The Personal Statement helps us understand who you are beyond your résumé and academic record. We are interested in the experiences, perspectives, and values that have shaped you and that you would bring to our law school community. There is no fixed set of qualities we are looking for. Please focus on what you believe is most important for us to know about you. You might choose to discuss a significant life experience, intellectual or extracurricular pursuit, personal relationship, or moment that changed or enriched your path. You may reflect on a challenge or obstacle you have faced and how you responded, an action you took in response to a political, philosophical, or personal concern, or a non-traditional path in your education, career, or family life. Experiences related to military service, sexual identity, disability, discrimination, or socioeconomic background may also be appropriate if they have meaningfully influenced your development. Please use this statement to share how these experiences have shaped your perspective and how they will inform your engagement with the law school community.

We will not accept revisions to your Personal Statement after you have submitted your application.

When drafting your personal statement you should use Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number, and statement type (e.g. Personal Statement, Why UC Irvine Law essay, etc.) in the top header of each page and abide by the word limit.

Please write a minimum of 350 words and a maximum of 750 words.

Embedded into the Law School's mission, UC Irvine Law is committed to inclusive excellence, celebrates all aspects of diversity, and strives for equity and inclusion. How do you define inclusive excellence and what experiences will you bring that contribute to this inclusive community? When drafting this optional statement, you should use Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number, and statement type (e.g. Personal Statement, Why UC Irvine Law essay, etc.) in the top header of each page and abide by the word limit.

Please write a maximum of 500 words.

We recognize that you have many options when choosing a law school. Please explain why you are interested in attending UC Irvine School of Law. What aspects of our program, community, or approach to legal education appeal to you, and how do you believe they will support your professional goals? Additionally, what experiences, perspectives, or qualities would you contribute to the School of Law, and how would they enhance our academic and community environment? We will not accept revisions to your Why UC Irvine essay after you have submitted your application.

When drafting this statement you should use Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number, and statement type (e.g. Personal Statement, Why UC Irvine Law essay, etc.) in the top header of each page and abide by the word limit.

Please write a minimum of 350 words and a maximum of 750 words.

If you have been separated from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces under less than honorable conditions, please explain the circumstances. Please note that an affirmative response to this statement does not necessarily preclude or prejudice admission to the School of Law. Applications are reviewed holistically and take rehabilitation into consideration. Please use this Separation Statement to explain the less than honorable conditions of your military separation and any rehabilitation measures undertaken. You should follow the rule that full disclosure is the best option. Failure to provide full, accurate information may result in the denial of an opportunity to take a state bar examination.

When preparing this statement, you should use Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number and that it is a military separation statement in the top header of each page. There is no word or page limit.

We know that you may want to provide some additional information for the Admissions Committee to consider when reviewing your application. You may attach an optional statement, if desired. You are not required to provide the information below. Optional Statement on Your Academic Record: If you believe that your academic record does not accurately reflect your ability to succeed in law school, tell us about this.

Optional Statement about Your Standardized Tests: If you believe that your results from standardized tests (LSAT, GRE, or SAT/ACT) do not accurately reflect your ability to succeed in law school, tell us about this.

When responding to an optional statement prompt, you should use Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number, and statement type (e.g. Personal Statement, Why UC Irvine Law essay, etc.) in the top header of each page and abide by the word limit. If responding to more than one optional statement prompt; please begin each optional statement on a new page.

Please write a maximum of 500 words among either or both optional academic/standardized test statements (no more than 250 words per addendum).

Please submit your current résumé. It should include the following information:

Academic and non-academic honors, awards, scholarships, fellowships, prizes, publications, and/or memberships in honor societies.

Your extracurricular activities since you entered undergraduate school, the number of hours you spent on those activities, and the dates of those activities. If you have been out of undergraduate or graduate school more than two years, include any community activities in which you have participated.

Your employment after graduating from high school (either full-time or part-time), the number of hours, and the dates of employment.

Hobbies or special areas of interest or academic pursuits; interesting travels; other skills or talents

When responding to the following questions, please note that an affirmative answer to any or all of the questions within this section does not necessarily preclude or prejudice admission to the School of Law. Applications are reviewed holistically. Any affirmative responses trigger an obligation to submit a supplemental Conduct Information Statement with additional information explaining the conduct issues and rehabilitation measures. You should follow the rule that full disclosure is the best option. Failure to provide full, accurate information may result in the denial of an opportunity to take a state bar examination.

