LSAC's Candidate Technical Support can help. They can be reached by phone at (215) 968-1393. Hours: April through August, Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 4:45 pm (ET). September through March, Monday-Friday, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm (ET); Saturday, 9:00 am to 3:00 pm (ET). Weekday hours are extended to 10:00 PM during January.

May I receive an application fee waiver?
No. The University of Hawai‘i Board of Regents does not allow us to waive or refund this fee.

However, if you may want to explore the LSAC Fee Waiver program. Each approved LSAC fee waiver will entitle you to:

two LSATs (test dates must fall within the two-year waiver period);
one registration for LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (LSDAS), which includes the Letter of Recommendation Service and access to electronic applications for all LSAC-member law schools;
four law school reports
–included with the Credential Assembly Service (LSDAS), available only after final approval of an LSAC fee waiver;
one copy of the Official LSAT SuperPrep®.

When is the last time I can take the LSAT and TOEFL?

The latest acceptable test date for the LSAT is February 2010. LSAT scores prior to 2007 will not be accepted.
The latest acceptable test date for the TOEFL is January 2010. Scores from TOEFL tests taken more than two years ago will not be accepted.

How does the Admissions Committee view multiple LSAT scores?

The Committee will consider your highest valid LSAT score.

Does the Law School require its own recommendation form in addition to letters of recommendation?

No. We do not have our own letter of recommendation form. Letters of recommendation should be sent to LSAC by February 1. Please do not send duplicates to the Law School. For more information about LSAC and letters of recommendation, please see http://www.lsac.org/Applying/letters-of-recommendation.asp

When should I apply for resident tuition?

You do not need to complete the Residency Declaration Form in Supplemental Forms on LSAC until you are admitted. If you are admitted and wish to claim Hawai‘i residency, or qualify for an exemption, you must complete the form. If you do not, you will be considered a nonresident for tuition purposes.

A determination of residency status will be made prior to matriculation.

For additional information or clarification, see the Residency Declaration Form in Supplemental Forms on LSAC.

Is the application deadline strictly enforced?
Yes. Each year, a small number of applicants are disappointed because their incomplete files are not reviewed. You can monitor your application status online. Until the online application status indicates that your application is complete, your application will not be forwarded to the Committee for review.

How large is the first-year class?

We are a small law school. There were 99 full-time students in our Fall 2009 entering class. Please see our most recent numbers in Quick Facts.

Is admission to the Law School competitive?

Yes. We offered admission to 19% (222 of 1151) of our applicants in 2009. The median GPA for admitted students in 2009 was 3.54. The median LSAT for admitted students in 2009 was 160.

Please see profiles of our recent entering classes for more information.

Do you give admission preference to Hawai‘i residents?

Because we are the only law school in Hawai‘i, we give preference to applicants who:

are residents of Hawaiʻi;
have a close relationship to our State;
have with a strong background and continuing interest in Native Hawaiian Law, Pacific-Asian Legal Studies, or Environmental Law;
have a compelling personal need to to study in Hawaiʻi (e.g., military transfer).

Please see our most recent numbers in Quick Facts.

How important are my numbers in the Admissions Committee's decision?

Your LSAT score and your undergraduate academic record constitute about two thirds of the Admissions Committee's decision. But a marginal file might succeed because of strong personal factors (one third of the evaluation). A very strong file might be eliminated by compelling negative factors.

When will I know if I have been admitted?

Most applicants will receive decisions by mid-April. You can monitor your application status online. We cannot provide status updates to you over the telephone.

I am an admitted student. Where can I find the information I need for the Fall?

We created a private social network for students on Ning. We will post the deadlines, forms, and other important information there. If you received an email invitation from the Student Services Office, please click on the yellow "Log In" link in the email. If you clicked on that link and are still having trouble signing in, please email lawweb@hawaii.edu. If you did not receive an email invitation from the Student Services Office, please email lawadm@hawaii.edu. Mahalo!

When should I apply for financial aid?

If you intend to apply for financial aid (Subsidized or Unsubsidized Stafford Loans, GradPLUS loans, need-based opportunity grants, and work-study), file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online as early as January 1, 2010 and no later than March 1, 2010 to meet the priority deadline. The Financial Aid Office may request supplemental financial information. See Financial Aid.

Does the Law School provide housing?

No. But there is limited dormitory-type housing on the University campus for professional students. Most law students prefer to live off-campus in shared houses or apartments. For both campus and off-campus housing information, please visit the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoā Student Housing Services website.

University of Hawaiʻi at Manoā Student Housing Services
2569 Dole Street
Frear Hall
Honolulu, HI 96822-2328
(808) 956-8177
Fax (808) 956-5995
uhmsh@hawaii.edu

Does the Law School offer online courses?

No. We do not offer online courses at this time.

Where do Law School graduates work?

About 80-85% of the graduates work in Hawai‘i. Therefore, our Career Services Office focuses on the Hawai‘i legal market, where our graduates enjoy tremendous success.

Enrolled students find that their employment prospects are greatly enhanced by our excellent relationship with the legal community; the contacts made through by our faculty; the networking among our alumni; our externship and clinical courses; and the ability to take advantage of part-time employment during the second and third academic years. In sum, our graduates enjoy clear placement advantages in the Hawai‘i market over graduates of other schools.

Please see our most recent numbers in Quick Facts.

What is the Ulu Lehua Scholars Program?

The Ulu Lehua Program was established the year of the founding of the Law School to address the issues of disadvantaged applicants and to assist legally underserved communities. The program affords selected students who have overcome adversity the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to perform in Law School. The twelve applicants invited to participate in the Ulu Lehua Program are identified by the Admissions Committee in the process of reviewing all applications to the Juris Doctor program. There is no separate application process for this program, although interested applicants are urged to indicate their interest in the Program in their law school application materials in response to Question 20. For more information, please see Ulu Lehua Program Admissions.

I am a law school graduate. May I audit classes at the UH Law School?

Yes. Please fill out and return the Application Form for Professional Auditors. Upon receipt we will review your application, and discuss your request with the professor(s) of the class(es) you wish to audit. Your application must be approved by the Registrar and by the professor(s) involved.

Auditors, will have University of Hawaii record of their audit of the law school course, but they will not receive "credit" for the course. In addition auditors are not required to sit for an exam in the course, nor will they be graded on their participation in the course. Auditors will be required to pay for the course, by the credit hour, according to the current law school tuition schedule.

If you have any questions please contact the Registrar, Grant Helgeson at helgeson@hawaii.edu

Where can I buy Law School and UH merchandise?

To buy Law School merchandise, please visit Law School Merchandise.

To purchase UH merchandise, please visit Rainbowtique.

Contact

Admissions Office
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
William S. Richardson School of Law
2515 Dole Street
Honolulu, HI 96822-2328
(808) 956-7966
lawadm@hawaii.edu

Please download the catalog .pdf. To request a hard copy of the catalog, please fill out this form or call (808) 956-3000. Mahalo!