Application Process

Application submission

• Submit your UMKC School of Law application electronically through the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) website. For alternative formats, contact LSAC directly.
• Send original copies of your academic documents, such as transcripts, letters of recommendation and test scores directly to LSAC for inclusion in your Credential Assembly Service report. Find submission instructions on LSAC's website and direct any questions about document submission to the LSAC support team. Please allow at least two weeks for processing when submitting materials to LSAC for your UMKC Law application.

Application considerations and materials

• For full scholarship consideration, submit a supplemental statement as an addendum to the application materials before admission if you haven't already. Writing prompt information can be found under "Addenda" on this page. 
• UMKC School of Law prohibits the use of artificial intelligence technology and tools, such as ChatGPT, to assist in any aspect of the admissions application including drafting and final submission. We expect all written submissions to be generated and originated by the applicant and reflect their personal voice, individualized experiences, authentic skills and ideas.

You will need to submit the following materials in order for your application to the UMKC School of Law to be considered complete:

UMKC law application

• Biographical information
• Character and fitness questions
  • Character and fitness questions ask for full disclosure of your conduct history, as they're crucial to bar admission. We model our questions with those asked by the Missouri Board of Law Examiners (i.e. the Missouri Bar). If you answer 'yes' to any of the questions, you should be prepared to describe the incident fully, accurately and in your own words.
  • In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants can contact the jurisdiction they plan to join for specific requirements. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners.

Personal statement

• Personal statements should be approximately two pages, double spaced. Avoid restating things from your application (such as on your résumé or transcripts). We suggest writing about something else you would like us to know about you, such as your motivation for attending law school or unique perspectives you offer. Proofread carefully and consider bringing it to your undergraduate school’s writing center for assistance.

Resume

• Resumes should be current and should include information about your education, employment, activities, community service, etc.

Addenda

• Supplemental statement (optional)
  • UMKC Law is dedicated to supporting the foundations of good lawyering: respect for people, for knowledge and ideas, and for justice. Though not required, we welcome you to submit a statement that addresses how you have dealt with adversity in your life, how it shaped your personal qualities and how it will enable you to overcome meaningful challenges and contribute to the ideals of the law school and legal community. 
  • You may choose to address the impact of any challenging experiences you have faced, including:
    • Educational challenges
    • Economic disadvantages
    • Military or other public service
    • Leadership
    • Family or personal issues
    • Discrimination based on characteristics like your race, gender, or religion.

Application fee

• For domestic students, a non-refundable $60 application processing fee paid via LSAC must accompany your application. For international students, the fee is $75.
• Former degree-seeking UMKC students who attended starting Fall 1975 or later as well as veterans are not required to pay and should email the Admissions Office at law@umkc.edu for an application fee waiver, before submitting the application.

LSAT score and writing sample

• All candidates must have at least one writing sample on file – either from an earlier paper-and-pencil administration of the LSAT or from “LSAT Writing,” the new proctored, on-demand writing exam that was introduced in June 2019.

Official copies of all transcripts

• We require transcripts from any institutions of higher education that you have attended, even if credit was transferred to another institution, the institution is closed, you withdrew or did not complete the course, or you just enrolled.
• Institutions include:
  • Community colleges
  • Undergraduate and graduate institutions
  • Law, medical, or professional institutions
  • Institutions attended for summer or evening courses
  • Institutions attended even though a degree was never received
  • Institutions from which you took college-level courses while in high school even though they were for high school credit
  • Institutions that clearly sponsored your overseas study (see LSAC for more information)
  • International transcripts, if applicable

Letters of recommendation

• We require two letters but can accept as many as four.
• If you are still in undergraduate school or recently graduated, you should have professors provide your letters of recommendation. If you have been out of school for at least three years, we still encourage recommendations from professors, although you may also ask an employer or someone who knows you well. The recommender should be able to assess issues that will be critical to your success in law school, such as intellect, motivation, and communication skills. Choose recommenders who are impressed by you and your achievements over those who you think we will find impressive due to their title.
• Recommendations from peers, family and family friends will not be accepted.
• Letters of recommendation are not intended as mere character references.
• Applicants must submit letters of recommendation to us through the Credential Assembly Service (CAS).

Submit your application

Once you've gathered all of the above items and reviewed program requirements, submit your application through LSAC.

Apply

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