Juris Doctor Application Information
Duke Law School offers a JD program that is rigorous, relevant, innovative and interdisciplinary.
First year students begin their study of law through the traditional core courses of civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law, property, and torts. At least one first-year course is a small section of less than 30 students and rarely does any first-year class exceed 90 students.
From the first-year foundation, Duke has built an extensive upper-class curriculum that blends traditional coursework with an extensive array of practical skills courses and clinics and opportunities to study in small groups with faculty.
While the core curriculum is strong across the board, Duke has given special attention to those areas in which there is likely to be a growing demand for lawyers over the coming decades - business and finance law, international and comparative law, constitutional and public law, and fields relating to science and technology such as intellectual property, environmental, telecommunications, biotech, and health.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Duke University is committed to encouraging and sustaining a learning and work community that is free from prohibited discrimination and harassment. Review the full policy to learn more.
Application Process and Timeline
We begin accepting First-Year JD Applications through LSAC on September 1. The application deadline for Regular Decision candidates is February 15. Applications may be submitted after the deadline if space is available. Applications for the binding Early Decision option must be complete by early November (Round I) or early January (Round II).
Candidates will be notified once decisions are made on their admission applications. The time from an application's completion to a decision being reached may vary widely.
Applicants who receive a provisional offer of admission will be officially admitted to Duke Law School when they complete the next step of the admission process – applying for financial aid and scholarship assistance. Duke Law School awards scholarships both on the basis of merit and on the basis of merit plus financial need. Candidates who wish to be considered for scholarship assistance may apply based on a combination of merit and financial need or merit only. As part of the scholarship application process, candidates will have the opportunity to participate in a Skype interview with a member of the committee, if they choose to do so. Those who apply for scholarship consideration will receive their official admission letter and financial aid decision soon after the Scholarship Committee completes its review. Applicants who are provisionally admitted and do not wish to apply for scholarship assistance may contact the Office of Admissions so that they can be officially admitted at that time.
Application Review
The application review process includes a thorough evaluation of a candidate's academic record, including the rigor and breadth of the curriculum, overall grade trends, any graduate level work, and test scores. To be eligible for admission, an applicant must receive a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution prior to enrollment at the Law School.
Duke seeks to identify applicants who demonstrate leadership and engagement. Most successful candidates show sustained and meaningful commitment to one or more fields of interest to them. Although many applicants have had some exposure to the legal profession, this is not in itself a requirement. The Law School benefits from a student body that represents a broad range of experiences and interests. It is often helpful to indicate reasons for interest in law school in general and Duke in particular, especially when they relate to an applicant's specific experiences. Special care is taken when evaluating applications to achieve diversity in interests, perspectives, and backgrounds.
When the admissions committee determines that additional information would be helpful in making a final decision, applicants may be invited to interview with a member of the committee. These interviews are optional, and offered by invitation at the discretion of the admissions committee. All candidates are welcome to visit the law school for a tour, and may make an appointment for a non-evaluative informational meeting with an admissions representative.
2023 First-Year JD Application
Use this application to apply for the Early and Regular Decision cycles for the JD and dual degree programs for the 2023 entering class. Do not use this application to apply as a transfer or visitor student. Review the instructions as you complete the application (also available in the LSAC application).
- Application Checklist
- Application Fee
- Resume, Personal Statement, Optional Essays
- Recommendation Letters
- Academic Transcripts
- Foreign Transcripts
- International Applicants
- Standardized Testing
- Supplemental Material
- Reapplications
- Bar Admission
- Application Instructions
Application Checklist
You will be notified by email once your application has been received. The email will include instructions on how to monitor your file status online. Incomplete files will be reviewed later in the cycle and final decisions will be rendered based on the material received at that time.
- JD application - submit electronically through LSAC
- $80 non-refundable application processing fee - submit electronically with the application
- Resume - use attachment to submit electronically with the application » More
- Personal statement - use attachment to submit electronically with the application » More
- Optional essays - use attachments to submit electronically with the application » More
- Two required recommendation letters - submit through LSAC to be included in the CAS report » More
- Academic transcripts - submit through LSAC to be included in the CAS report
- LSAC CAS report
- LSAT and/or GRE score(s)
- Letter from previous law school - if applicable
- InitialView interview or TOEFL - international applicants only, if applicable » More
General Information
Application Deadline
We encourage you to submit your application and supporting material as early as possible. We begin accepting applications on September 1, 2022.
Early Decision: The deadlines to complete the ED application are November 4, 2022 (Round I) and January 6, 2023 (Round II).
Regular Decision: The deadline to submit the application is February 15, 2023. Applications may be submitted after the deadline if space is available.
How to Apply
Review the application checklist and instructions available through LSAC (LSAC.org) and on our website (law.duke.edu/apply/jd). To be eligible for admission, you must receive a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution prior to enrollment at the Law School, register with LSAC CAS, and take the LSAT or GRE.
Application Processing Fee
Automatic fee waivers: The application fee will be waived automatically if you have a current LSAC fee waiver. Once you select our application, the LSAC system should indicate that no fee is required once you reach the final checkout stage.
Fee waiver requests will not be considered after the February 15 application deadline.
