Admitted Students FAQ

Accepting Your Offer of Admission

How do I accept my offer of admission?

A nonrefundable enrollment deposit of $400 is due by the deadline specified in your offer of admission. Enrollment deposits must be paid online by credit card and will be applied to tuition and fees for the Fall 2026 semester. Prior to matriculation, you will have to pay a separate, nonrefundable Orientation fee of $100. More information on that will be included in our Enrollment Verification form, made available in July.

What if I don't want to accept my offer of admission?

If you have decided not to enroll, we ask that you expressly withdraw your application to decline your offer rather than ghosting us. Withdrawing your application in a timely manner may give us the opportunity to offer admission another deserving applicant.

What if I paid my enrollment deposit already but no longer intend to enroll?

If your plans change and you no longer intend to enroll, please withdraw your application as soon as possible so we can plan properly plan for the upcoming year. Enrollment deposits are nonrefundable, so if you withdraw after enrolling, you will forfeit the entirety of your deposit and are not entitled to any refund

Besides the enrollment deposit, what else will I need to do before I matriculate?

Plenty, but not just yet! Right now, the only other step to take is to file your FAFSA, if you intend to make use of federal student loans. (Make sure to check out the Financial Aid page for an overview of the FAFSA process.) Over the summer, we'll provide a checklist of pre-matriculation tasks to enrolled students, among the most crucial of which will be making sure that your final transcript is on file with the Office of Admissions.

"Final transcript?" Didn't I already provide my transcripts?

Yes, and if you had already graduated by September 1, 2026, we would have ensured your final transcript was already on file. If you applied while in the process of finishing your degree, however, you will need provide an updated official transcript showing your degree as conferred, a.k.a. your “final transcript.” We recommend contacting your school's registrar to verify that your transcript shows your degree as conferred before placing your order. Final transcripts must be sent to LSAC for required processing and on file with the Office of Admissions by July 15, 2027. Transcripts sent directly to law school cannot be accepted. If your final transcript will not be available by July 15, you must request a final transcript extension in advance.

Can I defer my enrollment?

No, not exactly. Brandeis Law does not offer deferral of admission or enrollment, and we encourage students to reapply when the time is right. Each year sees a different pool of applicants, and all applications are evaluated in the context of their current pool, both with respect to admission and scholarship. As a courtesy, if a student who had paid the enrollment deposit in a given year were to withdraw and seek admission the following year, and if the student is again admitted and decides to enroll at Brandeis Law, then their previously paid enrollment deposit would carry over and be applied to their first semester’s tuition bill.

Institutional Scholarships

When would I know if I've been offered a scholarship from Brandeis Law?

The Admissions Committee renders admission decisions and scholarship determinations concomitantly, so if you have been offered institutional scholarship funding, that information would be included in your offer of admission or else you would receive an email about scholarship as a follow-up to your offer of admission.

Is my scholarship negotiable?

No. When our Admissions Committee makes an offer of institutional scholarship, it always leads with its best offer so that students have the necessary information from the get-go and can make the decision that will be right for them. As such, we do not engage in scholarship negotiation.

What if another school gave me more money?

We know our candidates may have multiple offers to consider, but as a policy, the Admissions Committee does not measure against what scholarship offers other schools may have made. Different schools have different costs of attendance, applicant pools, goals, experiences they can offer students and budgets from which to draw scholarship funding. We trust each applicant to make their own best choice, balancing the priorities that are most important to them, including access to specific professional opportunities, the right kind of learning environment, financial confidence, location or other factors.

Will I be reconsidered for scholarship in my second (or later) year?

No, but other funding opportunities, such as fellowships or research assistantships, are available to upper-level students. The amount of institutional scholarship funding that a student is offered through the admissions process reflects the entirety of institutional scholarship funding they may receive throughout their time in the JD program. Institutional scholarships are renewable for up to six semesters in the JD program, and students automatically maintain their institutional scholarship as long as they remain in good academic standing and abide by the Honor Code. (Good academic standing requires a cumulative law school GPA of 2.0 or higher, and students whose GPA is less than 2.5 must participate in academic support programming in order to maintain good standing.) For more information, please review our Scholarship Agreement.

Can I receive a stipend for living expenses?

Brandeis Law does not offer stipends for living expenses or any other costs beyond tuition; institutional scholarship represents a discount on tuition and therefore cannot exceed the total of tuition billed to a student for any given semester. If you intend to use federal student loans to assist with their living expenses, be sure to file your FAFSA!

Orientation & 1L Year

Am I required to attend Orientation?

Yes, Orientation is mandatory for all entering first-year students. Orientation is scheduled for the week of August 9, 2027, and is considered part of the academic year for first-year students. Further information regarding Orientation, including the schedule of events, will be made available over the summer. Students who will be moving to a new residence are strongly encouraged to do so in advance of Orientation.

What is the first-year curriculum like?

The standard first-year course load comprises 15 credit hours of required courses in each the Fall and Spring semester. Students who take the reduced course load of 11 credit hours per semester in their first year must ultimately complete the same set of required courses by the end of their second year. All first-year students also participate in the Foundational Skills Lab through the Academic Success Program and other occasional mandatory programming.

How do 1Ls register for classes?