1. Have you ever been convicted of, or is any charge now pending against you, for any crime other than a traffic violation?
2. Have you ever been dismissed, suspended, placed on probation or disciplined by any college, university, graduate, or professional school, or is any such charge pending against you, or expected to be brought against you?
3. Have you ever been subject to discipline by a professional organization or discharged from employment for conduct-related issues? The American Bar Association (ABA) requires that applicants for admission to law schools be advised to obtain information regarding the requirements for admission to the Bar in the state(s) in which the applicant intends to practice. 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.

First-Year JD Applications for Fall 2027 To be eligible for admission to University of California, Irvine School of Law's Juris Doctor program, you must have earned a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or the equivalent from an international institution) or have completed the equivalent of six semesters and expect to graduate during the current academic year prior to the start of law school in Fall 2027. Typically, the Admissions Committee selects the first-year class from a pool of over 3,500 applicants. Decisions are based on several factors, including academic records, personal essays, optional essays, letters of recommendation, standardized test results, extracurricular activities, leadership, personal circumstances, and work experience. You must provide an electronic signature at the end of this application form to certify the information provided.

There is no application fee for those applying for admission to UC Irvine Law as a first-year student for Fall 2027. UC Irvine Law does not grant LSAC CAS Report fee waivers.

Application Filing Period Applications for admission will be accepted beginning September 1, 2026 and reviewed on a rolling basis starting in late November, with Early Decision Round 1 applicants reviewed first. You should complete the application process as early as possible, as an early application may yield an earlier decision.

Binding Early Decision Timeline

Early Decision (ED) Round 1

Applications must be received, fully processed, and marked "Ready for Review" by November 20, 2026. To ensure the final deadline requirement is met, we recommend submitting your application by November 1, 2026. October 2026 is the last LSAT administration that will be accepted for ED Round 1. Binding Early Decision Round 1 notifications will be sent late December 2026. Early Decision (ED) Round 2

Applications must be received, fully processed, and marked "Ready for Review" by February 1, 2027. To ensure the final deadline requirement is met, we recommend submitting your application by January 15, 2027. January 2027 is the last LSAT administration that will be accepted for ED Round 2. Binding Early Decision Round 2 notifications will be sent early- to mid-March 2027. Regular Decision

Priority application deadline: March 31, 2027 Final application deadline: May 1, 2027 April 2027 LSAT is the final administration that will be accepted. GRE applicants must complete the GRE no later than April 20, 2027. The Law School may exclude from consideration any application submitted after May 1 or any application that is "Incomplete" as of the end of the standardized testing window. Applications are considered only for the current year and for full-time registration. UC Irvine Law does not offer an evening program or mid-year entry.

Binding Early Decision The Binding Early Decision (ED) option at UC Irvine Law is designed for those who have thoroughly researched law school options and determined that UC Irvine Law is clearly their first-choice law school. If admitted through the ED program, you must commit to matriculating at UC Irvine Law in the Fall 2027 and submit a non-refundable $750 seat deposit by the date(s) indicated with your admission letter. You must also withdraw all your applications to other schools and refrain from initiating any new applications. Applicants who apply through the Binding ED program may apply to other law schools but may not have more than one Binding ED application pending simultaneously. If a Binding ED application has been submitted to another school, applicants may apply through the UC Irvine Law ED program only if and when they are released from their binding terms at the other school.

If you are interested in applying for Early Decision, please select the Early Decision Admission, Round 1 or Round 2 option. To be considered for the ED program, your application must be received and marked "Complete" with all required application components by the published deadlines. This includes your Credential Assembly Service Report and the Early Decision Certificate. Accordingly, we strongly encourage you to submit your application prior to the deadlines to ensure all materials are received on time. ED applicants must have at least one valid LSAT result. The GRE will not be accepted. There is a separate Early Decision Round 1 Certification and a Early Decision Round 2 Certification. The specific certification you include with your application should correspond to the answer you provided on the ED section of this application. Your ED Certification will not be transmitted by the Credential Assembly Service, so please do not upload it to your application. You can find the certifications in the Forms section of the application and you have two options to return the ED Certification: Submit via email: To electronically submit your Early Decision Certification, you may either: Sign electronically: Download the PDF, open it in Adobe Acrobat Reader or Adobe Acrobat (not your web browser), and use Adobe's Fill & Sign feature to apply your signature; or Sign by hand: Print the form, sign and date it, then scan it and save it as a PDF.

