Penn State Dickinson Law
The information on this page was provided by the law school.
Official Guide to ABA-Approved JD Programs
As one of the oldest law schools in the country and the oldest in Pennsylvania, Penn State Dickinson Law has a rich legacy in experiential education complemented by a rigorous academic program in a supportive yet challenging environment. You’ll learn from our accomplished faculty — preeminent scholars who have spent years practicing law — and continue to engage nationally and around the world with the legal profession through pro bono litigation, scholarship and more.
Penn State Dickinson Law students benefit from:
- Individualized attention and hands-on training as part of an intentionally small incoming class
- Two vibrant locations—Carlisle and University Park, Pennsylvania
- Career-building opportunities in nearby major legal markets, including Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York City, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.
- A generous amount of scholarship funds, including our $60K Keystone Scholars Grant, and significant merit awards
- The largest dues-paying alumni network of its kind in the world (We are Penn State!)
- A unique, intensive initiative of faculty partnering with students in their career planning and job searches
The JD Program
Two locations — perfectly situated.
In both Carlisle and University Park, you will be close to all kinds of opportunities. Carlisle is just a train or car ride away from four major legal markets — New York City, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Baltimore — and nearby you’ll find our capital, Harrisburg, and Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey. Plus, you’ll find balance here in Carlisle, where the slower pace of life moves in counter-rhythm to the intensity of your studies. In our University Park location, you’ll attend law school on Penn State’s largest campus with a diverse population of about 46,000 graduate, undergraduate, and professional students, including about 7,500 international students.
We make law school accessible.
Affording law school isn’t easy, but we make it as seamless as possible. We’ve committed significant resources to ensure our students have access to both merit and need-based scholarships — and we have advisors ready to help you with your financial plan.
Your niche will never be your pigeonhole.
“Profession-ready” isn’t idle talk. It’s our philosophy. We are committed to graduating practice-ready lawyers, which we do by immersing you right away in a curriculum that emphasizes experiential learning. By the time you graduate, you will have had the opportunity to go deep in public interest, health law, international law, child advocacy, cyber law, or any number of disciplines. And you’ll be ready for anything.
A rich tradition of serving our community.
Practice your skills while giving back to the Carlisle and University Park communities through our in-house legal clinics. Our students volunteer at homeless shelters, serve on local boards, engage in pro bono work through our Miller Center Pro Bono Program, and advocate for clients across a number of complex legal issues.
The Penn State effect.
Penn State Dickinson Law offers all the resources of a world-class, public research institution while also featuring a student-centered academic environment. The classmates you study alongside will become your professional network, and you’ll get to see just how powerful community can be. Be part of a historic network of over 8,000 living law school alumni respected by the best legal minds in the world. With the Penn State Dickinson Law name, you will carry the respect of those who know that you have received a high-quality legal education. You’ll also have access to over half a million Penn State graduates who comprise the largest dues-paying alumni network in the world with chapters across the U.S. and abroad.
We bring the world to you.
The Penn State Dickinson Law curriculum ensures that you’ll master national law and have a firm grasp of international principles. You can take your studies global with an externship in The Hague or spend a semester abroad as part of our exchange programs with Radboud University in the Netherlands, Hanoi Law School in Vietnam, and more.
Some of the best legal minds in the country.
Our professors are lawyers and judges active in the legal community — and they have been for decades. They channel everything they know directly into the classroom, where they shape the lawyers of tomorrow. They’ll not only know your name, but they’ll also know where you shine and where you can grow. They’ll be your biggest supporters — and be the mentors you’ll have long after you graduate.
A long history of legal excellence.
It says something that we’re one of the oldest law schools in the country. And though we were founded in 1834, ours is a history of constantly evolving for the modern lawyer and ensuring the voice of progress is heard. You’ll be part of a historic alumni network where respect runs deep and affiliations last long.
In-House Clinics
The mission of Penn State Dickinson Law’s In-house Legal Clinics is to teach law students valuable skills for practice, including client interviewing, counseling, case management, advanced research skills, analytical thinking skills, and persuasive writing skills. Under faculty supervision, students obtain the training and experience necessary to launch successful and fulfilling legal careers.
