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Juris Doctor Degree - Law (JD)

A Juris Doctor degree (JD) from Creighton University School of Law offers you a purposeful education established on academic excellence, social justice and personal growth. Caring professors who have earned outstanding reputations will mentor you. You’ll learn in small classes where individual attention is paramount. You’ll have access to facilities, such as our exceptional law library, that inspire learning. And you’ll benefit from a range of experiential learning and career opportunities. Whether you begin practicing law or serve as a judicial clerk after graduation, your JD law degree at Creighton University will help you develop the skills for seeking justice in the world.

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Do Well While Doing Good

Your legal education at the Creighton University School of Law in Omaha, Nebraska, will lead you to find your place in the world and discover what is uniquely yours to do. As a juris doctor law degree student, you’ll gain the insights, tools, techniques and skills to ethically and successfully practice law in the real world. You will also learn to analyze and solve legal problems; critically and creatively address challenges; and exercise sound, practical judgment.

The School of Law will help you develop these abilities in alignment with Ignatian values, including personal and professional formation and seeking justice.

Choose Your Program Pace

Available Concentrations

Dual Degree Opportunities

JD Program Dates and Deadlines

Application Opens: September 1 
Early Action Deadline: November 1 
Priority Scholarship Consideration Deadline: February 1 
Final Deadline: June 1

Law School Admission Requirements and Considerations

All applicants (full-time, part-time or accelerated students) should apply through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Submit your complete application and $50 application fee* by March 31 to LSAC, for scholarship consideration. To complete the application, you will need to provide the following:

  • All transcripts. A Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report with all official transcripts must be submitted for all post-secondary education. The CAS report must be from the current application year. You may register for these services at LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS).
     
  • LSAT scores(s) from LSAC. The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is required of all applicants. You can register for the exam and request materials at the LSAC web site. You are advised to take the examination the year before you expect to enter law school. Accelerated JD applicants must take the LSAT by March. LSAC no longer reports scores older than five years plus the current testing year either to law schools or to candidates. See LSAT test dates.
     
  • Your personal statement. One of the goals of the Admissions Committee when making decisions is to admit a diverse student body that will contribute to a dynamic, interesting learning environment. Although academic background and strength of performance (LSAT and UGPA) are important, they are not the only criteria evaluated in the application process. For this reason, a personal statement, written by you, is required as part of the application.

    Your personal statement should be about you. It is helpful for the Committee to know what inspired you to go to law school or why you want to become a lawyer. Statements about law in general or law and society are not useful to letting the Committee know you. The statement should illustrate the life experiences and talents that make you unique. You are invited to write about significant obstacles that you have overcome and events in your life that influence your perspective. The personal statement should be no more than two double-spaced, typed pages.
     
  • Your resume. Applicants are required to submit a descriptive resume of no more than three typed pages. Please include details about your educational background, honor societies, scholarships, work history, military service, extracurricular activities, public/community service, honors and awards, publications, foreign language proficiencies, and any other significant achievements and involvements. As to work history, include a complete and chronological list of positions (including organization name, dates of employment and hours worked).
     
  • Detailed explanations to affirmative answers to any Character & Fitness questions. On the application for admission, applicants will find several questions relating to criminal history and academic discipline. If an applicant answers “yes” to any question in the character and fitness section, they must provide an attachment explaining that response and providing full details about their actions and the charges or sanctions against them. For any charges that must be reported, an applicant must include the original charge, indicate the level of felony or misdemeanor, final disposition of case (including level of charge in negotiated plea and sentencing). 

    In addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. Addresses for all relevant agencies are available through the National Conference of Bar Examiners. See qualifications specific to Nebraska. 

    Additionally, once you matriculate to law school, you are under a continuing duty to report any violations of Character and Fitness.
     
  • Your electronic signature or certification on the completed application.
     
  • Two letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation evaluate the applicant’s prospect for success in law school and in the legal profession. The most helpful letters of recommendation are those that address the applicant’s academic background, analytical abilities, communication skills and strength of character. 

    Each applicant must submit at least two, but no more than three, letters of recommendation. 

    To ensure letters of recommendation are considered during the application review process, submit them directly to LSAC for inclusion in the applicant’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report. They should be on file with LSAC when the application is submitted. Please visit LSAC’s CAS to learn more.
     
  • Supplemental statements (optional). Some students may wish to address deficiencies in their academic history or performance on standardized tests. This should be done in separate addenda, and should not exceed one double-spaced, typed page.

Documents and application fees should be submitted through LSAC. In order to matriculate with us, you will need your bachelor’s degree prior to the start of classes.

*You can also apply for an application fee waiver.

While your Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score and undergraduate grade point average are heavily weighted in selecting students for the JD program, the Admissions Committee at the School of Law will also consider a student’s motivation, character and capabilities as demonstrated by:

  • Completed courses
  • Grade patterns
  • Extracurricular and community involvement
  • Honors
  • Work experience
  • Military achievements
  • Graduate studies
  • Adjustment to individual hardship

Early Admission (Non-binding)

For applicants who want to start planning for law school early, applying under Early Admissions will guarantee a decision within 14 business days of the completed application. Applicants to the Early Admission program will have a decision (admit, deny or hold) within 14 business days of the completed application. Applications put on hold will move into the regular admissions process.

To be considered timely, an applicant for Early Admission (non-binding) must:

The Early Admission option expires on November 1.

International applicants who apply to Creighton University School of Law follow the same process as applicants in the United States. A few additional details are outlined below.

