Transfers & Visitors

Transfer Students

The law school accepts a limited number of transfer students who have completed one full-time year at another ABA-approved law school. UNM School of Law has more transfer applicants each year than we are able to admit. Transfer applicants are considered for admission only if they:

• Have outstanding records at the law school previously attended or
• Are in good standing at the law school previously attended, are residents of New Mexico, and have a compelling reason to continue their legal education at The University of New Mexico School of Law

Transfer applicants must provide the Law School with the following:

• Application form and $50 processing fee
• A complete LSAC Credential Assembly Service(CAS) report
• Two letters of recommendation, preferably with one from a professor at the applicant’s current law school
• An official transcript of the candidate's law study from the law school previously attended, including a statement of class rank
• A letter from the dean of the law school from which the candidate seeks to transfer stating that he or she is presently not on probation or under suspension and is eligible to re-register and continue in that law school
• A statement by the applicant indicating why he or she wishes to transfer to The University of New Mexico School of Law

The deadline for submitting transfer applications is July 1st.

Credits earned at other law schools that do not meet their minimum graduation requirements are not acceptable for transfer credit.

Visiting Students

Students who have completed their second full-time year at another ABA-approved law school and who wish to receive their degree from that school, but spend either one or both semesters of their final year at The University of New Mexico School of Law, may be considered for admission as visiting students. The deadline for filing visiting applications is July 1st.

Visiting students receive financial aid from their own law school, not UNM, and may not enroll in courses which are over-subscribed by regular law school students. They may participate in on-campus interviews only if space is available.

Visiting applicants must provide the School of Law with the following:

• Application form and $50 processing fee
• An official transcript of the applicant's law study from each law school attended; including a statement of class rank
• A letter from the dean of the other law school, stating that credit earned at The University of New Mexico will be acceptable toward meeting degree requirements; and that the applicant is in good standing
• A statement by the applicant indicating why he or she wishes to spend an academic year (or semester) at The University of New Mexico School of Law
• At least one letter of recommendation, preferably from a professor at their law school

International Visiting Students

For international law students whose home institutions have exchange agreements with the University of New Mexico, please review the Visiting International Law Students section of UNM’s International Law Programs.

  Please remember to still complete all steps outlined in the Requirements & Deadlines

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International Lawyers seeking Advanced Standing

The University of New Mexico School of Law offers the possibility of advanced standing to graduates of non-US law schools holding a first degree in law. Applicants may receive credit for up to one-third (28 credits) of the required total credits for the Juris Doctorate degree (86 credits).

Pursuant to the American Bar Association’s Standard 507, law schools may accept up to one-third of the required total credits for the Juris Doctorate program from an applicant who received a terminal degree which is required in order to practice law in another country. The coursework in the foreign law school must have been done “in residence” at the foreign law school and the University of New Mexico School of Law must be satisfied that the quality of the foreign law school is equal in quality to that of an ABA-approved law school.

Foreign lawyers interested in pursuing the J.D. with Advanced Standing must complete all of the standard application requirements and submit an addendum to their application requesting advanced standing. Decisions regarding advanced standing are made by the Admissions Committee at the time of acceptance. The total number of credits accepted towards the Juris Doctorate will be assessed on an individual basis by the Assistant Dean for Registration after receiving the applicant’s official transcript.

Students who are approved to pursue the Juris Doctorate with Advanced Standing must complete the remaining two-thirds of their coursework in residence at the University of New Mexico. Students pursuing the J.D. with Advanced Standing complete the standard first-year doctrinal courses during their first year on campus and will complete all required upper-level courses and clinical requirements during their second year.

  Please remember to still complete all steps outlined in the Requirements & Deadlines

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Undocumented Students

Undocumented students at the University of New Mexico add tremendous value to our university community. UNM is richer and stronger because of them. As an institution, UNM is committed to do all it can to support and empower our undocumented students to reach their full potential at the university.

