HOW TO APPLY FOR THE J.D. PROGRAM
We offer flexibility, so you can attend full-time or part-time, days and evenings, with 10 dual degrees where you can earn your law degree and a master’s degree.
SEPT 1
J.D. Application period opens
MARCH 15
Priority deadline for merit scholarship consideration.
JUNE 1
J.D. Application period ends
Steps to Apply
Submit Your Application
Submit the required online application form on lsac.org, along with your $50 nonrefundable application fee (paid by debit card, credit card or online check). Keep a copy of your application for your personal files.
Credential Assembly Service
Register with the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS). The CAS will forward your Law School Report after all required documentation has been received. This service requires at least three to four weeks before the application deadline to receive, process and forward your materials to the College of Law.
Data to include
- Report containing your LSAT scores
- Undergraduate/graduate transcripts
- Transfer & Guest Applicants: Send official law school transcripts to LSAC for inclusion in your Law School Report
- Your recommendation letters
Submit Personal Statement
Include a typed personal statement with your online LSAC application. This is your opportunity to describe why you are pursuing legal study at Georgia State Law and highlight any experiences, qualifications or other information you believe to be relevant.
The statement should be no more than two double-spaced pages.
Submit Transcripts
Send official school transcripts to LSAC for inclusion in your Law School Report. You will need to submit academic transcripts from each college and/or university attended regardless of whether or not a degree was conferred.
Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
LSAC administers the LSAT nine times annually. First-Year Applicants must take the LSAT no later than the June test administration preceding the desired fall enrollment. Our admissions committee considers the last three years of your LSAT scores in the decision process.
Make your LSAT scores available to Georgia State Law, which will request them from LSAC upon receipt of your application.
Panther Scholars
This only applies to Panther Scholar Program applicants.
In the Standardized Test section on the application for admissions, Panther Scholar must:
- Indicate their SAT or ACT score; and
- Submit a copy of their official score report to lawadmdoc@gsu.edu.
Submit Letters of Recommendation
Submit a minimum of two (to a maximum of four) letters of recommendation, no more than two years old, through your LSAC Law School Report. We prefer letters from professors who can attest to your ability to enter a competitive professional program.
These letters should speak to your ability to be successful in a graduate program. Professional and academic letters are strongly recommended. If you have been out of school for multiple years, employer references will suffice.
Transfer & Guest Applicants
Submit two to four letters of recommendation, no more than two years old, through CAS. We prefer letters from professors who can attest to your ability to enter a competitive professional program. References from employers will also suffice.
Letters of Good Standing & Class Rank
This only applies to Transfer & Guest applicants.
Transfer Applicants
Transfer student applicants must provide a letter from the dean of your law school that includes your class ranking and states you are in academic good standing and eligible to return. Mail this letter directly to Georgia State Law’s Office of Admissions.
Guest Applicants
Provide a letter from the dean of your law school that includes:
- your class ranking
- confirmation that you are in good standing and eligible to return to the school
- statement of permission and a listing of conditions regarding your attendance at Georgia State Law
- a statement of acceptance of transfer credits from Georgia State Law.
Mail this letter directly to Georgia State Law’s Office of Admissions.
Georgia State University College of Law Admissions
P.O. Box 4049
Atlanta, GA 30302-4049
Decision Notifications
We will notify you by email once your application has been received. This message will include your login credentials to monitor your status via the Applicant Status Online system.
Once finalized, your decision will be reflected in the ASO, and you will receive an email containing your decision.
What Type of Student Are You?
First-Year Applicants
First-year J.D. applicants are individuals who have either:
- graduated (or will graduate) from a regionally accredited college or university before fall enrollment
- left an ABA-accredited law school in good standing and have not completed the first year of full-time enrollment
Policies for Georgia State Law first-year applicants
- First-year J.D. students are accepted for the fall semester only.
- Georgia State Law has a rolling admission policy.
- A bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university is required to register.
- Georgia State Law cannot admit students who are ineligible for readmission to another law school.
- You must submit all required documents through the Credential Assembly Service of the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).
- Never send documents directly to our office unless requested.
- We do not grant personal interviews.
- Full-time students cannot work more than 20 hours per week at any combination of jobs.