Credit Transfers

Creighton University School of Law may admit a student and grant credit for courses completed at a law school outside the United States if the School of Law would have granted credit towards satisfaction of JD requirements if earned at the School of Law. In this circumstance, the School of Law may award a JD degree to a student who successfully completes a course of study that satisfies the requirements of Standard 311 and that meets all of the school’s requirements for the awarding of the JD degree. Credit hours granted pursuant to this policy shall not, individually or in combination, exceed one-third of the total required by the School of Law for its JD degree.

Transcripts

Creighton University School of Law requires that your foreign transcripts be submitted through the LSAC JD Credential Assembly Service (JD CAS). If you completed any postsecondary work outside the U.S. (including its territories) or Canada, you must use this service for the evaluation of your foreign transcripts. The exception is if you completed the foreign work through a study abroad, consortium or exchange program sponsored by a U.S. or Canadian institution and the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript.

The cost of this service is included in the LSDAS subscription fee. A Foreign Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), which will be incorporated into your LSDAS law school report.  Questions can be directed to LSAC at 215.968.1001, or LSACINFO@LSAC.org.  

Immigration

International applicants must verify that they have the financial resources to cover their expenses during graduate study at Creighton University, as required by the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service. Students needing a visa will work directly with our International Student & Scholar Services office (ISSS).

TOEFL

If you received your undergraduate degree from an institution outside of the United States, you must take the TOEFL and have that score submitted to LSAC.  You must request that the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send their scores directly to LSAC. LSAC’s designated institution code for the Credential Assembly Service’s authentication and evaluation feature is 8395. An updated CAS report will be provided as necessary when a TOEFL score has been received by LSAC. Applicants should have a minimum TOEFL score of 100, or a 7.0 on IELTS.

If you choose to transfer to Creighton University School of Law, know that we will do all we can to make the process go smoothly. To be considered for transfer to Creighton, you must have completed your first year of law school.

The School of Law gives first consideration to transfer applicants with superior credentials. Only grades of C or better from an ABA-accredited law school will be considered for transfer. We will not accept more than three semesters of residency and no more than 45 semester hours of credit from an ABA-accredited law school. There is no application deadline for transfer students, however, your application will not be considered until we receive an official transcript that includes your grades for your most recent coursework. You must meet all of the Creighton graduation requirements in order to earn a degree.

Steps to Transferring

  1. The first step to pursuing your law degree at the School of Law is to apply online through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Be sure to select that your application is for Advanced Standing (Transfer).
  2. With your application, include a personal statement indicating your reasons for wanting to transfer to Creighton.
  3. Make sure your Credential Assembly Service report is current with LSAC, and purchase a report to be sent to Creighton.
  4. Submit two letters of recommendation, ideally through the Credential Assembly Service. Note: these letters should be current, not the same letters used to apply to law school initially. Preferably, at least one of these letters would come from a current law school professor.
  5. Submit an official transcript from your current law school.
  6. Submit a letter of good standing from your current law school.

The Admissions Committee will begin considering applications in September and notify you as soon as a decision is made. Usually, decisions are made within three to four weeks. However, we have an option on our application where you will learn your decision within 14 business days. See the early decision admissions process above.

Once completed, your application will be assigned to the Admissions Committee for review. Sometimes an applicant’s file may be “in review” for several weeks while the committee considers a decision. As our Admissions Committee is reviewing applications, they may decide to admit, deny or hold an application. 

Check your application status. 

Hold 

A hold status means that at this point, the Committee is unable to reach a final decision on your application. A file that is placed on hold will undergo a second review by our Admissions Committee, typically in mid-April, at which time the Committee makes a final decision to admit, deny or waitlist the applicant.

If after a second review and the committee still cannot reach a decision, your file will then be placed on the waitlist.

Waitlist

An applicant’s file can be on the waitlist up until the first day of orientation, which is held in mid-August. Usually, the committee will go to the waitlist after our deposit due dates in April and in June have passed. The waitlist is not a ranked list. The Admissions Committee will review all files if a seat becomes available.

Additional Materials
If your application is placed on hold, you are welcome, but not required, to submit:

  • Additional letters of recommendation
  • A statement of your continued interest in Creighton University School of Law
  • An addendum highlighting awards, activities and/or work experience achieved since you first submitted your application

You may submit materials via email or send a hard copy directly to the law school.

 

Law School Tuition and Financial Aid

Your Creighton University School of Law education is an investment. In yourself. In your future. To pay for your education, the School of Law will help you secure financial aid, including merit-based scholarships, and federal student loans, such as the Stafford and Grad-Plus loans.

February 1: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Preferred Deadline to be considered for the maximum amount of need-based aid (Creighton, federal, state and private).

All enrolled JD candidates are eligible for scholarships. When you apply to Creighton University School of Law, you’re automatically considered for applicable law school scholarships. When you receive your acceptance letter from the School of Law, you’ll also be notified of any scholarship awards.

To help make your law studies at Creighton University more affordable, we encourage you to file the FAFSA to apply for financial assistance.

Tuition rates are updated each year. Visit our financial aid site to learn more about the cost of attendance.

Explore information about summer term financial aid. 

A Focus on Experience

Creighton University School of Law is dedicated to preparing students for success from the moment they graduate. One way we achieve this is through a focus on experience with opportunities like:

“The atmosphere of the law school, cultivated by the faculty, staff and students, makes my time at Creighton so wonderful. We’re a tight-knit, supportive community. I always have someone available to help me reach my goals, which is what makes the program unique!”

Mckenzie Meredith, Class of 2023

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