Need-based: Submit the completed Fee Waiver form by email to admissions@law.duke.edu. You will receive notification by email once your request has been reviewed.
Merit-based: We extend fee waivers based on the results of periodic searches of LSAC's Candidate Referral Service (CRS). To be considered in the pool, be sure your CRS account is active, your intended enrollment year is set correctly, you have either a self-reported or LSAC-calculated GPA, and LSAT score.
Service-based (military, Teach for America, Peace Corps, or AmeriCorps): Submit your request by email to admissions@law.duke.edu. Include your full name, LSAC account number, and documentation that identifies your affiliation.
Resume, Personal Statement, Optional Essays
All writing samples must be your own work. This means that the ideas and expressions originated with you, and you wrote all drafts and the final product. It does not preclude asking family members, friends, pre-law advisors, and others for proofreading assistance or general feedback. There is no required length or page limit.
Resume: You will be required to submit a current resume. Provide complete information and include your significant work experience, educational history, college and community activities, honors and awards you have received, any prior Duke affiliation, and dates for all items listed.
Personal Statement: You will be required to submit a personal statement. The statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and should include (1) what you think have been your significant personal experiences beyond what may be reflected in your academic transcripts and on your résumé, and (2) your personal and career ambitions. If your personal statement does not directly address your interest in attending law school and practicing law, we strongly encourage you to write Optional Essay 1.
Optional Essays: You are invited to supplement your personal statement with either or both of the following essays. These topics are helpful in forming a full picture of our applicants, so we encourage you to provide any relevant information (it is not necessary to duplicate information in both places).
Optional Essay 1: You may submit an essay providing additional information about why you have chosen to apply to law school in general and Duke in particular. We are interested in the factors that have prompted your interest in a legal career and the ways in which you think Duke can further that interest.
Optional Essay 2: Our admission process is guided by the view that a student body that reflects the broad diversity of society contributes to the implementation of the Law School’s mission, improves the learning process, and enriches the educational experience for all students. In reviewing applications, we consider, as one factor among many, how an applicant may contribute to the diversity of the Law School based on the candidate’s experiences, achievements, background, and perspectives. This approach ensures the best and most relevant possible legal training and serves the legal profession by training lawyers to effectively serve an increasingly diverse society. You are invited to submit an essay that describes your particular life experiences with an emphasis on how the perspectives that you have acquired would contribute to Duke Law School’s intellectual community and enhance the diversity of the student body. Examples of topics include (but are not limited to): an experience of prejudice, bias, economic disadvantage, personal adversity, or other social hardship (perhaps stemming from one’s religious affiliation, disability, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity); experience as a first-generation college student; significant employment history (such as in business, military or law enforcement, or public service); experience as an immigrant or refugee; graduate study; or impressive leadership achievement (including college or community service).
LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
All applicants must register with the LSAC CAS available at LSAC.org. We will request your LSAC CAS report shortly after we receive your application. LSAC will release the report once they process the required transcripts and at least two recommendation letters.
Recommendation Letters
Two recommendation letters are required and must be submitted through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service, which is included in your LSAC CAS registration. LSAC will accept up to four generic or school-specific letters. Letters from friends, family friends, and relatives are discouraged.
Unless you have been out of school for some time, at least one letter should come from an academic instructor who has personal knowledge of your performance and potential. A second letter should come from someone who can address your interpersonal skills, leadership, and involvement, such as a supervisor or advisor from a job, internship, or student organization. Additional letters from either source may also be submitted. If you have been out of school for long enough that an academic reference is not available, you may submit an employment letter in its place.
Standardized Testing
All applicants must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Duke Law School does not prefer one test over the other, and either will be given equal consideration as part of a holistic review of the application. If you take both tests, you may choose to report only LSAT scores or both LSAT and GRE scores. The LSAT requirement setting for the LSAC CAS report will change automatically once you indicate that you will be taking the GRE only (Question 8.2).
Notify the Office of Admissions by email (admissions@law.duke.edu) if you choose to take the LSAT after you submit the application. If a decision is made based on a GRE score only and an LSAT score is subsequently received, we will review the application again, and reserve the right to change the initial decision based on the additional information.
Select a test date that provides sufficient time for thorough preparation, preferably so the score will be available by the February 15 application deadline. Later test dates will also be accepted. Duke considers all test scores that are received in the context of the entire application (transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation, evidence of leadership and engagement, and other information). If you feel that one or more of your test scores does not accurately reflect your ability or potential, please use the Miscellaneous Addendum attachment to explain this disparity.
LSAT - Contact LSAC to request information about the LSAT at 215.968.1001 or visit LSAC.org. LSAT scores will be included in the CAS report. You may submit the application prior to taking (or retaking) the LSAT. If you are planning to retake the LSAT, and you would like to have your file placed on hold to await the new score, select the test date in Question 8.1.a. Notify the Office of Admissions if you decide to retake the LSAT after you submit the application and you
would like to have your file placed on hold until the new score is received.
GRE - Contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at ets.org/gre for GRE registration and information. Request all valid scores be sent to Duke University School of Law - institution code 4916. We do not receive scores sent to other Duke University codes.
