MLS Application Requirements & Deadlines
Click below to begin your application to the MLS program. All program format options (online or in-person) use the same application form.
Please reach out to the MLS administrative team with questions. MLS application opens August 1.
MLS applications will not be reviewed until November 1.
Applications for Fall 2026 are now open!
Priority Application Deadline
April 1
Application Deadline
May 31
Application Instructions MLS Candidates
To be eligible for consideration for the upcoming cohort, you must submit the Online Application Form and fee, and all other materials necessary to complete the application before the deadline.
All applications completed by the last application deadline will be considered timely and will be reviewed as part of the regular admission process. We do, however, recommend that your file be complete before the last deadline. Applications completed after the deadlines will be reviewed only if circumstances allow. It is the candidate’s responsibility to make sure the application file is complete.
Application Fee
A nonrefundable $55 application fee ($65 for international applicants) is required for applications submitted by April 1. Applications submitted after April 1 will be assessed a $30 late fee. The application fee must be paid using a credit card or debit card.
Application Requirements
For applicants to the online program, please mark the box on the application form that indicates that you intend to complete the program online.
The MLS program requires a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 in undergraduate work. However, some exceptions will be made based on career experience and the length of time in between an undergraduate degree and MLS application.
Applicants must upload a copy of all post-secondary transcripts for all post-secondary schools ever attended. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable to complete the admissions application. These transcripts will be used as working copies during the admissions evaluation process. All grades received for classes taken at an accredited college or university will be used in the calculation of the applicant’s cumulative grade point average.
Candidates are required to submit a personal statement. The personal statement is also viewed as a document demonstrating your writing ability; therefore, the personal statement must be written by you. The Admission Committee’s goal is to assemble an intellectually stimulating community of students composed of individuals who have diverse backgrounds and perspectives. Your personal statement needs to address your reasons for pursuing an MLS degree and how you expect to apply this education professionally. In addition to work experience and superior academic ability, we seek students whose life experiences, backgrounds, and interests will enhance our educational community. This includes, but is not limited to, qualities such as leadership, maturity, organization, knowledge of other languages and cultures, sincere commitment to community service, a history of overcoming disadvantage, extraordinary accomplishment, or success in a previous career. The subject matter of your personal statement is up to you. Your personal statement should be at least two, but no more than three pages double-spaced. The personal statement should let the Admission Committee know more about you as a person and should address the above qualities if that information is not presented in other areas of your application. Issues addressed in your personal statement may include what background, experiences, and events (positive or negative) have affected you.
You are required to submit a writing sample as part of your application. Writing samples may include, but are not limited to, academic papers, inter-office memoranda, or client letters. Redacted confidential information is appropriate. There are no page or word limits. The purpose of this requirement is for you to demonstrate your written communication skills.
Applicants are required to submit an updated resume detailing their accomplishments. While work experience is not required, we typically see applicants with at least two years of full-time professional work experience.
You are required to have two, but may have up to three, letters of recommendation submitted on your behalf. Letters of recommendation should come from people who know you well and have had the opportunity to observe you performing the various skills listed on our Letter of Recommendation form. This form is included in an automated email that is sent out by the Slate application system to all recommenders listed in your application. You will need to provide the names of your recommenders and their email addresses in the application system.
You may apply before you receive your undergraduate degree. However, before you matriculate, you must provide official transcripts showing that you have been awarded a baccalaureate degree from a college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or by the foreign equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate degree.
No specific pre-law curriculum is required for admission to the MLS Program at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law.
The MLS application does not require a standardized test score (GRE, GMAT, MAT, LSAT)
Many undergraduate courses and majors can help you develop the specific skills you will need to succeed in graduate school and in your career. For example, courses that develop written and spoken communication, reading and comprehension, logic and analytical thinking, problem-solving, and effective study skills. A mastery of the English language is of great importance.
International Applicants Additional Requirements
Applicants whose native language is not English must submit an official English Proficiency test to the University of Utah. The test needs to have been administered within the last 12 months of submitting your MLS application.
We accept the following English language proficiency exams with minimum scores:
- TOEFL: 80
- IELTS: 6.5
- Duolingo: 110
Learn more about how to submit your English proficiency test, as well as a list of countries where an English proficiency test may not be required. Please contact iao@utah.edu for more information.
Applicants must upload a copy of all post-secondary transcripts for all post-secondary schools ever attended. The S.J. Quinney College of Law requires that all your foreign transcripts and diplomas/certificates of completion be submitted directly to the University of Utah Office of Admissions. Transcripts must be submitted in English; if they are not in English, an official translation must be provided in addition.
The University of Utah does not accept 3-year degrees. However, a 3-year degree in addition to a 1-2 year post-baccalaureate degree is typically equivalent to a qualifying 4-year degree.
Additional Application Information
MLS students must begin study in the fall semester. Materials submitted in connection with your application file become the property of the S.J. Quinney College of Law and cannot be returned, copied, or forwarded elsewhere. We require applications to be electronically transmitted.
Admission to the S.J. Quinney College of Law is competitive; however, no candidate is accepted or rejected solely on a numerical basis. Factors such as breadth and difficulty of academic background, and significant work experience or life-broadening activities are also considered. Also considered are extracurricular and community activities, leadership ability, advanced degrees of study, geographic and language background. You may disclose important diversity factors such as your age, gender, racial or ethnic identity, disadvantaged socioeconomic or educational background, sexual orientation, non-traditional cultural background, or other similar information.
The University of Utah S.J. Quinney College of Law confidentially maintains your Social Security number and date of birth for routine uses. Disclosure of this information is voluntary, but failure to provide it may result in confusion regarding your identity and could lead to a delay in the processing of your application. Additionally, if you are accepted for admission, there may be a delay or loss of federal and state financial aid, tax credits, student loan deferments, veteran’s benefits, and other benefits under the law. A separate University of Utah identification number will be assigned to you during the application process.