Please submit a personal statement of two to three typewritten, double spaced pages that use at least 10pt font. You may choose to write about any topic(s) that you believe would be most helpful to the Admissions Committee as they review your application for admission. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following: your motivation for the study of law and entrance into the legal profession; professional goals you have established for yourself; leadership goals you have established for yourself; particular challenges and obstacles you have confronted and which you believe are relevant to your past academic performance and/or to your potential for success in law school.

The Moritz College of Law has a strong history of preparing students for careers in the public interest and in public service. Many of our students have, prior to entering law school, already devoted a significant amount of time, resources, and talent to work in the public interest or public service. These scholarships may be awarded to students with a demonstrated record of engagement in public interest and public service activities. Examples include, but are certainly not limited to, members of the military, Peace Corp, AmeriCorps, Teach for America and a wide range of other programs or activities.

Please clearly label your essay with its type in the header.

Please attach any supplemental information you feel would be helpful in the admissions process. Common supplemental addenda include, but are not limited to, explanations for unsatisfactory grades and/or LSAT scores, interruptions in education, or an explanation of a learning disability.

Each year, the Moritz College of Law awards scholarships to students who demonstrate strong leadership potential. The scholarships are based on leadership qualities, professional and personal life accomplishments, past academic achievement, and commitment to making a difference in communities and organizations. Applications for this award are not required, though applicants are encouraged to submit an essay (not to exceed two pages) that speaks to their leadership abilities.

The Moritz College of Law requires each applicant to submit a résumé as part of the application process. Résumés should include present and past employment history, provide information regarding volunteer, service, and/or extracurricular activities (including sports) with which you have been involved in, and list any honors and/or awards you have received. If you have hobbies you enjoy, please feel free to include them. The résumé can be a maximum of three pages long and we encourage more detail than less.

1. In order to practice law in the United States, a student must pass a state bar examination in the state or states in which the individual wishes to practice law. The bar examination evaluates an applicant?s knowledge of specified areas of substantive law, as well as the individual?s character and fitness to be a member of that state?s Bar. Approval of an applicant?s character and fitness is one of the most important components of the admissions process to the Bar, whether in Ohio or elsewhere. For example, no one may take the Ohio bar examination without first receiving character and fitness approval. Each applicant to law school is strongly encouraged, prior to matriculation to law school, to determine the specific character and fitness requirements of each state in which the applicant intends to practice. Applicants may determine the specific requirements in the state or states in which the individual intends to practice by consulting with the website of the National Conference of Bar Examiners. After a law student applies to take a bar examination, the respective bar examiners have the law school provide an evaluation of that student's character and fitness to practice law. An essential part of assessing a student's character and fitness to practice law must be completed when an applicant is considered for admission. The following questions have been narrowly tailored to reflect only those issues that need early consideration. If you answer any of these questions affirmatively, you must provide an explanation, which needs to include essential information (e.g., the date, the specific nature of the charge, the COMPLETE version of the facts that lead to the charge, and the disposition) in your own words. Simply providing court documents does not satisfy this requirement. See Attachments section.

Central to determining one's character and fitness to practice law is the act of voluntary disclosure. If the school learns that your answer to one or more of these questions was not accurate, your acceptance may be revoked or, if you are already enrolled, you may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. You need to disclose details of the result of any criminal charges. Even if the charges were dismissed, adjudication was withheld, a conviction was reversed, a conviction was set aside, a conviction was vacated, a conviction was expunged, or the record sealed, you must provide disclosure. Contrary advice by legal counsel does not exempt you from this requirement. The charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, driving under the influence of drugs, and reckless driving must be disclosed as criminal charges.

Your answers to these questions are confidential and are limited to a determination of your character and fitness to practice law. You are under a continuing obligation to notify the Office of Admissions of any changes in your answers to these questions up until the time of your enrollment. Once enrolled, you are under a continuing obligation to notify the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of any changes in your answers to these questions:

2. Were you ever on academic or disciplinary probation; have you ever been charged with, penalized for, or adjudicated guilty of a violation of a college or university honor code, student code of conduct, or TItle IX; or have you ever been suspended or dismissed from any educational institution?

3. Are there any academic or disciplinary charges from any educational institution pending against you?

4. Except for minor traffic and parking violations, have you been formally charged, cited, fined, posted bail, subject to a restraining order, or ordered to do community service for the violation of any law? This means the original charge and not the negotiated or plea bargained charge. This also includes juvenile, expunged, or dropped charges.

5. Are there any criminal charges pending against you?

6. Have you ever been the subject of a court martial hearing, dishonorably discharged from military service, or administratively separated from military service with other than an honorable discharge?

