Admission to the Master of Legal Studies Program

Admission Process

Fill Out An Application

Complete an application for admission online. Incomplete applications will not be considered. In addition to the application, applicants are advised to promptly complete the FAFSA.

Transcripts

MLS applicants must provide official transcripts from colleges and universities at which a bachelor's degree or higher was earned. In order to be considered official, transcripts must be sent directly to Trinity Law School by the issuing school or provided through the LSAC's Credential Assembly Service.

Recommendations

Two recommendations are required for MLS applicants. These recommendations may be from professors, instructors, or professional associates, who can comment on the candidate's character and potential for success in legal study. Recommenders should send recommendations directly to Trinity Law School or via LSAC's Credential Assembly Service.

Personal Statement

All MLS applicants are required to submit a personal statement. The personal statement should address why the applicant desires to study at Trinity Law School as well as the applicant's future professional and personal goals.

Interviews

Prior to an admission decision, applicants may be required to interview with the Admissions Office. The Admissions Office will contact eligible applicants to schedule an interview.

Acceptance and Notification

The Admissions Office promptly notifies applicants regarding admission decisions rendered on submitted applications. Applicants accepted to Trinity Law School will be advised of the matriculation requirements.

Completion of Admission File

Within 45 days after the start of the student’s first term at Trinity Law School, Trinity Law school must receive documents required by Trinity Law School’s then-current admission policies. This deadline does not apply to the production of a bachelor degree. Production of a bachelor degree must occur within the first three terms of MLS enrollment. When calculating the deadline for the production of a bachelor degree, the term of first enrollment is used notwithstanding any withdrawals or leaves of absence. If the required documents are not obtained within 45 days after the start of the term, Trinity Law School may extend attendance for no more than an additional 45 days under exceptional circumstances. Such exceptional circumstances must be documented in the student’s file.

Categories of Admission

Applicants previously awarded a bachelor’s degree from a qualified institution of higher learning are considered for admission.

Individuals can also apply as visiting students to the MLS program if they desire to take a few units but not earn a degree. To qualify, applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from a qualifying university. Each visiting student application is reviewed on an individual basis. The primary use of this option in the MLS program is for qualified applicants to enroll in Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) courses to prepare for the SHRM examination.

Students with a Bachelor’s Degree from a Foreign School 

Trinity Law School welcomes foreign-educated applicants. However, there are particular admission requirements for evaluating foreign credentials. Foreign-educated applicants must request a course-by-course evaluation from a credential evaluation service approved by the State Bar of California. The list of approved agencies is available from the State Bar of California and the Trinity Law School Admissions Department.

The MLS program is an online program, which means students who are not citizens of the United States or permanent residents are not eligible to apply for an F-1 visa for this course of study.

All instruction at Trinity Law School is in English. Trinity Law School does not provide English language services.

Applicants for whom English is not their first language may be required to provide evidence of a passing Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score if they have not earned a ‘C’ or better in a regular (non-English as a Second Language (ESL)) college-level English composition course at an accredited United States college or university.

A passing TOEFL score is either 580 (paper-based examination), 92 (internet-based examination), or 237 (computer-based examination). Scores from any test format should be sent to TLS directly from Educational Testing Service.

International students who must obtain a Passing TOEFL Score may alternatively demonstrate English competency by the completion of one of the following methods:

• Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) with a verbal recentered score of 450 or higher.
• English Language Services (ELS) Language Centers’ Level 112 of ELS’s English for Academic Purposes (EAP) program with a grade of at least ‘B.’
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) examination score total of 6.5 or higher.

If a student does not meet Trinity Law School’s required level of English proficiency at the time of application, a “conditional letter of admission” may be granted.