Instructions to the applicant: A personal statement is required of each applicant. This should include additional information that is not reflected in other parts of your application, including the résumé or academic records. The purpose of the statement is to provide insight into personal traits and experiences that have affected your life and to allow the Admissions Committee to learn more about you. Motivations for attending law school, unique perspectives and ideas, and significant life experiences are all excellent topics for consideration. Please limit statements to two (2) typed (11-point font minimum), double-spaced pages with conventional margins (1-inch).

Instructions to the applicant: The students at BYU Law come from many different backgrounds and a variety of life experiences. Please describe an aspect of your background and experience (e.g., culture, religion, academic background, employment, age, *race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, physical or mental disability, etc.) and how such background/experience has affected your life and will allow you to contribute uniquely to BYU Law and/or your classmates. Please limit essay to one (1) typed (11-point font minimum), double-spaced page with conventional margins (1-inch).

*Applicants may, if they choose, discuss how race has affected their lives (e.g., through discrimination, inspiration, etc.); however, admissions decisions will not be made based on an applicant's race, but rather on an applicant's experiences as an individual.

Please attach additional information to be considered, only if necessary.

Please attach your résumé to your application. The résumé should be no more than one (1) page with conventional formatting and font size. The résumé may include awards, honors, publications (with citation information), service opportunities, athletic involvement, significant work experience, clubs, extracurricular activities, leadership positions, or any other relevant information.

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. Please note: Failure to answer the questions below will leave your application in an incomplete status. The Admissions Committee will not admit anyone with an incomplete application.

You should respond fully and carefully to every question in this section. While an answer of "Yes" to any of these questions will not by itself result in a denial of admission, a false answer may result in revocation of your admission and sanctions by the bar of the state in which you seek to practice. When in doubt, always err on the side of full disclosure. If you have answered "Yes" to any of these questions, you must submit an addendum that explains the extent of your involvement or alleged involvement and the final disposition of the situation. You have an ongoing obligation to report any conduct that would require you to answer "Yes" to any of the questions in this section from the date of your application to your matriculation. Failure to report any new information may also result in revocation of your offer of admission and sanctions by the applicable bar.

1. Academic Probation: Have you ever been on academic probation for any reason at any post-secondary school, college, university, or professional school?

2. Academic Sanctions/Suspension/Dismissal: Have you ever been sanctioned by, suspended by, dismissed by, or required or advised to withdraw from any post-secondary school, college, university, or professional school for academic reasons?

3. Honor Code: Have you ever been reported to, sanctioned by, suspended by, dismissed by, placed on probation by, or required or advised to withdraw from any post-secondary school, college, university, or professional school for a violation, or reported violation, of an honor code/ethical code/or student conduct code?

4. Nonacademic Sanctions: Have you ever been censured for misconduct by, placed on disciplinary probation by, dismissed for nonacademic reasons by, or required or advised to withdraw for nonacademic reasons by any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or place of employment? Are disciplinary charges now pending or expected to be brought against you at any post-secondary school, college, university, professional school, or place of employment?

5. Criminal Sanctions: Are there any criminal charges now pending or expected to be brought against you? Have you ever been arrested, cited, or convicted of any felony, misdemeanor, or other violation, excluding minor traffic offenses, or had a warrant issued for failure to appear, even for minor traffic offenses? Include charges to which you may have pleaded guilty or no contest or for which you have been placed on probation or granted deferred adjudication, even if the incident occurred when you were a juvenile and/or the record is/has been sealed. Although a conviction may have been expunged from your record by an order of the court, it nevertheless should be disclosed in answer to this question.

6. Has there ever been an attempt, whether successful or not, to revoke your driver's license based on an offense involving drugs and/or alcohol?

7. Are you currently or have you ever been involved in any civil litigation, including domestic disputes?

POLICY STATEMENTS

To be considered for admission at Brigham Young University - J. Reuben Clark Law School ("BYU Law") as a first-year student, an applicant must register with the Law School Admission Council ("LSAC") and the Credential Assembly Service ("CAS"), take the Law School Admission Test ("LSAT"), Graduate Record Examination ("GRE"), JD Next course and exam ("JD Next"), or obtain an LSAT Exemption, and demonstrate that they have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited U.S. university, or the foreign equivalent whose program has been deemed of comparable quality, prior to the start of the first fall semester at BYU Law.

Applicants are under a continuing obligation to notify BYU Law immediately of any and all circumstances and events occurring from the date an application is submitted to the first day of enrollment that may change any of the responses on their application. BYU Law reserves the right to rescind an offer of admission if a candidate fails to maintain satisfactory academic standing for work in progress, if final records fail to show completion of courses and/or degrees required for admission, if the admission decision was premised on incomplete, inaccurate, omitted, or misleading information furnished by the applicant, or based on any other material information of which BYU Law becomes aware after the offer of admissions has been made. In addition, BYU Law may also report its findings to LSAC's Misconduct and Irregularities Committee.

BYU Law is required to report certain information to various agencies and entities regarding the racial and ethnic composition of its applicants and students. Information reflected on an applicant's CAS report regarding racial and ethnic identity as well as information entered in response to questions in the Electronic Application regarding racial and ethnic identity will not be used when rendering an admissions decision.

