Pre-Legal Education

Evaluating your education

Students beginning their law studies who are unsure if they have the necessary pre-legal education required by Business and Professions Code section 6060 may file an application for Evaluation of Pre-Legal Education. Such an evaluation will help them determine if they are ready to study law. Law schools may file an application on behalf of a potential student. 

In order to be accepted for processing, the student or law school must ensure all necessary documents are submitted, including:

See more information in Pre-Legal Education, Chapter 3, Rule 4.25

The evaluation will help you answer certain questions, including:

  • if you qualify for or are eligible for exemption from the First-Year Law Students’ Examination
  • how much credit they will receive for law study completed
  • how much more law study is required in order to qualify to take the California Bar Examination

You may also file an application for Evaluation of Law Study Completed and/or Contemplated. Law schools may file this application on behalf of a currently enrolled or potential student.

In order to file, a law student must be registered with the State Bar of California’s Office of Admissions and ensure all necessary documents are submitted. These include:

  • A cashier’s check or money order made payable to the State Bar of California for $100

  • Official/certified law school transcripts of all law studies completed to the date of the request in the sealed school envelope(s)

  • A proposed plan of study, if applicable

After receiving applications for either of the above evaluations, the bar will advise the law student or law school official in writing of their status. An evaluation generally takes three to four weeks to complete. 

If you are a foreign-educated law student, DO NOT use either of these forms. File an application for registration as a foreign-educated general applicant.

Less than two years of college

Applicants with less than two years of college (see Rule 4.25(A) of the Admissions Rules and Section 6060(c)(1) of the California Business and Professions Code) may satisfy the general education requirements prior to beginning law study by attaining a score of 50 or higher on the following College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) examinations, which are administered by the College Board:

1. Under Composition and Literature category

  • College Composition

AND

2. Two other examinations, each designed to correspond to full-year courses (six semester hours each**) or four other examinations, each designed to correspond to semester courses (three semester hours each*) that can be selected from any of the following subjects:

  • Composition and Literature (Humanities examination only)
  • Foreign Language
  • History and Social Science
  • Science and Mathematics
  • Business

Applicants must register to take the CLEP examinations directly with the College Board and request that score reports be forwarded by the College Board to the prospective law schools to which they seek admission. Applicants requesting a general education evaluation or pursuing law study under the Committee of Bar Examiners’ Law Office Study program must have the College Board send official score reports to the State Bar’s Office of Admissions in Los Angeles, 845 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, CA 90017-2515. The score recipient code for the Office of Admissions is 7165.

Copies of informational brochures and registration forms are available at local colleges and universities, or by contacting: The College Board, P. O. Box 6600, Princeton, NJ 08541-6600, 800-257-9558, www.collegeboard.com.

** For the summary of credit recommendations for the CLEP examinations and further information, please contact the College Board at the above address.

Related links

Policy Regarding College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

Rule 4.25(B) OF Title 4, Division 1 of the Rules of The State Bar of California (Admissions Rules)