Admissions Requirements

Regular Students with a Bachelor's Degree

Applicants previously awarded a Bachelor's degree from a qualified institution of higher learning are considered for regular admission. A qualified institution is defined as an institution that is approved or accredited by one of the six regional accrediting associations for institutions of higher learning. Academic credits also may be acceptable by a state university in the state where the college or university is located. If the state university grants partial credit only, the law school may grant credit in like amounts only.

A degree-granting institution approved by the state department of education where the college or university is located is also considered a qualified institution.

Regular Students without a Bachelor's Degree

Trinity offers law school candidates without a Bachelor's degree an exceptional opportunity to enter law school before completing their undergraduate study. Applicants without a Bachelor's degree may be admitted upon completion of an Associate's degree from a qualified institution or upon earning at least 60 transferable units of undergraduate study. Acceptable courses are those that could apply towards a Bachelor's degree at an accredited four-year college.

Special Students

An applicant without an Associate's degree but demonstrating the intellectual ability equivalent to at least two years of college may be considered for law school admittance as a special student. The California Committee of Bar Examiners determines intellectual equivalency via the written College Level Examination Program (CLEP). For consideration to law school entrance as a special student, a candidate must possess an LSAT score at or above the 50th percentile. It is important to note that applicants admitted to legal study under this special students provision are required to take the California First Year Law Students' Examination. The Admissions Committee offers admission to such applicants solely at their discretion. Due to the special nature of these admissions considerations, please contact an admissions counselor at 714/796-7100 for additional information.

Transfer Students

Applicants enrolled in legal study elsewhere may be considered for transfer status. The Admissions Committee evaluates transfer applicants on a case by case basis, but usually requires transfer students to complete their last four semesters in residence at Trinity Law School. A letter of good standing and eligibility to return to law school from the Dean of the original school is also a prerequisite. Applicants who have completed some law school credits at their original school may be eligible for advanced standing. Grades at or above the good standing level (good standing level is determined by the school where the classes where taken) may be accepted for transfer credit subject to similarity to Trinity Law course contents, and have been completed within twenty seven months prior to matriculation to Trinity.

Academically dismissed law students interested in transferring to Trinity Law School must contact the Admissions Office to discuss their situation. Requirements include an LSAT score at or above the 50th percentile and only grades at or above the good standing level are eligible for transfer credit. Students who have been dismissed at the end of their first year of study will not be able to transfer any units unless they take and pass the First Year Law Students Exam.  Transfer students are admitted solely at the discretion of the Admissions Committee and in accordance with the rules of the Bar Examiners of California. Trinity Law School does not award credit for prior experiential learning.

International Students

Trinity welcomes inquiries from foreign-educated applicants. However, there are special admission requirements pertaining to the evaluation of foreign credentials. Foreign applicants must request a detailed report evaluating their transcripts from the Credentials Evaluation Services (CES). Applicants may contact Credentials Evaluation Services at P.O. Box 66940, Los Angeles, CA 90066; 310/390-6376 or http://www.ierf.org/. Results of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (known as the TOEFL exam) are typically required for applicants from countries where English is not the first language. To be competitive, a candidate must obtain a score of 580 or better on the TOEFL exam. Inquiries regarding the TOEFL test should be addressed to: TOEFL, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151; 1/800/257-9547 or http://www.toefl.org/.

Track II Program

In order to fulfill Trinity Law School’s mission commitment to create opportunity to attend law school, the law school has instituted a special program where students with LSAT scores above the 9th percentile but below Trinity’s normal acceptance cutoff may be admitted under special terms.  These students are referred to as Track II students or contract students because they have special requirements that are not placed upon regular admittees.  In their first year they will be required to take Contracts 1 and 2, Torts 1 and 2, Criminal Law, and Logic and Advocacy.  They will not be allowed to take any other classes during their first two semesters.  They will be required to take a writing lab which will meet three hours each week and will include homework.  This program will be required in each semester of the student’s first year, and the students will not earn law school units for this class. The Track II student will not be allowed to register for the second year of legal study until they pass the California First Year Law Students’ Exam (FYLSE).  All prospective students applying to Trinity Law School must apply as a regular student.  If a student does not meet the requirements for the regular program, the admissions committee will automatically consider them for Track II.  For more information please contact the admissions department at 714/796-7100.