Applicants must apply online through LSAC.

Yes. The Binding Early Decision Program is designed for applicants who have researched their law school choices and have carefully considered their financial options and have decided that Cardozo is their top choice law school. While admissions criteria are the same as our regular decision program, The Binding Early Decision program allows applicants a means of expressing to the Admissions Committee their commitment to attend Cardozo if admitted. Early Decision applicants are given priority review and can apply for either the May-entry or Fall-entry term.

The Cardozo Scholars Binding Early Decision Program is a highly selective binding program designed for applicants with impressive achievements who have researched their law school choices and are certain that Cardozo Law is their top choice law school. The Admissions Committee will select up to five (5) Scholars each year, who will receive a full-tuition scholarship, guaranteed for three years.

Our application opens in early September. The application deadline for Early Decision applications is December 1. The priority deadline for our May-entry program is March 15, and the priority deadline for our fall term is April 1.

There is no application fee.

No, Cardozo does not offer a traditional evening part-time program. Cardozo has a May-entry program for first-year students who will complete the first-year curriculum in three semesters (summer, fall and spring). Classes are held during business hours. After the first year, students begin their upper-level studies in the fall and complete their degree in three years.

No. Students may apply only once per admissions cycle.

Yes. Candidates can begin their studies in the May-entry program if they will meet their requirements for graduation by the start of the summer semester. We will work closely with students who may have specific concerns. Recently, about a quarter of the May-entry class has entered just having completed their undergraduate program.

Yes, our regular admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. We begin making decisions by early January and will continue until each applicant has a final decision.

The admissions team works to release decisions as quickly as possible. Once we start making decisions, applicants can expect to receive a decision within 12 weeks of the date on which their file is complete.

Applicants can check their application status by logging in to our status checker. Applicants will need to log in using their LSAC credentials. If applicants have any issues, please contact LSAC.

Please visit our application information page for full details.

It is within the discretion of the Admissions Committee to place heavier emphasis on the higher LSAT score, but all scores will be taken into consideration. If there is a particular reason why you think you performed much better on one of the exams, you should include an explanation with your application.

The Committee will consider LSAT scores that are no older than 5 years from the date of entrance.

For our Early Decision program, all applicants must complete the LSAT in November or before. For our regular decision applications, the earlier the better. However, we continue to accept applications into the summer, so the June LSAT can be considered. Please note, that an application is not complete until all components have been received, including the LSAT.

Statistics for Cardozo's most recent entering class are available by clicking here.

Yes. Cardozo uses a holistic review process and does not make decisions solely based on the LSAT or GPA. Applicants who have LSAT scores and undergraduate GPAs below our medians are encouraged to focus on the other portions of their application to ensure they are as strong as possible.

Cardozo considers a variety of factors when evaluating an application. Some of those factors are prior academic performance, standardized test scores (LSAT, GRE or JD Next), extracurricular activities, volunteer and work experience, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement -- both as a writing sample and as a tool to learn more about you. The Committee will also consider graduate work, professional background, internships, research experience, and geography. You are also encouraged to include an addendum if there are other factors you would like to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee.

Yes. GRE scores may be used to apply to Cardozo where an applicant has not or does not plan to take the LSAT. Similar to our policy with LSAT scores, the Committee will consider GRE scores that are no older than 5 years from the date of entrance. Applicants must submit all valid GRE test results from the last five years. Applicants may not choose which results they will share. 

We will only accept official GRE results sent directly from ETS. Cardozo’s GRE school code is 2696. To register for and get information about the GRE, please contact:

Educational Testing Service GRE-ETS P.O. Box 6000 Princeton, NJ 08541-6000 USA Website: www.ets.org

Applicants taking the GRE must participate in the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) provided by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Through this service, Cardozo will automatically receive transcripts, letters of recommendation and any reportable LSAT scores. To provide consistent levels of information across both the LSAT and GRE, Cardozo requires all test results from the past five years. Applicants may not choose which results they will share. 

Please be advised that since not all law schools are accepting the GRE, applicants who do not take the LSAT may be limiting the number of law schools who will consider them for admission as a first-year student this cycle or as a transfer student in the future.

We encourage and welcome prospective students to connect with Cardozo throughout the year. We offer campus tours, virtual information sessions hosted by current Cardozo Law students, and private virtual meetings with an admissions counselor.  You may sign up here.

Cardozo offers student housing at The Benjamin, which is within walking distance or a short subway ride from the law school. Students may apply for three kinds of furnished rooms, studios, two-bedroom shares, or three-bedroom share.

Students should not wait until they have been admitted to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Financial aid files for entering students are reviewed when a student has been admitted to the Law School. Students are encouraged to file the FAFSA as early as possible.

Cardozo's code is 002903.

While we are unable to schedule interviews at an applicant’s request, we do offer virtual individual sessions with Admissions Counselors that are meant to be informational in nature. The Admissions Committee will reach out to an applicant for an interview if they feel more information is needed to assess the candidate’s qualifications.

It is impossible to predict an applicant’s chances for admission from the waitlist, which is kept for both the classes entering in May and the fall. Each year the number of waitlisted applicants admitted varies. We keep our waitlist open and active through the first few days of orientation, for both the May and fall term. We will notify all waitlisted candidates when our class has closed. Applicants may be admitted any time before we close the class.

We strongly recommend that applicants apply only during the admissions cycle that they intend to begin their legal studies. If a significant and unexpected change of circumstances prevents an admitted applicant from attending as originally planned, the applicant may request a one- or two-year deferral of admission by emailing our office with a detailed rationale. Deferrals are considered and potentially granted only on a case-by-case basis.

Yes, you are welcome to reapply in the following admissions cycle.