Northeastern Illinois University and Northern Illinois University College of Law have two agreements in place to better serve pre-law students at Northeastern. First is the NIU-NEIU Diversity Pipeline Program which provides pre-law enrichment programming for Northeastern students as early as their sophomore year in college all the way through enrollment in law school. The second is a 3+3 program allowing students to go to law school after only three years of undergraduate coursework and complete law school after another three years of traditional law school coursework.
NIU-NEIU Diversity Scholars Program
NIU Law is committed to facilitating access to the legal profession for a broad range of diverse groups by countering the effects of societal discrimination, increasing the number of lawyers who will serve in communities that are currently underserved and obtaining for our students the educational benefits that flow from a diverse faculty and student body. These diverse groups include but are not limited to racial, ethnic and socioeconomic diversity. The NIU Law – Northeastern Illinois University Diversity Scholars Program will help to further Northern Illinois University College of Law’s commitment to diversity by positively impacting diversity in both legal education and the legal field.
View our NIU-NEIU Diversity Scholars Program PDF
Current Northeastern students who are interested in participating should complete the interest form. The program is set to begin in the Fall 2023.
NIU-NEIIU 3+3 Accelerated Law Degree Program
NIU offers an accelerated law degree program for high-achieving students. Also known as "3+3 programs," these integrated course sequences lead to both an undergraduate bachelor's degree from Northeastern Illinois University and a J.D. at the end of six years from Northern Illinois University.
Application Requirements
Northeastern undergraduate students are eligible to participate in the 3+3 Accelerated Law Degree program. You can apply to the College of Law during your junior year. If you are accepted to the accelerated J.D. program, you will begin first-year law classes during your senior year. In order to qualify for the 3+3 program, Northeastern students must first meet all general education and major requirements for their program. Consult the Director of Pre-professional Advising to learn more about how to qualify for this program.
Application requirements include:
- Meet the Northeastern general education and major requirements for your program
- Electronic Application Form
- Personal statement
- LSAT score (You must take the LSAT and score at or above the median LSAT score for the previous year’s entering class at the College of Law)
- Transcript(s) and CAS Report
- One letter of recommendation – one is required, but up to four can be received
- A resume is strongly recommended but not required
- You are also strongly encouraged to upload a letter from your advisor at the time of application submission that indicates you have completed all major and general education requirements necessary for consideration for the accelerated J.D. program
- Completed applications should be received by April 1 of the year of planned attendance
Admission to the College of Law will be on a competitive basis. The likelihood of admission will depend on the number and quality of applicants to the program and the number and quality of applicants to the College of Law in general as well as other factors normally considered in admissions decisions by the College of Law.