Phone: 1-760-855-3137
Requirements for Admission to the JD Program
Admission is granted to all qualified persons regardless of age, race, disability, religion, or ethnic origin.
It is the applicant's responsibility to make all arrangements for transcripts. Failure to fully complete the Application for admission and furnish supporting transcripts will delay action on the application.
Prior to submitting an application for admission to the WSLS JD Program, Prospective Students should review the requirements for admission to practice law in California as set forth in CA BPC § 6060.
Applicants are required to meet the State Bar of California's Pre-Legal Education Requirements in order to be admitted to the JD Program, which may be satisfied as described below:
First Year Applicants
Applicants must have satisfactorily:
(A) earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree or Bachelor of Science (BS) degree at a regionally accredited or approved school recognized by the Committee of Bar Examiners, or
(B) earned an Associate of Arts (AA) degree or Associate of Science (AS) degree at a regionally accredited or approved school recognized by the Committee of Bar Examiners, or
(C) completed 60 semester (90 quarter units) of college work applicable to a Bachelor degree at a regionally accredited or approved school recognized by the Committee of Bar Examiners, or
(D) achieved passing scores on the CLEP examinations.
Note: Pre-law studies at institutions outside the United States or its territories and possessions may be accepted after evaluation.
Applicants with Bachelors degree (BA, BS) or Associates (AA, AS) degree
Applicants who have either a Bachelors degree or an Associates degree at a regionally accredited or approved school recognized by the Committee of Bar Examiners will be deemed to satisfy the Pre-Legal Education requirement.
Applicants with 60 semester units (90 quarter units) of college education
Applicants that have completed at least 60 semester units (90 quarter units) of college work applicable to a Bachelor degree at a regionally accredited or approved school recognized by the Committee of Bar Examiners, with an average grade at least equal to that required for graduation, must submit an Application for Evaluation of Pre-Legal Education with the State Bar of CA prior to starting law school. Please note that evaluations generally take 3-4 weeks to complete.
Applicants with less than two years of college (CLEP exam)
Applicants that have not satisfactorily completed at least two years of college work, may apply on the basis of passing examinations given by the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP), which upon such passing will satisfy the requirement to study law. Please see the State Bar of CA’s requirements for College Equivalency Education.
Applicants with Foreign Undergraduate Work
An applicant who intends to begin the study of law who has completed their undergraduate work in a foreign country must first have an evaluated course breakdown of all-postsecondary education completed. This must be done by a credential evaluation agency approved by the Committee of Bar Examiners. The applicant must request that one copy of the evaluation be sent directly to the law school. An exception to this evaluation requirement is when the applicant has earned a Master's degree at a regionally accredited or approved school recognized by the Committee of Bar Examiners. Such an applicant must request that one copy of their Master's degree transcript be sent directly to the law school.
WSLS does not participate in programs administered by the Department of Homeland Security for the enrollment of foreign students.
Requirements for Admission to the JD Program
Admission is granted to all persons regardless of age, race, disability, religion, or ethnic origin.
It is the applicant's responsibility to make all arrangements for transcripts. Transcripts delivered by the applicant in person will be accepted if they are official transcripts (in a sealed and unopened envelope). Failure to fully complete the Application for admission and furnish supporting transcripts will delay action on the application.
Prior to submitting an application for admission to the WSLS JD Program, Prospective Students should review the requirements for admission to practice law in California as set forth in CA BPC § 6060.
Advanced Student (Transfer) Applicants
Applicants who have completed law studies at other law schools may apply for advanced standing in the fall, spring, and summer and are subject to the rules of the State Bar. The awarding of transfer credit is subject to the following limitations:
(A) No credit may be granted unless the applicant has passed the First-Year Law Students’ Examination or became exempt while attending an accredited law school. To be exempt from the examination, the student must have successfully completed the first year at the accredited law school and have been advanced to the second year by the same law school.
(B) Credit should ordinarily be granted for whole courses completed not more than twenty-seven (27) months prior to the date the applicant begins study at the admitting law school. This time limitation does not apply to students who have passed the First-Year Law Students’ Examination. In some instances, such as illness, personal tragedy or military service, it may be appropriate to permit credit for studies completed more than twenty-seven (27) months prior to admission.
Applicants previously disqualified for academic reasons may be granted admission when there is an affirmative showing by the applicant that he or she possesses the requisite ability for the study of law. Such a showing may be made:
(A) at any time, if the applicant presents credible evidence that the prior disqualification was not caused by the applicant's lack of capacity for the study of law, but resulted from a traumatic event or serious hardship that prohibited the applicant from performing at her or his normal level; or
(B) after at least two (2) years have elapsed since the disqualification, if the applicant demonstrates that work, study, or other experience during the interim has resulted in a stronger potential for law study than the applicant exhibited at the time he or she was previously disqualified for academic reasons.
Decisions made regarding admission are made on a case by case basis. Factors considered include previous grades earned, and how the student might fit into the program at WSLS while meeting the requirements of the State Bar. WSLS reserves the right to refuse any credit for advanced standing. The law school has not entered into a transfer or articulation agreement with any other college or university.
We recommend submitting an Application for Evaluation of Law Study Completed and Contemplated with the State Bar of CA if you are unsure whether you are exempt from the First-Year Law Students’ Examination. An evaluation generally takes 3-4 weeks to complete.