Email the completed PDF to admissions@law.uci.edu.

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Submit via postal mail: Applicants who prefer to submit a paper copy may print the Early Decision Certification, sign and date the form by hand, and mail the original signed document to the UC Irvine School of Law Office of Admissions at the address below. To ensure timely processing, applicants should allow sufficient time for delivery and verify that the document will arrive by the applicable Early Decision deadline, not sent by date or postmark date. UC Irvine School of Law, Office of Admissions. 401 E. Peltason Drive, Suite 1000, Irvine, CA 92697-8000

Only original handwritten signatures will be accepted for mailed submissions.

Regardless of method, it is the your responsibility to ensure the Early Decision Certification is received and in a format that is readable. It must be received in our office by the application deadline, not sent by or postmarked. If your application file is not marked as "Ready for Review" by the deadline, it will be moved over to the Regular Decision pool and the binding nature of early decision removed. Early Decision Outcomes The UC Irvine Law Early Decision option allows you to receive a decision of either "Admit" or "Held for Regular Decision" by late December for Round 1 or by early- to mid-March for Round 2. If you choose to apply for ED Round 1 and are not admitted, your application will move to Regular Decision and you may not request to move to Round 2. If you apply in ED Round 1 but are unable to complete your application by the November 20 deadline, you may request that your application be considered for ED Round 2. To do so, you must submit a written request to admissions@law.uci.edu no later than November 20, 2026, and include the ED Round 2 Certification. If you do not request this by the deadline, your application will be moved to Regular Decision. No exceptions will be granted. If you apply ED Round 2 and are unable to complete your application by the February 1 deadline, your application will be moved to Regular Decision and will no longer be binding. No deferrals will be granted to applicants admitted under Binding ED for any reason.

Required Application Materials A complete application to UC Irvine Law consists of the following materials sent to us electronically either attached to your application for admission or within your CAS Report:

The following application for admission form Personal Statement Why UC Irvine Law? Statement Current résumé or CV (electronically attached to your application for admission) At least two letters of recommendation (no more than three) LSAT/LSAT-flex or GRE results (including writing samples). Note that GRE is only for Regular Decision. We do not accept the GRE for Early Decision Round 1 or Round 2. The Credential Assembly Service Report, which includes your LSAT results & LSAT Writing Sample, if applicable, and previous transcripts (sent to us electronically by LSAC) Conduct or character and fitness disclosures, if applicable Additionally, you may also include an Inclusive Excellence essay and a response to either or both optional addenda.

Application Updates Although the Office of Admissions seeks to keep you informed of the status of your application, it is your responsibility to ensure that all parts of your application are received. Applicants will receive application status updates via the email provided in the application, including receipt of application, ASO credentials, and final decisions. It is imperative that the email you provided remains accurate. We advise to add "admissions@law.uci.edu" to your email contact list to ensure that you receive all our email communications. Decisions will not be sent via U.S. mail, nor will decisions be provided over the phone.

How to Apply for Admission We require that all applicants complete their JD application to UC Irvine Law via the LSAC electronic application portal. If you have difficulty with the electronic application or lack access to a computer, you may request a PDF copy of the application. Please contact the Office of Admissions at admissions@law.uci.edu. Being granted use of a PDF copy of the application does not absolve the applicant of all other requirements.

Required Statements

As part of our review process, we require two separate essays - the Personal Statement and the Why UC Irvine Law? Statement. In preparing any of your essay responses, you should use Microsoft Word and format all your documents to 8-1/2 x 11 inches, double spaced, with 12-point font and one-inch margins. Most importantly, please include your name, LSAC number, and statement type (e.g. Personal Statement, Why UC Irvine Law, etc.) in the top header of each page. Each statement has a strict word count of 750 words. We will not accept revisions to either required statement after you have submitted your application.

