J.D. Admissions

Apply to St. John's Law

St. John's Law seeks to identify and select a diverse group of talented students who will succeed not only at St. John's, but continue our tradition of excellence in the legal and business worlds. Numerous scholarships are available for admitted students. There is no separate application for scholarship consideration and scholarships range from partial to full tuition.

Admissions Process Overview

Applicants should recognize that Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores and undergraduate GPAs are important factors in the admission process. Accordingly, in reviewing applications, we focus primarily on the demonstrated qualities and proven skills we deem essential for academic success and intellectual stimulation at St. John's.

However, numbers alone might not entirely reflect an applicant's ability to succeed in the study of the law, enhance the law school's educational environment, and deliver legal services in a professionally responsible manner after graduation. Therefore, the Admissions Committee will also consider, among other factors, the nature and difficulty of the applicant's course of undergraduate studies; the applicant's entire undergraduate record, including ascending or descending trends in achievement; graduate work or degrees; significant extracurricular activities while an undergraduate or graduate student; community activities; work experience; and personal obstacles that may have interfered with the realization of the applicant's full potential and personal achievements.

St. John's Law follows a modified rolling admissions practice in which many decisions are released in March around the priority application date and in April around the first deposit deadline.

Download Print Application (PDF)
To sign up for emails send your name, email address, and the year you are interested in applying for to [email protected]

Requirements For Admission

Baccalaureate Degree/LSAT/GRE
Applying for admission to St. John's University School of Law requires a baccalaureate degree granted by a fully accredited institution and a standardized test score (LSAT or GRE). Applicants for fall admission should take the LSAT no later than February 2023, or the GRE no later than March 2023. The LSAT is administered by the Law School Admission Council and information about the LSAC can be found at lsac.org.

Applicants who have taken the GRE can log into their ETS account and select St. John’s U Sch of Law as a recipient of GRE results using the code: 2624. St. John’s Law accepts GRE scores for admission. If you are considering applying with a GRE score rather than an LSAT score, please review this document (PDF) which explains application requirements and includes a FAQ.

The School of Law participates in the Credential Assembly Service (CAS), which simplifies admission procedures. You must register for the CAS whether you choose to apply with an LSAT score or GRE score. To register for the LSAT and CAS, please contact the Law School Admissions Council at:

LSAC
Box 2000
Newtown, PA 18940
215-968-1001
www.LSAC.org
[email protected]

Applicants who intend to practice law should be aware that admission to the bar in all states involves character, fitness, and other qualifications. Applicants are encouraged to determine what those requirements are in the state(s) in which they intend to practice by consulting the website of the National Conference of Bar Examiners at www.ncbex.org. Admission to law school does not guarantee that you will meet the good moral character requirement necessary to sit for a state bar examination or to be admitted to practice. If you are concerned about any facts that may affect your ability to be admitted to practice law, you should discuss the matter with the Board of Law Examiners or the appropriate Committee on Character and Fitness in the jurisdiction in which you intend to practice.

Elements of a Completed Application

Applicants are required to submit:

• A completed, signed, and dated St. John's University School of Law application form. (If applying electronically, the electronic certification suffices.)
• Credential Assembly Service registration, all undergraduate and graduate transcripts, and a reportable Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score or Graduate Record Examination (GRE) score.
• Personal Statement: Please submit a personal statement or short essay with your application. Include your LSAC account number on it. You may write about any topic you wish. Suggested topics: your decision to pursue a career in law; your reaction to a recent current affairs event; your feelings about a particular community service or extracurricular activity with which you have been involved. Suggested length is two typed pages.
• Letters of Recommendation - professional or academic (2-3).
• Resume: In reverse chronological order, please include all employment, volunteer, and extracurricular activities along with all educational institutions attended. Include an explanation for any gap of time (three months or more) not explained on your resume.
• Optional: If there are economic, cultural, or social factors that have been significant in your development and identity, or that have presented obstacles to you, and you wish the Admissions Committee to consider those factors in evaluating your application, please provide a supplementary statement describing these obstacles.

Optional Video Interview
St. John's Law has always recognized that our students are more than the sum of their standardized test score and undergraduate GPA. Unfortunately, the traditional admissions process does not always fully measure certain intangible qualities that often determine success in law school and legal practice. To address this deficiency we invite applicants to complete an optional video interview after the application is submitted. This process allows applicants to record responses to three questions which will be viewed later by the admissions committee during the review of the application. This is a unique opportunity to provide additional information about yourself and demonstrate those personal attributes we consider important, but may not already be apparent in your application. This video interview will complement the Law School's holistic approach to the application review process. Applicants receive an invitation to complete the online interview after the application is received.