Panther Scholars Program
The Panther Scholars Program waives the LSAT for outstanding Georgia State University undergraduate students who have considered their law school options carefully and are confident that Georgia State Law is their top choice.
Qualified Candidates are First Year J.D. applicants who are recent graduates, currently enrolled or will graduate from Georgia State University who have:
- a minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.50; and
- scored above the 85th percentile nationally on the SAT or ACT at time of administration.
Deadlines
- Sept 1: Application period opens
- Nov 1: Application completion deadline
- Jan 15: Decision notification deadline
- March 15: $500 Non-refundable Seat Deposit Due
Panther Scholars Program Policies
- The LSAT is waived for qualified candidates.
- Candidates must already have taken the ACT/SAT prior to admission to Georgia State University.
- Qualified candidates must have completed a minimum of six semesters at Georgia State University.
- Candidates with a valid and reportable LSAT score are not eligible to apply through the Panther Scholars application process.
- Admission is not guaranteed on meeting the required credentials alone.
- Each application will be reviewed holistically.
- Applicants must submit all required application components including the completed application, personal statement, letters of recommendation and the LSAC Law School Report by the deadline.
- Candidates who are not admitted through the Panther Scholars Program may apply as general first-year applicants and must take the LSAT to be considered for admission.
- Candidates who intend to apply to law schools other than Georgia State Law will need to take the LSAT.
- Candidates who matriculate though the Panther Scholars Program may not be eligible to transfer to another law school after the 1L year without an LSAT score.
Before applying through the Panther Scholars process, please carefully consider whether this is the right option for you.
Send an email to lawadmissions@gsu.edu stating that you have applied through the Panther Scholars process after you submit your lsac.org application.
Dual-Degree Applicants
Earn two degrees in a shorter time and at a lower cost than if pursued separately.
Georgia State Law offers nine dual degrees for individuals interested in doubling up to obtain a J.D. and master’s degree in selected areas.
Things to know:
- Students must apply and be accepted to the College of Law using the first-year applicants process.
- These programs allow some selected course work in each program to satisfy requirements in the other.
- Applicants must be accepted by both colleges. Interested applicants should contact the appropriate colleges for application procedures and materials.
- In most cases, the dual-degree program allows you to complete both degrees in a shorter period of time than if you pursued both degrees separately.
- If you receive a Georgia State Law scholarship, it is available only during the years you are enrolled as a law student.
Dual Degree Programs
Transfer Students
Georgia State Law’s Admissions Committee will consider transfer applicants who have completed their first year of full-time study at another law school accredited by the American Bar Association. Applicants enrolled in a part-time program will be considered on a case-by-case basis upon completing the first year of study.
Academic performance and class ranking are important factors in our evaluation process. You also must possess credentials comparable to those of the class to which you are applying.
Georgia State University College of Law does not have any articulation agreements with outside institutions.
Deadlines
Fall
- May 1: Application period opens
- July 15: Application period closes
Spring
- October 1: Application period opens
- December 1: Application period closes
Policies for Georgia State Law Transfer Applicants
- You must submit all required documents through the Law School Admission Council’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Never send documents to our office unless specified.
- The official law school transcript, a letter of good standing, and letter of class rank must be submitted after the conclusion of the academic term immediately preceding the desired semester of enrollment.
- Applications and required materials received after the deadline will not be considered.
- You may transfer a maximum of 30 credit hours from another ABA-accredited law school. You must complete at least 60 hours of required coursework at Georgia State Law to graduate.
- You cannot obtain advanced standing for courses completed at non-ABA-accredited law schools.
- You cannot obtain advanced standing for law school courses completed with a grade lower than a C (or its equivalent).
- Georgia State Law cannot admit students who are ineligible for readmission to another law school.
- Do not send addenda or replacement items after you’ve submitted your initial application.
- We do not grant personal interviews.
International Applicants
International applicants who attended and graduated from a college or university in another country are required to have their credentials evaluated by JD Credential Assembly Service (JD CAS) and apply as a first-year applicant.
Policies for Georgia State Law International Applicants
Georgia State Law international applicants must satisfy all first-year applicant requirements. The college has no special grading standards for international students.