Academic Transcripts
Transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work must be submitted to LSAC CAS. Questions about transcripts can be directed to LSAC at 215.968.1001 or LSACinfo@LSAC.org.
International Transcripts - Transcripts must be submitted through the LSAC CAS if you received your degree from an institution outside the U.S. or Canada, or if you completed the equivalent of more than one year of undergraduate study outside the U.S. (including its territories) or Canada. This service is included in the LSAC CAS registration 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 LSAC CAS report. Log in to your 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 to them promptly. Additional time is usually required to receive and process international transcripts, so please plan accordingly.
International Applicants - Initial Interview or TOEFL
If English is not your first language or the language of instruction at your undergraduate institution, you will be required to participate in an InitialView interview or have your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score submitted to LSAC by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). International applicants with graduate degrees in the U.S. must also satisfy this requirement. We strongly recommend international applicants participate in the interview.
InitialView: Contact InitialView at initialview.com to schedule your interview session. Since many international students come from educational systems that are different from that of the U.S., we find it valuable to be able to view an unscripted interview where applicants may discuss their unique backgrounds and goals. InitialView will conduct the interview, record the conversation, and notify our office once the interview is available.
TOEFL: Request ETS to submit your TOEFL score to LSAC - institution code 8395. The score will be included in the LSAC CAS report.
International Students and Visa Applications
Admitted applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents will receive information, after submitting the enrollment material, about applying for a Duke-sponsored F-1 visa. International students will be required to submit copies of their passport, previous visa documents, and proof of financial support. Duke University policy states that graduate and professional students who are not in lawful immigration status will not be enrolled. Non U.S. citizens granted deferred action under DACA are considered to be in lawful immigration status under Duke’s policy.
Previous Law School Matriculation
If you attended the JD program at another law school, you must include an addendum to explain why you did not complete the program. You are also required to have your previous law school submit a letter to the Office of Admissions indicating your dates of attendance, reason for withdrawal, and academic standing.
Application Review
The application review process includes a thorough evaluation of a candidate's academic record, including the rigor and breadth of the curriculum, overall grade trends, any graduate level work, and test scores. Duke Law School seeks to identify applicants who demonstrate leadership and engagement. Most successful candidates show sustained and meaningful commitment to one or more fields of interest to them. Although many applicants have had some exposure to the legal profession, this is not in itself a requirement. The Law School benefits from a student body that represents a broad range of experiences and interests. It is often helpful to indicate reasons for interest in law school in general and Duke in particular, especially when they relate to an applicant's specific experiences. Special care is taken when evaluating applicants to achieve diversity in interests, perspectives, and backgrounds.
Most offers of admission are typically made prior to March 1, and all decisions are completed by the end of April.
Supplemental Material
If you wish to send additional material after submitting the application, you may forward it to the Office of Admissions by email. Include your full name and LSAC account number for identification purposes. It would be more beneficial to submit a 1-2 page summary rather than lengthy material.
Reapplication
To reapply, you must submit a new application and update all supporting material. Include the year for which you last sought admission in Question 7.1.a. You will also be required to reassign letters through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service. Reviewers may not have access to your prior application materials, so please be sure that all information you would like considered is included in the current application.
Bar Admission
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners. For additional information, visit americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/bar_admissions.html.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Duke University is committed to encouraging and sustaining a learning and work community that is free from prohibited discrimination and harassment. Visit the Office of Institutional Equity's website at oie.duke.edu to learn more and review the full policy.
Application Instructions
Please read the following instructions carefully before completing your application.
1. Biographical
Complete this section in full.
2. Demographics
Complete this section in full.
3. Additional Demographics
Complete this section in full.
4. Contact Information
Complete this section in full. Submit updates to your contact information by email to the Office of Admissions at admissions@law.duke.edu.
5. Decision Cycle
Select the decision cycle in which you would like to have your application reviewed.
Early Decision: The Early Decision program is most appropriate if you have concluded that Duke is your first choice for law school and you do not anticipate the need to compare offers of financial aid in making a decision about where to matriculate. If you apply through the Early Decision program, you apply to other law schools, but you may not have more than one binding Early Decision application pending simultaneously. If you have already submitted an Early Decision
application to another law school, you may apply through Duke's Early Decision program only if you are released from the binding commitment at the other school. If admitted to Duke Law School through the Early Decision program, you will be required to immediately withdraw your applications at other law schools, refrain from submitting new applications, and submit a $500 tuition deposit no later than ten days after the admission notification.
Round I Early Decision applications must be complete no later than November 4, 2022 and candidates will be notified about their status no later than December 31. Round II Early Decision applications must be complete no later than January 6, 2023 and candidates will be notified no later than January 31. Plan ahead if you intend to apply for the Early Decision cycle. It can take several days or weeks for material to be processed in order to have your LSAC CAS report released, which includes transcripts and two recommendation letters.
Some Early Decision candidates may be held for consideration in the Regular Decision cycle, and will no longer be bound by the terms of the Early Decision agreement. Visit law.duke.edu/apply/jd for additional information on the Early Decision cycle.
Regular Decision: The deadline to submit the application for the Regular Decision cycle is February 15, 2023.