Personal Statement: The Personal Statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the Admissions Committee and distinguish yourself from other applicants. You may discuss, among other topics, your personal or professional goals, or highlights from your personal, academic, or career history. The choice of topic is truly your own; it should be personal to you. When reviewing your application for admission, the Admissions Committee is most concerned about who you are and your writing ability. Personal statements that are most favorably received are those that represent your authentic self/voice. Why UC Irvine Law? Statement: As a young law school, the Admissions Committee is also concerned with how strong your interest is in the Law School, how our offerings align with your goals, and your potential fit within our community. Applicants are encouraged to connect their career goals with the program offerings and opportunities at UC Irvine Law. Letters of Recommendation (LOR)

Two (2) letters of recommendation are required. You may also submit an additional LOR for a total of three (3) made for this cycle. The letters should be completed by someone who may evaluate your academic performance (e.g., college professor) or your professional performance (e.g., current or former supervisor, client, or co-worker). The Admissions Committee discourages purely personal references. Please be certain to designate UC Irvine School of Law as a recipient of these letters through your CAS account.

Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Report

The Credential Assembly Service Report contains a summary of your academic work and LSAT results, as well as at least one LSAT Writing Sample (if applying with the LSAT). It also includes copies of all college/university transcripts. You are required to register for CAS. Please request official transcripts from all your undergraduate institutions (and graduate schools, if applicable) be sent directly to LSAC and included in your CAS account, regardless of age or number of credits earned. Although LSAC attempts to inform each applicant about the receipt of transcripts, you are responsible for ensuring all transcripts are received by LSAC. If you received your undergraduate degree from an educational institution outside the United States, its territories, or Canada, you are also required to register with CAS and have your transcripts and any other required documentation sent to LSAC for processing and evaluation. LSAC will then forward your complete CAS Report to the Law School. International transcripts often take more time; please allow for this when requesting and transmitting the transcripts.

Standardized Test Scores

For those applying Early Decision, you must take the LSAT and submit a valid test result(s) as part of your application for admission. We do not accept the GRE for Early Decision. For those applying Regular Decision, you must take either the LSAT or the GRE and submit valid test result(s) as part of their application for admission. The Law School will accept LSAT or GRE scores up to five years after the test date. If you take either test more than once, we will use your highest score when evaluating your file. You may submit official results from only one of these tests. We will not accept a GRE Score Report if you have taken, plan to take, or currently have a valid LSAT score on file. GRE is not accepted for Early Decision Round 1 or Round 2. If you would like to apply with the GRE, you can only apply Regular Decision.

Law School Admissions Test (LSAT): LSAT results are sent directly to the Law School from LSAC as part of your CAS Report. Therefore, if you have taken the LSAT and have or will have a valid reported score on file, it cannot be waived from your application. Applicants may register for the LSAT through the LSAC website. If you elect to apply for our Binding Early Decision program, your application must be complete by the deadline(s). Therefore, October 2026 LSAT is the latest test date acceptable for ED Round 1 applications and January 2027 for Round 2. For Regular Decision applicants, you should take the LSAT no later than February 2027 so that if admitted, you have the best opportunity to potentially participate in our Admitted Students Weekend (ASW) program. Although later test results are permitted, waiting for these results may delay reviewing your application. The last LSAT administration that will considered for the Fall 2027 entering class is April 2027. Graduate Records Examination (GRE): You may submit your GRE result(s) for the Admissions Committee to consider only if you are applying Regular Decision, have not taken the LSAT, or do not have a valid LSAT score on file. If you have taken the GRE more than once in the last five years, then you must submit all valid GRE results. GRE results are sent directly to UC Irvine from ETS. UC Irvine Law uses the graduate school's GRE school code 4859. Please see the application form for additional directions. The GRE will not be accepted for Early Decision applications. For Regular Decision applicants, we recommend taking the GRE in the Fall 2026 so that if admitted, you have the best opportunity to potentially participate in UC Irvine Law's Admitted Students Weekend (ASW) program. Although later test results are permitted, waiting for these results may delay reviewing your application. The GRE must be taken no later than April 20, 2027 to be considered for the Fall 2027 entering class. If you apply with a GRE score and receive a decision of "Admit" but later obtain a LSAT score, the Admissions Committee reserves the right to reevaluate your file and make a new decision taking the LSAT into account. Current Resume or CV

Applicants are required to submit a resume that illustrates their work history, volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, and any awards and/or honors. The Admissions Committee encourages that the resume be professionally formatted with all sections listed in chronological order with the most recent first. There is no page limit; most resumes received are between 1-2 pages.