Externships
Under the guidance of an experienced supervisor, 2L and 3L students can step out of the classroom and gain practical experience working in a legal office through Penn State Dickinson Law’s externship program.
Beginning in fall 2025, all new Penn State Dickinson Law students must take at least 3 credits in a legal practice setting through an externship program, in-house legal clinics, or as part of a Semester-in-Practice Program. In order to receive academic credit for working at an externship placement site, students must:
- Complete legal work at their externship site for a required number of hours per credit (typically 140 hours per semester for three credits);
- Attend and participate in the academic companion course; and
- Complete assigned readings and required reflective assignments and self-evaluations.
Semesters-in-Practice
Penn State Dickinson Law students have the opportunity to continue their transition from promising student to practicing attorney by participating in the law school’s Semester-in-Practice. These immersive programs allow students to spend one semester working full-time in a variety of legal settings in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania or Washington, DC. In addition to Harrisburg and Washington, DC, students may propose individualized, immersive experiences in other settings, which may be approved in appropriate circumstances.
Past placements have included:
- International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (The Hague, the Netherlands)
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Cape Town, South Africa)
- International Bar Association (London)
- Human Rights Watch
- Internal Revenue Service
- US Securities and Exchange Commission
- US Department of Justice, Environmental Enforcement Section
- US Department of Justice, Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section
- US Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control
- US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
- Project on Government Oversight (whistleblower advocacy agency)
- Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General
- Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education
- YWCA Domestic Violence Legal Center
Student Life
An Inclusive Community
We believe that diversity enriches everyone’s educational experience. We are as committed to welcoming people of diverse cultures and lifestyles as we are to preparing them to become the next generation of practice-ready attorneys. As an inclusive community, Penn State Dickinson Law defines diversity broadly to include racial and ethnic minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, members of the LGBTQ community, veterans, first-generation students, adult learners, and any others who have experienced subordination, marginalization, or isolation in academic communities because of their identity status. Incoming students are welcomed into this inclusive environment by our Law Lion Ambassadors, who serve as student mentors and community leaders.
We are delighted to support a variety of student affinity organizations, such as:
- Asian Pacific American Law Students Association (APALSA)
- Black Law Students Association (BLSA)
- International Law Society
- Latinx Law Student Association (LLSA)
- Military Law Caucus (MLC)
- OutLaw (the LGBTQ student association)
- Women’s Law Caucus (WLC)
Moreover, Penn State Dickinson Law’s core courses integrate diverse perspectives and examine the relevance of diversity to law, the legal process, and practice. Through the law school’s curricular offerings and its extracurricular activities, Dickinson Law students are able to develop cultural competencies and better understand minority viewpoints.
Career Placement and Bar Passage
Learn more about career placement at Penn State Dickinson Law
Tuition and Aid
| Expense | Cost |
|---|---|
| Tuition |
$60,648.00
|
| Fees |
$182.00
|
| Expected Cost of Attendance |
$88,142.00
|
All students admitted to Penn State Dickinson Law are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. As well, admitted students are welcome to apply for financial aid up to the date of enrollment; however, students are encouraged to submit their financial aid applications by March 1 if they are seeking need-based aid. The Office of Admissions and Financial Aid helps to counsel admitted students on how to obtain the funding necessary to finance their legal education.
Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers
Prospective students are welcome to apply on our website or directly through LSAC’s site. Penn State Dickinson Law takes a holistic approach to admission by considering accomplishments beyond test scores and college grades. In considering applicants, the law school values life and work experience, leadership, community service, advanced degrees, and other personal and professional accomplishments.
We offer three application options:
J.D. Binding Early Decision I
Application open — September 15 through December 1
Decision by — December 30
J.D. Binding Early Decision II
Application open — September 15 through February 1*
Decision by — March 1
J.D. Regular Decision
Application open — September 15 through June 30
Decision by — Rolling basis
Admitted Applicant Profile
