JD A to Z at the U

Review the law school academic calendar posted here.

Academic accommodations are a fundamental component of academic success, ensuring that every student has equal access to learning opportunities. At Miami Law, we are dedicated to providing a supportive academic environment. Students who require academic accommodations are strongly encouraged to contact Accessibility Services to initiate the interactive process. This collaborative approach allows Accessibility Services and students to work together to identify appropriate accommodations tailored to each student’s specific needs, ensuring optimal support throughout the legal education journey.

AccessLex is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial literacy education to law students. Incoming 1L students must complete eight mandatory lessons on AccessLex’s website and view one recorded webinar prior to Orientation: 1) 1L Pre-Course Skills Assessment, 2) Building Financial Capability, 3) Financial Goals for Future Lawyers, 4) Building Your Law School Budget, 5) The Power of Interest, 6) Summer Financial Planning, 7) My Law School Financial Plan, and 8) 1L Post-Assessment.

A new financial education “to-do” is posted in our weekly Memo Monday newsletter. All incoming 1L students are required to follow and complete this “curriculum” before Orientation. To get started, register for your free AccessLex account at AskEDNA.AccessLex.org. You do not need a University of Miami email address to register. Once signed in, you can access the financial education curriculum by clicking here. You can skip ahead and view any of the content or modules on the site at any time. AccessLex awards $160,000 to 1Ls through MAX Scholarship drawings during the academic year. The more lessons and webinars you complete and attend, the better your chances of winning!

Contact Anne Cruz-Alvarez in the Office of Admissions if you have any questions.

All incoming 1L students are encouraged to participate in the optional Lawyering Fundamentals course offered by BARBRI. The session 1 dates are from June 9 to June 30, while the session 2 dates are from July 7 to July 28.

Miami Law has also partnered with BARBRI to offer JD students comprehensive resources throughout law school and during bar exam preparation. 

Contact the Academic Achievement Program if you have any questions. 

If you are planning to ride your bicycle and/or electric scooter on campus, you must register it with the UM Police Department. The registration instructions and helpful safety tips are available here.

Contact the Department of Parking and Transportation at 305-284-3096 if you have any questions. 

The first billing notification will be sent out on July 14, 2025. The payment due date is August 7, 2025. Click here for additional information.

The book list is compiled by the Law Registrar’s Office and submitted to the University of Miami Campus Bookstore (1306 Stanford Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146, 305-284-4101) and Book Horizons (1110 South Dixie Highway, Coral Gables, FL 33146, 305-665-6161) before each semester.

In some instances, it is possible that the UM Bookstore and/or Book Horizons are selling a different edition of a book than the one your professor requires for class. Students are responsible for ensuring they purchase the correct title and edition of each book. We recommend that students not rely solely upon ISBNs when purchasing books.

Students may view the book list and the first class assignments on CourseLink for all courses taught at Miami Law. For more information, please click here and select "Course Catalog Listing."

The ’Cane Card is the official photo identification card of the University of Miami and must be carried with you at all times while on campus. This card serves as an access key card for many campus buildings. 

New UM students: Once you activate your new University of Miami email address in mid-July (see “Email Account” below), you will receive an email in your UM mailbox prompting you to upload a picture for your ’Cane Card to the Cloudcard system. The deadline to upload your picture is July 24. If you submit your picture by the deadline, you will receive your ’Cane Card during Orientation. If you miss the deadline, you may go in person to ’Canes Central beginning Orientation week. Bring a valid photo ID and be prepared to have your picture taken.

Former UM students: You may not receive the ’Cane Card email as you have a previous photo on file. If you need a new photo, you may go in person to ’Canes Central beginning Orientation week.

Law students view their academic records on CaneLink. You do not need to register for your 1L courses—that will be done automatically for you. Among other things, students use CaneLink to order official transcripts, view financial aid, pay tuition bills, and edit personal contact information. Please ensure your contact information and emergency contact information on CaneLink are up to date once you have solidified your law school housing.

