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University of Virginia School of Law
Last updated: August 18, 2026
Contents
- 1 University of Virginia School of Law
- 1.1 University of Virginia School of Law at a Glance
- 1.2 Introduction
- 1.3 Rankings and Reputation
- 1.4 Admissions: What It Takes to Get In
- 1.5 Cost, Scholarships, and Debt
- 1.6 Employment Outcomes and Bar Passage
- 1.7 Academics and Programs
- 1.8 Student Life and Location
- 1.9 How UVA Law Compares
- 1.10 The TLS Verdict
- 1.11 What Students Say
- 1.12 Frequently Asked Questions
- 1.12.1 Is UVA Law a good law school?
- 1.12.2 What LSAT score is competitive for UVA Law?
- 1.12.3 What is UVA Law's acceptance rate?
- 1.12.4 How much is tuition?
- 1.12.5 What is the bar passage rate?
- 1.12.6 What is UVA Law known for?
- 1.12.7 Does UVA Law have a part-time J.D. program?
- 1.12.8 When is the UVA Law application deadline?
- 1.12.9 Does UVA Law accept the GRE or GMAT?
- 1.12.10 Does UVA Law offer scholarships?
- 1.12.11 Does UVA Law have conditional scholarships?
- 1.12.12 Where do UVA Law graduates work?
- 1.13 Contact and Key Links
- 1.14 Sources
University of Virginia School of Law
University of Virginia School of Law (commonly known as UVA Law or Virginia Law) is a public law school located in Charlottesville, Virginia, and is widely regarded as one of the leading law schools in the United States. Founded as part of Thomas Jefferson's University of Virginia, the school is known for its highly selective admissions process, strong placement in major law firms and federal clerkships, and a broad national employment network. UVA Law offers a full-time J.D. program with extensive clinical opportunities, specialized academic programs, and a relatively close-knit student body. Graduates achieve exceptionally strong employment outcomes, although the school's cost of attendance is substantial.
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University of Virginia School of Law at a Glance
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Location | Charlottesville, Virginia |
| University | University of Virginia |
| School type | Public |
| Founded | 1819 |
| ABA accreditation | ABA-approved; Council approved since 1923 |
| J.D. program | Three-year, full-time |
| Total J.D. enrollment (2025) | 919 |
| Entering class (Class of 2028) | 309 |
| Applicants (Class of 2028) | 6,743 |
| Acceptance rate (2025) | 10.17% |
| LSAT 25th–75th percentile (Class of 2028) | 168–175 |
| Median LSAT (Class of 2028) | 173 |
| GPA 25th–75th percentile (Class of 2028) | 3.83–4.04 |
| Median undergraduate GPA (Class of 2028) | 3.99 |
| Tuition (2026–27, Virginia resident) | $77,926 |
| Tuition (2026–27, nonresident) | $80,244 |
| Tuition and required fees (2026–27) | $81,900 resident / $84,900 nonresident |
| Estimated cost of attendance (2026–27) | $111,420 resident / $114,420 nonresident |
| Employment rate (Class of 2025) | 98.7% employed 10 months after graduation |
| First-time bar passage rate (2025) | 95.1% across all reported jurisdictions |
| Ultimate bar passage rate | 100% for the Class of 2023 within two years |
| U.S. News ranking (2026) | #4 nationally |
| Primary employment markets | Washington, D.C.; New York; California; Texas; Virginia |
| Notable areas | Federal clerkships, large law firms, constitutional and appellate law, public service, business law, criminal justice, and experiential education |
Introduction
The University of Virginia School of Law, commonly known as UVA Law or Virginia Law, is the law school of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. Thomas Jefferson established the University in 1819 with a law department, and the first law classes were taught in 1826. UVA describes the school as the second-oldest continuously operating law school in the United States.
UVA Law is a public law school with a three-year, full-time J.D. program. The school enrolled 919 J.D. students as of October 5, 2025, with 309 students in the Class of 2028. The current entering class reported a median LSAT of 173 and median undergraduate GPA of 3.99.
