Please submit a typed personal statement (not to exceed two pages) and indicate why you desire to study law and how your family, religious, educational, extracurricular, community or employment preparation has led you to make this choice.

Optional Statement: Please share how your background and/or life experience may help to enrich the law school community? Please limit your response to one page.

If you would like to submit an additional addendum that you believe should be taken into consideration with your application please do so here.

Please submit a personal résumé of no more than 2 pages listing past employment, community service, and other achievements you believe should be brought to the attention of the committee.

As many state bar associations require, we also require all applicants and enrolled students to fully disclose all criminal charges/offenses or disciplinary charges brought against you regardless of the final disposition. If in doubt, always err on the side of full disclosure. In the event that you are charged with a criminal offense or disciplinary charges are brought against you after you submit this application, you must notify the Office of Admissions in writing immediately. Failure to provide responses and/or required explanations to the questions below will delay the completion and review of your application for admission. Failure of enrolled students to comply with disclosure rules is subject to the Rules of Professional Conduct for Law Students.

1. Have you ever been discharged, dismissed, disciplined or requested to resign by an employer, with charges of dishonesty, breach of trust, violence, or similar misconduct? If "yes," attach a full descriptive statement or use an electronic attachment that includes the specific conduct that was the basis for the action.

2. Have you ever been placed on academic warning, probation or suspended or dismissed for academic reasons by any college, university or professional school you have attended? If "yes," please attach a full descriptive statement or use an electronic attachment that includes the specific action taken.

3. Have you ever been subjected to disciplinary action (hearings, probation, suspension, dismissal, official reprimands, etc.) for reasons of conduct by any of the colleges, universities or professional schools you have attended, or are there charges pending which could result in such action? If "yes," please attach a full descriptive statement or use an electronic attachment that includes the specific action taken.

4. Have you ever been charged with any traffic or criminal violations? Respond yes, even if the charges are pending, or were dismissed, resulted in a conviction, a guilty plea, a nolo contendere plea, probation before judgment or a requirement that conditions be fulfilled as part of a diversion or alternative sentencing program. If "yes," please explain fully in an attachment or use an electronic attachment that gives the disposition of the matter(s).

5. Have you ever been a party to an action brought in a court or with an officer of the court for the purpose of seeking relief from or remedy for an alleged wrong? If "yes," please explain fully in an attachment or use an electronic attachment that gives the disposition of the matter(s).

Applying for First-Year Admission To be eligible for admission to The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (Catholic Law), an applicant must have received an undergraduate degree from a college or university accredited by one of the regional associations and must demonstrate satisfactory performance on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). First-year students may only begin their studies in the Full-time or Part-time program during the fall semester.

In most cases applications are complete when the following has been received:

The application, personal statement, and resume through LSAC. An official Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report containing a transcript analysis and LSAT score. The latest LSAT administration we accept is April 2027. Two letters of recommendation. The letters may be mailed directly to the Admissions Office by the writer, sent by the college or university, included with the application in sealed envelopes signed across the flap by the writer, or sent via the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service. Note to international applicants: Applicants whose native language is not English and whose undergraduate education was not received in a school where English is the language of instruction must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). The results should be submitted through the CAS).

Applicants with Disabilities Disability services designed to support and encourage the integration of students with disabilities into the mainstream of the Catholic University of America community are provided through the University Office of Disability Support Services (DSS). To be eligible for services, students must register with DSS and submit documentation of disability from a clinician or qualified professional. For more information on services or documentation requirements and registration procedures, please contact DSS at 202-319-5211, TTY 202-299-2899, email cua-disabilityservices@cua.edu or visit the DSS website at https://dss.catholic.edu/index.html

Some applicants may have disabilities that may not require classroom or testing accommodations or special consideration in the credential review, but may require planning by the law school to assist students when enrolling. Such disabilities may be mentioned in the application, or students may notify the school after acceptance. It is useful to have as much advance notice as possible to enable the law school to make necessary accommodations.

Applying for Transfer Admission Students may be admitted to the Full-time or Part-time program with advanced standing from a law school accredited either by the American Bar Association or the Association of American Law Schools after completing their first year of law school elsewhere. Students must be in good standing and eligible to continue at their original school. The transfer application deadline is June 30th for Fall admissions and November 15th for Spring admission. The following documents are needed:

An application completed through LSAC.org. Official Law School Transcript showing first-year grades. A letter of good standing from the dean or dean?s designate of the law school. A full CAS report sent to the Admissions Office either by LSAC or the current law school. An official undergraduate transcript sent to us from the degree-granting school. Dual-Degree Programs Applicants to dual Masters/JD programs must apply to each program separately, satisfy the requirements of each school, and be accepted by each school independently.

