Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program

Classes/Field Trips will take place Monday through Friday, from 10am to 5pm (subject to change), with a break for a one-hour lunch. Students will participate in the following courses in preparation for their law school curriculum:

1. Foundational Courses: U.S. Government Structure, Torts, Contracts, Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Property, Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Alternative Dispute Resolution (Mediation, Negotiation and Arbitration), Business Law, and Civil Rights

2. Hot Topics: Environmental Law (Real Estate and Land Use); Immigration Law (spotlight on the Travel Ban and DACA); Criminal Law (spotlight on The People v. O.J. Simpson); and National Security Law

3. Legal Skills Classes: Fundamentals of Legal Writing; Interviewing, Counseling, and Negotiating; Oral Advocacy; and U.S. Research and Bluebook Citations

4. "Uniquely New York" Field Trips: visits to law firms, courts, the United Nations, and the Pace Law campus in White Plains, including classes

5. Practical Sessions: Preparing for LSAT; Applying to JD Programs or Applying to LLM (Master of Laws), SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science), and Visiting Scholar Programs

Eligibility & Other Program Requirements

• Students must have completed 64 U.S. credits or more (or international equivalent) and have completed their sophomore year by summer 2020 with a minimum 3.0 GPA.
• No personal statements or references are needed to apply to the program.
• All students must attend the summer Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program in its entirety.
• This program is designed for students who are seriously considering becoming lawyers and plan to apply to a U.S.-based law school. This program is NOT intended for students already attending U.S. law schools. Foreign-trained attorneys or students seeking to learn more about the U.S. legal system are welcome.
• To apply: Email your official scanned transcript(s) to the Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program at paceprelaw@pace.edu. We will not accept mailed transcripts. Please obtain an official transcript(s) from your home school, scan, and email it to us. The application deadline is April 6, 2020. A decision will be made within two weeks of submission, and Pace will notify you via email if you are accepted. Once you are accepted, payment instructions will follow to pay the non-refundable deposit fee of $570 within two weeks of acceptance to hold your spot in the program. Total tuition fees are due by May 29, 2020. Further information is provided in the Tuition and Fees and F.A.Q. sections below.
• Please note that this is a non-credit bearing certificate and does not grant advanced law school standing or law school credits.

Tuition Policy*
$3,250 Tuition Only
$4,600 Tuition Including On-Campus NYC Housing

Once you are notified via email that you have been accepted in the PPCP program, payment instructions will follow to pay the non-refundable deposit fee of $570 within two weeks of acceptance into the program to hold your spot in the program. The remaining non-refundable balance due for tuition fees is due by May 29, 2020.  All payments related to On-Campus NYC Housing will be handled separately.

IMPORTANT: For accepted students, by April 30th, 2020, you will receive notification via email from the Pace Pre-Law Certificate team that the program has sufficient enrollment to run. Until you receive this official notification, accepted students should NOT make any flight or housing commitments. 

A 10% discount is available to Pace students and alumni. Students enrolled in the PPCP program may be eligible to apply for private student loans (non-affiliated with Pace University). Please contact Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program at paceprelaw@pace.edu for more details.

Refund Policy
Registrants who cancel will receive a full refund if notification is provided to paceprelaw@pace.edu on or before ten days prior to the class start date. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GRANTED AFTER THAT DATE. A $70 registration fee included in tuition is non-refundable.

Pace University reserves the right to substitute instructors, change the day or time classes meet, or cancel the program due to insufficient enrollment or unforeseen circumstances. If the PPCP is canceled by Pace, a full refund of tuition and registration fee will be issued.

If you have a question that is not answered here, please contact us using the information provided at the bottom of this page.

I am a freshman in a U.S. higher education institution. Can I join this program?
This program is only open to students who have completed 64 university credits or higher with GPAs of 3.0 or greater (or the international equivalent).

Will I receive grades in the Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program?
No. The Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis based on your attendance and meaningful participation.

When and how will I be notified of my admission to the Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program?
The application deadline is April 6, 2020. All applicants will be notified of their application status on a rolling basis and no later than April 20, 2020.

When and how do I pay for the tuition fees for the Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program?
Once you are notified via email that you have been accepted in the PPCP program, payment instructions will follow to pay the non-refundable deposit fee of $570 within two weeks of acceptance into the program to hold your spot in the program. The remaining non-refundable balance due for tuition fees is due by May 29, 2020. All payments related to On-Campus NYC Housing will be handled separately.

What is the refund policy for this program?
Registrants who cancel will receive a full refund if notification is provided to paceprelaw@pace.edu on or before TEN days prior to the class start date. NO REFUNDS WILL BE GRANTED AFTER THAT DATE. A $70 registration fee included in tuition is non-refundable. If Pace cancels the program for any reason, there is a 100% program refund guarantee.

When should I start to make my airfare and housing arrangements?
For accepted students, by April 30, 2020, you will receive notification via email from Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program that the program has sufficient enrollment to run. Until you receive this official notification, accepted students should NOT make any flight or housing commitments. You will also receive instructions about how to apply and pay for On-Campus NYC Housing.

How can I apply for private student loans?
Please contact the Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program at paceprelaw@pace.edu for further information.

I am a second-semester sophomore and will not have my grades for the spring semester in time for the application deadline. What should I do?
This is a common situation. Simply submit your first semester transcript and the classes that you are registered for in the current semester via email to paceprelaw@pace.edu. Within two weeks, we will contact you via email regarding the status of your application. If you have been conditionally accepted into the program, pending the receipt of your final second semester grades, payment instructions will follow to pay the non-refundable deposit fee of $570 within two weeks of acceptance into the program to hold your spot in the program. When available, you will email your final second semester grades. We will notify you via email of the final status of your application. If accepted, the remaining non-refundable balance due for tuition fees is due by May 29, 2020. If you do not gain final acceptance into the program, we will refund you the $500 tuition deposit. Do not make any airfare or housing commitments until you have been officially accepted via email into the program and it has been confirmed to you that the program will run.

Do I need to send Pace my official transcripts?
No, we will not accept mailed transcripts. Please obtain an official transcript(s) from your home school, scan, and email to the Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program at paceprelaw@pace.edu.

I am an international student. What type of visa will I need to participate in this program?
Please contact the Pace Pre-Law Certificate Program at paceprelaw@pace.edu if you are an international student interested in this program.

I am an international student and my transcript is written in a language other than English. How should I submit it to you?
You will have to submit your original transcript(s) in your home school language and a second transcript(s) translated in English. Please be sure to include a grading scale from your home school as a reference.

I am an international student interested in pursuing an LLM degree in the United States. Is this certificate right for me?
Yes, so long as you are interested in applying to a U.S.-based law school or if you would like to learn more about the U.S. legal system. You must also have accumulated 64 or greater credits from your home institution or the equivalent in your home school system to qualify.