The school occupies North Grounds in Charlottesville, approximately one mile from the University's central Grounds and adjacent to the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Its academic offerings include more than 275 courses each year, 24 clinics, 25 centers and programs, 10 academic journals, more than 70 student organizations and 12 international exchange programs.
For prospective students, UVA Law's most consequential characteristic may be the combination of highly selective admissions and unusually strong employment outcomes. The Class of 2025 reported a 98.7% employment rate 10 months after graduation, with 76.3% of employed graduates entering law firms and 12.2% entering judicial clerkships.
The school may be particularly attractive to applicants targeting large law firms, federal clerkships, Washington, D.C., New York, appellate practice, constitutional law, public service or business-oriented legal careers. Its Charlottesville location and high cost of attendance may be less appealing to applicants who strongly prefer a large metropolitan law-school environment or who would need to assume substantial debt without a scholarship.
Rankings and Reputation
UVA Law is generally regarded as a nationally oriented law school rather than one whose employment value is confined to Virginia.
For the 2026 U.S. News & World Report law-school rankings, UVA Law was ranked No. 4 nationally. The school itself reports this ranking but also cautions prospective students that rankings do not capture many important aspects of a law-school experience.
Other recent rankings measure different aspects of the school:
- Above the Law 2026: No. 3, a ranking focused primarily on employment outcomes.
- Princeton Review 2025: No. 1 for Best Professors, Best Classroom Experience and Best Quality of Life; No. 5 for Best Career Prospects; and No. 6 for Best for Federal Clerkships. These rankings rely substantially on student surveys and therefore measure student experience rather than purely employment or admissions data.
UVA Law's own employment data show particularly strong placement in large firms and federal clerkships. For the Class of 2025, 197 of 232 law-firm graduates joined firms with 501 or more attorneys.
The school's reputation is consequently broader than its home state. In 2025, only 5.6% of employed graduates were working in Virginia, while 28.6% were employed in Washington, D.C., 24.7% in New York, 9.2% in California and 7.9% in Texas.
Rankings should nevertheless be interpreted as particular measurements rather than objective determinations of overall quality. U.S. News emphasizes comparative ranking methodology, Above the Law emphasizes employment, and Princeton Review relies heavily on student perceptions. Applicants should compare those measures with employment reports, debt, scholarships, geographic goals and academic interests.
Admissions: What It Takes to Get In
Entering Class (Class of 2028)
The Class of 2028 is the most recent entering class for which UVA Law has published a complete official profile. The data are as of December 15, 2025.
| Admissions metric | Class of 2028 |
|---|---|
| Applicants | 6,743 |
| Matriculants | 309 |
| Median LSAT | 173 |
| LSAT 25th percentile | 168 |
| LSAT 75th percentile | 175 |
| Median GPA | 3.99 |
| GPA 25th percentile | 3.83 |
| GPA 75th percentile | 4.04 |
| States represented | 39 states + Washington, D.C. |
| Undergraduate institutions represented | 131 |
| Women | 55% |
| Men | 44% |
| Prefer not to report/other | 1% |
| People of color under ABA definition | 28% |
| LGBTQ+ | 22% |
| Students with postgraduate experience | 79% |
| First-generation professional/graduate school | 27% |
| First-generation college students | 8% |
The separate 2025 ABA Standard 509 report covers the applicant pool for the 2025 first-year class. It records 6,734 completed applications, 685 offers of admission and 309 students in the first-year class. The resulting ABA-reported acceptance rate was 10.17%.
UVA Law is a full-time-only J.D. program. The 2025 ABA report lists 309 first-year students, all full-time.
LSAT and GPA
For the Class of 2028:
| Metric | 25th percentile | Median | 75th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| LSAT | 168 | 173 | 175 |
| GPA | 3.83 | 3.99 | 4.04 |
These figures come directly from UVA Law's Class of 2028 profile and are also reflected in the 2025 ABA Standard 509 report.
Interpreting the Numbers
UVA Law's admissions numbers indicate a highly selective applicant pool. A 173 median LSAT and 3.99 median GPA place the typical admitted student at a very high academic level.
