JD Application Checklist
Deadline for Regular Decision applicants: February 15, 2010
Deadline for Early Decision applicants: November 15, 2009
(submit all necessary application materials to the Admissions Office in advance of that date: read more about the Early Decision option here. )
The following materials are necessary to complete an application:
- Valid LSAT score, taken between June 2004 and December 2009 (scores from the February 2010 test are acceptable but may hinder chance of admission)
- Current Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) registration
- Send all U.S. and Canadian undergraduate transcripts directly from the undergraduate institution(s) to LSDAS
- Send all graduate transcripts directly from graduate institution(s) to LSDAS
- Send all foreign transcripts directly from foreign post-secondary institution(s) through the LSAC JD Credential Assembly Service or directly to the University of Michigan Law School Admissions Office (unless foreign work is completed through a study abroad, consortium, or exchange program sponsored by a U.S. or Canadian institution, and the credits for that work are clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript)
- Completed application form for the University of Michigan’s J.D. program. For advice about how to answer particular questions on our application, you may find it useful to check out our PDF application
- Application fee or waiver
- $60 by check or money order, made payable to the University of Michigan and drawn on a U.S. bank, or by credit card if applying online through LSAC or Embark
- One to three letters of recommendation
- Send directly to Michigan Law School by the recommender or by a college placement office, or through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service
- Each letter must be accompanied by a signed declaration of the applicant’s intent regarding access to the letter
- Any targeted letter sent through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service should be designated for the fall term, regardless of whether an applicant requests consideration for the summer term
- Personal statement and any optional essays
- Certification that application is true and accurate. You may sign the certification on the application or, if you submit electronically, sign the Certification Letter and mail it directly to the University of Michigan Law School or use the electronic certification option
The following timeline will help you track your application's progress through the application process:
| Event |
Admissions Office Response |
Timeframe |
Note |
| Application submitted |
E-mail acknowledgment |
Within two weeks of submission |
LSACD applications may take one or two weeks to reach our office |
| LSDAS report sent from LSAC |
None (LSAC online account will indicate transmission) |
Within two weeks of acknowledgment e-mail |
Applicants for summer, or for summer and/or fall, will show LSDAS reports requested for fall only |
| Application processed |
E-mail sent from Admissions Office |
Within four weeks of acknowledgment e-mail |
Please let us know of any corrections that should be made |
| Decision |
Letter sent from Admissions Office |
Typically within 10 weeks of file’s completion, although difficult to predict |
Unfortunately, we cannot inform you of a decision over the phone or by e-mail |
Please be sure to check out our Online Status Check System to keep track of the progress of your application: http://cgi2.www.law.umich.edu/admappstatus/home.aspx