University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) School of Law
The information on this page was provided by the law school.
Official Guide to ABA-Approved JD Programs
Introduction
UCLA School of Law is a community within the beautiful and dynamic 419-acre UCLA campus. Located in Westwood, a lovely and safe residential neighborhood a short distance from the Pacific Ocean, Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles, UCLA is one of the leading research institutions and best public universities in the world.
UCLA Law students benefit from the rich and diverse intellectual environment, unparalleled opportunities for interdisciplinary work, access to leading legal scholars and practitioners and an engaged and active student community.
Founded in 1919, UCLA has over 46,000 undergraduate and graduate students, nearly 5,500 faculty members and more than 660,000 alumni. One of the world’s most exciting places to live, Los Angeles offers a rich artistic, social and cultural scene, with unparalleled access to world-class museums, theaters, sporting events and live performances. The extraordinary climate allows students to enjoy recreational activities from surfing to skiing, mountain biking to hiking, all year long. Los Angeles also boasts a thriving food scene, from gourmet food trucks to numerous ethnic restaurants, with options to suit every budget. L.A. is a place where creativity and new ideas flourish, where a robust economy connects to every continent, and where the most important legal issues of our time emerge and take form. Working toward a law degree here gives students the opportunity to use the city as a legal laboratory, where every conceivable legal issue is in play. The international reach of the city and its intellectually stimulating environment contribute to an unparalleled law school experience.
The JD Program
Curriculum
The law school offers a three-year, full-time course of study leading to a Juris Doctor degree.
First Year
The first year at UCLA Law starts with a week-long orientation program designed to help students prepare for their classes and every aspect of law school life. Professors outline what to expect in first-year courses, including proven strategies for reading cases and taking notes. Administrators highlight the resources the school offers and create opportunities for students to form close bonds from the very start. The first-year curriculum consists of courses that have historically laid the foundation for law of all kinds, including Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts and Torts, along with two elective courses taken in the spring semester chosen from a broad selection of topics.
The Legal Research and Writing course, taught by fulltime faculty members who are former practitioners, offers detailed guidance on how best to research and compose legal briefs, contracts and other documents, giving students the tools they need to clearly and persuasively address courts, clients and other counsel. To foster a sense of community and an environment of mutual support, the first-year class is divided into sections of approximately 80 students. Students in each section take most of their classes together but are divided into even smaller sections of approximately 25 students for Legal Research and Writing and approximately 40 students in one other core doctrinal course.
Legal Research and Writing
Legal Research and Writing is the students’ foundational clinical course and focuses on practice-oriented legal analysis. During this yearlong course, students develop the analytical skill set needed by practicing lawyers and desired by legal employers. Students are introduced to fundamentals of legal reasoning, the structure of objective and persuasive arguments, effective written analysis, legal research methods, statutory interpretation, compelling oral advocacy, fact investigation, and negotiation. These analytical skills are taught using the clinical method, with the client’s perspective firmly in mind and with the students learning by acting as lawyers. UCLA law faculty work side-by-side with students providing detailed feedback on the Legal Research and Writing assignments they complete during the first year, and students meet individually with professors to go over this feedback. By learning how to function as practicing lawyers, students can succeed in their summer jobs, and in their careers when they graduate. Additionally, to foster a sense of community and an environment of mutual support, the Legal Research and Writing course and one of the doctrinal courses are taught in small sections in the first year.