Applicants with LSAT scores around or above the median and GPAs near the median are generally positioned more competitively on the numerical dimensions of the application, but these figures should not be treated as automatic admission thresholds. UVA states that its admissions process considers undergraduate and graduate coursework, grade trends, work experience, extracurricular achievement, military service, leadership, service and personal qualities in addition to standardized test scores and grades.
The current profile also shows that UVA admits students with a range of backgrounds. Seventy-nine percent of the Class of 2028 had postgraduate experience, while students came from 39 states and the District of Columbia and 131 undergraduate institutions.
For an applicant below one of UVA's medians, a strong application can still matter. Conversely, high LSAT and GPA numbers do not guarantee admission because the school conducts holistic review and has a limited number of seats.
Application Timing
For the 2027–28 admissions cycle, UVA Law states that the J.D. application becomes available through LSAC on September 1, 2026, with an application deadline of March 1, 2027. The school expects to release decisions by April 9, 2027. Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis.
UVA advises applicants to take an approved standardized test early. The school accepts the LSAT, GRE General Test or GMAT. It warns that applicants submitting January, February or March scores may be disadvantaged because a substantial portion of the class may already have been filled.
UVA also offers a Binding Expedited Decision option. Applicants using this route agree to attend UVA Law if admitted and must complete their application by 5 p.m. ET on March 1, 2027. UVA states that applicants admitted through the program remain eligible for merit- and need-based financial aid.
Cost, Scholarships, and Debt
Tuition (2026–27 Academic Year)
UVA Law's 2026–27 J.D. budget lists the following tuition and required fees:
| Cost | Virginia resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $77,926 | $80,244 |
| Required fees | $3,974 | $4,656 |
| Tuition + required fees | $81,900 | $84,900 |
The J.D. program is full-time, and the public-school residency distinction results in differences in annual tuition and fees.
Estimated Living Expenses (2026–27 Academic Year)
UVA's nine-month living-expense budget for 2026–27 is:
| Expense | Annual estimate |
|---|---|
| Housing | $13,788 |
| Food | $7,200 |
| Transportation | $1,800 |
| Miscellaneous/personal | $4,932 |
| Total living expenses | $27,720 |
| Books and supplies | $1,800 |
The resulting base cost-of-attendance budget is $111,420 for Virginia residents and $114,420 for nonresidents.
Student health insurance is not included in that base figure. For 2026–27, UVA identifies $4,220 as the amount that may be added to a student's cost-of-attendance budget for the University's health-insurance plan, subject to the applicable process.
Scholarships
UVA Law provides both merit-based and need-sensitive financial aid.
For 2024–25, the latest year reported in the ABA Standard 509 data, 607 of 915 J.D. students — 66% — received grants or scholarships. The ABA reported:
- 312 students received grants worth less than half tuition.
- 234 received between half and full tuition.
- 56 received full tuition.
- 5 received more than full tuition.
- The 25th percentile grant was $25,000.
- The median grant was $35,000.
- The 75th percentile grant was $50,000.
UVA's financial-aid office states that most law-school scholarships are merit-based, broadly considering academic achievement along with other accomplishments and experiences. All admitted students are automatically considered for merit scholarships; students seeking need-based consideration must complete the FAFSA and CSS Profile.
UVA's 2025 ABA report states that the school does not award conditional scholarships that can be reduced or eliminated because of law-school academic performance other than failure to maintain good academic standing.
Debt Perspective
UVA Law's cost is substantial even before considering three years of tuition increases, living expenses, interest and other personal costs. A student paying the published 2026–27 nonresident budget would face a first-year cost-of-attendance figure of $114,420 before any additional health-insurance adjustment.
Scholarships can materially change the calculation. The 2024–25 ABA data show that two-thirds of J.D. students received grants, but the distribution was broad. Applicants should therefore evaluate their individual scholarship offer rather than assuming that UVA's aggregate scholarship statistics will apply to them.
Federal borrowing rules also changed beginning July 1, 2026. UVA states that the 2025 federal legislation eliminated the Grad PLUS program and established new borrowing limits; new students may borrow up to $50,000 annually in Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans beginning July 1, 2026.
