Admissions Process for International Students

Applicants with Undergraduate Degrees Earned Outside the U.S. (J.D. Program)

The University of Houston Law Center requires foreign educated applicants to the JD program to submit their foreign transcripts through the Law School Admissions Council Credential Assembly Service (“CAS”).  This service is included in the LSDAS subscription fee.  If you completed any post-secondary work outside the U.S. (including its territories) or Canada, you must use this service for the evaluation of your foreign transcripts.  A Foreign Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (“AACRAO”), which will be incorporated into your LSDAS report.

TOEFL scores should also be submitted to the CAS by the Educational Testing Service (ETS); LSAC's TOEFL code for the CAS is 0058.  Your score will be included in your LSDAS law school report.   The Law Center requires a score of 600 on the paper-based exam, or 100 on the Internet-based test.  The TOEFL exam is only required of applicants who obtained their law degree from a country where English is NOT the official language.  If you earned your degree from a university where the courses are taught in English, we do not require the TOEFL. 

To use the CAS, log into your LSAC online account and follow the instructions for registering for the service.  Be sure to print out a Transcript Request Form for each institution and send it promptly to them.  More time is usually required to receive foreign transcripts.  Questions about the CAS should be directed to LSAC at 215.968.1001, or LSACINFO@LSAC.ORG.

Any student who is not a U.S. citizen and holds a temporary visa (F-1 or J-1) is classified as an international student by the UH Law Center.  In addition to meeting standard admissions requirements, these applicants must submit the following:

• Official report of a score of 600 or higher on the paper-based TOEFL exam or 100 on the Internet-based TOEFL exam, for students whose native language is not English. Students who have earned their degree from a non-English speaking country are required to take the TOEFL exam
• Non-U.S. citizens must include a copy of immigration documents (such as a current U.S. visa or permanent resident card) when submitting the application, if applicable.

• Letter of Financial Backing and Statement of Understanding (U.S. citizens and permanent residents are exempt.)

Applicants with a foreign law degree may petition for credit toward their J.D. after they have completed the first-year curriculum. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs has the sole discretion to credit up to 30 semester hours.

Applicants who are neither U.S. citizens, nor permanent residents are designated as international applicants, as are applicants (including U.S. citizens) who have been educated outside the United States.  Upon accepting an offer of admission, international applicants must pay a $75 fee to the Office of International Admissions (“OIA”) for student visa processing and foreign degree posting.