FAQS

• I heard that Northeastern doesn't have grades. How does the evaluation system at the law school work?

  That's true. When the law school re-opened in the 1960s, the program was designed to replace the typical adversarial law school environment with a spirit of teamwork and collaboration. In order to do this successfully, student rankings and letter and number grades were replaced with written evaluations of students’ work in class and on co-op. This system:

  • Allows you to work with classmates without worrying that you are giving away the opportunity to be at the top of a grading curve.
  • Gives you a more thorough review of your work by professors, so you know where you are doing well and where you need to improve your performance.
  • Teaches you, before you go out on co-op and begin your career, how to work well on teams and get more out of your work because others depend on it.

  Rather than a number or letter grade, you will receive a narrative evaluation from your professor for each class you take throughout your law school career as well as from your supervisor for each of your co-ops. Copies of all of these evaluations are included in your law school transcript. There are no class rankings or GPAs. Students may also receive Honors or High Honors designations for strong performance in academic courses.

• What resources are available for students with immigration issues, including DACA policy updates?

  Visit northeastern.edu/executive-orders for information and resources regarding immigration issues.

   

• Does Northeastern offer a part-time or evening program?

  Yes, the law school offers a hybrid FlexJD.

   

• I’m interested in working while I attend law school. Is that possible with the full-time program?

  Due to the rigor of law school studies, especially in the first year, we strongly advise against working while enrolled in the full-time JD program. Students frequently take on part-time employment after completing the first year. If you are interested in maintaining full-time employment throughout law school, we encourage you to explore our FlexJD program.

   

• What is a typical class size at Northeastern?

  First-year class sections can range from 40-80 students for Property, Torts, Contracts, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law and Criminal Justice. For our first-year Legal Skills in Social Context program, students work in teams of 12-15 students. The size of our upper-level classes varies.

• Does the law school offer any academic support programs?

  Yes, the Academic Success Program is here to support you with workshops, teaching assistants, study groups and more, particularly as you are making the transition into law school during your first year.

• What clinical programs does the law school offer?

  Northeastern offers students the opportunity to engage in advocacy on behalf of individuals and community organizations often unacknowledged or underrepresented by the justice system. Together, our clinics, institutes and special programs reflect and fulfill a commitment to social and economic justice that distinguishes Northeastern as one of the nation's foremost public interest law schools. Students can participate with faculty and staff in the work of the following outstanding research and service centers. Visit the Clinics section of our website for more information about the different offerings.

• What dual-degree programs does the law school offer?

  Northeastern offers a number of dual-degree programs. Visit the Academics section of our website for details on each program offered.

   

• What is co-op and how does it work?

  Northeastern's unique approach to training law students for a career in the legal profession is known as Cooperative Legal Education. This program ensures that you will graduate in three years with nearly a full year of practical legal experience gained through terms of full-time work ("co-ops"). You will complete a traditional first year of academic study. Then, during your second and third years, you will alternate between full-time classes and full-time legal work. The successful completion of cooperative work program is a graduation requirement for all Northeastern law students.

  The co-op application process begins in the fall of your first year with an information session with the Center for Co-op and Career Development to introduce the co-op program. Students who will be going out on their first co-op in the summer will have subsequent trainings through the fall covering the co-op application process, policies and procedures, résumés, cover letters and other topics. Students who will be going out for their first co-op in the fall will participate in these same sessions the following spring.

  Students receive a weekly newsletter from the Center for Co-op and Career Development listing all new co-op positions and will receive regular reminders for all deadlines for the quarters during which they will be going on co-op. Co-op advisors are available to meet with you to review résumés, cover letters, and other application materials; to help you choose the right co-ops to apply to; to discuss or practice for interviews; to help you weigh offers and choose how to respond; and to work with you on any other professional development goals.

• Will it take longer to earn a JD because of the co-op program?

