Cleveland State University College of Law is a public law school in downtown Cleveland, with full-time, part-time day, and part-time online JD options. Its strengths include health law, cybersecurity, criminal justice, and space law.
This guide walks you through how to get into Cleveland State Law.
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1. Cleveland State Law Admissions Numbers and Statistics
Cleveland State Law Class of 2028:
- LSAT: 75th: 158 | Median: 155 | 25th: 152
- GPA: 75th: 3.76 | Median: 3.50 | 25th: 3.11
Cleveland State Law Class of 2027:
- LSAT: 75th: 157 | Median: 155 | 25th: 152
- GPA: 75th: 3.73 | Median: 3.43 | 25th: 3.02
These figures cover the fall 2025 and fall 2024 entering classes across full-time and part-time divisions. The LSAT median held at 155, while the GPA median rose 0.07. The upper LSAT quartile increased one point, and GPA rose at all three percentiles. The entering class increased slightly, from 192 to 195 students.
Aim to be at or above at least one median to be competitive. Above both puts you in a stronger position. Below both medians, this is a prayer, not a reach.
For context on how medians affect your strategy, see How to Build a Smart Law School List.
2. Cleveland State Law Application Essays
Personal Statement (required)
The school's instructions:
“Provide an original Personal Statement that is your own work and represents your best writing. There is no specific topic that should be addressed; this is an opportunity for you to share with the Admissions Committee the information about you that you believe will assist the Committee in its decision. The Statement could include, among other things, what influences in your life have led you to seek admission to law school and to CSU College of Law specifically.”
For more on addressing school interest within this personal statement, see my Why X Essay Guide.
For more on how to write a personal statement, see my Personal Statement Examples and Personal Statement Guide.
Optional Statement (optional)
The school's instructions:
“Optional Statement: Our law school's mission is: "Learn Law. Live Justice. We Are Your Law School for Life." Our vision is "to be the leading student-centered public law school, committed to both excellence and opportunity, with an ethos of social justice and a national voice." In keeping with our commitment to both excellence and opportunity, we recognize that traditional academic indicators such as LSAT and GPA do not always reflect an applicant's full potential. If you would like to share additional information about your relevant educational and professional experiences or unique qualifications that demonstrate your ability to succeed in law school, please include a separate statement.”
If your optional statement discusses your background or perspective, see my Diversity Statement Examples and Diversity Statement Guide.
Online JD Study Plan (required)
The school's instructions:
“Study plan: how will you fit in 30 hours of study and class time per week?”
For more on making all of these essays work together, see my Cohesive Narrative Guide.
Addenda and Character & Fitness (if applicable)
Cleveland State requires statements addressing reportable academic, disciplinary, and criminal matters, including matters that have been expunged or sealed.
I'll be publishing a guide to addenda and character and fitness.
3. Cleveland State Law Resume Requirements
A current resume is required and must be attached to the electronic application.
For more on preparing your resume, see my Resume Examples and Resume Guide.
4. Cleveland State Law Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation are required; Cleveland State accepts up to three through LSAC. Current and recent college students are strongly encouraged to include at least one faculty recommendation.
For more on recommendations, see my LOR Guide (Applicants) and LOR Guide (Writers).
5. Cleveland State Law Interview Process
Applicants can schedule individual admissions appointments with Cleveland State's admissions staff. The online JD has a separate enrollment advisor.
6. Cleveland State Law Deadlines and Early Decision
Testing Policy
Cleveland State accepts the LSAT and GRE and may consider a small number of JD-Next applicants. A reportable LSAT cannot be replaced by a GRE or JD-Next score. GRE applicants must submit all scores from the preceding five years. CAS is required.
If you're considering the GRE, read my LSAT vs. GRE guide before deciding.
Application Dates and Fees
- Binding Early Decision Deadline: November 15 for ED I; January 1 for ED II. A signed Early Decision Agreement is required.
- Application Deadline: May 1 for the online JD; July 1 for in-person admission.
- Application Fee: No fee for the electronic application.