First-year students are not responsible for course registration. The first-year cohort will be divided into two large sections for podium courses and further divided into smaller sections for Lawyering Skills. Students taking the standard course load may not request a specific section or change sections, while students taking the reduced course load will meet with the Office of Admissions over the summer to discuss their class schedule. In May, students will be placed in temporary sections so that the University's systems can identify them as enrolled for billing and financial aid purposes. The temporary sections do not represent the sections to which students will be assigned, and students should not purchase textbooks until they have been notified of their actual sections in July.

I applied intending to take the standard course load, but I'd rather take a reduced course load. What should I do?

You may request to amend your enrollment from the standard course load to the reduced course load (or vice versa) by contacting the Office of Admissions at lawadmissions@louisville.edu. All enrollment amendment requests must be received by August 1, 2027.

Can I work as a first-year student?

The first year of law school is a big undertaking, much like a full-time job itself, so it's wise not to overextend yourself. Students taking the standard course load are strongly discouraged from working during their 1L year and may work no more than 20 hours per week. Students taking the reduced course load may work more than 20 hours per week but must seek advance permission from the Office of Academic Affairs to do so. A student's work schedule must not interfere with their ability to attend classes or to participate in other mandatory programming, and the Office of Academic Affairs may revoke its permission if a student exhibits unsatisfactory performance.

Housing & Parking

Do most students live on campus or off campus?

The grand majority of Brandeis Law students live off campus. Our students live all across the greater Louisville area, though first-year students tend to live a bit closer to campus. To explore off-campus options, UofL provides a list of off-campus housing resources that you may find helpful, including its Off-Campus Housing Marketplace, which features available listings, a roommate search and a set of renter education videos. The Class of 2030 GroupMe can also be a great way to connect with potential roommates and discuss housing arrangements!

Is on-campus housing available for law students?

Yes, there are on-campus housing options available to law students, but they are limited in number, and there are no campus properties exclusively for graduate or professional students, so you may have roommates or neighbors who are undergraduates. To learn more, visit the University Housing website for information about the on-campus housing application, housing options and current costs.

If I plan to live on campus, when do I move in?

You may need to contact Campus Housing to request an early move-in, as move-in dates for campus properties are based on the undergraduate academic calendar, and undergraduate classes typically start later than our Orientation takes place. Campus Housing may require a certified letter from the Office of Admissions, so if you need one of those, please email us at lawadmissions@louisville.edu.

How do I get a University of Louisville parking permit?

Parking permits for the upcoming academic year will become available for purchase over the summer, typically late June or early July. Information about parking policies, permit pricing and other options to get to campus are available on the Parking & Transportation Services website.

Other FAQ

Does the University of Louisville offer health insurance for law students?

Yes, the University offers a student health insurance plan, including coverage for both inpatient and outpatient services. Under its Comprehensive Plan, Campus Health Services serves as the primary care provider, and a referral is necessary for most services rendered outside of its two clinic locations. If you have questions about the student health insurance plan, please contact the University's Insurance Advocate. In addition to insurance, the University charges all students a Primary Care Health Fee of $150 per semester; the PCHF is not a health insurance product but may be used to supplement a student's insurance or may be waived with proof of insurance.

Can the law school provide verification of enrollment for health insurance eligibility or student loan deferral?

Yes, but we cannot provide verification of enrollment until the start of Orientation. Prior to Orientation, the Office of Admissions can only provide a letter certifying that you have been admitted and have paid your enrollment deposit, but whether that letter is sufficient is up to the recipient. In either case, please contact the Office of Admissions at lawadmissions@louisville.edu with your request.

Who can assist me with military education benefits?

If you plan to use the Post-9/11 or Montgomery GI Bill, Veterans Choice Act, Kentucky Tuition Waiver Program or any other military education benefits in pursuing your JD, or if you want to discuss other resources available to students with military connections, please reach out to the Center for Military-Connected Students. The University of Louisville participates in the Yellow Ribbon Program and assists students with processing both federal and state VA educational benefits. Students may be eligible for military education benefits either as a qualifying veteran or as the spouse or dependent of a qualifying veteran.

Who can assist me with classroom or exam accommodations?

If you believe you may be eligible for classroom or exam accommodations as provided by the ADA, you will work with the Disability Resource Center on the determination and approval process after you have made the decision to enroll and placed your enrollment deposit. The law school's Offices of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs then work together to implement accommodations as approved by the DRC.

Am I required to own a computer?

We suppose owning a computer is not technically "required," but it's nearly imperative. While the specs are largely up to you and what you believe your needs will be, the law school uses Exam4 software, so it's important to make sure your computer sports a supported operating system.

I want to show my school spirit! Where can I get some Brandeis Law gear?

Once you've matriculated, you'll be able to purchase Brandeis Law merchandise (or should that be “merchandeis?”) from the Student Bar Association, the law school's student governance organization that purveys wares to support its student-centered initiatives. In the meantime, the online Brandeis Law Store, run by the law school's Alumni Council, offers a range of high-quality Brandeis Law apparel for sale. Bear in mind that some of the items feature our alumni logo, so take care when making selections. Finally, all new students will receive an exclusive, not-available-in-stores T-shirt at Orientation, courtesy of the Office of Admissions!