Columbia University application requirements
Apply by February 15, 2027 (Fall 2027 entering class). The application fee is $85. Columbia University requires 6 application materials, listed below.
Deadline
Application deadline: February 15, 2027 for Fall 2027 entering class.
What you must submit
- Personal statement/essay
- GRE or LSAT score
- Two letters of recommendation
- Resume
- Dean's appraisal(s)/certification(s)
- Academic transcripts
Columbia University requires the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) for this application.
Tests accepted: LSAT or GRE.
Recommendation letters
Two letters of recommendation required. Candidates currently in school or recently graduated (within approximately two years of their degree) must submit two academic letters from faculty who taught them in the classroom or evaluated them in a significant academic capacity; candidates who completed their undergraduate degrees in 2024 or earlier are strongly encouraged to submit one professional letter and at least one academic letter
Personal statement
Personal statement/essay required, submitted electronically at the time of the initial application; Columbia is curious about the applicant's interests, goals, and aspirations and how the J.D. program at Columbia can help achieve them, the contributions the applicant hopes to make to the Columbia community and the legal profession, and their personal, intellectual, and professional background or other relevant information not conveyed elsewhere. It should be double-spaced and approximately two pages in length (the FAQ adds there is no official page limit, with two double-spaced pages as a guideline)
Fees and waivers
Application fee: $85.
Columbia University admissions numbers
Columbia University admissions data · What LSAT do you need for Columbia University? · Does Columbia University interview applicants?
Requirements verified 2026-10-20 against Columbia University's published application instructions. Deadlines and fees change each cycle — confirm on the school's site before you submit. Medians from ABA Standard 509 disclosures via ILRG, Fall 2025 entering class.