6. Degree Program
You may apply to only one program. Admission to one program is not transferable to another. Visit our website for additional information on degree programs offered.
| Degree | Additional Requirements |
| JD | No additional requirements. |
| JD/LLM (International and Comparative Law) | No additional requirements; however, we encourage applicants to address their interest in international and comparative law either in their personal statement or use the JD/LLM or JD/LLMLE attachment. |
| JD/LLMLE (Law and Entrepreneurship) | No additional requirements; however, we encourage applicants to address their interest in law and entrepreneurship either in their personal statement or use the JD/LLM or JD/LLMLE attachment. |
| JD/MBA | Separate application to Duke Fuqua School of Business |
| JD/MD | Separate application to Duke School of Medicine |
| JD/MEM | Separate application to Duke Nicholas School of the Environment |
| JD/MPP | Separate application to Duke Sanford School of Public Policy |
| JD/MTS | Separate application to Duke Divinity School |
7. Prior Application
Complete this section in full. If you applied previously, please indicate the year(s) for which you applied for admission.
8. Standardized Testing (See General Information for details.)
LSAT - Select the test date if you plan to retake the LSAT and you want the new score to be considered during the evaluation process.
GRE - Indicate if you will have only GRE scores submitted (no LSAT score).
TOEFL - International applicants only, if applicable. Indicate whether you will participate in the InitialView interview or submit a TOEFL score to LSAC.
9. Education
You are required to provide information on your high school and all post secondary schools attended.
10. Employment
Complete this section in full.
11. Military Service
Complete this section in full.
12. Family
Complete this section in full.
13. Character and Fitness
Duke Law requires that you reveal knowledge of all disciplinary charges, arrests, criminal charges, or criminal convictions (except arrests, criminal charges or criminal convictions that have been expunged from your record). When in doubt, err on the side of full disclosure as subsequent discovery of a failure to fully, and accurately, answer these questions may have serious consequences. You have an ongoing obligation to report any conduct that would require you to answer "Yes" to any of the questions in this section during the pendency of your application. If you are admitted, the obligation to report conduct applicable to the questions in this section continues until your first day of class at Duke Law School.
If you answer "Yes" to any questions in the Character and Fitness section, you will be required to provide an explanation. Include details, the status of any disciplinary action or judicial sanctions, and the final resolution of the issues involved.
In addition, if you answer "Yes" to the conduct question (13.2), you will be required to have the dean, registrar, department supervisor, judicial officer, or academic officer with access to official records from your institution submit a letter directly to the Office of Admissions providing complete information about the incident. If your institution has no record of any disciplinary action, have them submit a letter indicating so.
14. Certification
By submitting an application for admission, I understand and agree that the personal data included with my application will be collected by Duke, or on its behalf, during the admissions process. I understand and agree that this data will be used for the primary purposes of considering my application for admission to Duke, providing me with information regarding engagement opportunities, evaluating my eligibility for financial aid, responding to records requests and, if I
am admitted, facilitating my education. To help achieve these goals or to comply with legal obligations, I agree that my data may be shared internally among different Duke departments and offices, or with Duke contracted or approved third parties. I have reviewed the Duke University Privacy Policy and permit Duke to collect and use my personal data in accordance with that policy.
You are obligated to notify the Office of Admissions immediately of any change in the information provided.
| Application Complete Deadline | Notification Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Early Decision Round I | November 4, 2022 | December 31, 2022 |
| Early Decision Round II | January 6, 2023 | January 31, 2023 |
Duke Law School offers a binding Early Decision option for first-year applicants to the JD program, as well as the JD/LLM in International and Comparative Law and the JD/LLMLE in Law and Entrepreneurship. To apply, complete the First-Year JD application and select the appropriate option under Decision Cycle.
Plan ahead if you intend to apply for the Early Decision cycle. The application should be submitted prior to the "application complete deadline" noted above. After submitting the application, it can take several days or weeks to complete your file. LSAC must process all required transcripts and the two required recommendation letters before they will release the CAS report. Depending on the volume, it could take LSAC several weeks to process material received.
This program is most appropriate for candidates who have concluded that Duke is their first-choice for law school and do not anticipate the need to compare offers of financial aid in making a decision about where to matriculate. Applicants who are admitted through our early decision program are reviewed for scholarship assistance on the same timeline as all other admitted students. Candidates who apply through the Early Decision program may apply to other law schools, but may not have more than one binding Early Decision application pending simultaneously. If an Early Decision application has already been submitted to another law school, candidates may apply through Duke's Early Decision program only if and when they are released from their binding commitment at the other school. If admitted to Duke Law School, Early Decision candidates will be required to immediately withdraw their applications at other law schools, refrain from submitting new applications, and submit a $500 tuition deposit no later than ten days after the admission notification.
Some Early Decision candidates may be held for review in the regular cycle and will no longer be bound by the terms of the Early Decision agreement.
First year students begin their study of law through the traditional core courses of civil procedure, constitutional law, contracts, criminal law, property, and torts. At least one first-year course is a small section of less than 30 students and rarely does any first-year class exceed 90 students.
