Because the various parts of an application must come from several sources, it is your responsibility to see that all required materials reach the Admissions Office. No application will be considered complete for submission to the Admissions Committee until the below materials have been received and processed.
JD Early Action (Non-Binding) Application
Deadline: November 15
JD 1L Regular Decision Application
Priority Deadline: April 15
Transfer Regular Decision Completed Application Checklist
Priority Deadline: July 1
Hofstra Law reviews transfer applications once during the academic year. Transfer applicants should have attended at least two semesters at another ABA-accredited law school by the time they enter Hofstra Law. Persons attending unaccredited law schools do not qualify for transfer.
Students must also complete four semesters in residency at Hofstra Law to complete the 87 credits required for graduation.
Credit will be awarded only for courses that are graded by letter or number, and not Pass/Fail, and in which the student receives a letter grade of C+ or above, or its equivalent, or the minimum average required for graduation by the school at which the courses are taken, whichever is higher.
Grades earned in courses taken at other law schools or at other schools of Hofstra University will not be counted in the computation of a student's grade-point average.
Regular Decision transfer admissions decisions are generally not made before July. All files are reviewed on a rolling basis; therefore, it is encouraged that applicants complete their files as quickly as possible.
To be eligible for the Regular Decision Program, applicants must submit complete first- and second-semester first-year grades from their law school.
Applications for admission may be submitted online through the Law School Admission Council’s LSAC. There is no application fee.
Visiting Student Completed Application Checklist
November 1: spring enrollment priority deadline
July 1: fall enrollment priority deadline
Students in their final year of studies, who are in good standing at an ABA-accredited law school, may apply as visiting non-degree students for no more than one academic year to earn credit for transfer back to their degree-granting institution.
An application to attend Hofstra Law as a visiting student will not be considered unless the current law school authorizes the student’s attendance and agrees to transfer the credits earned at Hofstra Law.
In addition to the application requirements listed in the JD application procedures, a visiting candidate must submit an official law school transcript and a letter of permission that gives the student permission to attend Hofstra Law.
Exchange Student Completed Application Checklist
November 1: spring enrollment priority deadline
July 1: fall enrollment priority deadline
The JD/MBA program is highly competitive. Students with an LSAT of 153 or above and an undergraduate GPA of 3.25 or above are eligible for admission. The GMAT exam is not required for the JD/MBA program. There are several options for applying to the program.
Applicants may apply directly to the JD/MBA program by following the procedures for admission to the Law School, and checking the box on the online application marked “Applying to JD/MBA Program.”
Applicants may also apply to the JD/MBA program during their first year of studies at the Law School. First-year law students seeking admission to the JD/MBA program should apply using the application (PDF) by June 1 of their first year in the Law School. Law School students must have a cumulative Law School GPA in at least the top 50 percent of their class to be accepted into the JD/MBA program.
New students interested in the JD/MA in Bioethics must submit separate applications to both the JD and MA programs and be accepted into both programs.
Current Hofstra Law JD students should inquire about application requirements to BioethicsMA@hofstra.edu.
Students seeking admission to the JD/MALFL joint-degree program must be admitted separately to the Law School and to HCLAS’s M.A.L.F.L. program. All applicants must meet the requirements for full-time admission to the Law School. A check box is included on each school’s application that allows students to indicate their interest in being considered for the joint program.
Students seeking admission to the JD/MPH program must first meet the requirements for full-time admission to the Law School and should apply through www.lsac.org. When completing their JD application, the applicant should select "JD/MPH" as the type of application. The applicant must then submit a written statement with their JD application explaining interest in the joint degree program. Applications for the joint program should be submitted by the preferred deadline of April 15.
The Law School will then work with the MPH program to ensure prompt consideration for admission to the joint program. Students may also apply to the joint degree program during their first year of law school.
The admissions process seeks to identify and select a diverse group of talented students who will succeed not only at the Law School, but who will continue its tradition of excellence in the legal and business worlds. Accordingly, in reviewing applications we focus primarily on the demonstrated qualities and proven skills we deem essential to academic success and intellectual stimulation at the Law School. LSAT scores and undergraduate GPAs are important factors in the admissions process. However, numbers alone might not completely reflect an applicant’s ability to succeed in the study of the law, enhance the law school’s educational environment, and deliver legal services in a professionally responsible manner after graduation. Therefore, the Office of Enrollment Management will also consider, among other factors, the personal statement, resume, commitment to public service, leadership, overcoming both economic and historical disadvantages, talents and skills, unique experiences, the nature and difficulty of the applicant’s course of undergraduate studies, the applicant’s entire undergraduate record, (including ascending or descending trends in achievement), graduate work or degrees, significant extracurricular activities, community activities, work experience, letters of recommendation, and personal obstacles that may have interfered with the realization of the applicant’s full potential.
JD Applicants Must:
Early Action Application (Non-Binding):
The Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University offers a non-binding, early action application option for first-year candidates of the J.D. program. This option is designed for students who have completed all application requirements prior to the November 15 Early Action Deadline. To meet the Early Action Application Deadline, you must take the LSAT no later than the fall prior to your matriculation into the program. Applications are evaluated on a rolling basis and candidates should be notified of a decision by December 15.
Regular Application:
The regular application may be submitted from October 1 to the April 15 deadline. Regular applications are also considered on a rolling basis and candidates should be notified within 6 to 8 weeks from the completion (not submission) of the application.
Academic Dismissal:
Applicants who have been academically dismissed from another ABA accredited law school must wait at least two years before applying for admission to Hofstra Law. Previously dismissed applicants must apply as first-year candidates and should provide detailed information and documentation from their prior law school regarding their former enrollment.
Application Process:
Decision Notification:
Hofstra Law releases application decisions in two forms, formal and electronic. Applicants may elect to view the decision of their application via the online status checker, accessible through our website. In addition to the online status checker, the Office of Enrollment Management will send a formal letter to the applicant’s permanent address on file.
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.
