Congratulations on your admission to USD Law!
Our Dean, faculty, and staff are excited to welcome you to the USD Law community. This information is designed to provide you with a basic understanding of the steps toward enrollment at the USD School of Law. We will provide you a variety of information about the law school between now and your orientation week in August. The 1L checklist also provides you with a list of tasks you must accomplish before the start of the school year.
| Important Dates and Deadlines | |
|---|---|
| January 15, 2026 | Early Decision Admit Commitment Deposit Due (Non-refundable; serves as both first and second commitment deposits) |
| March 2, 2026 | FAFSA Priority Filing Deadline |
| March 27, 2026 | Law School Campus Visit Day #1 |
| April 10, 2026 | Law School Campus Visit Day #2 |
| TBA | Law School Admitted Student Diversity Reception |
| April 15, 2026 | First Commitment Deposit Due for All Regular Decision Admits (Non-refundable) |
| June 1, 2026 | Second Commitment Deposit Due for All Regular Decision Admits (Non-refundable) |
| TBA | Wave Soccer Game |
| TBA | Summer Seminar |
| TBA | LGBTQ+ Shindig |
| TBA | Military Connected Student Mixer |
| August 1, 2026 | Official Transcript Due (with degree conferral date) |
| TBA | Padres Game |
| August 10-12, 2026 | First-Year Orientation Week *Mandatory |
| August 15, 2025 | First-Year Part-time Orientation *Available for PT students unable to attend weekday sessions |
| August 17, 2025 | Fall Classes Begin |
Commitment Deposits
Shortly following your offer of admission, you will receive an email with instructions on how to submit an online deposit via the MySanDiego Portal. Additionally, we accept checks or money orders by mail. All deposits are non-refundable and will be applied to the Fall 2026 semester tuition charges. Mail deposits should be made out to
University of San Diego School of Law Admissions Office
Warren Hall 203
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, CA 92110
First Deposit
To reserve your place in the Fall 2026 class, a non-refundable deposit of $400 is due by April 15, 2026 for all regular decision admits. Applicants admitted after April 15th are required to submit the non-refundable first commitment deposit by the deadline noted in their admission letter.
Second Deposit
The second deposit in the amount of $400, non-refundable, is required by June 1, 2026 for all regular decision admits. Students admitted after June 1st are required to submit both the first and second non-refundable commitment deposits (totaling $800) by the deadline noted in their admission letter.
Early Decision Program
For students admitted through the Early Decision Program (EDP), a non-refundable deposit of $800 is due by January 15, 2026. This payment is the only deposit required for EDP admits to secure their seat in the entering class.
International students should plan to enter the United States on a valid F-1 student visa. Please contact Graduate and International Programs for information on requirements for the Certificate of Visa Eligibility (Form I-20), including proof of financial resources sufficient to cover the cost of attendance for one year.
Campus Visit Day
This spring we will host two admitted student events at the University of San Diego School of Law. These Campus Visit Day sessions include a mock law class, reception, panel discussions and guest speaker presentations. Each event offers an opportunity to engage with current students, faculty, senior staff, and/or alumni in intimate online settings. More information regarding registration will be sent before each event. Finally, additional events will be communicated to incoming students as they are scheduled.
If you are unable to attend a Campus Visit Day event, we encourage you to sign up for a virtual law school campus tour hosted online via Zoom!
JD Orientation and the 1L Checklist
The USD School of Law Orientation is mandatory and it is very important that all students attend orientation. The four-day event will prepare you for the many new things you will experience in law school. A schedule of events will be provided to all deposited students by the Office of Student Affairs before orientation.
In the meantime, incoming students should review the 1L Checklist to ensure that they have submitted all necessary paperwork and are aware of every important deadline prior to the start of the school year.
Financial Aid
The USD School of Law is committed to providing all possible financial assistance to students whose personal and family resources are insufficient to meet the cost of law school. The financial aid awarded to USD School of Law students may consist of scholarships, low-interest loans, private loans and college work-study jobs. Since scholarships and some types of loans are limited, students are encouraged to apply early for maximum consideration.
USD Email Account
After submitting the second seat deposit, students can claim their USD One account by clicking "Register for an Account" in the MySanDiego Portal. Your official USD email address is the only email address administrators and professors will use to contact you. Make sure you check your email frequently or have it forwarded to your personal account within plenty of time before orientation so that you don't miss any important communications from USD.
Questions? Call the University of San Diego ITS Help Desk at (619) 260-7900 for tech support.
Have you Submitted your Official Final Transcript?
Admitted students must make best efforts to have their official transcripts on file with the Office of Admissions by August 1, 2026. Only transcripts that include a degree conferral date meet the official transcripts standard. Note, Per ABA Standard 502(d), unless "extraordinary circumstances" apply, a law school must have official transcripts on file for fall matriculating students by October 15th. For students matriculating at any other time, official transcripts must be on file within four weeks of the date classes begin. If the Office of Admissions determines extraordinary circumstances have in fact delayed the receipt of an enrolled student’s official transcripts by stated ABA deadlines, the Office of Admissions will add a written explanation detailing these circumstances to the student's file.
If an enrolled student does not have their final transcripts on file with the Office of Admissions by the applicable deadline, absent a finding of extraordinary circumstances, a student will be automatically withdrawn from the law school. The withdrawn student will remain responsible for all fees and costs associated with their period of enrollment.
Please note transcripts received via LSAC's CAS service satisfy this requirement only if the conferral of your bachelor's degree is indicated on the official final transcript.
Additional Helpful Information for Incoming Students
USD requires certain immunizations and health screening tests, and all incoming students are required to document compliance with these requirements. Please visit the Student Health Center website to complete the mandatory immunization form and TB screening questionnaire. You will need to have created your USD email account in order to submit the form electronically.
All entering students are required to have health insurance while enrolled at USD. You may purchase an insurance policy through the school's provider, or you may waive participation if you have a policy that will provide you with sufficient coverage while you are at USD.
All students must either enroll in or waive out of the student health insurance plan. Your student account will automatically be charged for the student health insurance plan unless you submit a waiver by August 2026.
Any insurance-related questions should be submitted to Gallagher's Customer Service department.
If you are moving to San Diego, we recommend you check out USD's Off-Campus Housing Resource page, as well as the interactive map and neighborhood guide, to help you get to know America's Finest City. Students who have paid their second deposit can make an appointment with the housing resource department by calling (619) 260-6604 or emailing offcampushousing@sandiego.edu.
The Office of Admissions will conduct a roommate survey for entering law students who have submitted both tuition deposits, and a link to the results will be emailed to all participating students. Note: The roommate survey will go live sometime after the April 15th deposit deadline.
Incoming students with disabilities are asked to review accommodation information and to contact the Disability and Learning Difference Resource Center.
The Peer Mentor Program provides incoming students with mentorship support from a returning student. Through our partnership with Mentor Collective we offer highly personalized matches designed to help give students someone they can go to for advice and support. The first year of law school can be one of the most challenging times of a person’s life and having a mentor guide you can be crucial in your success.