Applying

College of Law Application Process

The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), is the gateway for the law school admission process.  Most prospective students are first introduced to LSAC while preparing to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).  To apply to the University of Wyoming College of Law, you must have an account created on www.lsac.org.  All admission applications to the University of Wyoming College of Law must be submitted through LSAC's website.

staff member and sitting at desk joyful

 

Application Deadlines

Our application for the following Fall semester opens on October 1st and priority is given to applications that are received and complete by our April 30th deadline. 

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.  If you are unable to meet the April 30th deadline, please contact us at lawadmis@uwyo.edu or call (307) 766-6416 and ask to speak with someone in the Admissions Department.

Note: Transfer student deadlines and requirements can be found on our Transfer Applicant page.

Requirements

  1. Baccalaureate Degree - Candidates must complete a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university prior to matriculation.
  2. Character and Fitness- Applicants must be of good moral character and must maintain good moral character as a condition of continuing enrollment. 
  3. LSAT - Candidates must register for and take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). Scores are valid for five years. Applicants regsiter for the LSAT through the Law School Admission Council's website.
  4. CAS - Register for LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) and follow the instructions to ensure a complete application. It is advisable to register with CAS at the same time one registers for the LSAT. To fulfill requirements for the CAS, you will need to submit your:
    >Official Transcripts from ALL of the higher education institutions you have attended to LSAC.
    >Letters of Recommendation - Ideally, these should include one general reference letter and one academic reference letter.  You may submit a maximum of three letters.  Applicants who graduated from an undergraduate program several years ago may substitute letters from employers or supervisors who can address the applicant's abilities and intellectual promise for the study of law.  A reference letter that is particularly helpful is one that discusses the applicant's:
    --Intelligence (analytical powers, rigor of thought, critical faculty, reasoning ability);
    --Independence of thought (originality, imagination, creative intelligence);
    --Effectiveness of oral communication;
    --Effectiveness of written communication;
    --Industry and motivation (persistence, self-discipline, study techniques);
    --Judgment and maturity (conscientiousness, common sense); and
    --Leadership ability.
  5. University of Wyoming College of Law Application (through LSAC):
    >Personal Statement: Applicants must attach to their electronic application one personal statement. The personal statement should provide information about yourself that you consider significant to our evaluation of your file. We are interested in learning about the qualities that you would bring to the legal profession, the law school classroom, and the community. You may wish to describe a significant experience in your life or to discuss your interest in or motivation for attending law school. A typical personal statement is 2-3 pages. It will be evaluated for writing ability as well as content. Do not treat your personal statement as a narrative of your resume.
    >Personal Resume
    >Non-Refundable $50 Application Fee

Application Status Checker: In order to keep our applicants apprised of their status, we provide an online applicant status checker. The status checker will allow you to view the status of your application in real-time. The site is password protected. Click here to access the page. You will use your LSAC account credentials to log in.

Please note that we have provided an application checklist for you on the status checker site. If your application status reflects that your application is not complete, please review this checklist to determine what item(s) are missing.

 

Acceptance

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Seat Deposits: Accepted applicants who wish to reserve a seat in the entering class must make a non-refundable seat deposit of $500. The seat deposit can be paid online in two installments of $250 or paid in full with one payment of $500. The deadlines for these seat deposits are stated in the acceptance letter. The total seat deposit of $500 will be credited toward total University tuition and fees at the time of registration. Accepted applicants who do not pay the deposit by the deadline, have declined the offer of admission and any scholarship awarded.  Please note:  seat deposits are also non-refundable.  If you pay your seat deposit and choose not to enroll at UW, you forfeit that money.

Nondiscrimination and Diversity

The College of Law, pursuant to Standards 205, 206, and 210 of the American Bar Association for the Approval of Law Schools, provides all applicants for admission with equal opportunity without regard to race, ethnicity, gender, religion, color, national origin, disability, age, military status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, creed, ancestry, political belief, pregnancy, or any other applicable protected category or participation in any protected activity.

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.

If you are considering UW as the place to meet your education goals, consider this: the University of Wyoming College of Law offers in-state tuition to qualified military veterans. This financial opportunity is available to qualified veterans from across the country, thanks to legislation passed by the Wyoming state legislature.

Nonresident military veteran students must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a veteran of the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard; U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps; National Guard; or any reserve or auxiliary component.

