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Before You Apply
Admissions to YLS is very competitive, and space is limited, so it’s to your advantage to begin preparing your application as soon as possible.
Yale Law School will begin accepting applications for the Class of 2016 between October 15, 2012 and November 1, 2012, and the deadline will be March 4, 2013. It is your responsibility to make certain all items arrive at Yale in a timely fashion. Candidates who apply in early autumn are likely (although not guaranteed) to receive a decision earlier; candidates who apply just before the deadline, or whose required materials are submitted late, run the risk of receiving decisions very late in the spring.
Transfer students and visiting students should be sure to review their specific application requirements.
In order to apply for the first-year J.D. class:
- You must register for LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Please note that it may take several weeks for LSAC to process your materials.
- You must receive, or expect to receive, by the summer of 2013, a bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent) from an approved college. All offers of admission are conditional upon graduation.
- You must take the Law School Admission Test no later than February 2013. The oldest score we will accept is October 2007.
Check the Admissions Timeline to be sure you are on track with your application.