7. Have you ever been involuntarily separated from a job as a result of an accusation that involved dishonesty?

8. Have you ever been sued for a non-criminal act that was alleged to have been intentional? (e.g. invasion of privacy, fraud, assault, battery)

9. Have you ever been subject to disciplinary action by a professional association or State Licensing Board, or had a professional license suspended or revoked?

Applying for Admission for the Juris Doctor Degree Applicants to the College of Law are required to apply electronically through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) at LSAC.org, register with the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), and take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). All applicants for admission must possess a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university prior to enrollment in the College of Law.

Please use standard writing when completing the application (i.e. do not use all caps or all lower case when completing the application) especially when completing addresses. Applications for admission to the College of Law should be submitted anytime between September 1, 2026 and July 1, 2027 11:59pm ET (with a priority deadline of March 31, 2027) of the calendar year prior to the planned date of enrollment. Regular admission decisions are completed on a rolling basis and may continue until the beginning of 1L Orientation. While all applicants will be considered for financial assistance if they are granted admission, we encourage you to complete the FAFSA.

Application Requirements A completed electronic application will include the following:

The application for admission and $60 application fee ($70 for international applicants)

Completed character and fitness section, including detailed explanations

Resume (1-3 pages)

Personal statement (2-3 pages, double spaced, 10pt. font)

The following items must be submitted in addition to the completed application via CAS:

Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended

A minimum of two and a maximum of three letters of recommendation (faculty letters of recommendation are preferred for those students that are currently in school or have graduated within the past year)

LSAT score

Optional ? Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to:

Complete optional essays addressing:

Leadership potential/experience

Commitment to careers in public service/public interest

All optional essays must be clearly labeled in the header

Provide any other addenda you need to add for explanation and clarification purposes

The Moritz College of Law is committed to enrolling highly motivated individuals with strong academic potential who bring to the College a broad range of personal backgrounds and intellectual experiences. All candidates offered admission should demonstrate likely academic and professional success based upon quantifiable and non-quantifiable indicia. In selecting members of each entering class, the College seeks to enroll students who will enhance the intellectual quality of life within the Moritz community who bring to the College those skills and attributes such as, but not limited to, creativity and innovation; problem solving; practical judgment; empathy; diligence; integrity; honesty; networking and business development; passion and engagement; community involvement and service; strategic planning; and multi-cultural experience/competency that are essential to success in the legal profession.

Early Binding Decision Program Applicants to The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law frequently indicate that Ohio State is their first choice for a legal education. For those students who have carefully researched their law school opportunities, the Early Binding Decision Option provides an expeditious evaluation and decision by the Admissions Committee. This early notification has the advantage of enabling successful Early Binding Decision applicants to pursue their educational, professional and familial engagements and responsibilities free of the time, expense and anxiety associated with the typical law school application process. Successful Early Binding Decision applicants will be notified of scholarship awards prior to the deposit deadline. Thus, the applicant should be in a position to commit to attending Ohio State even though they will not have a complete financial aid package at the time of their deposit. It is important to recognize that the benefits associated with admission under the Early Binding Decision Option are accompanied by a reduction in law school choice. Ohio State reserves the right to provide other law schools with the names of applicants accepted under our Early Binding Decision Option.

Prior to consideration of their application, the student will enter into an Early Binding Decision Agreement in which the student commits to attending the Moritz College of Law if they accept our admission, agrees to withdraw pending applications to any other law school, and further agrees not to initiate additional applications to other law schools.

Applicants wishing to be considered as a candidate for the Early Binding Decision Option must:

Submit the Early Binding Decision Agreement and an application for admission no later than 11:59pm ET on November 19, 2026.

The application must include:

Personal Statement (2-3 pages, double spaced, 10pt font)

Resume (1-3 pages)

Completed character and fitness section, including detailed explanations

Application for admission and $60 application fee ($70 for international applicants)

Submit all other materials no later than November 29, 2026. The application is considered complete when all required application materials, including a CAS report and Letters of Recommendation, have been received by the Office of Admissions. Note: We will accept the November LSAT for Early Binding Decision Applicants. All other materials must be submitted by the deadlines.

Early Binding Decision applicants may be admitted, denied, or held for consideration through the regular rolling admissions process. Applicants who meet the requirements for Early Binding Decision consideration will be notified by December 18, 2026. The seat deposit deadline for applicants admitted under the Early Binding Decision Option is 11:59pm ET February 1, 2027. Applicants who have not been admitted under the Early Binding Decision process are not bound by this Early Binding Decision Agreement.

Candidates admitted under the Early Binding Decision Option will not be eligible for deferral unless exceptional circumstances are demonstrated.