From the first-year foundation, Duke has built an extensive upper-class curriculum that blends traditional coursework with an extensive array of practical skills courses and clinics and opportunities to study in small groups with faculty.
While the core curriculum is strong across the board, Duke has given special attention to those areas in which there is likely to be a growing demand for lawyers over the coming decades - business and finance law, international and comparative law, constitutional and public law, and fields relating to science and technology such as intellectual property, environmental, telecommunications, biotech, and health.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Duke University is committed to encouraging and sustaining a learning and work community that is free from prohibited discrimination and harassment. Review the full policy to learn more.
Application Process and Timeline
We begin accepting First-Year JD Applications through LSAC on September 1. The application deadline for Regular Decision candidates is February 15. Applications may be submitted after the deadline if space is available. Applications for the binding Early Decision option must be complete by early November (Round I) or early January (Round II).
Candidates will be notified once decisions are made on their admission applications. The time from an application's completion to a decision being reached may vary widely.
Applicants who receive a provisional offer of admission will be officially admitted to Duke Law School when they complete the next step of the admission process – applying for financial aid and scholarship assistance. Duke Law School awards scholarships both on the basis of merit and on the basis of merit plus financial need. Candidates who wish to be considered for scholarship assistance may apply based on a combination of merit and financial need or merit only. As part of the scholarship application process, candidates will have the opportunity to participate in a Skype interview with a member of the committee, if they choose to do so. Those who apply for scholarship consideration will receive their official admission letter and financial aid decision soon after the Scholarship Committee completes its review. Applicants who are provisionally admitted and do not wish to apply for scholarship assistance may contact the Office of Admissions so that they can be officially admitted at that time.
Application Review
The application review process includes a thorough evaluation of a candidate's academic record, including the rigor and breadth of the curriculum, overall grade trends, any graduate level work, and test scores. To be eligible for admission, an applicant must receive a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution prior to enrollment at the Law School.
Duke seeks to identify applicants who demonstrate leadership and engagement. Most successful candidates show sustained and meaningful commitment to one or more fields of interest to them. Although many applicants have had some exposure to the legal profession, this is not in itself a requirement. The Law School benefits from a student body that represents a broad range of experiences and interests. It is often helpful to indicate reasons for interest in law school in general and Duke in particular, especially when they relate to an applicant's specific experiences. Special care is taken when evaluating applications to achieve diversity in interests, perspectives, and backgrounds.
When the admissions committee determines that additional information would be helpful in making a final decision, applicants may be invited to interview with a member of the committee. These interviews are optional, and offered by invitation at the discretion of the admissions committee. All candidates are welcome to visit the law school for a tour, and may make an appointment for a non-evaluative informational meeting with an admissions representative.
2023 First-Year JD Application
Use this application to apply for the Early and Regular Decision cycles for the JD and dual degree programs for the 2023 entering class. Do not use this application to apply as a transfer or visitor student. Review the instructions as you complete the application (also available in the LSAC application).
- Application Checklist
- Application Fee
- Resume, Personal Statement, Optional Essays
- Recommendation Letters
- Academic Transcripts
- Foreign Transcripts
- International Applicants
- Standardized Testing
- Supplemental Material
- Reapplications
- Bar Admission
- Application Instructions
Application Checklist
You will be notified by email once your application has been received. The email will include instructions on how to monitor your file status online. Incomplete files will be reviewed later in the cycle and final decisions will be rendered based on the material received at that time.
- JD application - submit electronically through LSAC
- $80 non-refundable application processing fee - submit electronically with the application
- Resume - use attachment to submit electronically with the application » More
- Personal statement - use attachment to submit electronically with the application » More
- Optional essays - use attachments to submit electronically with the application » More
- Two required recommendation letters - submit through LSAC to be included in the CAS report » More
- Academic transcripts - submit through LSAC to be included in the CAS report
- LSAC CAS report
- LSAT and/or GRE score(s)
- Letter from previous law school - if applicable
- InitialView interview or TOEFL - international applicants only, if applicable » More
General Information
Application Deadline
We encourage you to submit your application and supporting material as early as possible. We begin accepting applications on September 1, 2022.
Early Decision: The deadlines to complete the ED application are November 4, 2022 (Round I) and January 6, 2023 (Round II).
Regular Decision: The deadline to submit the application is February 15, 2023. Applications may be submitted after the deadline if space is available.
How to Apply
Review the application checklist and instructions available through LSAC (LSAC.org) and on our website (law.duke.edu/apply/jd). To be eligible for admission, you must receive a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution prior to enrollment at the Law School, register with LSAC CAS, and take the LSAT or GRE.
Application Processing Fee
Automatic fee waivers: The application fee will be waived automatically if you have a current LSAC fee waiver. Once you select our application, the LSAC system should indicate that no fee is required once you reach the final checkout stage.
Fee waiver requests will not be considered after the February 15 application deadline.
Need-based: Submit the completed Fee Waiver form by email to admissions@law.duke.edu. You will receive notification by email once your request has been reviewed.
Merit-based: We extend fee waivers based on the results of periodic searches of LSAC's Candidate Referral Service (CRS). To be considered in the pool, be sure your CRS account is active, your intended enrollment year is set correctly, you have either a self-reported or LSAC-calculated GPA, and LSAT score.