  No. You will be able to complete Northeastern’s JD requirements in the same three years as your counterparts at other law schools. Not only will you complete your JD in three years, you’ll gain nearly a full year of legal work experience while doing so.

• Why is Northeastern considered a premier public interest law school?

  Nationally recognized for its commitment to public interest law, Northeastern University School of Law is a dynamic institution for service as well as learning. Whether they are representing indigent clients, combating discrimination, working with survivors of domestic violence, advocating for equal access to health care or ensuring fair treatment for immigrants, Northeastern students, graduates, staff and faculty are on the front lines, making the world a more humane and compassionate place.

  You’ll find that social justice is a theme in your law school courses and discussions throughout your career at Northeastern. As a first-year student, you’ll complete Northeastern’s year-long Legal Skills in Social Context program, where you’ll develop legal research, writing and advocacy skills and put those new skills to use in a social justice project on behalf of a real-world nonprofit or community-based organization. Furthermore, you’ll fulfill a public interest requirement before you graduate by going on a public interest co-op, participating in a law school clinic, completing uncompensated legal work in a public interest setting or on a pro bono project at a firm, or doing a public interest independent study.

• What support does Northeastern offer to students and alumni who work in the public interest sector?

  Northeastern’s most generous and prestigious scholarship program is the full-tuition Public Interest Law Scholars (PILS) Program.

  A variety of endowed scholarships are also awarded annually to upper-level students; some of these scholarships have very specific eligibility criteria.

  In addition, students undertaking public interest co-ops may also be eligible for co-op stipends. The Cooperative Income Sharing Program (CISP) is a student-run and student-managed organization dedicated to increasing awareness of, and student participation in, public service. CISP provides approximately $24,000 annually to students accepting unfunded co-ops with public interest employers. Stipends have allowed students on co-op to represent immigrants seeking political asylum, tenants fighting to prevent eviction, women seeking shelter from domestic violence, children trying to obtain educational services, mothers seeking child support payments, inmates challenging overcrowded prison conditions and more.

  Alumni who enter public service after graduation may be able to have student loans forgiven through Northeastern’s Loan Deferral and Forgiveness Program and/or through the federal College Cost Reduction and Access Act

• Is the law school diverse?

  Yes! Visit the Class Profile page of our website to see the makeup of our current 1L class. Northeastern seeks a student body with a broad set of interests, backgrounds, life experiences and perspectives. Our students represent various political ideologies as well as religious, cultural and social backgrounds, including a large number of LGBTQ+ students.

   

• Is the law school faculty accessible to students?

  Absolutely! Most professors have open door policies, meaning that if they are in the building, students are free to come by to say hello, ask questions or get help with difficult course material. Professors also have designated office hours and are widely available via email. Finally, professors are very involved on the campus through student organizations, social events and other activities that allow students to get to know them on a personal and professional level.

   

• Is on-campus housing available?

  University housing will not be available to new or returning law students at this time.

• I do not currently live in the Boston area. How can I find an apartment off-campus?

  Most students prefer to live in an apartment off-campus. There are many apartments available near the school, and even more apartments in surrounding areas close to public transportation. The most popular neighborhoods for students to live are Jamaica Plain (a 15-20 minute commute on the Orange Line or bus), Cambridge (especially Central Square - a short commute on the #1 Bus or Red/Orange Lines), and the Fenway area (a 10-15 minute walk). Northeastern is accessible via two lines of the MBTA subway system, the Orange Line and Green E-Line, as well as multiple bus lines. Students are encouraged to utilize the resources provided by Off Campus Housing and Support Services, which include access to apartment listings and information about the various neighborhoods near campus.

Foreign-Trained Lawyers Program Applicant Question

• What materials do I need to submit to apply for admission to the Foreign-Trained Lawyer Program?