For applicants comparing UVA with other highly ranked schools, the relevant financial question is not simply tuition. It is the relationship among net price, scholarship certainty, expected borrowing, likely employment sector, geographic goals and expected starting salary. UVA's strong employment data can improve the financial picture for students entering large-firm practice or federal clerkships, but those outcomes are not guaranteed for an individual student.
Employment Outcomes and Bar Passage
Employment (Class of 2025, 10 Months After Graduation)
UVA Law's most recent official employment report covers the Class of 2025 and reports outcomes 10 months after graduation under ABA/NALP reporting guidelines.
| Employment measure | Class of 2025 |
|---|---|
| Total graduates | 308 |
| Employed | 304 / 98.7% |
| Seeking employment | 3 / 1.0% |
| Start date deferred | 1 / 0.3% |
| Not seeking employment | 0 |
| Full-time, long-term employed | 304 / 100% of employed graduates |
| Bar admission required/anticipated | 302 / 99.3% of employed graduates |
| J.D.-preferred | 2 / 0.7% |
Employment by sector:
| Sector | Graduates | Percentage of employed graduates |
|---|---|---|
| Law firms | 232 | 76.3% |
| Judicial clerkships | 37 | 12.2% |
| Government | 15 | 4.9% |
| Public interest | 18 | 5.9% |
| Business/industry | 2 | 0.7% |
| Academia | 0 | 0% |
All 304 employed graduates were reported as being in full-time, long-term positions.
Law-firm placement was heavily concentrated in large firms. Of the 232 law-firm graduates, 197 joined firms with 501 or more attorneys, representing 84.9% of law-firm graduates.
The 37 judicial clerks included 33 federal clerkships and four state, local or territorial clerkships.
Among 234 graduates in the private sector, the reported 25th percentile, median and 75th percentile salary were each $225,000, with salaries reported for 231 graduates. In the public sector, the 2025 median reported salary was $75,788.
What These Numbers Mean
The 98.7% employment figure is a strong headline result, but it should not be interpreted as meaning that every UVA graduate receives the same employment opportunity.
The distribution shows a clear concentration in large law firms and judicial clerkships. More than three-quarters of employed graduates entered law firms, and approximately 85% of law-firm graduates went to firms with 501 or more attorneys.
The data also demonstrate public-sector and public-interest placement. Government, public-interest and judicial-clerkship positions together represented a substantial portion of the class.
The salary data require similar caution. A $225,000 reported median for the private sector describes graduates who entered that sector; it is not an expected salary for every graduate.
Bar Passage
The most recent UVA Law bar-passage report covers calendar-year 2025 examinations.
Across all reported jurisdictions, UVA graduates had a 95.1% first-time bar passage rate, compared with an aggregate 84.9% jurisdiction passage rate for those same jurisdictions. There were 307 UVA takers.
| Jurisdiction | UVA first-time passage | Jurisdiction passage |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 99.0% | 87.5% |
| New York | 90.7% | 87.3% |
| Texas | 96.4% | 82.7% |
| California | 95.8% | 82.7% |
| Virginia | 100% | 81.6% |
UVA's most recent ultimate bar-passage figures are for the Class of 2023. Of 287 graduates who took a bar within two years, all 287 passed, producing a 100% ultimate bar-passage rate.
Regional Employment
UVA Law's employment outcomes are notably national.
Among Class of 2025 graduates, the largest employment markets were:
| Market | Graduates | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Washington, D.C. | 87 | 28.6% |
| New York | 75 | 24.7% |
| California | 28 | 9.2% |
| Texas | 24 | 7.9% |
| Virginia | 17 | 5.6% |
| All other states | 71 | 23.4% |
| International | 2 | 0.7% |
This distribution suggests that UVA Law is not primarily dependent on the Virginia legal market. Washington, D.C., and New York together accounted for more than half of the employed Class of 2025.
Academics and Programs
Constitutional Law, Appellate Litigation and Public Law
Constitutional and public law are significant components of UVA Law's academic offerings. The school maintains a Program in Constitutional Law and a Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation Program, along with courses and extracurricular opportunities involving constitutional structure, federal courts and appellate advocacy.