TOEFL
Applicants whose native language is not English are encouraged to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) to demonstrate a satisfactory level of proficiency in the English language.
LSAT
International applicants must earn a satisfactory score on the LSAT.
VISA
International applicants must provide documentation of their visa and financial status prior to admission. Permanent residents must provide a copy of their permanent resident card.
Transcripts
International applicants who have graduated from a college or university outside the United States are required to submit their foreign transcripts to the Law School Admission Council’s JD Credential Assembly Service for evaluation. You will register for JDCAS evaluation when registering with the Law School Admission Council – known as LSAC – and your JDCAS report will be included with your LSAC Law School Report at no extra charge. To ensure that your transcripts are received and evaluated in a timely manner, print out a Transcript Request Form for each institution when registering and send it to them promptly.
JDCAS evaluation does not apply to foreign work completed through a study abroad consortium or exchange program sponsored by a U.S. or Canadian institution when the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript.
Guest Students
Third-year law students who attended an ABA-accredited law school and are in good standing may apply as a guest to earn credit that will transfer back to their degree-granting institution. A second-year law student may apply as a guest under special circumstances.
Guests may earn up to 32 credit hours from Georgia State Law and attend up to three semesters (including summer).
Policies for Georgia State Law Guest Student Applicants
- You must submit all required documents through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Never send documents to our office unless specified.
- Applications and required materials received after the deadline will not be considered.
- We do not grant personal interviews.
- Guests may enroll for summer semester. Courses with limited enrollment offer first priority to Georgia State Law students.
- We cannot guarantee early grades to meet your home institution’s graduation deadline.
Deadlines
Fall
- May 1: Application period opens
- July 15: Application period closes
Spring
- October 1: Application period opens
- December 1: Application period closes
Summer
- February 1: Application period open
- May 1: Application period closes
Practicing Attorney to Audit Courses
An attorney admitted to practice in Georgia or another state who wishes to audit courses at Georgia State Law is welcome to apply.
Course credits earned while enrolled with a special student status do not count toward a J.D. if you subsequently enroll in the law program.
Practicing Attorney to Audit Courses Steps to Apply
1. Application
Contact the Office of Admissions to request an application for admission. There is a $50 nonrefundable application fee.
2. Personal Statement
Submit a typed personal statement to indicate your purpose in taking specific law courses and add anything you wish to say about yourself and your abilities, interests or personal history. The personal statement should be no more than two typed, double-spaced pages.
3. Official Law School Transcript
An official transcript from your law school must be mailed directly to the Georgia State Law admissions office. This transcript must confirm receipt of your law degree. Transcripts that are photocopied, emailed or faxed will not be accepted.
Georgia State University College of Law Admissions
P.O. Box 4049
Atlanta, GA 30302-4049
4. Active Bar Membership
Provide a copy of your active bar membership card.
5. Faculty Approval
Applicant must receive written permission from the Georgia State Law professor teaching the course sought.
Non-JD Graduate Students
Graduate students who wish to take an advanced course in the college in support of their academic program.
Course credits earned while enrolled with a special student status do not count toward a J.D. if you subsequently enroll in the law program.
Non-JD Graduate Students Steps to Apply
1. Application
Contact the Office of Admissions to request an application for admission. There is a $50 nonrefundable application fee.
2. Personal Statement
Submit a typed personal statement to indicate your purpose in taking specific law courses and add anything you wish to say about yourself and your abilities, interests or personal history. The personal statement should be no more than two typed, double-spaced pages.
3. Letter of Permission
This letter from your graduate advisor must give permission and conditions for your attendance and agree to accept transfer credit from Georgia State Law.
4. Official Graduate Transcript
An official transcript from your graduate school must be mailed directly to the Georgia State Law admissions office. Transcripts that are photocopied, emailed or faxed will not be accepted.
5. Faculty Approval
Applicant must receive written permission from the Georgia State Law professor teaching the course sought.
Application FAQs
Studies show that undergraduate GPA and LSAT scores strongly predict the level of a student’s performance in the first year of law study, and both are significant factors in admissions decisions. Each committee member will review your entire file, including the personal statement and letters of recommendation.
97 percent of our students graduate.
The full-time program takes an average of three years. The part-time program takes four to five years.