Welcome Undocumented UNM Community

Important Dates

• September 15 – Application Opens
• March 1 – Priority Deadline for Admission & Merit-Based Scholarships*
• March 1 – Deadline for Need-Based Scholarships & Named Scholarships*
• July 15 – Final Application Deadline (Application Closes)**
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*Applicants must take the LSAT no later than February 2023 to meet the March 1 deadlines.
**Applicants must take the LSAT no later than June 2023 to meet the July 15 deadline.

Scholarship Consideration

Academic Merit Scholarships

Admitted applicants are automatically considered for academic merit scholarships. Those who submit a completed application on or before March 1 will be given priority consideration for merit scholarship opportunities and will receive a scholarship offer (if any) within one (1) business day of receiving an offer of admission.

Those who submit a completed application after March 1 will be considered for merit scholarships as funding remains available. While timing varies each year, candidates who apply after April 15 are typically not awarded merit scholarships.

Need-Based Scholarships

Applicants who wish to be considered for need-based scholarships must submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and direct it to the University of New Mexico (school code 0022663) on or before March 1. 

Admitted applicants who submit the FAFSA prior to March 1 will be notified of any need-based scholarship award by April 1.

Named Scholarships

The University of New Mexico School of Law offers various opportunities for named scholarships. These scholarships have varying eligibility criteria and require submission of additional application materials.
Learn more about these scholarship opportunities >

Admitted applicants who wish to be considered for named scholarships must submit any additional application materials through AwardSpring on or before March 1. Admitted applicants will be notified of any named scholarships by May 1.

Application Components

Your application will not be reviewed for admission or scholarships until all required materials are received.

The Admissions Committee will begin meeting in October and will issue decisions on a rolling basis. Those who submit a completed application on or before March 1 will be given priority consideration for admission and will typically receive a decision within two (2) weeks from the date their file is assigned for review.

Those who submit or complete their application after March 1 will be considered for admission based on the number of seats available at the time of application and may experience longer waits for a decision.

Electronic Application

Applicants must submit an electronic application available on LSAC.org. There is a $50 nonrefundable application fee.

Application materials and fees submitted directly to the Office of Admissions will not be accepted.

Personal Statement

The personal statement should be two (2) or three (3) pages, double-spaced, using standard font and margins.

There is no required topic for the personal statement; however, candidates are encouraged to provide insight into their personality, experiences, or anticipated contributions to the law school community and the legal profession beyond the information provided in other required application materials (for example, applicants should not submit a recitation of their résumé in essay form).

The personal statement should be free of spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors and should demonstrate the applicant’s capacity for high-quality written work.

Résumé

A résumé should be well-organized and provide a concise overview of the applicant’s academic, work, military, and volunteer histories. Applicants may also include honors, scholarships, extracurricular activities, publications, foreign language proficiencies, and other significant information.

Academic Addendum (optional)

Applicants may choose to provide a brief addendum explaining aspects of their academic performance necessary for the Admissions Committee to understand when reviewing the applicant’s file. An academic addendum should be no more than one (1) page, double-spaced, using standard fonts and margins, unless extraordinary circumstances merit a longer explanation.

Character & Fitness:

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.

Applicants who answer “yes” to any of the questions in the Character & Fitness section of the Electronic Application must submit an addendum to fully explain the circumstances, including relevant dates, final dispositions, and other appropriate details. Addenda should be in the applicant’s own words. Court documents should not be submitted in place of the applicant’s own narrative statement of events.

Many jurisdictions, including New Mexico, require a copy of your law school application be submitted as part of your bar application. Failure to answer the Character & Fitness section of the application truthfully and completely could impact your eligibility for bar admission. Applicants to the University of New Mexico School of Law have a continuing obligation to disclose. If, after submitting your application, circumstances arise that change your answer to any of the Character & Fitness questions from “no” to “yes”, you must contact the Office of Admissions and provide a written explanation.