  • Have either the Chapter 33 Post 9/11 or Chapter 30 Montgomery Bill or Chapter 35 DEA.

  • Provide evidence of having taken steps to establish Wyoming residency, which includes one of the following: a Wyoming voter registration card; a current Wyoming driver's license or identification card; current Wyoming vehicle registration; evidence of employment in the state; a current property lease or purchase agreement showing yourself as lessee or purchaser of an in-state residence; a utility bill showing a current account for a state residence in your name; or other evidence that can be reviewed by UW officials. 

For more information, contact Student Financial Services to meet or speak with the VA Certifying Official. They can be contacted by email at vafinaid@uwyo.edu or by phone at 307-766-2525.

In the United States, law programs awarding the Juris Doctor degree are graduate programs, requiring an undergraduate college degree as a condition of admission. All applicants must at a minimum have completed a four-year college bachelor’s degree or an equivalent degree requiring four years of college study.

When you apply for admission as an international student, your application will be evaluated using the same criteria as for U.S. applicants, including undergraduate GPA, LSAT score, quality and content of the personal essays, as well as other criteria relevant to success in the study and practice of law.

In addition to meeting the regular new applicant requirements, international students must also meet the following requirements.

Additional Requirements

  • College Transcripts: If the LSDAS report does not provide a transcript analysis, you must provide official transcripts with an English translation from the educational institutions from which you earned your undergraduate and/or graduate degrees.
  • TOEFL Report: If you received your undergraduate degree from an institution in which English was not the instructional language, you must submit an official Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score report showing a minimum score of 600 on the TOEFL paper-based test or 100 on the TOEFL internet-based test.
  • Statement of Financial Support: An original, current financial statement from the applicant’s bank/sponsor must certify that funding will be available to cover estimated expenses during your first year at the University of Wyoming College of Law, including additional funds to cover expenses for a spouse and/or children, if applicable.
  • Visas: Admitted applicants must satisfy certain visa requirements before enrolling. Foreign nationals (except Canadians) need a passport issued by your government and a visa issued by a U.S. embassy or consulate to enter the United States. To obtain an F-1 (student visa), you must first obtain Form I-20AB, which the University of Wyoming will issue upon acceptance for admission. Canadian students must have an I-20AB form and a copy of your financial statement for inspection at the U.S. port of entry. For more information, please visit this website.   https://www.uwyo.edu/iss/immigration/visa.html

 

International applicants are strongly encouraged to review the information provided by the University of Wyoming International Students and Scholars Office.

https://www.uwyo.edu/iss/

 

NOTE: Transfer, Visiting, and International Students are not eligible for scholarships.

Transfer students are admitted in the fall semester of their second year when the College of Law's facilities and curriculum permit. Transfer students must satisfy the requirements for graduation established by the University of Wyoming College of Law, including such other requirements as may be imposed as a condition of admission. Admission decisions are made by the College of Law Admissions Committee.

Deadlines

  • Our transfer application opens on May 15th and closes on July 1st.

Requirements for Admission

To be eligible for admission as a transfer student, applicants must meet the following requirements:

  • Be transferring from a law school that is included on the American Bar Association list of approved law schools,

  • Be in good standing and eligible to continue his/her studies at their original law school,

  • Have received a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale for all law courses undertaken at their original law school,

  • Have a current subscription to the Credential Assembly Service (CAS).

Application Procedures

  • Submit a University of Wyoming College of Law Application for Admission electronically through the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) via www.lsac.org  by July 1st.

  • Have the dean or other approved official from the original law school submit a letter of good standing, confirming that you are eligible to continue your studies.

  • Request an official transcript from each law school attended to be sent to the UW College of Law. The transcript must include the grades received in the last term or semester that the student intends to complete at that school. Note: If the last semester class rank is not included on the transcript, it must be included in the letter of good standing.

Transfer Credits

  • No more than two semesters of residence credit and no more than 32 semester credit hours may be transferred from another law school. Credit will be given only for courses in which a grade of ‘C' or better was earned. Applicants who exceed these minimums will be admitted only in exceptional cases and will be limited to the aforementioned credit hour thresholds, whichever is less.

 

NOTE: Transfer, Visiting, and International Students are not eligible for scholarships.

Questions?  Visit our FAQ page!