Service-based (military, Teach for America, Peace Corps, or AmeriCorps): Submit your request by email to admissions@law.duke.edu. Include your full name, LSAC account number, and documentation that identifies your affiliation.
Resume, Personal Statement, Optional Essays
All writing samples must be your own work. This means that the ideas and expressions originated with you, and you wrote all drafts and the final product. It does not preclude asking family members, friends, pre-law advisors, and others for proofreading assistance or general feedback. There is no required length or page limit.
Resume: You will be required to submit a current resume. Provide complete information and include your significant work experience, educational history, college and community activities, honors and awards you have received, any prior Duke affiliation, and dates for all items listed.
Personal Statement: You will be required to submit a personal statement. The statement is your opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions committee and should include (1) what you think have been your significant personal experiences beyond what may be reflected in your academic transcripts and on your résumé, and (2) your personal and career ambitions. If your personal statement does not directly address your interest in attending law school and practicing law, we strongly encourage you to write Optional Essay 1.
Optional Essays: You are invited to supplement your personal statement with either or both of the following essays. These topics are helpful in forming a full picture of our applicants, so we encourage you to provide any relevant information (it is not necessary to duplicate information in both places).
Optional Essay 1: You may submit an essay providing additional information about why you have chosen to apply to law school in general and Duke in particular. We are interested in the factors that have prompted your interest in a legal career and the ways in which you think Duke can further that interest.
Optional Essay 2: Our admission process is guided by the view that a student body that reflects the broad diversity of society contributes to the implementation of the Law School’s mission, improves the learning process, and enriches the educational experience for all students. In reviewing applications, we consider, as one factor among many, how an applicant may contribute to the diversity of the Law School based on the candidate’s experiences, achievements, background, and perspectives. This approach ensures the best and most relevant possible legal training and serves the legal profession by training lawyers to effectively serve an increasingly diverse society. You are invited to submit an essay that describes your particular life experiences with an emphasis on how the perspectives that you have acquired would contribute to Duke Law School’s intellectual community and enhance the diversity of the student body. Examples of topics include (but are not limited to): an experience of prejudice, bias, economic disadvantage, personal adversity, or other social hardship (perhaps stemming from one’s religious affiliation, disability, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, or gender identity); experience as a first-generation college student; significant employment history (such as in business, military or law enforcement, or public service); experience as an immigrant or refugee; graduate study; or impressive leadership achievement (including college or community service).
LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
All applicants must register with the LSAC CAS available at LSAC.org. We will request your LSAC CAS report shortly after we receive your application. LSAC will release the report once they process the required transcripts and at least two recommendation letters.
Recommendation Letters
Two recommendation letters are required and must be submitted through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service, which is included in your LSAC CAS registration. LSAC will accept up to four generic or school-specific letters. Letters from friends, family friends, and relatives are discouraged.
Unless you have been out of school for some time, at least one letter should come from an academic instructor who has personal knowledge of your performance and potential. A second letter should come from someone who can address your interpersonal skills, leadership, and involvement, such as a supervisor or advisor from a job, internship, or student organization. Additional letters from either source may also be submitted. If you have been out of school for long enough that an academic reference is not available, you may submit an employment letter in its place.
Standardized Testing
All applicants must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). Duke Law School does not prefer one test over the other, and either will be given equal consideration as part of a holistic review of the application. If you take both tests, you may choose to report only LSAT scores or both LSAT and GRE scores. The LSAT requirement setting for the LSAC CAS report will change automatically once you indicate that you will be taking the GRE only (Question 8.2).
Notify the Office of Admissions by email (admissions@law.duke.edu) if you choose to take the LSAT after you submit the application. If a decision is made based on a GRE score only and an LSAT score is subsequently received, we will review the application again, and reserve the right to change the initial decision based on the additional information.
Select a test date that provides sufficient time for thorough preparation, preferably so the score will be available by the February 15 application deadline. Later test dates will also be accepted. Duke considers all test scores that are received in the context of the entire application (transcripts, personal statement, letters of recommendation, evidence of leadership and engagement, and other information). If you feel that one or more of your test scores does not accurately reflect your ability or potential, please use the Miscellaneous Addendum attachment to explain this disparity.
LSAT - Contact LSAC to request information about the LSAT at 215.968.1001 or visit LSAC.org. LSAT scores will be included in the CAS report. You may submit the application prior to taking (or retaking) the LSAT. If you are planning to retake the LSAT, and you would like to have your file placed on hold to await the new score, select the test date in Question 8.1.a. Notify the Office of Admissions if you decide to retake the LSAT after you submit the application and you
would like to have your file placed on hold until the new score is received.
GRE - Contact the Educational Testing Service (ETS) at ets.org/gre for GRE registration and information. Request all valid scores be sent to Duke University School of Law - institution code 4916. We do not receive scores sent to other Duke University codes.
Academic Transcripts
Transcripts for all undergraduate and graduate work must be submitted to LSAC CAS. Questions about transcripts can be directed to LSAC at 215.968.1001 or LSACinfo@LSAC.org.
