Admission
Trinity Law School is committed to the principle that a legal career is a calling and that students of all ages, backgrounds, and occupations may sense the call to pursue a legal education. Accordingly, the Admissions Committee selects its students upon consideration of the “whole person.” While test scores and academic experience are important, the Admissions Committee also considers a prospective student’s goals, achievements, work experiences, life circumstances, and other criteria that reflect character and potential for academic success. All prospective students, regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, or disability, are welcome at Trinity Law School.
As prospective students, applicants are encouraged to review this Catalog and the School Performance Fact Sheet, which must be provided to applicants, prior to signing an enrollment agreement.
For details, see Admission to the Juris Doctor Program or Admission to the Master of Legal Studies Program.
Admission to the Juris Doctor Program
How to Apply
Fill Out An Application
Complete an application for admission online. Incomplete applications will not be considered. In addition to the application, applicants are advised to promptly complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
LSAT
JD applicants are directed to take the LSAT, a standardized examination designed to assess law school candidates' potential for success in legal study.
Applicants who have not yet taken the LSAT are still encouraged to apply. For those without an LSAT score of at least 145 (including applicants who have not taken the LSAT at all), admission to the JD program may be granted if the applicant demonstrates other indicia of likely success. Any applicant who is accepted without an LSAT score of 145 or higher must participate in Flex Academic Support Classes.
Transcripts
In order to be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to Trinity Law School by the issuing school or provided through the Law School Admission Council's (LSAC) Credential Assembly Service. JD applicants must provide official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
Recommendations
Two recommendations are required for JD applicants. These recommendations may be from professors, instructors, or professional associates who can comment on the candidate's character and potential for success in legal study. Recommenders should send recommendations directly to Trinity Law School or via LSAC's Credential Assembly Service.
Personal Statement
JD applicants are required to submit a personal statement. The personal statement should address why the applicant desires to study law, particularly at Trinity Law School. Also, the applicant should address professional and personal goals for the future and any factors that may have affected past academic success.
Interviews
Prior to an admission decision, applicants may be required to interview with the Admissions Office. The Admissions Office will contact eligible applicants to schedule an interview.
Acceptance and Notification
The Admissions Office promptly notifies applicants regarding admission decisions rendered on submitted applications. Applicants accepted to Trinity Law School will be advised of the matriculation requirements.
Completion of Admission File
Within 45 days after the start of the student's first semester or session at Trinity Law School, Trinity Law School must receive documents required by Trinity Law School’s then-current admission policies. This includes, but is not limited to: (1) official transcripts, either directly from the issuing school or via the LSAC's Credential Assembly Service, that demonstrate compliance with Business and Professions Code section 6060(c)(1), Admissions Rule 4.25, State Bar policies, and Trinity Law School’s admission policies, or (2) an official certification that the person has passed the equivalency examinations required by Business and Professions Code section 6060(c)(2), Admissions Rule 4.25(B), State Bar policies, and Trinity Law School’s admission policies. If the documents required by the Trinity Law School's admission policies are not obtained within 45 days after the start of the first semester or session, Trinity Law School may extend attendance for no more than an additional 45 days under exceptional circumstances. Such exceptional circumstances must be documented in the student’s file.
Categories of Admission
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.
Regular Students without a Bachelor’s Degree
Trinity Law School offers law school candidates without a bachelor’s degree an exceptional opportunity to enter law school before completing their undergraduate study. Applicants 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. Applicants may also be admitted as Special Students, which are students who: (1) have not completed the minimum two years of college work but have demonstrated intellectual achievement by achieving acceptable scores on the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams prior to beginning the study of law, and (2) must pass the First-Year Law Students' Examination (FYLSX) within the first three administrations after becoming eligible to take it.
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 (inclusive of summer sessions, if registered for courses) enrolled in courses at Trinity Law School. Applicants who have completed 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 courses were taken) may be accepted for transfer credit subject to the similarity to Trinity Law School course contents. Transfer students whose prior units are not accepted and who must begin their law studies anew must file “Starting Over” paperwork with the State Bar of California. Proof of completed filing must be submitted to Trinity Law School within the 45-day application deadline.
Applicants who have been previously dismissed by another law school may be considered for admission. If the student was dismissed at the end of the first year, units will not transfer unless the FYLSX is taken and passed. Admission of transfer students and transfer of units are determined by the Admissions Committee and in accordance with the rules of the Committee of Bar Examiners of The State Bar of California.
Trinity Law School has not entered into an articulation or transfer agreement with any colleges or universities.
Visiting Students
Individuals currently pursuing legal studies at another institution have the option to apply as visiting students to the JD program. Each visiting student application is reviewed on an individual basis. To qualify, applicants must be in good standing in another JD program and maintain their enrollment at their current law school while seeking to enroll in course(s) at Trinity Law School to fulfill the required credits for their degree at their primary institution.
International Students and/or Foreign-Educated Students
For purposes of admission to Trinity Law School, international students are defined solely on their citizenship/permanent residency status. If a student does not hold citizenship or permanent residency in the United States, the student is classified as an international student.
