Law Admission Requirements

All applicants are required to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) and register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC)'s JD Credential Assembly Service (CAS). LSAT scores are valid for admission purposes for five years from the test date to the intended enrollment date. LSAC sends a law school report that includes your LSAT score(s), copies of your transcripts, and your letters of recommendation. The report is sent electronically to Stetson Law's Office of Admissions and Student Financial Planning once it is complete. You must work directly with LSAC to ensure that all items are received and processed.

Applicants may take the June LSAT as long as they submit their applications by the deadline. Stetson Law uses your highest LSAT score, not an average of all scores, for admission. You may obtain LSAT and JD CAS registration and information materials from the LSAC website, or by calling 215-968-1001.

Apply Now

A $55 nonrefundable application fee must be paid online through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) when you submit your application.

Please assign a minimum of one letter of recommendation; a maximum of three letters will be accepted. Please use the Letter of Recommendation Service provided by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Academic references are encouraged; however, we recognize that many students have difficulty obtaining academic references and will not penalize candidates if one cannot be obtained.

Personal Statement

First Year JD Applicants: The Personal Statement should address your reason for wishing to study law and earn the JD, which may include special accomplishments or qualifications pertinent to your application. 

Transfer Applicants and Foreign Attorneys: All transfer applicants must submit a Personal Statement that addresses their reason for wishing to transfer to Stetson Law.

A concise, 2-3 page double-spaced format is preferred. Please put your name and identification number (LSAC account number) at the top of each page. Candidates may also submit an addendum to explain unusual circumstances, such as grade fluctuations or wide variance in LSAT scores.

Resume

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a resume along with their personal statement and application.

Important Note

Whether as part of the resume or within the application itself, applicants should list any and all employment (paid or unpaid) held since their 16th birthday or for the past 10 years, whichever is shorter. This will ensure consistency with the employment question on the Florida Bar application, the most common state in which Stetson graduates to practice.

Official transcripts from all colleges or universities you attended, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools, must be sent to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC)'s JD Credential Assembly Service (CAS), regardless of whether you earned a degree from the institution. Admitted students who choose to enroll at Stetson Law must submit final, official transcripts showing the award of their bachelor's degree to LSAC before enrolling.

Domestic Transfer Applicants

You are also required to provide a letter of good standing that also contains your class rank. It must be submitted by your current law school directly to Stetson Law or to the LSAC's JD CAS.

Foreign Attorney Applicants

Applicants whose native language is not English must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score of at least 100. TOEFL scores are valid for three years. Alternatively, fluency in English may also be established by scoring at least a 7 in International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Visit the IELTS website for more information.

You must contact the Educational Testing Service TOEFL or IELTS to request that your scores be sent to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). LSAC's TOEFL code for the JD Credential Assembly Service (CAS) is 8395. Your score will be included in the international credential evaluation document that will be included in your LSAC JD CAS Law School Report.

TOEFL IELTS

Stetson Law's Office of Admissions and Student Financial Planning does not routinely conduct personal interviews for the JD program. However, we may, on occasion, request that an applicant participates in a meeting with a member of the faculty or administration. Applicants may not request to interview but are encouraged to visit Stetson Law for a campus tour, attend a class, and meet with an admissions counselor to learn more about Stetson Law and the admissions process. Please contact Stetson Law's Office of Admissions and Student Financial Planning for an appointment at 727-562-7802 or [email protected].

Applicants will receive an email confirming receipt of their application. The Office will also inform applicants if there are missing items or if additional information is needed to process the application. When applications are complete and submitted for review, applicants will receive an email with a username and password that allows for applicants to check their application status online and confirm addresses and other contact information. Important: All decisions will be communicated via email. Decisions are not released by phone, except for US military personnel stationed abroad.

If admitted, a nonrefundable deposit of $500 is required to reserve a seat. Please note the seat deposit deadline and instructions for remitting payment on your letter of acceptance. This deposit will be credited to your tuition upon registration. Please make a check or money order payable to Stetson University College of Law. Credit cards are also accepted.

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.

Additional Resources:

• Bar Admission Guide (See Chart II, which covers requirements regarding character and fitness determinations)
• Character and Fitness Investigations
• ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar

Pursuant to applicable law, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the College of Law provides reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. Individuals seeking information about disability accommodation at the College of Law are encouraged to read more about Accessibility Resources for Students with Disabilities on the Stetson website. Questions can be directed to the ADA Coordinator at [email protected].

Stetson Law invites applicants with disabilities to disclose any anticipated barriers concerning accessibility. Information you would like considered in the admissions process can be disclosed within the Personal Statement. Any accessibility information disclosed will remain confidential and will be considered only as directed by relevant law. Please note that this disclosure is voluntary and will not result in the adverse treatment.

Stetson University's commitment to inclusive excellence extends throughout the university and to each of our core values: global citizenship, intellectual development, and personal growth. In adherence to applicable laws and as provided by University policies, the University prohibits discrimination in its employment and admissions practices and its educational programs and activities on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ethnicity, age, pregnancy, disability, genetic information, marital status, or military status. The policy is enforced by Stetson and, where applicable, federal laws such as Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. The University is an equal opportunity educational institution.

Inquiries regarding compliance with Stetson University's non-discrimination policies, applicable statutes, and referrals to designated coordinators under the ADA/Section 504, Title IX, and the Age Discrimination Act may be directed to the Executive Director and Title IX Coordinator, 421 N Woodland Blvd, DeLand, Florida 32723, 386-822-7960, or the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, 1401 61st Street South, Gulfport, Florida, 727-562-7950, or to the Director of the Office for Civil Rights, U.S Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20202-1100, 800-421-3481, TDD: 877-521-2172.

Stetson University College of Law is covered by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), which is designed to protect students' rights with regard to educational records maintained by the institution. Under this Act, students have the following rights: 1) the right to inspect and review educational records maintained by the institution that pertain to a such student; 2) the right to challenge the content of records on the ground that they are inaccurate, misleading or a violation of the student's privacy or other rights; and 3) the right to control disclosures from the student's records with certain exceptions.

The information in this publication applies to the Academic Year 2019–2020 and is accurate and current, to the extent possible, as of September 2018. The College of Law reserves the right to change programs of study, academic requirements, teaching staff, the calendar, and other matters described herein without prior notice, in accordance with established procedures.

Copies of the annual Campus Security (Clery) Act Report and Fire Safety Report and Plan are available at no charge from Stetson Law's Office of Public Safety. To receive a copy, call 727-562-7801, or visit the Public Safety website.