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 of C- or better (or equivalents) may be accepted for transfer credit subject to similarity to Trinity Law course contents.

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 of C or better are eligible for transfer credit. 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 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/.