Earn your JD in three years through our full-time, in-person program
Competition for the spaces in Case Western Reserve University School of Law's entering JD class is strong. We are looking for students with leadership potential who can meet the intellectual challenges of our program.
The admissions committee evaluates your file, looking carefully at your undergraduate grade-point average and LSAT score as well as other non-quantitative factors, like the level and difficulty of undergraduate course work, your writing skills and your work experience.
While our selection process is rigorous, it is not rigid. We insist upon diversity in our student body because we believe that the entire law school community benefits from difference. We sensitively review any information about your special circumstances.
We have a rolling admissions policy; we notify you as decisions are made.
We offer a full-time program but are able to accommodate you if you need more flexibility in your class schedule.
Our application is available Sept. 1 and we waive the application fee if you apply online.
Online JD Program
You don’t have to quit your job or move across the country to pursue a JD degree from CWRU School of Law - we offer a fully online JD curriculum with no in-person residency or visitation requirements. This innovative approach to legal education responds to the ever-changing legal landscape. Online JD students are instructed by the same highly-ranked faculty as in-person students, with courses designed and taught by some of the leading law faculty in the U.S. What’s more, you can enjoy all the benefits of our worldwide alumni network, emphasis on experiential education and career support opportunities. The online program enrolls students for the fall semester only.
Learn more about the Online JD program.
Spring Start Option
If you graduated from college in December or are ready to leave a job at the end of the calendar year, you don’t have to wait until fall to start at our law school. Students enrolling in CWRU School of Law’s full-time, in person program now have the option of starting in January.
Students starting in Spring receive all the benefits of a Fall start.
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Scholarships: Candidates admitted for the January start program are eligible for the same generous academic scholarships offered in the fall.
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January Orientation Program: This unique week-long experience for entering students focuses on study skills and provides personalized acclimation into law school life.
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Special Course for January Start students: January start students will be enrolled in one course that is specifically designed for entering students. The January start students will take the rest of their spring classes with the 1Ls that began in the Fall..
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Option to graduate with the Fall entering class: January start students have the option to graduate three years later in December, or two and a half years later in May with the Fall entering class. January students can “accelerate” by taking required courses over consecutive summers. Scholarships apply to these spring start students taking summer courses, reducing their costs. In addition, some of the summer courses are offered remotely, so that students can work and do externships in various locations around the U.S. and the world.
Completed applications for the spring start are due November 1. The Application materials are the same as for fall start.
We now accept the GRE
Case Western Reserve University School of Law is now accepting Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores from applicants. The American Bar Association allows schools to use any admission test that is a valid and reliable predictor of success in law school and to date, 63 other law schools across the country have decided to accept the GRE.
We hope that by giving students the option to submit either LSAT or GRE scores, we will make it easier for more students to pursue a legal career. Further, since many students have already taken the GRE, the GRE option will make law school admissions more accessible to a wider range of prospective students. For example, the option could be attractive to those with STEM backgrounds, who might be interested in pursuing a career in Intellectual Property Law, Environmental Law, or Health Law—three of CWRU’s strengths. In addition, accepting the GRE may open the door for more applicants interested in Case Western Reserve’s dual-degree programs. The Law School offers ten dual degrees, ranging from business to art history.
3+3 Law Program
Case Western Reserve University partners with several colleges and universities to offer an accelerated path to law school. Students accepted into our 3+3 program complete three years of undergraduate education before starting at the law school for what would traditionally be the fourth undergraduate year. During year four, students transition to Case Western Reserve School of Law full time and take the regular first year law courses. Successful completion of the first-year law courses allows the student to apply for graduation from their undergraduate institution with the bachelor's degree. 3+3 students continue at the law school for the final two years of law education and ultimately graduate with the JD.
Successful completion of the 3+3 program allows students to graduate with both a bachelor's degree and JD in a total of six years instead of the traditional seven years if they pursued four years of undergraduate education followed by three years of law school. This allows students to save a year of time and tuition.
Our 3+3 partners include Case Western Reserve University, John Carroll University, Kent State University, Lake Erie College, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Tuskegee University and Xavier University of Louisiana.
Candidates applying for the 3+3 program must apply by November 30 of their third year of undergraduate education and with a valid LSAT score. Students should mark on their application that they are applying for the 3+3 program. For further details about eligibility to participate in the program please reach out to your school's pre-law advisor or e-mail lawadmissions@case.edu.