Second and Third Years
During the second and third years, J.D. students can structure their curriculum to suit their interests by selecting from among more than 200 advanced courses. Approximately 84% of all upper-level classes enroll fewer than 50 students, and 61% of all upper-level classes enroll fewer than 25 students. Students also can pursue their interests by:
• Developing practical skills through our groundbreaking experiential education program
• Exploring non-traditional legal topics through small seminars, sometimes taught in professors’ homes
• Broadening their expertise with interdisciplinary courses taught in other campus departments
• Studying abroad at one of our 15 partner law schools
• Going to Washington, D.C., through the UCDC program or to the Hague through the Promise Institute Europe for eye-opening externships
Faculty
UCLA School of Law professors are renowned leaders in their respective fields and are some of the finest teachers in the academy, expanding the frontiers of interdisciplinary legal scholarship. Faculty members are dedicated to teaching, and they show a genuine interest in their students by engaging with them in class, at lunch and during office hours; and by going out of their way to help students prepare for and gain employment, clerkships, fellowships and other opportunities.Each year, members of the UCLA Law faculty publish groundbreaking scholarship in books, leading academic journals and law reviews, and are cited by media around the world for their expertise. Faculty members are considered among the nation’s leading lights in Constitutional Law, Critical Race Studies, Environmental Law, Immigration Law, Law and Philosophy and numerous other disciplines, influencing national and international policy and dialogue.
Academic Programs, Specializations and Research Centers
Academic Programs, Specializations and Research Centers
Students in the J.D. program may specialize in one of the areas below and earn a certificate of completion. To meet a growing need for tailored legal expertise, UCLA offers distinctive areas of specialization that permit students to benefit from the expertise of our renowned faculty. Currently we offer specializations in:
- Business Law & Policy
- Critical Race Studies
- David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law & Policy
- Environmental Law
- International and Comparative Law
- Law & Philosophy
- Law & Sexuality (LL.M. only)
- Media, Entertainment and Technology Law and Policy
- Native Nations Law
- Technology Law
UCLA Law is home to numerous programs, centers and institutes that allow students to dive into many of the most challenging and urgent issues of our time.
Programs, Centers, and Institutes include:
- A. Barry Cappello Program in Trial Advocacy (which offers a certificate in Trial Advocacy)
- Animal Law & Policy Program
- Center for Immigration Law and Policy
- Center for Law and Economics
- Center on Reproductive Health, Law and Policy
- Criminal Justice Program
- Critical Race Studies Program
- David J. Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy
- Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment
- Empirical Research Group
- Health Law and Policy Program
- Institute for Technology, Law and Policy
- International and Comparative Law Program
- Law and Philosophy Program
- Lowell Milken Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofits
- Lowell Milken institute for Business Law and Policy
- Native Nations Law and Policy Center
- Prison Law and Policy Program
- Program on Legal Ethics and Democracy
- Program on Understanding Law, Science and Evidence (PULSE)
- The Promise Institute Europe
- The Promise Institute for Human Rights
- Resnick Center for Food Law and Policy
- Safeguarding Democracy Project
- Schrader Pro Bono Program
- Transnational Program on Criminal Justice
- UCLA-RAND Center for Law and Public Policy
- UCLA Ziman Center for Real Estate
- Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Law and Public Policy
- Ziffren Institute for Media, Entertainment, Technology and Sports Law
Clinical and Experiential Program
UCLA Law is a national leader in experiential education. Over the past 50 years, our robust Experiential Education Program has expanded and evolved to introduce students to law practice through an awe-inspiring range of law clinic and practicum courses, intensive simulation courses and externship and field placement opportunities. Each year, UCLA Law students fill more than 1,000 seats in experiential courses, where they are trained to be zealous, skilled and responsible advocates.
Examples of our more than 40 clinical and experiential classes include:
- California Criminal Justice Practicum
- California Environmental Legislation and Policy
- Community Lawyering in Education Clinic
- Documentary Film Legal Clinic
- Domestic Violence Prevention Practicum
- Frank G. Wells Environmental Law Clinic
- Housing Justice Clinic
- Human Rights in Action (with International Field Experience)
- Human Rights Litigation Clinic
- Immigrant Family Legal Clinic
- Immigrants' Rights Policy Clinic
- Information Policy Lab
- Law, Organizing and Low Wage Workers Practicum
- Mediation Clinic
- Mergers and Acquisitions Transactions
- Ninth Circuit Appellate Advocacy: Prisoners' Rights
- Negotiation Theory and Practice
- Patent Law Clinic
- Resentencing Practicum
- Supreme Court Clinic
- Talent & Brand Partnerships / Name, Image & Likeness Clinic
- Trial Advocacy
- Tribal Legal Development Clinic
- Veterans Justice Clinic
- Voting Rights Practicum
Externship Programs
Through UCLA Law’s extensive externship program, students work under the supervision of experienced attorneys at a wide variety of legal placements while earning academic credit.