- Last Eligible Test Date: April of the intended enrollment year for the LSAT.
- Decisions Begin: ED I notification is December 15, with a December 29 deposit; ED II notification is January 31, with a February 14 deposit.
Regular admission is rolling. Seats and scholarship funds can become more limited later in the cycle.
Early Decision
An ED admission requires withdrawing other applications and submitting no new ones. Applicants cannot pursue another school's ED simultaneously. Deferral requires exceptional circumstances. This route makes sense only when Cleveland State is your first choice and you are ready to give up comparing other offers.
For a full breakdown of early decision strategy, see Should You Apply Early Decision to Law School?
Program Formats
Part-Time Options: Cleveland State offers part-time day study and a 90-credit online JD over ten semesters, with six in-person weekend residencies. The online program does not admit applicants intending to practice solely in Alabama, New York, or West Virginia because of those jurisdictions' educational requirements.
7. Cleveland State Law Scholarships and Financial Aid
Merit Scholarships
All applicants receive scholarship consideration at admission. Undergraduate grades and LSAT scores are primary factors, alongside personal and professional attributes. Awards are guaranteed for six full-time or eight part-time semesters while the student maintains good academic standing, defined as a 2.25 GPA.
Student Parent Alliance Scholarship Fund
Established in 2021, this fund was created to help law students raising children with tuition, books, childcare, and other educational expenses.
Need-Based Aid
The FAFSA is required for federal aid consideration. It can be submitted before admission, using Cleveland State's school code, 003032.
Cost of Attendance
For 2026-2027, the on-campus law fee schedule at 13 or more credits is $16,257.80 per semester for Ohio residents and $16,307.85 for domestic nonresidents. Two semesters total $32,515.60 and $32,615.70 respectively, before additional charges and living expenses. Online tuition at 1-12 credits is $1,250.60 per credit for residents and $1,251.60 for nonresidents. The small nonresident surcharge makes the scholarship offer especially important when comparing costs.
For more on scholarship strategy, see How to Negotiate Law School Scholarships.
8. Cleveland State Law Dual Degree Programs
Cleveland State's dual degrees combine in-person legal study with graduate work at the university; the online JD is not eligible.
- JD/MBA: Monte Ahuja College of Business; four years full-time, combining law with management, finance, and business study.
- JD/MPA: Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs; four years full-time, with public administration and government or nonprofit management.
- JD/MUPD: Maxine Goodman Levin School of Urban Affairs; four years full-time, connecting law with urban planning and development.
- JD/MS in Environmental Science: Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences; four years full-time, including scientific research and laboratory work.
Applicants must apply and be admitted separately to both programs. Students generally take law courses in the first year, graduate courses in the second, and a combination afterward. Part-time completion takes longer.
9. Cleveland State Law Employment Outcomes (Class of 2025)
Cleveland State Class of 2025 employment outcomes (reported to the ABA, measured 10 months after graduation):
- Full-time, long-term bar-passage-required employment (ABA): 72.7%
- BigLaw (firms with 101+ attorneys): 18.9%
- Federal clerkships: 0.0%
- Public service (including government): 18.2%
Ohio overwhelmingly dominates placement; Michigan and Illinois follow at much smaller levels. Cleveland State sends graduates to larger firms, but its broader value is access to Ohio practice across firm sizes, government, and public-interest organizations. This is principally a regional employment market, with Cleveland's legal institutions central to the school's professional network.
10. Cleveland State Law Areas of Study and Specializations
Health Law: The William I. Weisberg Center for Health Law & Policy connects health regulation, policy, and legal practice. The Health Care Law certificate incorporates an externship, with placements including the Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth, and University Hospitals.
Cybersecurity and Data Privacy: The Center for Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection brings law, technology, and business perspectives together. JD students can pursue a Cybersecurity and Data Privacy certificate, while the center's conference connects the curriculum with lawyers and other professionals working in the field.