International Transcripts - Transcripts must be submitted through the LSAC CAS if you received your degree from an institution outside the U.S. or Canada, or if you completed the equivalent of more than one year of undergraduate study outside the U.S. (including its territories) or Canada. This service is included in the LSAC CAS registration 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 LSAC CAS report. Log in to your 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 to them promptly. Additional time is usually required to receive and process international transcripts, so please plan accordingly.
International Applicants - Initial Interview or TOEFL
If English is not your first language or the language of instruction at your undergraduate institution, you will be required to participate in an InitialView interview or have your Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score submitted to LSAC by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). International applicants with graduate degrees in the U.S. must also satisfy this requirement. We strongly recommend international applicants participate in the interview.
InitialView: Contact InitialView at initialview.com to schedule your interview session. Since many international students come from educational systems that are different from that of the U.S., we find it valuable to be able to view an unscripted interview where applicants may discuss their unique backgrounds and goals. InitialView will conduct the interview, record the conversation, and notify our office once the interview is available.
TOEFL: Request ETS to submit your TOEFL score to LSAC - institution code 8395. The score will be included in the LSAC CAS report.
International Students and Visa Applications
Admitted applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents will receive information, after submitting the enrollment material, about applying for a Duke-sponsored F-1 visa. International students will be required to submit copies of their passport, previous visa documents, and proof of financial support. Duke University policy states that graduate and professional students who are not in lawful immigration status will not be enrolled. Non U.S. citizens granted deferred action under DACA are considered to be in lawful immigration status under Duke’s policy.
Previous Law School Matriculation
If you attended the JD program at another law school, you must include an addendum to explain why you did not complete the program. You are also required to have your previous law school submit a letter to the Office of Admissions indicating your dates of attendance, reason for withdrawal, and academic standing.
Application Review
The application review process includes a thorough evaluation of a candidate's academic record, including the rigor and breadth of the curriculum, overall grade trends, any graduate level work, and test scores. Duke Law School seeks to identify applicants who demonstrate leadership and engagement. Most successful candidates show sustained and meaningful commitment to one or more fields of interest to them. Although many applicants have had some exposure to the legal profession, this is not in itself a requirement. The Law School benefits from a student body that represents a broad range of experiences and interests. It is often helpful to indicate reasons for interest in law school in general and Duke in particular, especially when they relate to an applicant's specific experiences. Special care is taken when evaluating applicants to achieve diversity in interests, perspectives, and backgrounds.
Most offers of admission are typically made prior to March 1, and all decisions are completed by the end of April.
Supplemental Material
If you wish to send additional material after submitting the application, you may forward it to the Office of Admissions by email. Include your full name and LSAC account number for identification purposes. It would be more beneficial to submit a 1-2 page summary rather than lengthy material.
Reapplication
To reapply, you must submit a new application and update all supporting material. Include the year for which you last sought admission in Question 7.1.a. You will also be required to reassign letters through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service. Reviewers may not have access to your prior application materials, so please be sure that all information you would like considered is included in the current application.
Bar Admission
In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners. For additional information, visit americanbar.org/groups/legal_education/resources/bar_admissions.html.
Non-Discrimination Policy
Duke University is committed to encouraging and sustaining a learning and work community that is free from prohibited discrimination and harassment. Visit the Office of Institutional Equity's website at oie.duke.edu to learn more and review the full policy.
Application Instructions
Please read the following instructions carefully before completing your application.
1. Biographical
Complete this section in full.
2. Demographics
Complete this section in full.
3. Additional Demographics
Complete this section in full.
4. Contact Information
Complete this section in full. Submit updates to your contact information by email to the Office of Admissions at admissions@law.duke.edu.
5. Decision Cycle
Select the decision cycle in which you would like to have your application reviewed.
Early Decision: The Early Decision program is most appropriate if you have concluded that Duke is your first choice for law school and you do not anticipate the need to compare offers of financial aid in making a decision about where to matriculate. If you apply through the Early Decision program, you apply to other law schools, but you may not have more than one binding Early Decision application pending simultaneously. If you have already submitted an Early Decision
application to another law school, you may apply through Duke's Early Decision program only if you are released from the binding commitment at the other school. If admitted to Duke Law School through the Early Decision program, you will be required to immediately withdraw your applications at other law schools, refrain from submitting new applications, and submit a $500 tuition deposit no later than ten days after the admission notification.
Round I Early Decision applications must be complete no later than November 4, 2022 and candidates will be notified about their status no later than December 31. Round II Early Decision applications must be complete no later than January 6, 2023 and candidates will be notified no later than January 31. Plan ahead if you intend to apply for the Early Decision cycle. It can take several days or weeks for material to be processed in order to have your LSAC CAS report released, which includes transcripts and two recommendation letters.
Some Early Decision candidates may be held for consideration in the Regular Decision cycle, and will no longer be bound by the terms of the Early Decision agreement. Visit law.duke.edu/apply/jd for additional information on the Early Decision cycle.
Regular Decision: The deadline to submit the application for the Regular Decision cycle is February 15, 2023.