Students are able to extern with judges and experienced lawyers at judicial chambers, government agencies and nonprofit organizations, and with corporate in-house counsel. Combined with companion courses taught by faculty members who are experts in their fields, externships enable students to integrate practical legal experience with theory and reflection in the classroom.
Students also may participate in the UCDC Law Program, a full-time externship program that places students in government agencies and advocacy organizations in the nation’s capital and in the UC in NYC Program, which places students at Columbia
University's Center for Public Research and Leadership, where students consult with educational organizations — typically departments of education or social service agencies.
In collaboration with the Promise Institute, participants in UCLA Law in the Hague spend a semester in the Netherlands externing with international courts and legal organizations.
Study Abroad
Experience and familiarity with international law and other nations’ legal systems and cultures is increasingly indispensable for lawyers, legal scholars and law students. UCLA School of Law has partnered with 15 leading academic institutions in Europe, Asia, Israel, Australia and South America to establish the Foreign Legal Study and Exchange Program. Under exchange agreements with these partner schools, UCLA Law hosts the most highly qualified students from its partner schools, while UCLA Law students may attend partner schools.
Joint Degrees
UCLA Law has long been a leader in the interdisciplinary study of law. To pursue one of our eight formal joint degree programs, students must apply both to UCLA Law and directly to the other school. Applicants should contact the appropriate graduate school or department to obtain its application, and must meet the department's requirements and deadlines. Students interested in creating an individualized joint degree program, or pursuing a joint degree program with another university, must work with the Students Affairs office during their first or second years of law school to seek approval for the joint degree. Formal joint degree programs offered in cooperation with other distinguished UCLA professional schools and departments include:
- JD/MA (African-American Studies)
- JD/MA (American Indian Studies)
- JD/MBA (Anderson School of Management)
- JD/PhD (Philosophy)
- JD/MPH (Public Health)
- JD/MPP (Public Policy)
- JD/MSW (Social Welfare)
- JD/MURP (Urban and Regional Planning)
Student Life
Student Life and Student Activities
UCLA School of Law is a community within the beautiful and dynamic 419-acre UCLA campus. Located in Westwood, a lovely and safe residential neighborhood a short distance from the Pacific Ocean, Hollywood and downtown Los Angeles, UCLA is one of the leading research institutions and best public universities in the world UCLA Law students benefit from the rich and diverse intellectual environment, unparalleled opportunities for interdisciplinary work, access to leading legal scholars and practitioners and an engaged and active student community. UCLA offers excellent amenities, including numerous pools and tennis courts, a fully equipped gym and beautiful running paths, as well as a post office, large student store and dining options. Students can attend concerts, plays and cultural events, lectures and more, all right on campus.
A collegial environment at UCLA Law also affords students many opportunities for participation and leadership. Our approximately 65 student organizations and journals allow you to make a difference, build professional connections and form lasting bonds with peers. The Moot Court Honors Program is open to all second- and third-year students and offers a large and effective program of mock appellate advocacy. The program also hosts a first-year competition, as well as the prestigious Roscoe Pound competition.
UCLA Law’s student body is composed of a diverse group of future lawyers reflecting a broad range of backgrounds and experiences. We are immensely proud of our racial diversity and long-standing commitment to diversity in legal education. Our law school celebrates a multiracial community that helps all groups bridge racial lines and is a reflection of Los Angeles, where UCLA Law is located, one of the world’s most vibrant and dynamic cities.
