UC Berkeley School of Law

Deadlines

Essays

1. Personal statement · limited to four double-spaced pages in 11-point font that is highly legible and with 1 inch margins. Three pages is recommended. · required

   You are required to submit a personal statement as part of your application. The subject matter of the personal statement is up to you, but keep in mind that the reviewer will be focused on determining your potential to be a successful law student and graduate of Berkeley Law. Specifically, we are interested in how your personal background/lived experience shapes, informs, and enhances that potential. Each year, we seek to enroll a class with varied backgrounds and interests who will ultimately become advocates serving all segments of society. The main objective, always, should be to share the things you think are most important for us to know about you (beyond the purely academic and professional) when assessing your candidacy. No topic is off-limits, but we encourage you to consider how what you discuss is relevant to your candidacy for law school. When crafting your personal statement, you might want to consider addressing several of the following topics. Perspectives and Experiences: How will you (your perspective, experience, voice) contribute to our classrooms and community? Interest in the Legal Profession: What about you (your experiences, your values, your perspective, etc.) calls you to law school? How will you use your law degree with integrity, vision, creativity, and/or to innovate? What makes you hopeful, optimistic, or excited about entering the legal profession? How do you see yourself contributing to or advancing the public good as a lawyer, scholar, or advocate? Interest in Berkeley Law: Tell us more about your interest in Berkeley Law. What makes our school a good fit for you in terms of academic interests, programmatic offerings, and learning environment?

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2. Other essay · up to two questions; each response no more than one double-spaced page, using 11-point font and 1-inch margins · optional

   Optional Statements, Short Answer Questions: In addition to assessing your ability to achieve academic success, we are interested in welcoming a class of students with a diverse set of experiences, qualities, talents, and interests. We also understand that there may be facets of your personality and passions that do not align with what you may wish to share in a personal statement. In order to gain a better understanding of what characteristics or qualities you may bring to the class, we invite you to answer up to two of the following questions. Please indicate the number(s) of the question(s) you are answering. (1) Setting aside our academics and curriculum, how does Berkeley Law's location and broader environment align with your personal values, ambitions, or goals for your future? (2) If law school was not an option, what would you do instead, and why? (3) Aside from being capable and smart, what else will you contribute to the classroom or community? (4) Fast forward several years, it is your law school graduation. Who are you scanning the audience to find first, and why? (5) Describe a recent time when you defied or exceeded the expectations someone else had of you? (6) What's the last new thing that you tried? How did it go? (7) Describe a time when you made a difference or a place where you had an impact that does NOT appear on your resume. (8) We all make mistakes. When was the last time you made a mistake, and what was the outcome of that realization? (9) Tell us about a moment where laughter helped build a bridge with someone. (10) Describe a time when you had to put aside personal beliefs to stand up for fairness or justice.

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3. Addendum · 350 word maximum, 11 point font, double-spaced, with 1 inch margins (academic potential addendum); no limit for character and fitness addendum · optional

   Academic Potential Addendum: If you do not believe that your standardized test score(s) or academic record accurately reflect your ability to succeed in law school, then you may tell us why and share what you believe indicates your potential. You may attach a copy of your SAT or ACT score report(s) to this essay (a screenshot or unofficial copy will suffice), and we reserve the right to request score reports to verify statements made in this optional essay. Required Addenda: If you answer 'Yes' to any of the character and fitness questions in the application, we require that you attach an addendum explaining the circumstances (11 point font, double-spaced, with 1 inch margins; no word or page limit).

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4. Other essay · 1-2 double-spaced pages, using 11-point font and 1-inch margins · optional

   Scholarship essays (required only if applying for the named scholarship): First generation, 'How do you think being a first generation college student has shaped your perspective, and how will that perspective contribute to the Berkeley Law community and the broader legal profession?'; public interest, 'Knowing the challenges that can come with pursuing a public interest legal career, what drives you toward your goals, and how do you plan to make a meaningful impact with your legal degree?' Regular decision deadline for these scholarships is December 15.

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Page is current-cycle (BED by 11:59pm PT on November 16, 2026, decision by December 14, 2026, regular-decision test deadline January 31, 2027). The regular deadline of February 15, 2027 is from the parent page https://www.law.berkeley.edu/admissions/jd/applying-for-jd-degree/; the ready-to-apply page says only 'February'. An optional video interview exists but is by invitation only. Berkeley folds diversity/perspective and why-Berkeley into the personal statement's suggested topics rather than a separate statement.

Checked against www.law.berkeley.edu/admissions/jd/applying-for-jd-degree/ready-to-apply on September 9, 2026. Programs change their prompts between cycles; confirm on the program’s own page before you submit.