Trinity Law School will assist full-time students who are not United States citizens or residents to apply for F-1 visas upon a student’s acceptance to the JD program. There are no fees associated with this service offered by Trinity Law School.
All foreign-educated applicants, whether classified as international students or not, must request a course-by-course evaluation from a credential evaluation service approved by the State Bar of California. The list of approved agencies is available from the State Bar of California and the Trinity Law School Admissions Office.
All instruction at Trinity Law School is in English. Trinity Law School does not provide English language services.
Applicants for whom English is not their first language may be required to provide evidence of a passing Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score if they have not earned a ‘C’ or better in a regular (non-English as a Second Language (ESL)) college-level English composition course at an accredited United States college or university.
A passing TOEFL score is either 580 (paper-based examination), 92 (internet-based examination), or 237 (computer-based examination). Scores from any test format should be sent to Trinity Law School directly from Educational Testing Service.
International students who must obtain a passing TOEFL score may alternatively demonstrate English competency by the completion of one of the following methods:
- Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) with a verbal recentered score of 450 or higher.
- English Language Services (ELS) Language Centers’ Level 112 of ELS’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program with a grade of at least ‘B.’
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination score total of 6.5 or higher.
If a student does not meet Trinity Law School’s required level of English proficiency at the time of application, a “conditional letter of admission” may be granted.
Admission to the Master of Legal Studies Program
How to Apply
Fill Out An Application
Complete an application for admission online. Incomplete applications will not be considered. In addition to the application, applicants are advised to promptly complete the FAFSA.
Transcripts
MLS applicants must provide official transcripts from colleges and universities at which a bachelor's degree or higher was earned. In order to be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to Trinity Law School by the issuing school or provided through the LSAC's Credential Assembly Service.
Recommendations
Two recommendations are required for MLS applicants. These recommendations may be from professors, instructors, or professional associates, who can comment on the candidate's character and potential for success in legal study. Recommenders should send recommendations directly to Trinity Law School or via LSAC's Credential Assembly Service.
Personal Statement
All MLS applicants are required to submit a personal statement. The personal statement should address why the applicant desires to study at Trinity Law School as well as the applicant's future professional and personal goals.
Interviews
Prior to an admission decision, applicants may be required to interview with the Admissions Office. The Admissions Office will contact eligible applicants to schedule an interview.
Acceptance and Notification
The Admissions Office promptly notifies applicants regarding admission decisions rendered on submitted applications. Applicants accepted to Trinity Law School will be advised of the matriculation requirements.
Completion of Admission File
Within 45 days after the start of the student’s first term at Trinity Law School, Trinity Law school must receive documents required by Trinity Law School’s then-current admission policies. This deadline does not apply to the production of a bachelor's degree. Production of a bachelor's degree must occur within the first three terms of MLS enrollment. When calculating the deadline for the production of a bachelor's degree, the term of first enrollment is used notwithstanding any withdrawals or leaves of absence. If the required documents are not obtained within 45 days after the start of the term, Trinity Law School may extend attendance for no more than an additional 45 days under exceptional circumstances. Such exceptional circumstances must be documented in the student’s file.
Categories of Admission
Applicants previously awarded a bachelor’s degree from a qualified institution of higher learning are considered for admission.
Individuals can also apply as visiting students to the MLS program if they desire to take a few units but not earn a degree. To qualify, applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from a qualifying university. Each visiting student application is reviewed on an individual basis. The primary use of this option in the MLS program is for qualified applicants to enroll in Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) courses to prepare for the SHRM examination.
International
Students with a Bachelor’s Degree from a Foreign School
Trinity Law School welcomes foreign-educated applicants. However, there are particular admission requirements for evaluating foreign credentials. Foreign-educated applicants must request a course-by-course evaluation from a credential evaluation service approved by the State Bar of California. The list of approved agencies is available from the State Bar of California and the Trinity Law School Admissions Office.
The MLS program is an online program, which means students who are not citizens of the United States or permanent residents are not eligible to apply for an F-1 visa for this course of study.
All instruction at Trinity Law School is in English. Trinity Law School does not provide English language services.
Applicants for whom English is not their first language may be required to provide evidence of a passing TOEFL score if they have not earned a ‘C’ or better in a regular (non-ESL) college-level English composition course at an accredited United States college or university.
A passing TOEFL score is either 580 (paper-based examination), 92 (internet-based examination), or 237 (computer-based examination). Scores from any test format should be sent to Trinity Law School directly from Educational Testing Service.
International students who must obtain a passing TOEFL score may alternatively demonstrate English competency by the completion of one of the following methods:
- SAT with a verbal recentered score of 450 or higher.
- ELS Language Centers’ Level 112 of ELS’s EAP program with a grade of at least ‘B.’
- IELTS examination score total of 6.5 or higher.
If a student does not meet Trinity Law School’s required level of English proficiency at the time of application, a “conditional letter of admission” may be granted.