Bar Passage Support
The key to passing the bar exam is preparation. It is never too early to start preparing for this milestone in your legal career. UC Law SF offers students a range of bar prep services, including advising, classes that increase the probability of success on the bar exam, and special bar passage programs throughout the year. Follow the Bar Passage Support page on Sharknet for all information, including:
State Bar Admissions Requirements
The full text of all requirements for admission is set forth in Title 4, Division 1, Chapter 4 of the Rules of the State Bar of California.
California Bar Exam
Important Dates and Deadlines: The application for the July examination becomes available on March 1st and the application for the February examination becomes available on October 1st. The California Bar Exam is administered each February and July.
MPRE
In addition to the bar exam, as in most other jurisdictions, California Bar Exam candidates must pass the MPRE before they are admitted to practice. Students should take the MPRE well in advance of the bar exam, preferably in the 2L year if the student has already taken an ethics or professional responsibility course, and has time to study.
Advising, Classes, and Programs
The key to passing the bar exam is preparation. It is never too early to start preparing for this milestone in your legal career. UC Law SF offers students a range of bar prep services, including advising, classes that increase the probability of success on the bar exam, and special bar passage programs throughout the year. Click the links below to learn more.
UC Law SF Self-Study Resources
The UC Law SF Library has a wide array of bar exam resources including a collection of bar exam essay tests and answer. Your email user ID and password are required to access the exam PDFs. The Library also has a number of books and supplemental aids on reserve to assist students with their bar study.
Students may access refresher lectures, Powerpoint presentations, and handouts through the Prior Bar Lectures and Workshops Canvas page. Please note the date of posted materials, as the law changes over time.
Financial Resources for Bar Study
Financial resources are available to students while they study for the bar exam. For example, certain fees related to bar study may be added to a 3L student’s cost of attendance. As a result, students may request an additional $1,500 in Federal Graduate PLUS funds to offset these fees. Please visit the Financial Aid Office and complete an Action Request Form to ask for an increase in Cost of Attendance and additional Graduate PLUS funds. Additionally, some lenders offer bar study loans. To learn more about these loans and how to apply, contact the Financial Aid Office.
Important Websites and Bar Exams in Other States
The State Bar of California provides useful information on its website for students who plan to practice law in California. To learn more about other states’ exams and bar admission requirements, visit their websites. Students are also encouraged to consult the website for the National Conference of Bar Examiners, which provides comprehensive information on bar admission requirements in all U.S. jurisdictions and a directory of state bar admission agencies.
Accommodations on the Bar Exam and the MPRE
Students applying for accommodations on the bar exam should make their requests as far in advance of the filing deadline as possible. Receiving accommodations as an undergrad or law student does not guarantee accommodations on the bar exam. The Disability Resource Program at UC Law SF works to ensure that students are fully informed about the bar exam and MPRE accommodations processes, including petitioning for accommodations.
Commercial Bar Prep Courses
A commercial bar course, which runs for approximately eight weeks prior to the bar exam, is necessary for you to review what you have already learned in law school and to learn bar tested subjects that you have not yet studied. The commercial bar companies are familiar with what is tested and how it is tested. Your commercial course will provide you with materials and a study plan to help you prepare for the exam. There are several commercial bar courses in California that offer a full time study program. Some of the companies listed below have representatives on campus at the beginning of each semester during Bar Sweeps Week. Bar Sweeps Week is typically scheduled for the middle of October and early March. Providing this information does not constitute an endorsement of any program or product.