Kern County College of Law is a respected evening law school program accredited by the State Bar of California Committee of Bar Examiners. We offer three locations for starting your law school program: our main campus in Seaside, California; our branch campus in San Luis Obispo, California; and our newest branch campus in Bakersfield, California. We also offer an online hybrid option. In addition to the traditional J.D. Degree program, we offer a concurrent J.D./M.L.S. degree program, a two-year Master of Legal Studies degree, and an advanced graduate law LL.M degree.
Kern County College of Law also believes that it was the first law school in California to initiate a policy of protecting students from tuition increases during their course of study. As long as you remain continuously enrolled in good academic standing at Kern County College of Law, your tuition rate will not increase.
Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
Kern County College of Law is accredited by the Committee of Bar Examiners of the State Bar of California to offer the Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) degree. The J.D is a three-to-four year (90 unit) traditional U.S. graduate law degree program designed for individuals who wish to be licensed as a California attorney.
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JD/MLS – Concurrent Degree Program
Kern County College of Law provides applicants the option of concurrently enrolling in the J.D. and Master of Legal Studies degree programs. Upon successful completion of the program, the student is granted both the J.D. and M.L.S. degrees. Completion of the M.L.S. degree requires a major writing project. All other credit courses are completed concurrently with the J.D. program.
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Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.)
The Master of Legal Studies degree is a 36 unit, two-year graduate program for individuals who desire to obtain an advanced knowledge of the law and the American legal system, but who do not wish to become lawyers. The degree program is designed for individuals in careers that involves interaction with lawyers and the legal system and for those who are entering professions where an understanding of legal reasoning and the legal system will improve their professional effectiveness.
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LL.M.
The LL.M. graduate law degree program is a 24-unit program that is designed to promote advanced legal educational for practicing attorneys and law schools graduates from the U.S and foreign countries. Applicants are required to have successfully completed a first degree in law from a U.S. law school or foreign legal studies program. The LL.M. degree curriculum is designed individually for each student to meet his or her specific goals.
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Kern County College of Law enrolls first year students for Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters.
Fall Semester admission deadline is July 20.
Spring Semester admission deadline is January 20.
Summer Semester admission deadline is April 20.
For more information, please contact Assistant Dean of Admissions and Recruiting, Dena Dowsett ddowsett@slolaw.org.
Kern County College of Law seeks applicants with a solid academic record and a strong desire to study law. We encourage applicants from a broad range of ages and experience. Our goal is to have KCCL represent the broad diversity of our community.
KCCL seeks to identify candidates who display the character and skills necessary to succeed as law students… and ultimately as law graduates. Kern County College of Law admits students without regard to race, age, sex, creed, color, physical handicap, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, national or ethnic origin.
If you have questions about your qualifications or the process for applying to law school, contact Dean of Admissions Wendy LaRiviere at 831-582-4000 ext. 1012 or wlariviere@montereylaw.edu.
Kern County College of Law enrolls first year students for both Spring and Fall semesters.
Spring Semester admission deadline is January 20.
Fall Semester admission deadline is July 20.
For more information, please contact Assistant Dean of Admissions and Recruiting, Dena Dowsett at ddowsett@slolaw.org.
The admissions department reviews applications using a “rolling admissions” process throughout the year. Your file will achieve optimal consideration if your application is received early, rather than waiting until the deadlines for Spring and Fall semesters.
Applications received after the application deadline may be considered on a space-available basis, but will be assessed a late fee ($250).
Interviews for admissions are not required. Under some circumstances, the review committee may request one. If one is requested, the applicant will be contacted by the Assistant Dean of Admissions.
Applicants have the option of taking the LSAT, substituting the diagnostic assessment or requesting a waiver of the LSAT requirement. To request a LSAT waiver or let us know you have another standardized test score in leau of the LSAT, please email our admissions team at: admissions@slolaw.org.
The LSAT is not required for the M.L.S. or LL.M. degree programs.
Applicants are required to submit official transcripts of all academic studies completed prior to application to law school. Official transcripts must be received in envelopes sealed by the issuing school. Transcripts should be sent to: Admissions, 100 Colonel Durham St., Seaside, CA 93955. E-transcripts can be sent to: admissions@slolaw.org Once submitted, transcripts become the property of the college and will not be returned.
Your opportunity to provide the Admissions Committee with information that distinguishes you from other applicants comes from your personal statement. This narrative enables the Committee members to perceive your uniqueness, as well as your writing ability. You should include life experiences, challenges and how they were met, why Kern County College of Law should admit you as a student, why you are interested in the law and attending law school, and the skills and abilities you bring to the study of law. LL.M. and M.L.S applicants should discuss how the LL.M. or M.L.S degrees are anticipated to advance their professional or academic objectives.