Optional Essays

Applicants are welcome to provide additional information about themselves through optional essays. This includes an Inclusive Excellence Essay and/or an Addenda. Revisions of these essays after application submission will not be accepted.

Inclusive Excellence Essay: One of the overarching values at UC Irvine Law is our commitment to inclusive excellence. This optional statement provides an opportunity for you to discuss how you will contribute to our commitment to inclusive excellence. The total word count for this optional essay must not exceed 500 words. Optional Addenda: An optional addendum is your final opportunity to give the Admissions Committee additional information about your candidacy. The two topics you may cover are (1) your performance on standardized tests and/or (2) your academic performance/undergraduate GPA. You may answer both prompts, but the total word count must not exceed 500 words.

Concurrent Degree Program Through the Program in Law & Graduate Studies (PLGS), students at UC Irvine can pursue a J.D. from the Law School concurrently with a Master's or Ph.D. in virtually any UC Irvine graduate program. Designed to be one of the broadest programs of its kind, PLGS allows enormous latitude and options, giving students a chance to combine law with graduate research degrees in such areas as humanities, social sciences, life sciences, information and computer sciences, physical sciences, and engineering, or with graduate professional degrees in business, urban planning, education, and public health. PLGS was created to promote interdisciplinary study of law while also enabling students to obtain both a J.D. and an M.A., M.B.A., M.S., or Ph.D. in less time than would be required to earn both degrees separately. The normative time for completion of the program is four years for J.D./Master's and J.D./M.B.A. and seven years for J.D./Ph.D. combinations. While you must submit a separate application to the eligible graduate program of your choice, you must comply with the admissions requirements of each program. You should also indicate your interest within various parts of this application including the Why UC Irvine Law? statement..

Securing Your Class Seat To secure your seat in the Fall 2027 entering class if admitted, you will be required to submit both an affirmative Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) and pay a non-refundable deposit (collectively, "SIR Deposit") no later than the date(s) indicated within your offer of admission.

Reapplicants The Office of Admissions maintains applications from previous years in accordance with the UC records retention policy. However, the Admissions Committee requires reapplicants to submit full application, including updated application materials, for the current admission cycle. An updated application will enable the reapplicant to adequately present information that has changed since their previous application(s).

Foreign-Educated Applicants UC Irvine Law does not require a separate test of English proficiency for admission into the JD program.

Financial Aid and Scholarships UC Irvine Law offers a comprehensive financial aid program designed to enable any admitted student to attend law school, regardless of financial need. To that end, the majority of scholarships awarded are based on merit.

To be considered for need-based grants and federal financial aid, we recommend you submit the 2027-2028 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by March 2, 2027, and designate UC Irvine Law as a recipient even if you have yet to receive a decision. Our Federal School Code is 001314. If you are not eligible to file a FAFSA but qualify for the CA AB540 fee exemption, then you can apply for certain types of financial aid by completing the California Dream Application. Please note that to be considered for a need-based grant, you must file the FAFSA or California Dream Application by March 2, 2027. International students do not need to file a FAFSA, as they are ineligible to receive federal financial aid. However, they may be eligible for scholarships and private educational loans. To apply for a Private Educational Loan, apply with the lender of your choice and inform UC Irvine Law's Student Financial Services Office of your pending application. You may use any lender, but we suggest that you compare loan terms with those on our Preferred Lender List. Applying for financial aid is separate from the admissions process, and financial aid information has no bearing on admissions decisions.

Consumer Information Information regarding institutional policies, program costs, student consumer disclosures, bar passage rates, employment outcomes, and other required consumer information is available at the link below. https://www.law.uci.edu/about/consumer-info/

Required Disclosure Please note that federal regulations require higher education programs that are intended to meet professional licensure and certification requirements to disclose to students whether the program meets licensure and certification requirements in other states. The regulations, which were enacted on November 1, 2019, can be found at 34 CFR §668.43(a)(5)(v) (https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2019-23129.pdf).

The License and Certification Disclosures for the University of California can be found here: https://www.ucop.edu/institutional-research-academic-planning/content-analysis/academic-planning/licensure-and-certification-disclosures.html

The University of California, Irvine, School of Law is required to provide reports to various federal and state agencies about certain demographic information of our application pool, such as ethnicity and sex. We therefore ask that you answer these demographics questions in the application. This information is collected for statistical purposes and is not considered in the admissions review process. You may decline to state the answers to these questions.