Application Process & Deadlines
Application Deadlines
All required documents including official transcripts, letters of recommendations and personal statement must be submitted by the following application deadlines:
First Year students may begin in the Fall or Spring quarters. Transfer students may begin in any quarter (Fall, Winter, Spring, Summer).
Application Process
Step 1: Gather All Required Documents
To assist you in gathering information needed to complete the application for admission, it may be helpful to have these documents ready:
Step 2: Submit your online Application for Admission here.
Step 3: Pay Application Fee
Once your Application for Admission is submitted with the required attachments (unofficial transcripts, 2 letters of recommendation, personal statement), an invoice will be sent within 1 business day to the email address you provided for the $50 application fee.
Step 4: Send Official transcripts (if needed)
Please have all official transcripts mailed to: P.O. Box 748, Bonsall, CA 92003 or emailed to registrar@wslawschool.com.
Step 5: Application review & decision
Once your complete application is received, including official transcripts, and the application fee is paid, please allow 1-2 weeks for review. You will be contacted by email with any questions, requests for additional information if needed, and your application decision.
Required Disclosures
The method of instruction at this law school for the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree program is principally in physical classroom facilities.
Students enrolled in the J.D. degree program at this law school who successfully complete the first year of law study must pass the First-Year Law Students’ Examination required by Business and Professions Code § 6060(h) and Title 4, Division 1, Chapter 1 Rule 4.3(I) of the of the Rules of the State Bar of California as part of the requirements to qualify to take the California Bar Examination. A student who passes the First-Year Law Students’ Examination within three (3) administrations of the examination after first becoming eligible to take it will receive credit for all legal studies completed to the time the examination is passed. A student who does not pass the examination within three (3) administrations of the examination after first becoming eligible to take it must be promptly disqualified from the law school’s J.D. degree program. If the dismissed student subsequently passes the examination, the student is eligible for reenrollment in this law school’s J.D. degree program, but will receive credit for only one year of legal study.
Study at, or graduation from, this law school may not qualify a student to take the bar examination or to satisfy the requirements for admission to practice in jurisdictions other than California. A student intending to seek admission to practice law in a jurisdiction other than California should contact the admitting authority in that jurisdiction for information regarding the legal education requirements in that jurisdiction for admission to the practice of law.
View / Download our 2021 Information Report
LSAT
The LSAT is not a requirement of admission, although it is recommended for all applicants and especially for those who do not have at least two years of college work and students admitted after a prior disqualification.
More information about the LSAT can be found Here.
Cal. Bar Admission Requriements
Admitted students who successfully complete the WSLS JD Program, and earn a JD degree, will satisfy the legal education requirement specified in the State Bar of California's Admission Requirements.
*Students are encouraged to register with the Cal. Bar as a law student w/in 60 days of beginning their legal education.
Tuition Summary
Students must complete 120 units to earn a Juris Doctor degree from WSLS (30 units/year on average, but no less than 27 units/year per the CA State Bar’s rules).
Tuition is approximately $10,500/year (based on 30 units). Tuition is due in full by the end of the registration period prior to the start of the quarter that the student is registering to attend. A student with an outstanding tuition balance will not be permitted to register for the next quarter’s classes which may affect California Bar Exam eligibility. Tuition is subject to change.
Tuition & Fees
Refund Policy
The student has the right to withdraw the enrollment agreement and obtain a refund of tuition (not including fees) prior to the start of the quarter. The application fee and registration fees are non-refundable. Intent to withdraw must be made in writing via email to registrar@wslawschool.com and is effective on the date of receipt.
If a student cancels registration before the start of classes for a given quarter, all funds paid for tuition (but not fees) will be refunded. The registration fee is non-refundable. Intent to cancel registration must be made in writing via email to registrar@wslawschool.com and is effective on the date of receipt.
If a student cancels registration after attending classes, tuition (but not fees) will be refunded according to the pro-rata refund policy below.
Academic disqualifications and dismissals are treated the same as registration cancellations for refund purposes.
Pro-rata refund policy
Students who have completed 50% or less of classes in a particular quarter shall be issued a pro-rata refund of tuition within 30 days of the student’s emailed request to cancel registration. This refund is based on the percentage of the number of classes that have transpired as related to the total number of classes in a particular quarter.
Students who have completed more than 50% of classes in a particular quarter shall not receive a refund and shall be charged 100% of tuition and fees.
Financial Aid
Western Sierral Law School does not currently offer scholarships.
The law school does not offer Title IV financial aid options.
In November 2020 Sallie Mae discontinued new student loans to students of the law school. If you have an existing student loan with Sallie Mae, disbursement will continue per the terms of your student loan agreement.
There may be third parties that offer personal loans, but Western Sierra Law School is not affilited with any third-party lender. Students should check with their local bank or credit union to inquire about personal loan options.
Going forward, tuition can be paid as follows:
NEW! JD Success Program - Fall 2021
Your J.D. is within reach, but affording law school is a challenge. That's where our J.D. Success Program comes in. An innovative, merit-based program offering a combination of deferred tuition and Program-funded tuition, with the opportunity to pay only $400/month while in school*. You pay back your funded tuition once you graduate, after a 6 month grace period and only when you secure a job with a salary of $40K+.
*terms subject to change, must qualify and enroll in the JD Success Program.