The Supreme Court and Appellate Litigation Program includes the En Banc Institute, which provides moot-court opportunities for advocates preparing for en banc appellate arguments.
The school's employment profile is also relevant to this area: 37 members of the Class of 2025 entered judicial clerkships, including 33 federal clerkships.
Law, Business and Corporate Practice
The John W. Glynn Jr. Law & Business Program integrates business and legal analysis and is designed for students interested in transactional practice, corporate counseling, business litigation, corporate careers and regulatory work.
The program provides business-oriented coursework covering areas such as accounting, corporate finance, corporations, securities regulation, bankruptcy, employment, environmental law, tax, antitrust and intellectual property.
In July 2026, Celia Bigoness joined the UVA Law faculty from Cornell and became director of the Law & Business Program.
Criminal Justice and Public Service
UVA has a dedicated Center for Criminal Justice and a range of criminal-law courses and clinics. Its clinical offerings include Criminal Defense, Federal Criminal Sentencing Advocacy, Holistic Youth Defense, Innocence Project, Prosecution and Decarceration and Community Reentry clinics.
The school also maintains a Program in Law and Public Service, which connects coursework, experiential opportunities and career development in public-interest and government practice.
International, National Security and Comparative Law
UVA Law maintains a Center for International & Comparative Law, a National Security Law Center and related international-law offerings. The school provides 12 international exchange programs, with destinations including institutions in Italy, Germany, Israel, Spain, India, Australia, South Korea, New Zealand, France and Japan.
The international curriculum covers subjects including international business, human rights, international dispute resolution, comparative constitutional law and national-security law. Students can also participate in the International Human Rights Law Clinic and other internationally oriented activities.
Other Areas
UVA's programs and centers include offerings in:
- Civil rights and civil liberties
- Criminal justice
- Empirical legal studies
- Law and philosophy
- Public law and political economy
- Race and law
- Intellectual property
- Education rights
- Family law
- Health law
- Immigration, migration and human rights
- Law and economics
- Law and business
- Law and technology
- Legal history
- Public policy and regulation
- Tax law
- Environmental law
- Animal law
Practical Training
UVA Law reports 24 clinics offering hands-on legal experience. Its clinics include appellate litigation, civil rights, criminal defense, consumer justice, entrepreneurial law, environmental law, health and disability law, housing litigation, immigration, international human rights, patent and licensing, prosecution, workplace rights and youth advocacy.
The 2025 ABA Standard 509 report reported 425 clinic seats available and 397 seats filled in the prior academic year. It also reported 59 field-placement positions filled and 1,111 seats filled in simulation courses.
Students can supplement clinical work with journals, moot court, trial advocacy and pro bono work. UVA has 10 academic journals, including the Virginia Law Review.
Student Life and Location
Living in Charlottesville
Charlottesville is a relatively small university-centered city rather than a major metropolitan legal market. UVA Law is located on North Grounds, approximately one mile from the University's central Grounds and next to the Darden School of Business.
The school describes Charlottesville as combining university amenities with access to outdoor recreation and a smaller-city environment. The city had an estimated population of 44,388 in 2025, while the metropolitan area had approximately 228,597 residents.
Housing is available both on and off Grounds. UVA notes that graduate housing is limited and that many law students live off Grounds. Options include graduate housing at Copeley Hill, nearby furnished rooms at Faulkner Drive and private housing throughout Charlottesville and the surrounding area.
For students who prefer a large-city environment, Charlottesville is a potential lifestyle tradeoff. Washington, D.C., is a major employment destination for UVA graduates, but the law school itself is not located in a large metropolitan center.
Student Body
As of October 5, 2025, UVA Law had 919 J.D. students, along with 32 LL.M. students and seven S.J.D. students.
The 2025 ABA enrollment report recorded 309 first-year students, 303 second-year students and 307 third-year students.
UVA reports more than 75 student organizations and 10 academic journals. Activities range from student government and professional organizations to public-interest projects, affinity organizations, moot court, journals, athletics and social organizations.
