Can I go to law school if I am undocumented?

This is general information, not legal advice.

Can a law school admit me?

Yes. Law schools admit undocumented students, and you apply like everyone else: grades, a test score (LSAT or, at many schools, the GRE), a personal statement and letters. Each school sets its own rules for applicants without a Social Security number. Ask admissions before you apply.

Can I become a lawyer in California?

Yes. California Business and Professions Code 6064(b) lets the California Supreme Court admit an applicant who is not lawfully present in the U.S., if they meet every other requirement. Those include passing the bar exam and the moral character review.

A California law also says licensing boards and the State Bar cannot deny a license only because of immigration status. You can apply with an ITIN instead of a Social Security number for state licenses. For the bar itself, Business and Professions Code 6060.6 lets the Committee of Bar Examiners accept an application with a federal tax ID number in place of a Social Security number, as the California Supreme Court noted in In re Garcia (January 2, 2014). The State Bar's own registration page says applicants are not required to have a Social Security number to be admitted, and those not eligible for one request an exemption when they register.

Other states have different rules. If you want to practice outside California, check that state's bar first.

Can I pay in state tuition?

At UC, yes, if you meet AB 540. UC San Diego's graduate division says undocumented graduate students with AB 540 status can get all UC financial aid. To use AB 540 you need about three years of California schooling and a California diploma or equivalent. See Who qualifies for in state tuition in California?

UC law schools also charge Professional Degree Supplemental Tuition on top of regular tuition. UC's 2026 to 2027 fee schedule says students exempt from the nonresident charge pay the resident rate of that fee. For 2026 to 2027 the resident rate is $51,862 at Berkeley, $46,424 at Davis, and $48,240 at Irvine and UCLA. Regular tuition and campus fees come on top. Ask each school for its full cost of attendance.

Private law schools set their own prices and aid. Ask each one.

How do I pay for it?

This is the hardest part. Plan early.

• No federal loans. Undocumented students, including DACA recipients, cannot get federal student aid. Your plan must lean on other money.
• California aid. File the CA Dream Act Application if you meet AB 540. At UC, it is the path to state and campus aid for graduate students.
• School scholarships. Ask each law school what scholarships it offers and whether students without status can get them.
• Outside scholarships and fellowships. Many do not ask about status. See What is the difference between a scholarship and a fellowship?

What about work after law school?

A law license is not a work permit. Employers must check every new worker's work authorization on Form I-9, even if the worker holds a license. So:

• With DACA and a valid work permit, you can be hired like any other new lawyer.
• Without work authorization, being hired as an employee by a law firm, company or government office is blocked. In In re Garcia, the parties agreed on that. They also agreed you would not break federal law by doing free (pro bono) legal work or working outside the United States. Whether you can work as a sole practitioner was disputed, and the court did not decide it. Talk to an immigration attorney before you plan your career around it.

Before you start law school, get a free immigration screening. Some students learn they qualify for a status they did not know about. See Where can college students get free immigration legal help?

What does the path look like, step by step?

1. College years: keep your grades up, find a pre law advisor, and get a free immigration screening.
2. About a year before you apply: study for the LSAT (or the GRE, if your schools take it). Ask each school how it handles applicants without a Social Security number.
3. Fall before you start: apply to law schools and file the CA Dream Act Application (deadline for 2027 to 2028 state aid: March 2, 2027, CSAC, checked October 21, 2026).
4. Spring: compare aid offers. Count tuition, the professional degree charge and living costs.
5. Within 90 days of starting law school: register with the State Bar through its Applicant Portal. If you are not eligible for a Social Security number, you ask for an exemption when you register. The State Bar says you do not need a Social Security number to be admitted (State Bar registration page, checked October 21, 2026). Later you take the bar exam and pass the moral character review.
6. Before you graduate: decide how you will work. With DACA, apply for jobs like anyone else. Without work permission, get legal advice first.

Who can help?

Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• Your college's Dream Center and pre law advisor.
• Law school admissions and financial aid offices. Ask directly about students without status.
• Immigrants Rising publishes a free law school guide for undocumented students: immigrantsrising.org.

Related questions

• Can I still go to college in California as an undocumented student?
• How do I apply for scholarships without citizenship?
• How do I compare financial aid offers?

The law needs people who know what it feels like to stand where you stand. If this is your calling, the door is open. Plan the money and the work early, and walk through it.