St. Thomas University College of Law is a Catholic law school in Miami Gardens, Florida. Its strengths include immigration, intercultural human rights, criminal litigation, and maritime law, supported by certificates, clinical representation, and field placements.
This guide walks you through how to get into St. Thomas Law.
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1. St. Thomas Law Admissions Numbers and Statistics
St. Thomas Law Class of 2028:
- LSAT: 75th: 156 | Median: 152 | 25th: 150
- GPA: 75th: 3.65 | Median: 3.42 | 25th: 3.12
St. Thomas Law Class of 2027:
- LSAT: 75th: 155 | Median: 152 | 25th: 149
- GPA: 75th: 3.58 | Median: 3.30 | 25th: 2.98
The fall 2025 entering class had 431 students, up from 415 in fall 2024. The LSAT median stayed at 152, but both outer quartiles rose one point. GPA moved upward throughout the distribution, including a median increase from 3.30 to 3.42. Both reports classify the entering students as full-time.
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. St. Thomas Law Application Essays
Personal Statement (required)
St. Thomas requires a typed personal statement. The statement gives the committee information beyond your academic record and test score; a supplemental statement can also provide pertinent information that the rest of the application does not capture.
For more on how to write a personal statement, see my Personal Statement Examples and Personal Statement Guide.
For more on making your whole application work together, see my Cohesive Narrative Guide.
Addenda and Character & Fitness Resources
I'll be publishing a guide to addenda and character and fitness.
3. St. Thomas Law Resume Requirements
A resume is required. Present your education, employment, activities, and service clearly, with responsibilities and results rather than a list of personal traits.
For more on preparing your resume, see my Resume Examples and Resume Guide.
4. St. Thomas Law Letters of Recommendation
St. Thomas requires one letter of recommendation as part of the application. Submit your letters of recommendation through the LSAC application process.
For more on recommendations, see my LOR Guide (Applicants) and LOR Guide (Writers).
5. St. Thomas Law Interview Process
The admissions committee may request a personal interview when it would help resolve an application decision. Be ready to explain your academic record, interest in law, and reasons for choosing St. Thomas.
6. St. Thomas Law Deadlines and Decision Options
Testing Policy
St. Thomas requires the LSAT and a complete LSAC Credential Assembly Service report. An LSAT score must be within five years of the application, and the school uses the highest valid score.
Application Dates and Fees
- Fall 2026 Application Deadline: July 1, 2026.
- Application Fee: $40, with waivers available to qualified applicants.
- Application Review: A complete application and CAS report are required before consideration.
Final degree-conferring transcripts must reach LSAC. Students whose required final transcripts have not arrived by October 15 will be withdrawn from classes.
Program Formats
The FLEX program permits an approved reduced course load of at least nine credits per semester. Approval comes through the admissions or student-support director. The full-time load starts at 12 credits, and the JD requires 90 credits. Students ordinarily must complete the degree within five years. FLEX is a course-load option, not a separate evening-program label.
7. St. Thomas Law Scholarships and Financial Aid
Merit Scholarships
St. Thomas awards entering merit scholarships based on admissions credentials and continuing-student scholarships based on academic performance. Conditional awards deserve close attention: 55 of the 102 conditional scholarships awarded to students entering in 2024-2025 were reduced or eliminated.
Cost of Attendance
For 2026-2027, the full-time first-year tuition-and-fee schedule totals $49,172, including a $797 eBook charge each semester that students may opt out of. The separate nine-month financial-aid budget lists $47,578 in tuition and fees and a $90,436 total off-campus cost of attendance. Keep the eBook election and the budget's separate books allowance in view when comparing costs.
Price St. Thomas against your other Florida options using the scholarship's actual renewal terms, not just its first-year amount. An award that changes after 1L can materially change the three-year cost.
For more on scholarship strategy, see How to Negotiate Law School Scholarships.
8. St. Thomas Law Joint Degree Programs
St. Thomas combines legal study with graduate programs within the university:
- JD/MS in Sports Administration: Legal training paired with sports management.
- JD/MBA in Sports Administration: Business administration with a sports-industry focus.
- JD/MBA in International Business: Business study relevant to cross-border commercial practice.
- JD/MA in Criminal Justice: Graduate study connected to criminal-justice work.
The joint-degree structure allows students to complete both degrees in three years through shared credits. Students apply to the graduate component during the second semester of the first year and can begin graduate coursework in the following summer. Admission to the graduate program is separate from admission to the JD.