The school also reports a 5.74-to-1 student-faculty ratio and 106 resident full-time faculty members based on 2024–25 data.
How UVA Law Compares
Choose UVA Law If
UVA Law may be a particularly strong fit for applicants who:
- Want access to a national employment market rather than being limited primarily to the school's home state.
- Are targeting large law firms, particularly major firms in Washington, D.C., New York and other national markets.
- Are interested in federal judicial clerkships or appellate practice.
- Want substantial access to clinical and experiential education, with 24 clinics and hundreds of clinical seats.
- Are interested in constitutional law, appellate litigation, public law, criminal justice, business law, international law or public service.
- Value a law-school environment that combines a relatively compact student body with a large number of student organizations and extracurricular opportunities.
- Prefer a college-town setting over a major-city law-school environment.
- Can obtain a scholarship package that makes UVA's cost competitive with other schools they are considering.
The employment data are particularly relevant to applicants targeting BigLaw or clerkships: 197 of UVA's 232 law-firm graduates in the Class of 2025 joined firms with 501 or more attorneys, while 33 graduates entered federal clerkships.
Consider Alternatives If
Applicants may reasonably consider another law school if:
- They want to live and study in a major metropolitan center such as New York, Chicago, Los Angeles or Washington, D.C.
- Another school offers substantially more scholarship aid and the applicant's career goals do not require UVA's particular employment network.
- They are committed to a geographic market where another school has a stronger local network.
- They want a part-time or evening J.D.; UVA's J.D. program is full-time only.
- They strongly prefer a different academic specialty or institutional environment.
- They would need to borrow heavily and have not compared UVA's net cost against their likely career path.
The choice should therefore be based on the student's individual financial and geographic circumstances rather than UVA's national ranking alone.
The TLS Verdict
UVA Law combines a highly selective admissions profile with employment outcomes that are unusually strong across several high-value legal career paths. The Class of 2028 entered with a 173 median LSAT and 3.99 median GPA, while the Class of 2025 posted a 98.7% employment rate 10 months after graduation. The employment distribution is particularly notable for large-firm practice and federal clerkships: 76.3% of employed graduates entered law firms, 84.9% of those law-firm graduates joined firms with 501 or more attorneys, and 33 graduates entered federal clerkships.
The school's academic profile is broader than those employment statistics suggest. UVA offers 24 clinics, numerous centers and programs, international exchange opportunities, journals, moot court and public-service programs. Its Charlottesville setting can also be an advantage for applicants who want a close-knit university environment rather than the pace and expense of a major-city campus.
The principal limitations are cost and selectivity. The 2026–27 estimated cost of attendance exceeds $111,000 before additional health-insurance adjustments, while admission is highly competitive. Charlottesville also will not suit every student, particularly someone who wants to be immersed in a major metropolitan legal market during law school.
For applicants who can manage the cost and are seeking a nationally portable J.D. with particularly strong BigLaw, clerkship, public-service and Washington/New York employment opportunities, UVA Law is a strong option. For applicants making the decision primarily on cost, local-market preference or lifestyle, the scholarship package and competing schools should receive close attention.
What Students Say
Frequently Mentioned Positives
- Collegiality and student community
In several student discussions, current and former students describe UVA Law as unusually collegial and socially connected. Some discussions describe students as generally friendly and willing to share class materials and provide informal mentoring.
- Professors and classroom experience
Students frequently discuss professors as accessible and teaching-oriented. This perception is consistent with, though not proof of, the Princeton Review's 2025 student-survey rankings, which placed UVA No. 1 for Best Professors and Best Classroom Experience.
- Student involvement
Discussions often describe a large number of social, professional and extracurricular activities. UVA officially reports more than 75 student organizations and 10 academic journals.
- Quality of life
Charlottesville is repeatedly mentioned positively by students who prefer a smaller university environment, outdoor access and a strong campus-centered community. The Princeton Review's 2025 student survey ranked UVA No. 1 for Quality of Life.