Buckeye Legal Scholar Program Applicants who have received or will receive their undergraduate degree from select Ohio colleges and universities may be eligible for the Buckeye Legal Scholar (BLS) Program. This admission process allows qualified individuals to apply to Moritz College of Law without an LSAT score. If you have taken the LSAT, you may not apply via the BLS Program.

If you are eligible and want to apply through this process, please complete the Fall 2027 BLS Application.

International Applicants Moritz College of Law welcomes applications from citizens of other countries. International applicants, or those with DACA status, should follow the application procedures established for U.S. citizens.

The Moritz College of Law requires that foreign transcripts be submitted through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS). For any post-secondary work outside the United States (including its territories) or Canada, an applicant must use this service for the evaluation of foreign transcripts (exception if the foreign work was completed through a study abroad or exchange program sponsored by a U.S. or Canadian institution, and the work is indicated as such on the home campus transcript).

This service is included in the CAS registration fee. A Foreign Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), which will be incorporated into the CAS Law School Report.

Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate proof of English proficiency through one of the following test options:

TOEFL 79 on the TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition (4.0 on the updated TOEFL launched January 2026) 550 on the TOEFL ITP fo students in the American Language Program Note: Ohio State does not accept My Best TOEFL Scores

IELTS 6.5 on the IELTS Academic test or IELTS Online Note: Ohio State does not accept IELTS One Skill Retake Scores Duolingo 120 or higher on the Duolingo English Test Exemptions

Non-native English speakers who have been awarded a baccalaureate or graduate degree from a university in the countries or territories listed under the Proof of English Proficiency.

You must contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) and request that your TOEFL score be sent to LSAC. LSAC's TOEFL code for the Credential Assembly Service is 0058. Your score will be included in the Foreign Credential Evaluation document that will be included in your law school report. Our office will forward your TOEFL score to the Ohio State Graduate and Professional Admissions Office to satisfy the requirement at the university level.

To use CAS, login to your online account and follow the instructions for registering for the service. More time is usually required to receive foreign transcripts. Questions about the Credential Assembly Service should be directed to LSAC at (215) 968-1001.

Any non-U.S. citizen seeking admission to the College of Law should be aware of the financial resources required to attend the College of Law for three years. The expected annual cost of law school and living expenses is approximately $79,830 for non-U.S. citizens. Should admission be offered, the admitted candidate must provide documentation that sufficient funds exist to meet the cost of attendance.

An international applicant who does not wish to obtain a Juris Doctor from Ohio State, but who has undertaken previous legal education in another country, may apply to the graduate degree (LL.M.) program for non-U.S. citizens. Information about the LL.M. program may be found here.

Community and Culture The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law seeks to educate students by means of free, open and rigorous intellectual inquiry to seek the truth and equip students with the opportunity to develop intellectual skills and to reach their own, informed conclusions. We are a community dedicated to an ethic of civil and free inquiry, which respects the autonomy of each member, supports individual capacities for growth and tolerates differences in opinion. By informing students of the significant impact law has and will continue to have on individual citizens, public and private enterprises, systems and structures, and by weaving varied viewpoints into the fabric of our curriculum, we equip our students with the interpersonal and criticial thinking skills that are essential to success in the complex, multicultural world in which they will serve as a member of the profession.

We welcome students regardless of their individual background, personal identitiy or, socioeconomic status. We seek to understand the broad range of human experience to better equip our students for the incredible breadth and depth of American and global society. We recognize that students who are exposed to, and can learn about, our society and its structures are better prepared to engage in a pluralistic world, to successfully navigate the legal profession and to uphold our professional obligations to promote justice and the rule of law. We strive to be a welcoming community in which every individiual is respected and valued, while understanding that others need not agree with an individual to demonstrate such respect. In building a community that values similarities and differences among its constituents, we seek to embody in our actions and in our relations with one another principles of fairness and justice as well as the values of honesty, respect, compassion, responsibility, access and opportunity.

The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law is committed to equal opportunity and eliminating discrimination. This commitment is both a moral imperative consistent with an intellectual community that celebrates individual differences as well as a matter of law. Discrimination against any individual based upon protected status, which is defined as age, ancestry, color, disability, gender identity or expression, genetic information, HIV/AIDS status, military status, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status is prohibited.

For further information, contact the Civil Rights Compliance Office, 1501 Neil Ave. Columbus, OH 43201, (614) 247-5838 or email civilrights@osu.edu.

Application Status Staff members of the Moritz College of Law Office of Admissions and Financial Aid are available to answer questions relating to the application process and admission standards. Due to the high volume of requests, applicants are strongly encouraged to check the status of their application by referring to the Applicant Status Online Page (ASO).

The Office of Admissions will notify applicants by email when their application has been received and processed. While the Office of Admissions seeks to keep applicants informed of their status, it is the applicant's responsibility to make sure the application is received by the published deadline. It is important that the applicant keeps their contact information up-to-date in their ASO and checks their email regularly.

