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Post-baccalaureate Applicants

Post-baccalaureate applicants to the Institute for Paralegal Studies must hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. The cumulative grade point average must be 2.5 or higher on a 4.0 scale. Exceptions may be made in certain circumstances; applicants should address this issue in the personal statement required with the application form. Applicants are not required to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) or Graduate Record Exam (GRE).

The required admission materials for post-baccalaureate certificate students are:

Completed and signed application form (either online or paper)
Personal statement (as described on the application form)
Official transcripts from each college or university attended (waived for previous students at Loyola, Mundelein College, or Mallinckrodt College)
Paralegal applicants are not required to provide high school transcripts.
Two (2) letters of recommendation
Non-refundable $25 application fee (waived for applicants who previously have paid an application fee to Loyola University Chicago as well as for those who apply online)
For non-native English speakers, proficiency in the English language (see explaination below)

Application materials should be submitted to:

Graduate Enrollment Management
Loyola University Chicago
820 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago IL 60611
Telephone: 312.915.8950

The applicant's receipt of a bachelor's degree must be noted on an official transcript. Applicants who have attended post-secondary schools abroad are required to submit their transcripts with their application as well as to an outside credential evaluation service, such as ECE (www.ece.org) or WES (www.wes.org), for a course-by-course evaluation.

The letters of recommendation should be obtained from persons familiar with the applicant's academic abilities and performance, employment performance, and/or aptitude for paralegal studies.

Non-native English speakers must demonstrate proficiency in the English language by a minimum TOEFL score of 650 PBT/280 CBT/114iBT. Failure to submit accurate and complete information in an application is cause for immediate dismissal from the Institute for Paralegal Studies.

Transfer credit may be available for courses taken at another paralegal program, or at an ABA-accredited law school, before applying to the Institute. The courses must be comparable to specific Institute paralegal courses, including instruction in practical paralegal skills.

Transfer credit is limited to 6 semester hours. University policy requires that the institution offering the paralegal program be regionally accredited and that the student have earned a grade of C- or higher. The student must submit an official transcript confirming the grade, and may be required to provide documentation of the course content.

Students currently enrolled in the Institute will not receive transfer credit for courses taken elsewhere except with the advance approval of the Director, which is granted only in unusual situations and at the Director's discretion.

Special Note: Students with transfer credit will have access to all career assistance services at the Institute once they have completed two-thirds of their required credit hours toward the Loyola Certificate.

Undergraduate Management Applicants

Undergraduate students working on the School of Continuing and Professional Studies' B.A. in Management must complete the required undergraduate coursework before beginning their paralegal coursework. These students are required to meet with the Director prior to starting their paralegal classes. Interested students should contact the School of Continuing and Professional Studies at: 312.915.6501. For more information about the admission process, please click here.

Paralegals with Certificates

Paralegals with certificates from regionally accredited college and university programs and who wish to take additional courses must also hold bachelor's degrees from an accredited college or university and a certificate/degree from a paralegal program. If space permits, these applicants will be allowed to register for any paralegal studies course other than PLST 332/333/334 Legal Research and Writing I/II/III and PLST 398 Internship. Course prerequisites may be waived by the director, depending on the student's work experience and previous education.

The required admission materials for paralegals with certificates are:

Completed and signed application form (either online or paper).
Non-refundable $25 application fee (waived for applicants who previously have paid an application fee to Loyola University Chicago as well as for those who apply online)
Official transcripts from each college, university and paralegal program attended (waived for previous students at Loyola, Mundelein College, or Mallinckrodt College).
Applicants who do not hold a bachelor's degree or paralegal certificate must provide documentation that they are currently employed in the legal field (e.g., a letter from a supervisor or personnel department on letterhead) and that they have three or more years' experience in the legal field (e.g., a list of previous employers with contact information)
For non-native English speakers, proficiency in the English language (as explained below).

Non-Degree application materials should be submitted to:

Graduate Enrollment Management
Loyola University Chicago
820 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago IL 60611
Telephone: 312.915.8950

The applicant's receipt of a bachelor's degree and/or a paralegal certificate must be noted on an official transcript. Applicants who have attended post-secondary schools abroad are required to submit their transcripts to an outside credential evaluation service, such as ECE (www.wes.org) or WES (www.wes.org), for a course-by-course evaluation.

Special Note: Non-certificate seeking students (Paralegals with Certificates) taking coursework with the Institute are allowed limited access to career assistance services provided by the Institute. These students are welcome to use the materials in the Institute's Career Resource Center and those posted online, including the job board, and to attend group presentations on career matters. Other career services, such as individual consulting with the Institute director or staff, and the inclusion of resumes in the program's resume database, are not available.

Non-native English speakers must demonstrate proficiency in the English language by a minimum TOEFL score of 650 PBT/280 CBT/114 iBT. Failure to submit accurate and complete information in an application is cause for immediate dismissal from the Institute for Paralegal Studies.

Failure to submit accurate and complete information in an application is cause for immediate dismissal from the Institute for Paralegal Studies.

Continuum

Another option for Non-Degree applicants to consider is Continuum. Continuum is Loyola's School of Continuing and Professional Studies' continuing education program. Continuum offers several Paralegal Studies seminars throughout the academic year. Visit the Continuum website for further details about current classes. Classes offered thru Continuum are continuing education courses only and are not offered through the Institute for Paralegal Studies.

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