Frequently Mentioned Concerns
- Charlottesville can feel small
A recurring concern in public discussions is that Charlottesville may feel limiting to students accustomed to New York, Washington, Chicago or other major metropolitan areas.
- The law-school community can be socially intensive
Students describe UVA as having a strong culture of in-person participation and social involvement. Some discussions suggest that students living far from the school may find it harder to participate fully in the community, although other students describe commuting as feasible.
- Some students perceive the culture as cliquey or socially demanding
Public discussions include occasional criticism that the school's close-knit culture can feel insular. Other participants dispute or qualify those perceptions, emphasizing that experiences differ.
- Cost
Student and applicant discussions also raise tuition and overall cost as a concern, particularly when comparing UVA against peer schools offering larger scholarships. These are community observations rather than a measurement of affordability for the student body as a whole.
Taken together, public discussion suggests a school where community and quality of life are major parts of the student experience, but where the same close-knit environment may not appeal to everyone. Applicants should treat these observations as anecdotal and, if possible, speak directly with current students before enrolling.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is UVA Law a good law school?
UVA Law is a highly selective, nationally oriented law school with a No. 4 position in the 2026 U.S. News ranking and strong employment outcomes. The Class of 2025 had a 98.7% employment rate 10 months after graduation, and 99.3% of employed graduates held jobs requiring or anticipating bar admission.
Whether it is a good fit depends on the applicant's goals, scholarship, debt level, preferred legal market and preferred student environment.
What LSAT score is competitive for UVA Law?
The Class of 2028 had a 173 median LSAT, with a 25th–75th percentile range of 168–175. Applicants with scores around or above those numbers are stronger numerically, but UVA uses holistic admissions and does not guarantee admission based on LSAT or GPA alone.
What is UVA Law's acceptance rate?
The 2025 ABA Standard 509 report lists an acceptance rate of 10.17%, based on 6,734 completed applications and 685 offers of admission.
How much is tuition?
For 2026–27, tuition is $77,926 for Virginia residents and $80,244 for nonresidents. Required fees bring the totals to $81,900 and $84,900, respectively.
What is the bar passage rate?
For the 2025 calendar-year examinations, UVA graduates had a 95.1% first-time bar passage rate across all reported jurisdictions, compared with an 84.9% aggregate jurisdiction rate. UVA also reports a 100% ultimate bar-passage rate for the Class of 2023 within two years of graduation.
What is UVA Law known for?
UVA is particularly associated with national employment, large-firm practice, federal clerkships, constitutional and appellate law, public service, business law and a strong student-life culture. Its current academic infrastructure includes 24 clinics, 25 centers and programs, 10 journals and 12 international exchange programs.
Does UVA Law have a part-time J.D. program?
No. UVA Law's J.D. is a three-year, full-time-only program.
When is the UVA Law application deadline?
For the 2027–28 admissions cycle, the application deadline is March 1, 2027. UVA Law begins accepting applications on September 1, 2026 and makes admissions decisions on a rolling basis.
Does UVA Law accept the GRE or GMAT?
Yes. UVA accepts the LSAT, GRE General Test or GMAT for J.D. admission.
Does UVA Law offer scholarships?
Yes. All admitted students are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships. Need-based consideration is also available through the school's financial-aid process. In 2024–25, 66% of J.D. students received grants or scholarships according to the ABA report.
Does UVA Law have conditional scholarships?
UVA's 2025 ABA report states that it does not award scholarships that may be reduced or eliminated based on law-school academic performance, other than failure to maintain good academic standing.
Where do UVA Law graduates work?
The largest Class of 2025 employment markets were Washington, D.C. (28.6%), New York (24.7%), California (9.2%), Texas (7.9%) and Virginia (5.6%). This indicates a broadly national employment footprint rather than a primarily Virginia-based one.
Contact and Key Links
University of Virginia School of Law
580 Massie Road
Charlottesville, VA 22903-1738
(434) 924-7354
Official links
- University of Virginia School of Law
- J.D. Admissions
- J.D. Application Information
- ABA Required Disclosures
- Employment Outcomes
- 2026–27 UVA Law Tuition and Cost of Attendance