Admission to the Bar In addition to a bar examination, there are character and fitness, as well as 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.

Candor in Application Accurate answers to questions on the application are very important. Past arrests, criminal convictions, and disciplinary offenses are assessed individually on factors including the applicant's age at the time, the time elapsed since the event, the seriousness of the offense, whether the record suggests an isolated event or pattern, and surrounding circumstances. Such events are rarely the deciding factor in an application, but rather form an element for consideration in the application. The application process begins at the time you submit your application and continues through the Orientation and Registration period. Lack of candor and inaccurate disclosure in the application, and at any point during the application process, are serious matters that can result in suspension, expulsion, or revocation of admission.

Statement on Generative AI Usage on the Catholic Law Application We firmly believe in fostering a fair and equitable admissions process based upon principles of transparency, authenticity, and human interaction that is also a genuine reflection of an individual applicant's abilities, experiences, and aspirations. With this commitment in mind, we do not use ChatGPT or any similar generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool to review or evaluate admission applications. We likewise strictly prohibit applicants from using generative AI tools to assist in writing or editing any portion of their admissions applications. By prohibiting the use of such tools, all applicants will be given an equal opportunity to present themselves in their own voices, and they can be confident that the admissions process will be based upon their authentic abilities and potential. This restriction on the use of generative AI in the application process is not meant to be a statement about the law school's policies on the use of generative AI beyond the application process.

Law School Mission Statement A Law School That Transcends: The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law (Catholic Law) is located just minutes from the White House, U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court, numerous federal agencies, non-profits, as well as some of the country?s most prestigious law firms. As an integral part of The Catholic University of America, Catholic Law upholds and advances the university?s mission, fostering a learning environment rooted in intellectual rigor, ethical leadership, and service to others.

Learn more about our mission.

Nondiscrimination Statement The Columbus School of Law, motivated by the Catholic identity of The Catholic University of America of which it is an integral part, recognizes the inherent dignity of every human person. It values equal opportunity and welcomes students with a wide range of life circumstances, experiences, and perspectives. The Columbus School of Law does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, or veteran or military status, in its educational programs or activities, including in the admission or retention of students.

The Columbus School of Law and Catholic University operate in accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church regarding human sexuality and gender identity. Consistent with ABA Standard 205, the Columbus School of Law reserves its rights under the law to make employment, admission, and other decisions in accord with its Catholic identity and its mission as a Catholic institution, and reserves all other legal rights it has as a religious institution. The Columbus School of Law maintains its Catholic character but ?affirms without hesitation that women and men of all religious traditions are welcomed and embraced in [our University] community.? (Catholic University Policy, Relationship of Mutual Respect - the Practice of Other Faiths.)

REQUIRED TITLE IV AND TITLE IX DISCLOSURES By law, the availability of certain information about Catholic University must be disclosed to all prospective students. This includes information on financial assistance, costs of attendance, accreditation, the Department of Public Safety Annual Report (which includes information on campus security and crime statistics, crime prevention tips, and the Safe Ride program), graduation rates, and athletic program participation rates. This information is available online at https://www.catholic.edu/resources/consumer-information/index.html. Paper copies of this information may be obtained by contacting the Office of General Counsel at 202-319-5142 or via e-mail at cua-generalcounsel@cua.edu.

Certificate and Special Programs The Law School?s certificate programs encompass five vibrant and enriching areas of legal practice. Certification from any of these longstanding and highly regarded programs and institutes endorses the student as a specialist ? a graduate who offers employers a level of subject mastery that is significantly beyond that which may be learned in the general J.D. curriculum.

Catholic Law offers certificates in these practice areas:

Comparative and International Law Compliance, Investigations, and Corporate Responsibility Law and Public Policy Law and Technology Securities Law

Please use this link to apply: Certificate and Special Program Application

Catholic Law also has three research centers available: the Center for Religious Liberty and the Center for Law and the Human Person, the Center for the Constitution and the Catholic Intellectual Tradition. As well as the Separation of Powers Institute.

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