Housing
Our students find a home on campus or in one of the many attractive neighborhoods nearby. Law students typically live in privately owned apartments in nearby neighborhoods or in campus housing in Westwood Village.
Career Placement and Bar Passage
Tuition and Aid
We know that financing your legal education is very important. In determining scholarship amounts, both merit and financial need can be considered. In order for financial need to be considered, students must complete the UCLA Law Need Application. The law school Need Application is made available to students upon admission. UCLA Law offers a number of full tuition scholarships. For more information please visit: https://law.ucla.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/full-tuition-programs.
TUITION: Tuition information for California residents and non-residents can be found at law.ucla.edu/admissions/tuition-fees. Non-resident students must meet eligibility requirements to be considered for resident classification. Most non-resident law students achieve residency status during the second year of law school. For information on classification as a resident, please visit registrar.ucla.edu/fees-residence/residence-requirements/classification-as-a-resident.
POST-GRADUATE SUPPORT: UCLA Law maintains a competitive Loan Repayment Assistance Program (LRAP) for graduates working in the public interest. Under the School’s LRAP, administered by the Office of Financial Aid, graduates can apply to have a portion – and in some cases all – of the debt service on loans they incurred while at UCLA Law subject to a forgivable loan from the school. For more information for graduating students, please visit: https://law.ucla.edu/life-ucla-law/careers/office-public-interest-programs/public-interest-financial-support-and-fellowships.
Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers
Admission and Financial Aid
UCLA School of Law seeks to admit students of outstanding intellectual ability who will bring a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives to the classroom and the legal profession. Through long experience, the faculty has concluded that the quality of the education of each student is affected in significant ways by the presence of vital, diverse viewpoints. Indeed, students of all backgrounds choose to come to UCLA in significant part because of the School of Law's outstanding achievements in creating a highly diverse educational environment.
In evaluating each applicant, the School of Law places substantial weight on traditional measures of academic ability, namely grades and standardized test scores, specifically Law School Admission Test (LSAT) scores and Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) scores. We also recognize in our evaluation that other factors and attributes contribute greatly to a person's ability to succeed as a law student and lawyer. When assessing academic promise and achievement, the applicant's entire file will be considered, including whether economic, physical, or other challenges have been overcome; scholarly achievements such as graduate study, awards and publications; the rigor of the undergraduate educational program undertaken; and letters of recommendation.
The School of Law also considers attributes that may contribute to assembling a diverse class. We place special emphasis on socioeconomic disadvantage in our evaluation. We also consider work experience and career achievement, community orpublic service, career goals (with particular attention paid to the likelihood of the applicant representing underrepresented communities), significant hardships overcome, the ability to contribute to law school programs and specializations, evidence of and potential for leadership, language ability, unusual life experiences, and any other factors (except those factors deemed inadmissible by applicable law) that indicate the applicant may significantly diversify the student body or make a distinctive contribution to the School of Law or the legal profession. Many of the subjects we address on the application help us to assess the non-numeric aspects of the applicant's achievements that may also contribute to the strength of our educational environment and to the quality and leadership potential of our graduates.
UCLA School of Law has as one of its central purposes the training of attorneys who will attain high levels of professional excellence and integrity and who will exercise civic responsibility in myriad ways over long careers. By the time of enrollment, applicants must have a bachelor’s degree that has been awarded by an institution that is accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education. For students educated outside of the United States, the undergraduate degree must be from an institution that is equivalent in quality to that of institutions accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.
All applicants for Fall 2026 should take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Records Exam (GRE) no later than January 31, 2026, if applying regular decision. Note the cut off dates for the LSAT and GRE are different for students applying Early Decision, for the Distinguished Scholars Award and for the Achievement Fellowship. For more information regarding admissions, please visit: https://law.ucla.edu/admissions/jd-admissions/first-year-jd-applicants.
Admitted Applicant Profile
