Online J.D. Program Application Details | Southwestern Law School
Southwestern
Law School
Los Angeles
Online J.D. Program
Southwestern students studying in the law library on campus.
Southwestern Law School’s campus and residential programs have been located in Los Angeles, California since 1911.
Southwestern is authorized to offer its Online J.D. Program to residents of California and residents of other locations indicated below.
Where the Online J.D. Program is offered
Locations where Online J.D. Program students may reside during the program
Alaska*
Arizona
California
Canada: British Columbia and Ontario
Colorado
Connecticut
Florida
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa*****
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana**
Maine
Maryland****
Massachusetts
Michigan
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
Ohio**
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas**
Utah
Vermont
Virginia***
Washington
West Virginia**
Wyoming
Southwestern does not currently offer the Online J.D. Program to students residing in the following locations
Alabama
Delaware
District of Columbia
Georgia
Mississippi
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Rhode Island
Puerto Rico
Wisconsin
Southwestern is seeking to offer the Online J.D. Program in these jurisdictions for the class starting August 2026
Arkansas
Minnesota
Oklahoma
Oregon
We will consider applications for the Online J.D. Program from students who intend to study remotely while living in locations where we are approved and where we are in the process of applying for authorization (pending jurisdictions). Students who plan to reside in pending locations should check this website regularly because the list of locations where Southwestern is authorized to offer the Online J.D. Program continues to expand.
If Southwestern does not have authorization to offer the Online J.D. Program in a pending state by June 2026, we will notify each student residing in that state that they are eligible to receive a refund of any monies paid to Southwestern in connection with their application.
Students who would like to study remotely from Canada, the UK, and the EU and spouses/dependents of visa holders who have an H-4 visa and are eligible to study online are welcome to apply.
Application Deadline
Application Deadline: May 1, 2026
Note that the initial application deadline for the Fall 2026 Entering Class was April 1, 2026. Although we consider applications submitted after this date, applicants should be mindful that we will have fewer spaces available as we get closer to the 2026-2027 school year, which begins in mid-August. Additionally, there may be reduced scholarship funds available later in the cycle. We consider applications on a rolling basis.
Application Requirements
Visit our
Apply Now
page to view application requirements.
View application requirements
Visit our
Professional Licensure by Program page
for information about bar licensure by jurisdiction.
*Our Online J.D. Program is available to residents of Alaska through an approved exemption.  Alaska students should be aware that our authorization to enroll residents of Alaska in our Online J.D. is under AS 14.48 and 20 AAC 17.015 because the program is online or distance delivered and does not have a physical presence in the state.
For consumer complaint contacts for each state or jurisdiction in which Southwestern is authorized to do business, please see our
State Student Concern Contact Information List
** Online J.D. Program students residing in these states cannot currently do an Externship with a firm or organization physically located there.  However, students can do an online Externship with a firm or organization located in other states.
*** The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) has determined that Southwestern Law School meets all requirements for distance education certification as stated in section 23. I -219 (F) of the Code of Virginia. Southwestern Law School is certified to offer solely distance education to Virginia residents effective April 29, 2024 through June 30, 2025, after which certification must be renewed on an annual basis.
**** Southwestern Law School has been determined by the MHEC to be in compliance with the requirements of Education Article , Title 11, Subtitle 2, Ann. Code of Maryland and COMAR 13B.05.01, and is registered with the Commission to enroll Maryland students in the Online J.D. Program.
*****Online J.D. students residing Iowa cannot do an in-person Externship with a firm or organization physically located there.  However, students can do an online Externship remotely with any firm or organization located in the state or outside of the state or an in-person externship in another state.