6. Degree Program
You may apply to only one program. Admission to one program is not transferable to another. Visit our website for additional information on degree programs offered.
| Degree | Additional Requirements |
| JD | No additional requirements. |
| JD/LLM (International and Comparative Law) | No additional requirements; however, we encourage applicants to address their interest in international and comparative law either in their personal statement or use the JD/LLM or JD/LLMLE attachment. |
| JD/LLMLE (Law and Entrepreneurship) | No additional requirements; however, we encourage applicants to address their interest in law and entrepreneurship either in their personal statement or use the JD/LLM or JD/LLMLE attachment. |
| JD/MBA | Separate application to Duke Fuqua School of Business |
| JD/MD | Separate application to Duke School of Medicine |
| JD/MEM | Separate application to Duke Nicholas School of the Environment |
| JD/MPP | Separate application to Duke Sanford School of Public Policy |
| JD/MTS | Separate application to Duke Divinity School |
7. Prior Application
Complete this section in full. If you applied previously, please indicate the year(s) for which you applied for admission.
8. Standardized Testing (See General Information for details.)
LSAT - Select the test date if you plan to retake the LSAT and you want the new score to be considered during the evaluation process.
GRE - Indicate if you will have only GRE scores submitted (no LSAT score).
TOEFL - International applicants only, if applicable. Indicate whether you will participate in the InitialView interview or submit a TOEFL score to LSAC.
9. Education
You are required to provide information on your high school and all post secondary schools attended.
10. Employment
Complete this section in full.
11. Military Service
Complete this section in full.
12. Family
Complete this section in full.
13. Character and Fitness
Duke Law requires that you reveal knowledge of all disciplinary charges, arrests, criminal charges, or criminal convictions (except arrests, criminal charges or criminal convictions that have been expunged from your record). When in doubt, err on the side of full disclosure as subsequent discovery of a failure to fully, and accurately, answer these questions may have serious consequences. You have an ongoing obligation to report any conduct that would require you to answer "Yes" to any of the questions in this section during the pendency of your application. If you are admitted, the obligation to report conduct applicable to the questions in this section continues until your first day of class at Duke Law School.
If you answer "Yes" to any questions in the Character and Fitness section, you will be required to provide an explanation. Include details, the status of any disciplinary action or judicial sanctions, and the final resolution of the issues involved.
In addition, if you answer "Yes" to the conduct question (13.2), you will be required to have the dean, registrar, department supervisor, judicial officer, or academic officer with access to official records from your institution submit a letter directly to the Office of Admissions providing complete information about the incident. If your institution has no record of any disciplinary action, have them submit a letter indicating so.
14. Certification
By submitting an application for admission, I understand and agree that the personal data included with my application will be collected by Duke, or on its behalf, during the admissions process. I understand and agree that this data will be used for the primary purposes of considering my application for admission to Duke, providing me with information regarding engagement opportunities, evaluating my eligibility for financial aid, responding to records requests and, if I
am admitted, facilitating my education. To help achieve these goals or to comply with legal obligations, I agree that my data may be shared internally among different Duke departments and offices, or with Duke contracted or approved third parties. I have reviewed the Duke University Privacy Policy and permit Duke to collect and use my personal data in accordance with that policy.
You are obligated to notify the Office of Admissions immediately of any change in the information provided.
| Application Complete Deadline | Notification Date | |
|---|---|---|
| Early Decision Round I | November 4, 2022 | December 31, 2022 |
| Early Decision Round II | January 6, 2023 | January 31, 2023 |
Duke Law School offers a binding Early Decision option for first-year applicants to the JD program, as well as the JD/LLM in International and Comparative Law and the JD/LLMLE in Law and Entrepreneurship. To apply, complete the First-Year JD application and select the appropriate option under Decision Cycle.
Plan ahead if you intend to apply for the Early Decision cycle. The application should be submitted prior to the "application complete deadline" noted above. After submitting the application, it can take several days or weeks to complete your file. LSAC must process all required transcripts and the two required recommendation letters before they will release the CAS report. Depending on the volume, it could take LSAC several weeks to process material received.
This program is most appropriate for candidates who have concluded that Duke is their first-choice for law school and do not anticipate the need to compare offers of financial aid in making a decision about where to matriculate. Applicants who are admitted through our early decision program are reviewed for scholarship assistance on the same timeline as all other admitted students. Candidates who apply through the Early Decision program may apply to other law schools, but may not have more than one binding Early Decision application pending simultaneously. If an Early Decision application has already been submitted to another law school, candidates may apply through Duke's Early Decision program only if and when they are released from their binding commitment at the other school. If admitted to Duke Law School, Early Decision candidates will be required to immediately withdraw their applications at other law schools, refrain from submitting new applications, and submit a $500 tuition deposit no later than ten days after the admission notification.
Some Early Decision candidates may be held for review in the regular cycle and will no longer be bound by the terms of the Early Decision agreement.
The Annual Security Report and Annual Fire Safety Report include institutional policies concerning campus safety and security, as well as statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Duke University property and on public property adjacent to campus and fires that have occurred in residence halls. A copy of this Report can be obtained by contacting the Duke Police Department at 684-4602 or writing to 502 Oregon Street, Durham, NC 27708 or by accessing https://police.duke.edu/news-stats/clery.