Application Deadlines

BYU Law accepts JD applications on a rolling basis. Applications for Fall 2027 will be accepted as early as September 1, 2026. BYU Law's priority deadline for JD applications is March 1, 2027. The deadline to be considered for the Clark Scholarship Program is December 31, 2026. Please note that because of our practice of rolling admissions, most offers will have already been extended by the priority deadline. The deadline for accepting applications is May 1, 2027.

Application Checklist

1.  Application Fee: There is no application fee for students applying for Fall 2027.
   

2.  BYU Electronic Application: Complete through your LSAC account.
   

3.  Personal Statement: No more than two (2) pages, double-spaced with conventional margins (1-inch) and font size (minimum 11-point). A personal statement is required of each applicant. This should include additional information that is not reflected in other parts of your application, including the résumé or academic records. The purpose of the statement is to provide insight into personal traits and experiences that have affected your life and to allow the Admissions Committee to learn more about you. Motivations for attending law school, unique perspectives and ideas, and significant life experiences are all excellent topics for consideration.  
   

4.  Optional Essay: No more than one (1) page, double spaced with conventional margins and font size. The students at BYU Law come from many different backgrounds and a variety of life experiences. Please describe how your life has been affected by an aspect of your background or experience (e.g., academic background, age, culture, employment, *ethnicity, physical or mental disability, *race, religion, socio-economic status, etc.) and how your life experiences will allow you to contribute uniquely to BYU Law and/or your classmates.
   

*Applicants may, if they choose, discuss how race and/or ethnicity has affected their lives (e.g., through discrimination, inspiration, etc.); however, admissions decisions will not be made based on an applicant's race nor ethnicity, but rather on an applicant's experiences as an individual.

5.  Résumé: No more than one (1) page with conventional formatting and font size.
   

6.  Two (2) letters of recommendation: Letters from professors who can speak to an applicant's academic abilities are preferred; other professional references are acceptable from non-traditional applicants.
   

7.  Addenda: Applicants must provide an addendum of no more than one (1) page, with conventional formatting and font size, explaining any character and fitness issues identified in the application. Applicants may also provide an additional one (1) page addendum, with conventional formatting and font size, addressing other gaps or perceived weaknesses in the application.
   

8.  Honor Code Commitment and Ecclesiastical Endorsement ("EE"): Applicants must have a current Honor Code Commitment and EE before their applications are considered complete. To complete the Honor Code Commitment go to: honorcodecommit.byu.edu. Once you have completed the Honor Code Commitment, you can then complete the EE at endorse.byu.edu. Completion of both the Honor Code Commitment and EE verifies that candidates understand the Honor Code and related policies and have committed to abide by them during law school. ** Please note: All admitted students will be required to complete the Honor Code Commitment and an EE prior to enrollment each subsequent year of law school.
   

If you have a current (unexpired) Honor Code Commitment and EE at the time of submitting your completed application, you will not need to complete new ones. However, if this will be your first EE or if your EE has expired and you are a Latter-day Saint applicant, you must obtain an EE from:

Your current Bishop; AND A current member of your stake presidency Non-Latter-day Saint applicants must obtain an EE from:

A clergy member of your own faith OR the Latter-day Saint Bishop over the area where you live; AND From the nondenominational BYU Chaplain For further information regarding EEs for non-Latter-day Saint candidates please visit: https://policy.byu.edu/view/index.php?p=26&s=s315.

Please contact BYU Law Admissions at (801) 422-7871 if you have questions about the Honor Code commitment and the EE.

9. Admissions Test: To be considered for admission, all applicants must submit an LSAT score, GRE score, JD Next Score, or obtain an LSAT Exemption.

An application will be considered complete and ready for review only when all the required items have been received. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all application materials have been submitted and received at the law school.

Admissions Process

Applications are read in their entirety during the admissions process. Select applicants may be invited to interview with the Dean of Admissions. Additional information regarding the interview will be provided to applicants invited to interview. Typically, applicants can expect to receive a decision on their application within 4 to 6 weeks of completion and submission. A decision from the Admissions Committee will be acceptance, denial, or an invitation to join the waitlist.

Communication

Applicants are responsible for providing a current telephone number, email, and permanent physical address. As all communication with an applicant will occur through one of these channels, applicants must keep this information updated to receive timely information concerning their application.

Scholarship Consideration

BYU Law does not require a separate scholarship application. All applicants are considered for merit-based scholarships. The deadline for an applicant to be considered for the Clark Scholarship is December 31, 2026. There is no deadline for an applicant to be considered for the remainder of the BYU Law scholarships, although applying by the March 1 priority deadline is recommended.

Letters of Recommendation and Transcripts

Letters of recommendation and all transcripts (including those from undergraduate institutions outside the U.S.) must be sent to LSAC's CAS and should not be sent directly to BYU Law.

BYU's Nondiscrimination

Brigham Young University prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, religion, age, disability, or any other basis protected by applicable law, in employment, education, and all Brigham Young University programs and activities.

For more information, see BYU's Nondiscrimination Policy.

Any law student who feels that they have been subject to discrimination prohibited by the above policy should contact Assistant Dean Bryan Hamblin at (801) 422-5576, hamblinb@law.byu.edu, 342 JRCB, or may contact the University Equal Opportunity Office at (801) 422-2845, eo_manger@byu.edu.

PLEASE PRINT THESE APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS AND FOLLOW THEM.