A completed application for a first-year JD applicant consists of the following:

  1. The Application Form, submitted online through LSAC.
  2. Application Fees: The application fee is $70 and may be paid online by credit card through LSAC or by check or U.S. money order payable to the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. Application fees are non-refundable.  All checks must be drawn on a bank that has a branch in the United States. We also accept American Express, Thomas Cook, and Barclay's traveler's checks. Postal money orders from other countries are not acceptable. Please do not send cash.

  3. The following materials, submitted through LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS) (LSAC will compile these documents and will deliver them in the form of a Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report to the law school):
    • LSAT score from exam taken no later than June 2020 for fall 2020 admission. LSAT scores are valid for five years. The School of Law will only accept valid LSAT scores; scores earned prior to June 2015 will not be accepted.
    • Two letters of recommendation. Applicants are required to submit two letters of recommendation through the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Recommenders should include instructors under whom you have studied or with whom you have worked closely during college or graduate study. If you have not had recent contact with such individuals, you may submit letters of recommendation from employers. Please do not submit letters of recommendation from personal friends and relatives, as they will not be given weight in the admissions process.
    • All undergraduate and graduate transcripts. Applicants must request undergraduate and graduate transcripts and have them submitted directly to LSAC.

  4. Personal Statement: Applicants are required to submit a personal statement. We recommend that you use the personal statement to present to the Admissions Committee information and perspectives regarding your background, experience, special circumstances and interests that you believe will help the Committee understand your unique story. In addition, the statement should address why you are interested in obtaining a law degree and, more specifically, in attending the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law. The personal statement should be no longer than 750 words, double-spaced, and must be typed and not hand-written. Upload your personal statement as an attachment to the application form.

  5. Résumé: Submit a résumé or curriculum vitae detailing your education, employment, skills, honors, awards, and accomplishments. Upload document as an attachment to the application form.

  6. Diversity Statement (Optional): The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is committed to promoting diversity in legal education and in the profession as a whole. Toward that end, the Admissions Committee invites you to submit a statement explaining how you would contribute meaningfully to the diversity of the law school. For example, your statement may address how characteristics such as, but not limited to, your geographic origin, age, culture and language, or your experience overcoming barriers presented by race, social status, economics or disability demonstrate your capacity to make a special contribution to our law school community. Limit the length of the statement to approximately 250 words. Upload the statement as an attachment to the application form.
  7. Admissions Interview:  The admissions committee at Maryland Carey Law may request to interview applicants as part of the application review process and prior to issuing a decision.  Interview requests are made at the sole discretion of the admissions committee, and candidates are not able to request interviews. 
  8. Free Application for Federal Student Aid: The University of Maryland, Baltimore requires submission of the FAFSA for every student expecting to receive any form of financial aid, including those receiving merit-based aid only. The FAFSA becomes available on October 1, 2019 for the 2020-21 academic year. Please submit your FAFSA form as soon as possible after it becomes available. The University has set a deadline of March 1 for receipt of the FAFSA in order for students to receive optimal consideration for need-based aid. Submit this form online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/, and enter the code for the University of Maryland, Baltimore campus: 002104.

  9. Application for In-State Classification (Maryland Residents Only): The Office of the Registrar for the University of Maryland, Baltimore makes residency determinations. Applicants claiming Maryland residency must complete an Application for In-State Classification, and submit the application to the University’s Office of the Registrar. All applicants are considered non-residents for tuition purposes until the Application for In-State Classification has been submitted and approved. For more information about the in-state classification process and criteria, please see: https://www.umaryland.edu/registrar/residency/

  10. Attachments: Please upload attachments through the "Attachments" tab. Attachments should include your personal statement, résumé or curriculum vitae, diversity statement (optional), information about a prior law school that you have attended, information in explanation of any character and fitness issue, and any other information relevant to your application.

  11. Signature and Date: Please type your name, and date the application. By signing this application and transmitting it electronically, you certify that the information in this application is complete, accurate and honestly presented. You also certify that any information submitted on your behalf is authentic, including letters of recommendation, academic transcripts and certifications. You understand and agree that any inaccurate, misleading or omitted information will be cause for an investigation of misconduct in the admissions process, rescission of any offer of admission, or cause for disciplinary action, dismissal or revocation of degree if discovered at a later date. You further agree to abide by the rules, policies, and regulations of the University of Maryland.