Important: You may be prompted to review the University’s Financial Responsibility Statement (FRS) in CaneLink. If the FRS message pops up when you log in to CaneLink, please read the statement and click I Agree. Otherwise, the current hold on your account will prevent course registration. Click here for more information.

We encourage you to read the rules of admission to the bar of the state where you intend to practice law. The National Conference of Bar Examiners provides information on each state's requirements regarding character, fitness, and other qualifications. Applicants have a continuing duty throughout the admission process to report any changes in the information provided in the application to ensure that it remains complete and accurate. The failure to provide honest and accurate information throughout the law school admission process may result in a delay or denial of admission to the bar.  

The University of Miami School of Law reserves the right to withdraw an offer of admission under various conditions. This includes instances where an admitted student engages in behavior that brings into question their academic honesty, maturity, or moral character, or if they engage in conduct that constitutes a violation of the applicable Miami Law Student Handbook or Honor Code. 

• Contact Riva Medina in the Office of Admissions if you have any questions regarding disclosures or amendments to your Miami Law application. 
• Contact Madeline Raine in the Office of Student Affairs if you wish to discuss character and fitness disclosures for a specific state bar. 

The Cost of Attendance (COA) forms allow students who intend to borrow federal loans to supply documentation to determine if an increase in their total COA is warranted. Submitting a form does not guarantee approval, and denials are not appealable. If approved, the total COA, and, typically, the Grad PLUS Loan offer can be increased to cover the approved allowance.

The Grad/Law UM Health Insurance COA Request Form specifically relates to the expense associated with enrolling in the University’s Health Insurance Plan. The premium for the University’s Health Insurance Plan is not included in the COA. Therefore, students may request a COA increase (and thus additional Grad PLUS Loans) to cover this expense. Please note that the yearly cost of the health insurance is added to the fall semester bill. Therefore, a fall only Grad PLUS Loan would be offered. Please note this form should not be submitted until the cost of the UM Health Insurance appears on your bill.

The Grad/Law COA Review Form allows students who intend to borrow federal loans to request a COA increase (and typically additional Grad PLUS Loans) for extenuating circumstances. The circumstances are detailed on the form as follows: emergency health-related living expenses, dependent care expenses (daycare/after-school care), computer repair or replacement, additional educational expenses such as additional required books and supplies that exceed the current allotment, computer software required for degree conferment, instruments required for a degree program, required travel for educational purposes (i.e., required for degree conferment), and private health insurance.

Both forms are available here.

Contact Anne Cruz-Alvarez in the Office of Admissions if you have any questions.

The University of Miami Counseling Center (UMCC) provides a wide array of effective multidisciplinary psychological services for all currently enrolled students struggling with mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, campus adjustment issues, and relationship problems.

Contact UMCC for educational resources on wellness, self-care, and preventative measures. 

Starting mid-July, students have the option to sign up for direct deposit to receive their student refunds into an authorized savings/checking account of their choice. This is the fastest and most secure method to receive student refunds. Students who have not signed up for direct deposit will have their refund checks mailed to their current address listed in CaneLink. To enroll, visit the "Financials" menu in CaneLink, then select the "Direct Deposit/Bank Account" option. Click here for more information.

After matriculation in mid-July, you will receive an email from the University of Miami Information Technology (UMIT) department with the subject line “Action Required: Log in to Your University of Miami Email.” This message will include the instructions for accessing your UM email account. If you would like to update your email alias to an easy-to-remember email address (such as your name) or if you were previously affiliated with UM and want to add law.miami.edu to your email address, please submit a request through UMIT's Service Portal.

Contact UMIT at 305-284-6565 if you need further assistance. 

First year law students are not permitted to work at all during the 1L school year, except with permission from the Dean of Students. Students requesting authorization to work should email Dean Janet Stearns to discuss their circumstances.

Any student who is a US citizen or an eligible non-citizen may apply for federal financial aid by submitting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The code for the University of Miami School of Law is E00532. If you intend to seek federal financial aid, you should submit your FAFSA to Miami Law as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. More information about the financial aid process at Miami Law is available on our website and in this webinar. 