Deferred Admission
The School of Law offers deferred admission in only a small number of cases, and only for good cause. Therefore, most applicants accepted in one year will have to reapply for consideration in subsequent years. A request for Deferred Admissions must be sent in writing to [email protected] or an Admissions Counselor.

Honors Early Decision Program

This early decision option is for students of high caliber with impressive achievements who are certain that St. John’s Law is their top choice. Those admitted through this program will become St. Thomas More Scholars and receive many benefits, including a full-tuition scholarship, the ability to work closely with a faculty advisor, and access to special events. The Honors Early Decision Program is highly competitive. If you apply for the Honors Early Decision program and are not admitted, your application will then be considered during the regular admission cycle. Application deadline: October 1, November 1, December 1, or January 1.

Regular Early Decision (R.E.D.) Program

The R.E.D. Program is for students who are certain that St. John’s Law is their top choice. This program provides applicants a means of expressing to the Admissions Committee their commitment to attend St. John’s Law if admitted and gives applicants priority review and an expedited decision. There are no merit scholarships awarded to R.E.D. Program applicants. Applicants seeking financial assistance should not apply through this program. Application deadline: January 6, 2023.

Details on both early decision programs appear at the bottom of this page.

International Students

If an applicant has earned a baccalaureate degree, or its equivalent, in a foreign country, the Admissions Committee may, at its discretion, admit the applicant to the School of Law on the following conditions:

The applicant complies with the regular admission requirements and procedures of the School of Law, including taking the LSAT or GRE; and
The applicant submits academic records to the LSAC JD Credential Assembly Service. If you are accepted into the Law School and have entered the U.S on a B-1, B-2, or F-2 visa or in undocumented status, St. John's Law School cannot allow you to register for class until your visa status is changed to F-1 (International students with permission to enter the U.S. for academic purposes only). If you are not a permanent resident and plan to apply for F-1 student visa status (Form I-20), please select F-1 for Visa Type when completing your application.

Additional information for International Students can be found at International Student and Scholar Services Office.

***Note: We welcome undocumented or DACA applicants. These applicants are eligible to receive merit scholarships but would need to arrange to pay other costs as they are not eligible to receive federal loans. In addition, the New York Court of Appeals has not issued a uniform ruling to admit attorneys who are undocumented to practice law.

Contact Information

St. John's University School of Law
Admissions Office
8000 Utopia Parkway
Queens, NY 11439
718-990-6474
[email protected]

Learn More

The Honors Early Decision Program is designed for students of high caliber with impressive achievements who are certain that St. John's Law is their top choice. Those admitted through this program will become St. Thomas More Scholars and receive many benefits, including a full-tuition scholarship, the ability to work closely with a designated faculty advisor, and invitations to receptions and special events. The admissions process through the Honors Early Decision Program is highly competitive.

In order to be considered for the Honors Early Decision Program you must have a complete application by the first of the month, October through January. The deadline is monthly and awards will be distributed October 2022 through January 2023, provided the program does not reach capacity earlier. Decisions will be rendered by the last day of that same month. Non-refundable seat deposits are due two weeks after the decision date.

Application due: October 1, November 1, December 1 or January 1
Notified by: October 31, November 30, December 31 or January 31
Deposit Deadline: 2 weeks after decision
*Please note, if the program reaches capacity, we will no longer consider applications for the Honors Early Decision program and therefore it is advantageous to apply as early as possible.

If admitted through the Honors Early Decision Program, the applicant must withdraw all applications pending at other law schools within five business days of admission and may not initiate applications to any other law schools. If you apply for the Honors Early Decision Program and you are not admitted, your application will then be considered during the regular admission cycle.

The R.E.D. Program is designed for students who are certain that St. John's Law is their top choice. This program provides applicants a means of expressing to the Admissions Committee their commitment to attend St. John's Law if admitted and gives applicants priority review and an expedited decision. There are no merit scholarships awarded to R.E.D. Program applicants. Applicants for whom scholarship aid is necessary should not apply through this program.

In order to be considered for the R.E.D. Program you must have a reportable LSAT score from November 2022 or earlier or GRE score from December 2022 or earlier.

