The Pre-Law Fellowship aims to support up to 15 individuals seriously interested in the study of law. The Fellowship includes an enrichment series of seven seminars on topics related to law school, the legal field, and law school applications; a proctored practice LSAT exam experience; access to one-on-one application assistance from a professional consultant; access to a designated attorney mentor and law student mentor, and fully paid LSAT preparation course. Travel subsidies for those who live far from the designated seminar locations may also be approved. The Fellowship seminars will run from January 2027 through September 2027.

Please note that access to certain Fellowship benefits will be offered conditionally. Fellows are required to meet certain program benchmarks—including consistent seminar attendance, LSAT class participation and study, and mentor engagement—before receiving access to one-on-one application assistance with a professional consultant. Other terms and conditions exist for other program elements such as travel subsidies and reimbursement of LSAT-related expenses. The first four weeks of the program will serve as a trial period during which participants will be expected to meet all program requirements. If a participant does not meet these requirements during the trial period, their participation will end and their place will be offered to an eligible applicant on the waitlist. 

The Pre-Law Fellowship may be a good fit for you if you are passionate about entering the legal profession and practicing law in Utah; if you plan to apply to law school in 2027; if you have time to devote to the rigorous demands of this program; if you don’t have attorneys in your family or immediate network; and if you are eager to engage in a cohort program where you can feel connected, guided, and supported. Becoming a Pre-Law Fellow has less to do with a perfect or aspirational GPA, and much more to do with passion for the legal field and a commitment to moving forward with law school applications in 2027.

For anyone interested in law school who does not have plans to apply to law school in 2027 or to devote the required amount of time to LSAT study, this is not the right opportunity for you. Please consider other UCLI opportunities, such as the Pre-Law Symposium; LSAT scholarship; internship program; ambassador program; or other pre-law resources. Check back on this opportunity in future years as you get closer to applying to law school.

The ultimate intent of the Pre-Law Fellowship is to increase the number of individuals from historically underrepresented groups in Utah’s legal profession. We define this broadly to include first generation students, students from rural communities, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and students from low-income households. The Fellowship is designed to provide a pathway for people of all backgrounds to practice law in the state of Utah. It is aimed at facilitating opportunities for undergraduate students or recent college graduates who seriously plan to pursue legal education and who have a long-term goal of practicing law in the state of Utah. Undergraduate students studying in the state of Utah are invited to apply, as are individuals who have family ties or who have previously lived in Utah. Students at undergraduate institutions outside of Utah will be considered if they have family ties to Utah, have previously lived in Utah, intend to return to Utah for law school, or intend to return to Utah to practice law.

To be eligible, applicants must: 

• Be a current undergraduate student or college graduate with an interest in becoming a lawyer
• Reside in Utah, have ties to Utah, intend to attend law school in Utah, or intend to practice law in the state of Utah
• Have a serious intent to apply to law school by the end of 2027
• Be at least a college junior by January 2027; note that graduates or more senior individuals intending to change careers are also eligible for this Fellowship
• Display academic effort and progress
• Be able to meet the Fellowship expectations as described below

Participation & Attendance

• Fellows must attend all monthly seminars listed below in the section titled “Seminar Schedule” in the format specified (allowed to miss one total with prior notice for extenuating circumstances).

LSAT Preparation

• Fellows must devote rigorous study to the LSAT examination by using the preparation course offered through the Fellowship, spending a minimum of 15 hours per week on LSAT study between January and September 2027. UCLI staff will monitor Fellows’ LSAT preparation activity on a weekly basis through the LSAT preparation platform. This may include reviewing study hours, time spent in the course, lessons and practice materials completed, practice questions attempted, practice test performance, and other available study and progress metrics.
• Fellows must attend the LSAT Live classes (in-person or online) from January 2027 to September 2027.
• Fellows must participate in a proctored practice exam provided by UCLI during the month of June 2027.
• Fellows must take the LSAT examination at least once between August and December 2027.
• Fellows must create an LSAC account and apply for an LSAC fee waiver in January 2027. Fellows must provide their LSAC account information, including their LSAC account number, as part of the Fellowship application and requirements. 

Accountability & Professionalism

• Fellows are expected to uphold professional standards (standard etiquette, prompt communication, and program engagement).
• Fellows must complete all required surveys (intake, exit, post-seminar, and annual follow-up).
• Fellows must submit quarterly progress check-ins with the program director.

Law School Application

• Make active progress on components of applying to law school by completing required assignments throughout the course of the Fellowship.
• Apply to at least one law school by the end of 2027.

Mentorship

• Fellows must initiate and attend at least one mentor meeting per month.
• Fellows are expected to engage with their mentor with professionalism, gratitude, and follow-through.
• Fellows must complete at least three (3) Mentorship Surveys during the program, with each survey documenting the date, meeting format/location, topics discussed, key takeaways, and any follow-up or action items from the mentor interaction. 

Please note that failure to meet the expectations for participation as described above may result in consequences, such as not receiving access to certain program benefits or dismissal from the Pre-Law Fellowship program. As mentioned above, access to professional law school consulting and stipend/reimbursements is contingent upon active participation and meeting benchmarks.

Awards are selected by a selection committee appointed by UCLI. Applications are evaluated on the following:

• Financial, educational, and/or practical need for the services offered by the program
• Demonstrated commitment to creating an inclusive and fair society in Utah
• Ability to meet the Fellowship expectations and actively participate
• Minimum GPA requirement of 3.0*

Note that the above factors are among the primary considerations in the selection process. This program is designed to support students who may face barriers to pursuing a legal education. If you have experienced significant financial, educational, or other barriers on your path to law school, we encourage you to apply. 

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to advance to a second round of review and will be notified of their selection by December 4. Candidates advancing to the second round must submit the required materials no later than December 13 in order to remain under consideration. 

Please note that selected applicants may be put on a waitlist. The first four weeks of the program will serve as a trial period during which participants will be expected to meet all program requirements. If a participant does not meet these requirements during the trial period, their participation will end and their place will be offered to an eligible applicant on the waitlist. Should a position become available, waitlisted candidates will be notified of their acceptance no later than February 22, 2027.

* While a minimum GPA of 3.0 is required, UCLI recognized that GPA does not fully represent a student’s academic potential for law school. Applicants with a GPA below 3.0 may submit a brief written addendum explaining the circumstances surrounding their GPA for consideration to have the minimum GPA requirement waived.

Applications for the 2027 UCLI Pre-Law Fellowship will open September 17, 2026 and will close on November 29, 2026. 

Please note that the 2027 UCLI Pre-Law Fellowship application requires applicants to have an LSAC account and an LSAC fee waiver status. Applicants should create an LSAC account and apply for an LSAC fee waiver well in advance of submitting their Fellowship application. The LSAC fee waiver process, including the processing of any petition, may take up to two weeks. Please plan accordingly to ensure that your LSAC fee waiver status is available by the time you submit your Fellowship application.

If you do not yet have an LSAC account, create one here.

If you have not yet applied for an LSAC fee waiver, apply here.

UCLI expects all Fellowship application materials to reflect the applicant’s own experiences, ideas, writing, and effort. Applicants should not use generative AI tools, including ChatGPT, to write or substantially rewrite application responses.

Applicants may use basic tools for limited spelling or grammar assistance, but the substance and wording of responses should be their own. UCLI may review applications for authenticity and consistency, and applications that substantially rely on AI may be disqualified.

We want to hear from you in your own voice. An honest response is more valuable to us than a polished response generated by AI.