  You must submit a completed application form, résumé and personal statement. You must submit your transcript(s) and letter(s) of recommendation through the Law School Admission Council’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Once the law school receives your application, we will contact the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) in order to obtain copies of your transcript(s), letter(s) of recommendation and any other information you have sent to LSAC. Additionally, applicants whose foreign degree program was not taught in English must submit a TOEFL score report directly to Northeastern University School of Law (institution code 3658). Alternately, Northeastern University School of Law will accept an official IELTS score report.

• Do I need an LSAT score?

  You are not required to submit an LSAT score if you hold a law degree from a non-US law school. If you have an LSAT score, it will appear on your CAS report and be considered as part of your application.

• Do I need a TOEFL?

  If your foreign degree program was not taught in English, you will need to submit a TOEFL score report directly to Northeastern University School of Law (institution code 3658). Alternately, Northeastern University School of Law will accept an official IELTS score report.

• When is the application deadline for the Foreign-Trained Lawyer Program?

  Your application and supporting documents should be received by Admissions by March 1 of the year you would like to enter. The later you apply, the fewer seats will be available in our class. If you will require a visa to study in the United States, please submit your application before July 1 to ensure enough time to secure your visa.

• How will my credits be evaluated for advanced standing?

  Once you have been granted admission to the JD program, Academic and Student Affairs will review your transcript and evaluate you for advanced standing.

• Are international students applying as foreign-trained lawyers eligible for merit-based scholarships?

  No, international students who apply under the Foreign-Trained Lawyer Program are not eligible for merit-based tuition scholarships.

• Are international students eligible for loans?

  International students may apply for loans from private student loan lenders; however, these loans typically require a creditworthy co-signer who is a US citizen or permanent resident. US federal student loans are not available to international students.

• Once I am an advanced standing student, what will the length of my program be?

  Students admitted with advanced standing typically complete the JD program in two years. Although situations may vary, students with advanced standing usually enter in late August with the incoming first year JD class and graduate in August two years later.

Transfer Applicant Questions

• What materials do I need to submit to apply for admission as a transfer student?

  To apply as a transfer student, submit an application, Dean's letter of good standing, résumé, transfer statement, and current CAS report that includes LSAT score(s), two letters of recommendation (one of which must be from a law school faculty member), and all required transcripts.

• When is the application deadline for transfer applicants?

  There are two transfer options available:

  Early Transfer: March 1 Deadline
  If accepted, early transfer students will begin upper-level coursework when the summer term commences at the beginning of May.

  Regular Transfer: July 1 Deadline*
  If accepted, regular transfer students will begin upper-level coursework in the fall term.

  *This is the priority deadline for transfer students. Applications received after July 1 will be reviewed on a space-available basis.

• What does Northeastern University School of Law look for in a transfer applicant?

  We will focus primarily on your performance in your first year of law school, but we will also consider your undergraduate work, LSAT score, outside activities and connection to the mission of Northeastern University School of Law. You should have enrolled in the following classes in your first year in order to be eligible for admission as a transfer student.

  Civil Procedure
  Constitutional Law
  Contracts
  Criminal Justice/Criminal Law
  Property
  Legal Writing
  Torts

  If you have not or will not complete these courses in your first year, please contact Academic and Student Affairs at lawstudentaffairs@northeastern.edu or 617.373.5147.

• I am attending a law school that is not ABA-accredited. Can I transfer to Northeastern?

  Unfortunately not. In order to transfer to Northeastern, you must have completed your first year at another ABA-accredited law school.

• How many transfer students enroll in a given year?

  It varies from year to year; we typically enroll a small class of transfer students.

• Assuming that I am accepted, will all of the credits from my first year at my current law school transfer?

  Academic and Student Affairs determines which credits transfer on a case-by-case basis. First-year students at Northeastern take seven courses (Civil Procedure, Property, Torts, Criminal Justice, Constitutional Law, Contracts and Legal Skills in Social Context). Transfer students are not required to take Legal Skills in Social Context, but must complete a first-year legal writing course. If you have any questions as to which courses will transfer, please contact Academic and Student Affairs at lawstudentaffairs@northeastern.edu or 617.373.5147.