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The University of Chicago Law School

The information on this page was provided by the law school.

Official Guide to ABA-Approved JD Programs


UChicago Law’s small and diverse student body is deeply committed to studying the law, developing life-long friendships and professional relationships, and changing the world. UChicago graduates lead and innovate in law, government, public interest, academia, and business. For this reason, UChicago aims not to certify lawyers, but to train well-rounded, critical, and socially conscious thinkers and doers. Three cornerstones provide the foundation for UChicago’s educational mission: the marketplace of ideas, participatory learning, and interdisciplinary inquiry.

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The JD Program

Our students are passionate about ideas with a grounding in clinical education and pro bono work. They have shown this passion through their academic success, and they exhibit signs of great professional promise. Typically, 5,000+ applicants seek approximately 185-195 seats in each incoming class. Our small, diverse class comes from almost 100 undergraduate institutions with degrees in nearly every discipline, and 1 in 10 have graduate degrees. Many of our students have also had interesting and successful careers before law school.

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Student Life

Career Placement and Bar Passage

Our Office of Career Services (OCS) assists students with permanent and summer employment. They specialize in one-on-one counseling and supplement the individual approach with group programming on various types of careers and topics. The focus on individualized counseling and coaching allows students to tailor their careers based on each student’s goals. The top five destinations our graduates choose for employment are Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.

For the 2020 calendar year, the first-time bar passage rate for graduates was 97.86%. 

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Tuition and Aid

Expense Cost
Tuition
$76,479.00
Fees
$1,398.00
Expected Cost of Attendance
$112,659.00

Your UChicago legal education is an investment in your future. Because many students will not have sufficient personal resources to make this investment, UChicago provides generous financial aid. Nearly 60 students in the classes of 2026, 2027, and 2028 will receive Rubenstein Scholarships, covering full tuition for all three years as well as a stipend. In addition, the Hormel Scholarship offers a high award scholarship for students committed to public interest. Approximately 80 percent of UChicago Law students receive scholarships. The Law School also provides funding for students who work in public interest positions during their summers. After graduation, the Law School provides financial assistance to graduates who enter careers in public interest legal work through our generous Loan Repayment Assistance Program. Graduates earning $80,000 or less in a government, nonprofit, or public interest job can receive benefits.

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Admission Decisions: Beyond the Numbers

Each year, we seek to create a community from among the best and brightest law school applicants. The Law School’s admission process is both holistic and individual; the Admissions Committee reviews each and every application carefully and on its individual merits, taking into account far more than numerical data. We do not believe standardized tests and GPA alone provide us with sufficient information to evaluate an applicant’s likely contributions to our community; therefore, we do not use any formulas, indices, or numerical cutoffs.

We want students who are intellectually curious, lively, and collegial in their academic approach. We want students who will take their legal education seriously, but not take themselves too seriously. Because we are preparing students to enter a multifaceted profession, we want multidimensional students with a wide range of talents, backgrounds, experiences, and accomplishments. 

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Contact Information

Admissions Office, 1111 E. 60th Street,
Chicago, IL 60637,
United States