Heritage Statement

Applicants who select “American Indian/Alaskan Native” as all or part of their racial and ethnic identity, but who do not provide tribal affiliation and citizenship information should submit a heritage statement. This statement should describe the applicant’s connection to their Native heritage and are typically one (1) or two (2) pages, double-spaced, using standard fonts and margins.

This request is in accordance with Resolution 102 approved by the American Bar Association House of Delegates in August 2011:

RESOLVED, That the American Bar Association urges the Law School Admissions Council and ABA-approved law schools to require additional information from individuals who indicate on their applications for testing or admission that they are Native American, including Tribal citizenship, Tribal affiliation or enrollment number, and/or a “heritage statement.”

Credential Assembly Service Report

Transcripts

You must submit, through the Credential Assembly Service, official transcripts from all undergraduate and post-undergraduate institutions where you have been enrolled, even if you did not earn a degree from the institution or the credits from that institution transferred to another institution.

Transcripts sent directly to the Office of Admissions will not be accepted.

LSAT Score

Applicants must have at least one (1) reportable LSAT score. A reportable score is one from a testing date within the past five (5) testing years and not canceled by the candidate. Self-reports of scores viewed prior to cancellation will not be taken into consideration. Applicants may submit the electronic application prior to the release of their LSAT score; however, the application will not be complete until the score has been released to the school.

If an applicant has at least one (1) reportable LSAT score, the file will not be held for held for release of a future test score unless the applicant specifically asks to do so. It is the applicant’s responsibility to notify the Office of Admissions as soon as possible. Decisions of the Admissions Committee are final and not subject to appeal. If an applicant is denied, the Admissions Committee will not re-review an application in the same admissions cycle, even after release of a future test score. Denied applicants would need to reapply in the following admissions cycle.

The University of New Mexico School of Law does not accept standardized tests other than the LSAT and will not waive the requirement of a reportable LSAT score under any circumstances. Self-reports of other standardized test scores will not be taken into consideration.

Letters of Recommendation

Applicants must submit via the Credential Assembly Service two (2) letters of recommendation, though applicants may choose to submit up to four (4) letters. The Admissions Committee expects letters to be academic or professional in nature and strongly prefers letters of recommendation written within one (1) year of the date of application.

Applicants who are currently enrolled in an academic program, or who graduated in recent years, should have at least one academic letter of recommendation from a professor with personal knowledge of the applicant’s academic work. Professional letters of recommendation should come from an employer with personal knowledge of the applicant’s workday experience, preferably from a direct supervisor. Letters from a professional mentor for whom the applicant has not worked directly are not persuasive. Personal letters of recommendation, such as those from family members or personal acquaintances, are strongly discouraged.

Letters of recommendation sent directly to the Office of Admissions will not be accepted.

International Applicants

In addition to the application requirements listed above, international applicants must satisfy the following requirements in order to be eligible for admissions to the UNM School of Law.

Credential Assembly Service Authentication & Evaluation

International applicants must complete the Credential Assembly Service Authentication & Evaluation if they:

• received an undergraduate degree from an institution outside of the United States, its territories/associated states, or Canada, OR
• were directly enrolled at one or more institutions outside of the United States, its territories/associated states, or Canada, and the total amount of work completed at these institutions combined is equivalent to one year or more of study in the United States.

English Proficiency

International applicants must submit proof of English proficiency unless:

• the applicant’s native language is English and is an official language of their home country, OR
• within the last five (5) years, the applicant was enrolled as a full-time student for at least one year in a university academic program conducted entirely in English in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, or South Africa, OR
• the candidate’s education at the university level was conducted entirely in English in India, Pakistan, the Phillippines, Hong Kong, or Singapore and the applicant can provide a statement from a university official verifying that English was the medium of instruction.

To demonstrate English proficiency, candidates must submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score or an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score.

Financial Resources

International students must submit documentation verifying adequate funding to support their educational and living expenses for the duration of their studies. Proof of funding equivalent to at least one year cost of attendance for nonresident applicants is required.