Space Law: The Global Space Law Center addresses the legal framework governing space activity, including commercial operations. Directed by Mark Sundahl, the center offers students research opportunities through its Research Council and connects their work to an unusually specialized area of international law.
Criminal Justice: The Criminal Justice Center connects scholarship and local justice-system work. The Pretrial Justice Clinic's representation alongside the Cuyahoga County Public Defender and the Terry Gilbert Wrongful Conviction Clinic give students distinct ways to work on criminal cases and post-conviction advocacy.
11. Cleveland State Law Clinics and Experiential Learning
Cleveland State's eight clinics combine litigation, transactional work, and community advocacy.
- Animal Law Clinic: Help animal-protection organizations with litigation, legislation, and transactional matters.
- Terry Gilbert Wrongful Conviction Clinic: Investigate cases, review records, interview witnesses, and prepare post-conviction filings.
- Pretrial Justice Clinic: Interview detained clients and advocate for release with the Cuyahoga County Public Defender.
- Pardon, Clemency and Reentry Clinic: Research clients' records and prepare petitions seeking clemency or other relief.
- Appellate Practice Clinic: Prepare appellate briefs and oral arguments in state and federal courts.
- Civil Litigation Clinic: Represent low-income clients in employment, housing, consumer, and civil-rights matters.
- Community Advocacy Law Clinic: Address public benefits, expungement, name changes, child support, and related community needs.
- Transactional Law Clinic: Assist nonprofit organizations with formation, governance, contracts, and tax matters.
Pro Bono and Experiential Learning
Graduation requires six experiential credits through designated clinics, externships, or simulation courses. Cleveland State recognizes students completing 40 hours of voluntary public service annually. Opportunities include Legal Aid Society advice clinics and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association's 3Rs school program. Health-law externships include the Cleveland Clinic's legal office, MetroHealth, and the Office of Medicare Hearings and Appeals. These placements are distinct from enrollment in an in-house clinic.
12. Cleveland State Law Notable Faculty and Journals
Faculty
- Mark J. Sundahl: Professor of Law and Director of the Global Space Law Center. Space law and international business transactions. Participated in the UNIDROIT working group developing the Space Assets Protocol.
- Abigail R. Moncrieff: Associate Professor of Law and Political Science and co-director of the William I. Weisberg Center for Health Law & Policy. Health and constitutional law. Holds a PhD in government from the University of Texas.
- Jonathan P. Witmer-Rich: Leon M. and Gloria Plevin Professor of Law and Associate Dean. Criminal law and procedure. Principal drafter of the Cuyahoga County Bail Task Force's 2018 report.
- Milena Sterio: Joseph C. Hostetler-BakerHostetler Professor of Law. International criminal law and human rights. Managing Director of the Public International Law & Policy Group.
Journals
- Cleveland State Law Review: Student-run general legal scholarship, published four times annually.
- Global Business Law Review: International business and commercial law.
- Journal of Law and Health: Interdisciplinary scholarship on health care and law.
13. Cleveland State Law Culture and Student Life
Cleveland State's Euclid Avenue location places the law school within a downtown university rather than a secluded campus. Day and online students bring different schedules and professional backgrounds to the community. Clinics, journals, and student organizations provide shared academic and professional connections.
Cleveland gives students access to Cuyahoga County courts, major health systems, legal-services organizations, and firms. The school's Ohio-heavy placement makes those relationships especially relevant. Its specialized health, technology, and space-law programs sit within a broader institution oriented toward regional practice.
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Related Reading
→ How to Build a Smart Law School List
→ Should You Apply Early Decision to Law School?
→ How to Negotiate Law School Scholarships
→ 6 Proven Steps to Get Off a Law School Waitlist
→ How to Get Into Law School Below Both Medians
→ What Holistic Law School Admissions Really Means
→ Blog Directory
Note: While I try to keep this guide up to date, always verify deadlines, requirements, and policies at the Cleveland State Law website before applying.
Think you spotted an outdated requirement or something that doesn't look right? Email moshe@sharperstatements.com with the school and a link to the current information.