Visiting Student Program

Our program for visiting, or non-matriculating, students at Stanford Law School is administered with the intent of aiding students with extenuating or compelling personal circumstances that make studying at Stanford Law School a necessity. Our program is not designed to accommodate students wishing to take advantage of a particular course of study offered here or to take advantage of studying with a particular faculty member.

Due to our limited facilities, we are typically able to accept no more than a few such students each year. Students are notified in June regarding their status and must select courses for the following academic year at that point. Students with visiting status receive no priority in terms of class selection for limited enrollment or consent of instructor courses. However, we do believe that there is sufficient choice available in our program of study to make your year here a profitable one.

To initiate the process, you will need to submit the following materials:

  1. Application for Admission. The Application for JD Admission in Nonmatriculated Status must be completed and sent directly to the Office of Admissions via mail to Stanford Law School, 559 Nathan Abbott Way, Stanford, CA 94305-8610 or via email to admissions@law.stanford.edu. Applications submitted by fax will not be accepted.
  2. Application Fee. The application fee is $100. A check made payable to Stanford Law School must be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions.
  3. Resume. A resume detailing academic, extracurricular, and professional activities must be sent along with the completed application.
  4. Personal Statement. A detailed statement explaining your reasons for studying at Stanford (and why it is a necessity) must be sent along with the completed application.
  5. Letter from Current Law School Dean. A letter from the Dean of your law school granting approval for the visit and indicating the conditions of the visit (minimum GPA allowed, number of pass/fail courses allowed, number of units required, etc.)
  6. CAS Report. We will request your CAS report from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) upon receipt of your application. Please note that your subscription service with LSAC is active for five years from your original registration date. If you do not have an active LSAC registration, you must notify us in writing and arrange to have a copy of your report on file at your law school sent directly to us.
  7. Undergraduate and Non-Law Graduate Transcripts. The official undergraduate transcript on file at LSAC must show conferral of your degree. Official transcripts for any graduate work (non-law) should also be on file at LSAC. If a graduate degree was granted, the transcript must show conferral of your degree.
  8. Law School Transcript. An official law school transcript must be sent directly to the Office of Admissions from your current law school.
  9. Letters of Recommendation. Two letters of recommendation, one of which must be from a law professor, are required. Letters should be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions.
  10. Statement of Undergraduate Dean. The Statement of Undergraduate Dean must be given to the current dean of students (or comparable administrative official with access to the school’s official records) at the college from which you received your baccalaureate degree. The form should be sent directly to the Office of Admissions.

All items must be submitted to the Office of Admissions no later than June 1, 2015. Final decisions should be made by late-June.