We welcome your application to Valparaiso University Law School for the 2013-2014 academic year. Please email or phone us if you have questions or would like personal assistance in submitting your application:
E: law.admissions@valpo.edu
P: (219) 465-7821.
Important 2013 J.D. Application Dates and Deadlines
September 1, 2012: Start date for application submission to the 2013 first-year class.
November-December 2012: The Admissions Committee begins releasing final decisions.
January-June 2013: Final decisions are released on a regular basis. Scholarship award decisions are released (no separate application required) at the same time as admit decisions. All decisions are sent out in the mail. Notification that a decision has been made is posted on the VU-Law applicant status check web page.
March 15, 2013: Application priority date for scholarships. Students who apply by this date and are then admitted are assured of consideration for a scholarship award. External scholarship opportunities are also available.
March 15, 2013: Financial aid priority date. Admitted students who submit a FAFSA by this date will receive their financial aid package prior to April 1.
April 1, 2013: For students admitted prior to March 10: due date for 1st tuition deposit. For those admitted after March 10, please check your admit letter for the tuition deposit due date.
June 1, 2013: For students admitted prior to May 10: due date for full or 2nd tuition deposit.
June 1, 2013: Final deadline for application submission for fall 2013 entry.
Application Policies and Procedures
General Application Requirements:
- There is NO 2013 application fee
- An earned bachelor’s degree at the time of law school entry
- Submission of the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report and Valparaiso University Law School application form
- 2 letters of recommendation,a personal statement/essay, and a current resume
- A recent LSAT examination score (within five years from entry date; no scores prior to 9/08 will be considered.)
- As of February 1, 2013, June 2013 LSAT scores can be considered for 2013 admission if a complete application is submitted no later than June 1, 2013. (Contact the Office of Admissions for details.)
Submitting your Admissions Application. Valparaiso University Law School requires an electronic application submission. Access the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website and follow Valparaiso Law’s application submission directions. There is no VU-Law application fee but you need to pay LSAC’s fees for your application to be transmitted to us from LSAC, along with your CAS report, your letters of recommendation, and your uploaded personal statement, resume and other documents.
The Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). Every J.D. applicant must take the LSAT. To register and prepare for the LSAT, visit the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website.
Re-application Requirements. To re-apply for admission to Valparaiso Law, complete all the requirements above. On your application, be sure to indicate the year(s) you previously applied to Valparaiso University Law School. You will need to request a new CAS report and resubmit all your official transcripts to LSAC. You are also expected to update your letters of recommendation, personal statement, and resume.
Transfer/Advance Standing Admission. Transfer students are expected to have completed a full year of academic credit in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school. Before completing the transfer application, print out and follow the directions on the Instructions for Transfer Admission (Advance Standing).
International Students. At Valparaiso Law, we encourage our students to understand and appreciate that the world is a diverse place. In support of diversity, Valparaiso Law is committed to enrolling students of all ages, races, ethnicities, religions, cultures and backgrounds. We welcome applications from international students and invite you to apply. For J.D. applicants, follow the directions listed above and also refer to the Application Instructions for International Students.
LL.M. applicants should also refer to the Application Instructions for International Students and send an email to request an application for admission to Zahra.Nwabara@valpo.edu. Academic information on the LL.M. program is available at http://www.valpo.edu/law/prospective-students/p-academics/llm-program
Special Law Education Programs for Entering Students. As one of the four Indiana law schools, Valparaiso Law offers our accepted students who are from Indiana or have a special connection to the state participation in the Indiana Conference for Legal Education Opportunity or ICLEO program, which is patterned after the national Council for Legal Education Opportunity (CLEO) program.