Please be advised that Student Accounts will start processing refunds during the first two weeks of classes. This means you will need to plan to pay for your setup expenses (books, rent/security deposit, etc.) out of pocket. Please budget accordingly.

Contact Anne Cruz-Alvarez in the Office of Admissions if you have any questions. 

Florida Bright Futures Scholarship (FBFS) recipients who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in seven or fewer semesters or 105 or fewer semester hours may be eligible to receive this scholarship in the first semester of law school. Either log in to your Florida portal or contact the Florida Department of Education, Office of Student Financial Assistance, at 888-827-2004 or osfa@fldoe.org to determine if you have eligibility remaining. You can request that any remaining eligibility be transferred to the University of Miami. If you have not used Bright Futures for over a year, ask whether a Reinstatement/Restoration Online Application is required. Notify Anne Cruz-Alvarez in the Office of Admissions if you are using FBFS funds.

To have any remaining Florida Prepaid (FLPP) funding applied to your account, please follow the instructions provided on the Florida Prepaid College Program page.

To have an external scholarship applied to your account, ask the awarding organization to mail the check to the University of Miami. The address can be found here. Please have the awarding organization include your student ID on the check to ensure that the check is credited to your account. Your student ID number (starting with a 5) may be found by logging into CaneLink, clicking on My Profile, and clicking General Information.

Law students can use the Herbert Wellness Center starting on August 11. You must use your ‘Cane Card to enter the building. The Wellness Center Fee is mandatory for all full-time law students enrolled in the fall/spring semesters. Click here for additional information.

Contact the Herbert Wellness Center at 305-284-8500 if you have any questions. 

All domestic law students enrolled in six or more credit hours per semester and all international students are required to have adequate health insurance coverage. All students will be automatically enrolled in the University’s student health insurance plan.

However, domestic students with adequate alternative coverage may request to waive enrollment in the plan via the UnitedHealthcare Student Resources (UHCSR) portal. To submit your waiver, please have your student ID number (this number, starting with a 5, may be found by logging into CaneLink, clicking on My Profile, then clicking General Information), date of birth, and current health insurance ID card ready. Students will receive a waiver approval or denial within five (5) business days of submission. Call the UHCSR customer service at 1-833-931-0533 if you need assistance.

Please note that waiver requests can be made between July 9 and August 15. A health insurance waiver request must be renewed each academic year. 

The cost of the student health insurance plan is not included in your Cost of Attendance. Therefore, you may request additional federal loan funding to cover the premium of student health insurance coverage by filling out the 2025-2026 Grad/Law UM Health Insurance COA Request Form. This form is available here.

Contact the UHCSR Customer Service at 1-833-931-0533 or the University of Miami's Student Health Service at 305-284-9100 if you need further assistance or have specific questions about the insurance plan. 

Although on-campus housing is not available to law students, there are many off-campus options around/close to campus. For assistance with your housing search, please refer to our housing website. If you are looking for a roommate, please fill out our Roommate Referral Form, which includes students ranging from incoming 1Ls to LLMs.

Contact Joe Matthews in the Office of Admissions if you have any questions. 

All students must have the vaccinations listed here. Students must complete an immunization form and email it to studenthealth@miami.edu by July 25. 

Contact the Student Health Service at 305-284-9100 if you have any questions.

During Orientation, the Student Technology Help Desk team will host virtual IT set-up sessions to help you get connected to our CaneNetWireless network, install print drivers, set up your UM email on your phone, and provide other similar services. They can also help you download a free Microsoft Office software suite to your laptop. They will hold office hours around Orientation to help you get set up. You may also refer to these IT instructional videos at your convenience.

Contact the Student Technology Help Desk at 305-284-2597 or 305-284-8887 if you have any questions. They are located in Room C118 on the ground floor of the Law Library.

