Law School Submatriculation

During the junior year, qualified Wharton undergraduate students may apply for admission to the Penn Law School and submatriculate into the Juris Doctor (JD) program. In this 3-year + 3-year accelerated program, the student’s fourth year of study is spent entirely at the Law School completing the first-year law curriculum. The remaining undergraduate and/or graduate degree requirements are then completed in the student’s fifth and sixth years of study.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must have completed at least 28 CUs and have 2-9 CUs remaining toward their undergraduate degree by the end of the second semester of junior year.
  • At least 19 of the 28 CUs required for application must be earned with a letter grade at the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Students who are planning to graduate early (i.e., in fewer than 4 years) are not eligible for submatriculation; these students may apply directly to the Law School for matriculation upon completion of their undergraduate program.
  • Students who externally transfer into Wharton’s undergraduate program as a junior (or at the beginning of their fifth semester of college course work) are not eligible for submatriculation.
  • Dual-degree students require permission from their Wharton Undergraduate Division advisor to apply.

Academic Requirements and Policies

  • LGST 1010 must be completed by the end of the fall semester of the junior year. In addition, the following requirements must be completed by the end of the spring semester of the junior year:
    • First-Year Foundations
    • Foreign Language
    • Leadership Journey
    • Writing
    • Business fundamentals
    • Global Economy, Business, and Society
    • Technology, Innovation, and Analytics
    • Liberal Arts and Sciences
    • At least 3 of the 7 required CUs in the business breadth and/or concentration categories
  • Students who are pursuing additional academic options, such as a secondary concentration or a minor, will need to consult with an advisor to evaluate the feasibility of completing these options in addition to submatriculation, as this will require completion of more requirements prior to the end of the junior year.
  • Students’ academic records will be audited prior to and during the application process to ensure they have met the necessary academic requirements to maintain eligibility for submatriculation.
  • Students may use Penn Law courses to satisfy up to five unrestricted electives.
  • Following matriculation in the Law School, submatriculants may also apply up to four business courses taken at the graduate level to double-count toward both degrees. These courses may count only toward the Wharton business breadth or business concentration requirements, and they must be taken under the graduate-level (MBA) course listing for the sole purpose of applying these courses toward the Law School curriculum. In the case of cross-listed courses, no conversion of undergraduate to graduate course numbers will be made for courses taken prior to matriculation in the Law School.
  • Submatriculants may file for undergraduate graduation from Penn at the end of the term in which they will have satisfied all requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Economics degree from Wharton. Undergraduate degree candidates may graduate at the same time as their entering undergraduate class if they complete all undergraduate degree requirements by the end of their fourth year.

ADMISSIONS

Admissions decisions are made by the Law School Admissions Committee. The rigorous selection process for the Penn Law Submatriculation Program is designed to ensure that each candidate is evaluated in terms of his/her academic and social contribution to the Law School community. Applicants must have superior communication and analytical skills. The Admissions Committee considers the overall quality of applications, including academic record (both course selection and grades), either an LSAT, GRE, or GMAT score, letters of recommendation, community service, co-curricular activities, and examples of written expression.

The application deadline is March 1.

Prospective applicants should also take the following steps before applying:

  • Visit the Career Services Law School web page, which provides information to help students explore whether or not law school is the right fit and what type of law school will meet the student’s particular needs, as well as offering guidance on the application process. Students are also encouraged to meet with a pre-law advisor in Career Services. Appointments should be scheduled in advance via Handshake, in person at Career Services, or via telephone at 215-898-1789.
  • Carefully review the information about the application process and admissions requirements on the Penn Law web site.
  • After reviewing the information on the Penn Law and Career Services web sites, students should set up an appointment with Monica Jacobe (In-person appointment or Remote appointment) in the Wharton Undergraduate Division to review their worksheet and discuss their eligibility.

Contact Information