Application due: January 6, 2023
Notified by: February 6, 2023
Deposit Deadline: 2 weeks after decision

Applicants who apply through this program will be issued a final decision on their application. If admitted through the R.E.D. Program, the applicant must withdraw all applications pending at other law schools within five business days of admission and may not initiate applications to any other law schools.

St. John’s University School of Law requires that your foreign transcripts be submitted through the LSAC JD Credential Assembly Service (CAS). If you completed any postsecondary work outside the US (including its territories) or Canada, you must use this service for the evaluation of your foreign transcripts. (The one exception to this requirement is if you completed the foreign work through a study abroad, consortium, or exchange program sponsored by a US or Canadian institution, and the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript.)

The LSAC JD CAS service is included in the CAS subscription fee. An International Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), which will be incorporated into your CAS report. To use the JD CAS, log in to your LSAC online account and follow the instructions for registering for the service. Be sure to print out a Transcript Request Form for each institution and send it promptly to them. More time is usually required to receive foreign transcripts. Questions about the JD Credential Assembly Service can be directed to LSAC at 215.968.1001, or [email protected].

St. John’s University Undergraduate Students may apply to St. John’s Law without taking the LSAT provided they meet the following requirements:

Must be a current St. John’s University undergraduate student.
Must have SAT or ACT score greater than or equal to the 85th percentile in one test administration.*
Must have a cumulative undergraduate GPA greater than or equal to 3.6 entering law school as reported on the LSAC Credential Assembly Service report.
Must NOT take the LSAT at any time. Applicants entering through the Red Storm Scholars Special Admission Program who ignore this requirement and take the LSAT will have their admission offer reconsidered with their LSAT score.

Students admitted under this program are considered for partial merit scholarship!

Application due: February 1, 2023
Notified by: March 10, 2023
Deposit Deadline: April 1, 2023

St. John's undergraduates may apply during the senior year or during the junior year in combination with the 3+3 joint degree program (detailed below). Letters of recommendation may be sent to the LSAC Credential Assembly Service or may be sent directly to St. John’s Law.

*Red Storm Scholar applicants must have already taken the SAT or ACT as part of their college application to use it to apply through this program. If a student was admitted to the undergraduate program without a standardized test, the student should take the LSAT or GRE. SAT percentiles are the User Percentile. SAT and ACT scores do not expire for our purposes. Applicants must include an unofficial standardized test grade report with their application.

For additional information, please contact the Admissions Office at [email protected] or 718-990-6474.

Combined undergraduate (B.A., B.S.) and St. John's Law degree programs "3+3" are offered by three divisions at St. John's University — St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the College of Professional Studies and the Peter J. Tobin College of Business. In addition, the Law School has programs with Niagara University and Manhattan College.

The program allows you to complete an undergraduate and law degree in six years.

There are two pathways for 3+3 students:

You can apply as a combined 3+3 and Red Storm Scholar
1. Must have a SAT or ACT score at or above the 85th percentile
2. Must have an undergraduate GPA of 3.6 or higher entering the Law School
3. You can’t have a reportable LSAT score or we must reconsider your application
4. Apply electronically through LSAC, attach your personal statement and resume. Register and complete a Credential Assembly Report with transcripts and letters of recommendation (letters can be sent directly to Admissions from recommender as well). Application deadline: February 1, 2023. Rolling admission – receive a decision approximately 3 weeks after your application is complete (please email us if you apply earlier). If admitted, you will receive a partial scholarship to the Law School. Scholarships are automatically renewed annually. Scholarships are non-forfeitable.
Apply as a 3+3 with a LSAT score
1. We will evaluate your application based on all factors, including your LSAT score and GPA. You need a competitive score on the LSAT.
2. Apply electronically through LSAC, attach your personal statement and resume. Register and complete a Credential Assembly Report with transcripts and letters of recommendation (letters can be sent directly to Admissions from recommender as well). Application deadline: February 1, 2023. Rolling admission – receive a decision approximately 3 weeks after your application is complete (please email us if you apply earlier). If admitted, any scholarship offer will be based on your application, including your GPA and LSAT score. Scholarships are automatically renewed annually. Scholarships are non-forfeitable.

To be accepted for a combined undergraduate and law degree, you must be approved by your undergraduate academic dean. Interested students should contact their pre-law advisor for additional information.

Successful applicants must demonstrate a commitment to the law and the maturity to complete an accelerated program.