Bar Exam Information

The Law Registrar will begin accepting July bar application materials the Monday following Spring Break. A recorded presentation on how to prepare your bar exam application is available here, along with a copy of the associated slide deck. 

Please contact law-registrar@law.northwestern.edu if you have any questions.

General Bar Exam & Bar Admission Information

Students evolve from education consumers into legal professionals during their progression through law school.  An important part of this transition is taking ownership of the professional obligations inherent in becoming and remaining a licensed attorney.  Ownership includes, among other things:

  • researching and understanding the unique licensure requirements of one's jurisdiction
  • thoroughly reviewing and completing all necessary licensing forms in compliance with any applicable deadlines
  • communicating directly with the bar examiners in one's jurisdiction to resolve questions related to bar examination, licensing, and continuing legal education (CLE) requirements.
  • Staying abreast of changing requirements in one's jurisdiction and appropriately responding to those changes.

Rules vary dramatically from one jurisdiction to another, and as such rules and policies change, you are strongly advised to consult your jurisdiction's bar admission agency directly for the most currently information.  The ABA and National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) both maintain a directory of bar jurisdictions and information on the various components of the bar exam.  The information provided on this page is not a substitute for the student responsibilities mentioned above.  

Overview of Bar Admission

Admission to the bar is conducted through the Board of Bar Examiners of the state in which you are applying. Because each state determines what criteria it will use to determine an attorney’s eligibility for law practice, it is critical you identify the individual requirements for your state prior to starting the bar admission process.  Links to each state’s bar admissions office are available online through the National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) website.  Select a state from the drop-down list found under Jurisdiction Information.

Depending on the jurisdiction, bar application materials may include a Dean’s Certification or Certificate of Graduation (required forms are available directly from your state’s bar examiner).  All forms must be completed by the Office of the Registrar, not the dean of the law school.

How to Submit Materials 

We will accept bar application materials the Monday following Spring Break through the end of May.  

  1. Before filling out your form, be sure to check your conferral date!  Conferral (June) and Convocation (May) are not the same, and you are not considered a graduate until your degree is conferred.  Your degree conferral date is listed on the Academic Calendar.
  2. Completed form(s) may be submitted to the Office of the Registrar via email or drop-off in MC127.  Please include your Student ID number and the State you intend to sit for the bar exam.
  3. All Dean Certification Forms will be completed and sent via FedEx after degree conferral in June.  Once your form has been processed and shipped you will receive a confirmation email and package tracking number.

Early Submission Deadlines

Some states (e.g. New York, Arizona) require submission of bar application forms earlier than the University’s degree conferral date.  We have communicated with these states’ examiners about our conferral date, and they are aware we will send students’ forms immediately following degree conferral.

Do not worry about your eligibility to sit for the Bar Examination if your state is an “early submission deadline” state.  Please follow the instructions above for submitting your forms to ensure timely processing and mailing.

Letter Certifying Graduation

If your state requires a letter certifying your graduation upon degree conferral, email a request to the Office of the Registrar to ensure the letter is created and transmitted before the state’s deadline.

Final Official Transcript

If your state requires a final official transcript sent following your degree conferral, it is your responsibility to order a “Hold for Degree” transcript.

Login to CAESAR and navigate to Student Homepage > Academic Records > Request Official Transcript. Provide the appropriate bar examiner’s name and address for delivery. Select the Processing Time “Hold for Degree” and the desired mailing method.

Illinois Bar Applicants

Please review the Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar website for up-to-date information on their requirements.  You may send us your blank certification form via email.  Please include your Student ID number and degree program (JD, JDMBA, Transfer JD, etc.).  More information governing the Illinois Bar Exam may be searched here, or found through www.ncbex.org. 

California* and Pennsylvania Bar Applicants

These states do not provide a Dean’s Certification with your application materials.  You will need to complete all application materials requested by the Examiners by the application deadline, but you will not submit any certification paperwork to our office. 

After the application deadline passes, the Examiners provide us a list of students for whom they require degree verification and an official transcript.  We verify degrees awarded as part of our Dean’s Certification process in June.

*California applicants, upon receiving the list, you will be contacted and asked to order a transcript via CAESAR.  Please review the State Bar of California's website for up-to-date information on their requirements. More information governing the California Bar Exam may be searched here, or found through www.ncbex.org.   

New York Bar Applicants

Please review the New York State Board of Law Examiners website for up-to-date information on their requirements. The New York Board of Law Examiners uses an auto-populated certification form that pulls data from your electronic bar application. After you receive this pre-filled form from NYBOLE via email (likely sometime in early May), please review the auto-populated fields for compliance.  Make any necessary edits and submit the completed and signed form for processing per the instructions above.

Please see information about NYBOE's Pathway Requirements:

More information governing the New York Bar Exam may be searched here, or found through www.ncbex.org. 

Character and Fitness

Lastly, should you have any questions about the Character and Fitness portion of your bar exam application, please make an appointment with Dean Susie Spies Roth in Student Services.