The Moritz College of Law Admissions Committee renders admissions decisions on a rolling basis after the application file is received and is complete (with supporting documents, such as the CAS report) until the start of 1L Orientation. Early Binding Decision applicants will receive a decision by December 18, 2026 and Buckeye Legal Scholars will receive a decision by . Applicants will be notified of their decision via email and decisions will be posted on the online status page. We will not provide decisions over the phone. We will only release information to applicants unless an applicant has indicated in writing a specific individual who may inquire information on their behalf.

The Moritz College of Law Office of Admissions and Financial Aid can be reached at (614) 292-8810 or lawadmit@osu.edu. The Office of Admissions is staffed Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET.

Application for Admission as a Transfer Student In order for the Moritz College of Law to fully consider the application of a student desiring transfer into the 2L class, the applicant must have completed one year of study at a school accredited by the American Bar Association. The Moritz College of Law will accept up to, but not exceeding, 30 semester-hours of transfer credit. Admission into the Moritz College of Law as a transfer student is selective and based upon the applicant's academic record at the law school from which the transfer is requested, as well as the applicant's prelaw qualifications under the admission standards for Moritz. Final decisions concerning transfer applicants for the beginning of the academic year are made beginning in late June and will continue through early August.

If you are eligible and interested in applying as a transfer student, please complete the Spring 2027 Transfer/Visiting Application when it opens on December 1st or the Fall 2028 Transfer/Visiting Application when it opens on May 1st.

Application for Admission as a Visiting/Transient Student The Moritz College of Law permits students to enroll as visiting or transient students. Visiting students typically have completed the first two years of law classes at another ABA-approved law school.

Visiting students are admitted to the Moritz College of Law for one semester only. Students who wish to attend for a second semester must receive permission to do so from the Assistant Dean for Admissions and Financial Aid.

If you are eligible and interested in applying as a transfer student, please complete the Spring 2027 Transfer/Visiting Application when it opens on December 1st or the Fall 2028 Transfer/Visiting Application when it opens on May 1st.

Additional Information Financial Aid Opportunities and Application The decision to attend law school is, in part, a decision to invest in one?s future. As with any investment, we advise that you seek financial guidance and make informed decision about debt load. The Moritz College of Law?s financial aid philosophy reflects the desire to provide meaningful financial assistance to a broad range of students including those who are likely to excel in their legal studies, who have a record of community/public service, who have demonstrated potential for leadership, or have a significant financial need.

In order to qualify for need-based aid from the Moritz College of Law and Federal Stafford Loans, a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) should be completed at the earliest possible date after the FAFSA becomes available in October. The FAFSA form may be completed online. The Ohio State federal code is 003090. Questions regarding the FAFSA should be directed to the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-2343.

For full information on financial aid, including information regarding scholarships, need-based aid, and loan assistance, please refer to the Moritz College of Law Financial Aid website.

Retention of Records, Reapplication, and Deferral Requests The application and supporting documents become the property of The Ohio State University and may not be returned to the applicant, nor forwarded to another institution. All application material is retained for one year.

A reapplicant who wishes to apply to the next year's class may do so after submitting a new application fee and new application form. Letters of recommendation and the personal statement may be repeated from prior applications but must be resubmitted in the new application year. The applicant is required to provide the admission committee with a summary of new and/or significant developments since the time the first application was submitted; including but not limited to an updated resume and character and fitness addendum.

Admission applicants who wish to delay enrollment into the College of Law may request a deferral of admission. Such requests must be in writing (email is acceptable) and should outline the reason(s) for the request. Deferral requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Admissions Office. An applicant who is granted a deferral will be asked to submit their seat deposit to secure their seat for the following year. In the fall, deferred students will be contacted to confirm enrollment and provide updated information.

Office of Student Life Disability Services Applicants with documented disabilities who may require accommodations and services are encouraged to contact the Student Life Disability Services (SLDS). SLDS offers a variety of services and accommodations for students with documented disabilities, including learning disabilities, hearing or visual impairments, mobility impairments, attention deficit disorders (ADHD), or psychiatric or medical disabilities. Academic accommodations, auxiliary aids, and support services are individualized and based on disability documentation, functional limitations, and a collaborative assessment of needs. As SLDS is the designated campus office to determine appropriate accommodations and auxiliary aids for students with disabilities, documentation of the disability for eligibility determination should be submitted to SLDS as early as possible in the admission process.

If you want more information about academic accommodations and services for students with disabilities, contact SLDS at (614) 292-3307 (V/T), (614) 500-4445 (VP), fax (614) 292-4190 or visit The SLDS webpage.

Qualifications for Admission to the Bar 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 (NCBE).