9. St. Thomas Law Employment Outcomes (Class of 2025)
St. Thomas Class of 2025 employment outcomes (reported to the ABA, measured 10 months after graduation):
- Full-time, long-term bar-passage-required employment (ABA): 77.8%
- BigLaw (firms with 101+ attorneys): 11.3%
- Federal clerkships: 1.0%
- Public service (including government): 17.5%
Florida dominates the placement picture, with Georgia and Virginia the next reported destinations. Small and midsize firms account for more graduates than firms above the 100-attorney line. St. Thomas therefore makes the most sense as a route into Florida practice, including government and public-interest work, rather than as a primarily national large-firm recruiting platform. Build local experience while you are in school.
10. St. Thomas Law Areas of Study and Specializations
Immigration Law: The Immigration Practice Certificate connects immigration, asylum, refugee, and human-trafficking coursework with supervised practice. The Immigration Clinic adds client interviews, case preparation, and courtroom work, making this an especially concrete path for applicants with relevant language skills or community experience.
Human Rights: The Intercultural Human Rights Certificate draws on the graduate human-rights curriculum. The John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy adds a focused institution for anti-trafficking education and research, giving an international-law interest a more specific direction than a general course list.
Maritime Law: The Admiralty and Maritime Law Certificate covers subjects including maritime torts, marine insurance, and shipping. Directed by Attilio Costabel, the program connects naturally to South Florida's shipping and cruise industries and the disputes those businesses generate.
Criminal Litigation: The Criminal Litigation Certificate, directed by Benjamin Priester, combines doctrinal study with practical training. The Appellate Litigation Clinic and Criminal Practice Externship give students different views of criminal cases: trial-level responsibility in one setting and record-based appellate advocacy in another.
Business Law: The Business Law Certificate, directed by Itai Fiegenbaum, organizes study in commercial subjects such as corporate finance, bankruptcy, and secured transactions. Its practice-oriented requirements complement classroom work for students interested in representing businesses rather than treating corporate law as a single course.
11. St. Thomas Law Clinics and Experiential Learning
St. Thomas offers three in-house clinics alongside a wider set of externships.
- Appellate Litigation Clinic: Students review trial records, research issues, draft briefs, and prepare oral arguments in a yearlong appellate practice course.
- Immigration Clinic: Students develop and litigate matters involving asylum, removal defense, detained clients, and protections for battered spouses and children.
- Tax Clinic: Students represent low-income taxpayers in disputes involving the IRS and U.S. Tax Court and provide community tax education.
- Bankruptcy Externship: Students interview clients, prepare filings, and attend proceedings with practitioner mentors, including participants connected to the Bankruptcy Bar Foundation of the Southern District.
- Criminal Practice Externship: Students work in State Attorney or Public Defender offices on criminal cases, including motions and trial preparation.
- Elder Law Externship: Students address benefits, long-term care, guardianship, competency, and related planning issues affecting older clients.
Pro Bono and Experiential Learning
Graduation requires 50 hours of pro bono service and six experiential credits. The Florida Supreme Court Internship gives students research and writing work in Tallahassee, including analysis of matters seeking discretionary review. Judicial placements also include Florida's Seventeenth Judicial Circuit in Broward County. These opportunities extend beyond the in-house clinics and expose students to how courts make decisions.
12. St. Thomas Law Notable Faculty and Journals
Faculty
- Siegfried Wiessner: Professor of Law and associate dean for scholarship and faculty development. His work covers international law and indigenous peoples' rights; he founded the graduate Intercultural Human Rights program.
- Roza Pati: St. John Paul II Distinguished Professor of Law. Her fields include human rights and human trafficking, and she is the founding director of the John J. Brunetti Human Trafficking Academy.
- Benjamin J. Priester: Professor of Law and associate dean for accreditation and online programs. He teaches criminal and constitutional law and previously clerked on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.
- Carmen E. Atkins: Assistant Clinical Professor and director of the Immigration Clinic. She supervises students' immigration representation, connecting immigration-law study with direct responsibility for clients' cases.
Journals
- St. Thomas Law Review: Articles and commentary on legal issues.
- Intercultural Human Rights Law Review: Human rights scholarship from intercultural perspectives.
13. St. Thomas Law Culture and Student Life
The law school sits on St. Thomas University's Miami Gardens campus and shares the university's Catholic identity. More than 30 student organizations support professional interests, affinity communities, and service. The entering class is substantial, so building a smaller community through a clinic, journal, or organization matters.
Miami Gardens puts students within the broader Miami-Dade and Broward legal market. Immigration practice, criminal courts, commercial disputes, and international business all have a local presence. The school's employment pattern makes those nearby relationships especially important: much of the professional network you build as a student can remain relevant after graduation.
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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 St. Thomas 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.