KCCL welcomes transfer applicants from other law schools. KCCL may consider prior study at accredited and registered unaccredited law schools. However, each application is considered on an individual basis. Transfer applicants must submit the following:
If you completed your pre-legal education outside the United States, your transcript must be evaluated by an approved credential evaluations agency. The State Bar of California provides a list of approved agencies. Please contact Assistant Dean of Admissions, Adam Ancira-Corrigan at admissions@slolaw.org for more information.
We encourage you to visit Kern County College of Law. As a prospective student, you may arrange to meet informally with students, faculty, and staff. You are also encouraged to attend a class. Please contact Assistant Dean of Admissions and Recruiting, Dena Dowsett at ddowsett@slolaw.org for an appointment.
Kern County College of Law admits students without regard to race, age, sex, creed, color, physical handicap, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, national or ethnic origin.
As a state-accredited law school, Kern County College of Law is not a Federal Title IV educational institution. This means that KCCL students do not qualify for federally insured educational loans. However, Sallie Mae private loans are available to students based on their personal credit or that of a co-signer. In some cases, the law school is able to provide individual short-term private loans to assist students.
When students obtain a loan from a third party, we must certify certain information on each loan application. Student applicants pay a non-refundable loan-processing fee to Kern County College of Law for this certification, even if the loan is not ultimately approved. When a loan check is received, KCCL will promptly notify the applicant and draw a check payable to the applicant. At that time all current tuition owed must be paid.
See the Schedule of Fees for current tuition and fees. Kern County College of Law has a policy of protecting students from tuition increases during their course of study. As long as a student remains continuously enrolled in good academic standing at Kern County College of Law, their tuition rate per semester will not increase. This unique policy by the KCCL Board of Trustees allows KCCL law students to estimate the entire cost of their law degree (excluding books and materials) at the time of their initial enrollment.
Kern County College of Law is an independent, non-profit educational institution that receives no support from taxes or other public funds. The primary source of revenue comes directly from student tuition.
Annual tuition and fees are due in full at the time of registration. For those students in need of additional flexibility in paying their tuition and fees, KCCL provides a tuition installment program (“TIP”). Under the TIP program, students are allowed to pay the annual amount due in monthly installments. A TIP enrollment form will be available during registration.
Fall and Spring Semesters are each 16 weeks long. The Summer Semester is 11 weeks long. J.D. and J.D./M.L.S. concurrent students should plan to attend three Summer Semesters during their course of study. M.L.S. students generally attend one Summer Semester. LL.M. students may attend Summer Semester courses depending on their individual program of study.
Evening classes are held Monday through Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at both the Seaside and Santa Cruz locations.
Kern County College of Law does not have any formal articulation agreements with other colleges or universities.
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When you are accepted, you reserve your place in the first year class with a non-refundable reservation fee of $500.00. Upon enrollment, a portion of this fee is applied to your first semester tuition. Please contact Assistant Dean of Admissions and Recruiting, Dena Dowsett at ddowsett@slolaw.org for details related to reservation fees and tuition.
The annual flat tuition rate is based on taking 12 or more units during the academic year that includes the Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters. Students who enroll on a flat tuition schedule for 12 units or more during an academic year (including combined Fall, Spring, and Summer Semesters) are only eligible for a prorated refund if they submit timely add/drop forms and are approved by the Academic Dean to drop to fewer than 12 enrolled units for the combined Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. For example, if you register for 9 units in Fall Semester, 9 in Spring Semester, and 4 units for the Summer Semester, but are approved to drop all Summer Semester courses, there is no prorated tuition refund because you will have already completed more than 12 semester units (in this example, 18 units during the Fall and Spring) during the academic year.
Students who submit timely add/drop forms and are approved to enroll in fewer than 12 units in an academic year can be eligible for a prorated refund of tuition charges. To be eligible for a tuition refund, a student must notify the Academic Dean and the Registrar by filing a timely add/drop form and submitting a written notice (by hard copy or email) of his/her intention to reduce the number of enrolled units and/or withdraw from the academic program. The amount of tuition refund is determined as of the date of receipt of written notice of withdrawal and is calculated as follows:
Withdrawal before the start of instruction: 100% Tuition Refund
Withdrawal during the first 60% of instruction: * Pro Rata Tuition Refund
Total hours of instruction offered (minus) Total hours elapsed X Total Tuition Cost
Total hours of instruction offered
Withdrawal after completion of 60%* of instruction: No refund
* 60% of instruction is completed in the 9th week of classes during the Fall and Spring Semesters and in the 6th week of classes during the Summer Semester.
Please note that fees are not refundable.
Students attending the College under the Veteran’s Administration Bill are governed by a special refund policy. For more information, contact Assistant Dean of Admissions Adam Ancira-Corrigan at aanciracorrigan@slolaw.org.
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