University of Hawaii William S. Richardson School of Law

Updated Law School COVID-19 Response

Students in Davis-Levin Livingston Atrium
More in Apply:

For JD admissions inquiries, please contact the Enrollment Management team at lawadm@hawaii.edu or attend an upcoming admissions event.

For LLM admissions inquiries, please contact the Program Director Spencer Kimura at kimurasp@hawaii.edu.

Events

How to Apply

Application deadlines

First Time JD: 

  • Full-Time JD Priority Deadline: February 1
  • Online Part-Time JD Priority Deadline: April 1
  • Final Deadline: June 1

Transfer and Visiting Students: 

  • Spring Application Period: October 1 – December 1
  • Fall Application Period: May 1 – July 1

Advanced JD: June 1

Master of Laws: June 1 (LLM application instructions)

Hawaii Summer Law Program: May 1 (Summer Law application instructions)

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply, JD, AJD, Transfer, and Visiting student applicants must complete the online application with the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). We must receive all application materials (below) from LSAC before the deadline.

  • Application Fee: Pay the $75 nonrefundable application fee online at LSAC. Students already enrolled in law school are not eligible for an LSAC fee waiver.
  • Personal Statement: Compose a 500-word personal statement on a subject of your choice.
  • Résumé: Write a résumé detailing your education, extracurricular activity, professional experience, and community service.
  • Transfer or Visitor Applicants only:
    • Submit an addendum discussing your reasons for wanting to transfer or visit our law school. 
    • Provide a letter of good standing from your law school(s):
      • The letter of good standing must be sent directly to the Admissions Office by email (lawadm@hawaii.edu) before our application deadline. Letters of good standing contain the dates of your enrollment and indicate if you are welcome to continue your legal education at the law school. In the same letter, ask that the Registrar indicate your class rank or quartile standing (e.g., top quarter, top half) and send it via email. 
      • Visiting Students: If you intend to transfer credits back to your home institution, we will also need a statement that informs us that the credits you earn at our law school will be accepted toward your degree at your home institution.
  • Advanced JD Applicants only: 
    • Include a writing sample: Submit a document written by you at work or school in English on any topic, up to three pages, as a sample of your English writing ability. The writing sample does not need to be a complete document. You may black out any confidential information.
    • Review additional details on Eligibility and Application Materials for AJD candidates.
  • Credential Assembly Service (CAS): We must receive your complete Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report from LSAC before our deadline. Your complete CAS report will include the following items:
    • LSAT Score and Writing Sample;
    • All Undergraduate and Graduate/Professional Transcripts;
      • Transfer or Visitor Applicants: Your law school transcript(s).
    • Two Academic or Professional Letters of Recommendation: 
      • Transfer or Visitor Applicants: We strongly recommend that you submit at least one letter from a law school professor or instructor.