The University of North Carolina Law School (UNC Law) is located in Chapel Hill, a city of 45,000, more than half of which are UNC students. The law school is currently ranked #30 by U.S. News & World Report and had an acceptance rate of around 20% in 2008.
Carolina Law’s 3-year full-time Juris Doctor (J.D.) program operates from August to May; no part-time or evening programs are available. You can find more about housing information at Living in Chapel Hill.
Contact Information
Van Hecke-Wettach Hall, CB No. 3380
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3380
(919) 962-5109
Email: law_admission@unc.edu
Website: http://www.law.unc.edu
Fast Facts (Class of 2011)
- Enrollment Information
- GPA/LSAT Scores
- Costs and Fees (2008-2009)
Applicants: 3,098
Total enrollment: 256
Women: 51.8%
Minorities: 30%
Student to Faculty Ratio: 1: 15.7
LSAT Median: 161
LSAT 25/75 Percentile: 157-164
UGPA Median: 3.63
UGPA 25/75 Percentile: 3.45-3.8
Tuition: $15,040 (resident); $27,858 (nonresident)
Total estimated budget for residents: $32,832
Total estimated budget for nonresidents: $45,650
Application Procedures
Application fee: $70
Application deadline: February 1, 2009 for Fall 2009 admission
Applicants can download a PDF version of Carolina Law’s application from the school’s website. Electronic applications through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) are also accepted.
In addition to the application and fee, applicants must also submit:
- Official Signature
- All LSAT Scores
- College, Graduate, and Professional School Transcripts
- Personal Statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- Resume
- Completed North Carolina Residency Form (if claiming residency)
Transfer Procedures
Carolina Law does not accept transfer applicants from state residents attending other schools in North Carolina; it does accept applications from state residents attending schools outside of North Carolina as well as nonresidents. Transfer applicants must have completed one year at a law school that is a member of the Association of American Law Schools (AALS).
Transfer applicants must complete a paper application or one online through LSAC; deadline is June 15.
For more information on transferring to UNC Law School, see Applying as a Transfer Student.
Degrees and Curriculum
In order to earn a Juris Doctor degree, a student must acquire 86 credit hours and six semesters in residence. For specific requirements, see Requirements for the JD.
The first-year curriculum includes Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property, Torts, and Research, Writing and Advocacy. Students choose all courses during the second and third years of study but must complete a professional responsibility course and two writing courses to be eligible for graduation.
Carolina Law offers several dual degree programs in which students can earn a J.D. along with another professional degree from one of UNC’s graduate or professional schools, or from Duke University’s Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy; applications to the programs must be filed separately.
Study Abroad
UNC Law has several semester and summer study abroad programs including those in Australia, Germany, Italy, Spain, England, France, Scotland, Mexico, and the Netherlands.
Law Journals and Other Activities
UNC Law School has five student journals, including North Carolina Law Review, North Carolina Journal of Law and Technology, and First Amendment Law Review.
Along with many student organizations, the law school has specialized Programs and Centers for specific legal interests including the Center on Poverty, Work & Opportunity, Center for Banking and Finance, and the Center for Civil Rights.
Bar Exam Passage RateA majority of Carolina Law students take the North Carolina State Bar Exam and, in 2007, achieved an 86.5% pass rate. The overall pass rate for the NC Bar Exam was 74%.
Post-Graduation Employment
From the 2007 graduating class, 98.3% were employed nine months after graduation. Starting salaries in the private sector averaged $115,000, and $45,000 in the public sector.
Sixty-five percent of the Class of 2007 secured work in private practice, 18% went to public interest, government or academic positions, 9% entered the business field, and 8% received judicial clerkships.
