The résumé may be of any length and should provide chronological information about your academic background, work experiences, extracurricular or charitable activities, and accomplishments.

Personal Statement

The personal statement should be approximately two pages in length and can address any topic you deem relevant. We encourage you to provide information about yourself not otherwise found in your application. We do not recommend explaining any legal or educational issues associated with your application here. If needed, please address these issues in an addendum.

Addendum

An addendum must be submitted to address any legal, character and fitness, or educational issues associated with your application. If there are multiple issues, each should be addressed in its own addendum. There is no required format.

Other Statements

Richmond Law considers whether a student comes from an underprivileged socioeconomic background, is a first-generation college student, has a disability, or is from a group underrepresented in the legal profession. We encourage any additional statements you wish to provide.

TOEFL Waiver for International Applicants

International applicants are expected to demonstrate fluency in the English language. Candidates for whom their native language is not English are required to take either the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. All scores must be submitted through LSAC; paper copies of scores are not accepted.

International applicants who believe they are fluent in English or have completed their undergraduate (or other advanced degrees) at an institution where the primary language of instruction is English may request a waiver of the English language testing requirement. Applicants must submit a written statement indicating their level of proficiency and how they achieved it, i.e. either through school instruction or work experience in an English-speaking professional job.

Merit Scholarships

The University of Richmond School of Law offers generous scholarship assistance. All applicants for admission are considered for these scholarships; no separate application form is required. Awards are based on LSAT score, undergraduate academic achievement, and aptitude for the study of law. For further information on merit scholarships, contact the Law School Admissions Office at 804-289-8189. For additional information on loans, check our Financial Aid Office website contact them at finaid@richmond.edu or 804-289-8438.

Educational Loans

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the application for all federal aid at the University of Richmond School of Law. Ideally, the FAFSA should be received by the federal processor by February 25 or as soon thereafter as possible (FAFSA available for submission on October 1, 2020). The FAFSA may be submitted online at www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

Parental information is not required on the FAFSA for law students. Our FAFSA code is 003744.

The law school is committed to enforcing its policy against discriminatory admission practices based upon race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, or disability. Information about age, race, and gender of applicants is needed by the school for statistical purposes only. An applicant’s age or gender will have no effect on the admissions process. The school believes that an applicant’s race or ethnic group is a factor that legitimately can be considered during the admissions process to promote the representation of minorities in the law school and the legal profession. Neither gender, nor age, nor race will be used in an unlawfully discriminatory manner.

You are assured both by school policy and by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act that the information will be confidential and accessible only to school officials, government agencies, and others with a legitimate educational interest in this information.

The University of Richmond School of Law programs for professions that require licensure or certification are intended to prepare the student for Virginia licensure and certification requirements. Admission into any programs for professions that require licensure and certification does not guarantee that students will obtain a license or certificate. Licensure and certification requirements are set by agencies, not controlled by or affiliated with the University of Richmond School of Law, and licensure and certification requirements can change at any time.

The University of Richmond School of Law has not determined whether its programs meet other states’ educational or professional licensure and certification requirements. Students planning to pursue licensure or certification in other states are responsible for determining whether the completion of the University of Richmond School of Law programs will meet their state’s requirements for licensure or certification. This disclosure is made pursuant 34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v).