Laptops are recommended for law students. If you are planning to purchase a new laptop and want to know if it will meet our minimum requirements, or if you want to see if your current laptop meets our minimum requirements, click here. If you plan on taking your law school exams on a laptop, you must use the Exam 4 software. You may check the minimum system requirements for Exam 4 here, including a list of hardware configurations not supported by exam-taking software.

If you plan on borrowing federal loans to help finance your legal education but do not need the full amount offered, you can complete the Grad/Law Loan Revision Request Form to reduce the amount of either or both of the offered loans. The 2025-2026 form is available here. After filling out this form, the revised loan amount will be posted on CaneLink, and you can accept the new loan amount. Do not use the Loan Revision Form to decrease the amount of a loan to $0. In that case, simply click “decline” on CaneLink next to the loan you do not wish to borrow. The Federal Loan Revision Calculator can be used to assist you with this process.

Contact Anne Cruz-Alvarez in the Office of Admissions if you have any questions. 

During Orientation, you may select any available locker at the law school and attach your own lock. You do not need to report your locker number to anyone at the law school.

All 1Ls will be assigned to a mentoring pod. The pods will match groups of 1L students with upper-level law students and alumni mentors to strengthen connections within the community and provide 1L students with access to professional development opportunities. Additional information will be emailed to you in August.

The Office of Career and Professional Development (OCPD) looks forward to working with you throughout law school and beyond. To assign you to your career advisor, please complete the OCPD 1L Career and Practice Area Interest Survey by August 12. To get a head start on converting your résumé into a legal format, please join the OCPD’s Résumé Building Workshop on June 18 at 8:00 pm ET. The registration link was emailed to you.

Contact the Office of Career and Professional Development if you have any questions.

Mandatory 1L Orientation will be held from August 11 to August 15. Information regarding Orientation will be posted here periodically throughout the summer. Keep an eye out for additional Orientation requirements that must be submitted prior to August 11. Classes will begin with your Legal Communications and Research Skills class (“LComm”) on August 15. Your other 1L classes will begin on August 18.

In July, you will receive an email from the Department of Parking and Transportation indicating the exact date and time your specific student type may begin purchasing parking permits. Enter your Login ID and password in the Parking Portal and provide the make, model, and license plate number for the vehicle you are registering. The cost of your permit can be paid at that time or billed to your student account. Parking permits are not available for purchase on campus.

Visit this website or contact the Department of Parking and Transportation at 305-284-3096 if you have any questions.

The University's Transit Program offers incentives and discounts to full-time students using Brightline, Metrorail, Tri-Rail, and Metrobus.

Visit the Parking and Transportation website for more details.

You will receive your section assignments by email the week before Orientation. Your section assignment will dictate your class schedule, which may be viewed on CaneLink in August.

All incoming students are required to complete the Sexual Assault Prevention for Graduate Students online training. Additional information will be emailed to you in July.

A student ticket to attend the University of Miami home games requires purchase and opting in to the athletic fee. Review this knowledge article to learn how to opt in to the athletic fee.

Visit this website for more information about the Miami Hurricanes Student Tickets.

Title IV federal funding is another term for federal financial aid. Upon disbursement, Title IV federal loan funds will be applied to tuition and mandatory student fees. After these charges have been paid, there may be an excess of federal loan funds. These excess funds may be used to pay other pending University charges (e.g., University student health insurance fees, parking fees, library fines, etc.), but students must first authorize the University to do so by submitting a Title IV authorization or permission. If you wish to provide Title IV authorization, please follow the instructions outlined here.

Contact Anne Cruz-Alvarez in the Office of Admissions if you have any questions. 

If you have not already done so, please submit your official final undergraduate transcript indicating the awarded bachelor’s degree and conferral date to the Law School Admission Council’s Credential Assembly Service by July 15.

If you are requesting your transcript through Parchment, please type “LSAC” in the Parchment search engine box instead of “University of Miami School of Law.” If you are requesting your transcript through the National Student Clearinghouse, please select “Educational Organization” and search for “Law School Admission Council.” After LSAC processes your transcript, they will forward it to us electronically.

Contact Riva Medina in the Office of Admissions if you have any questions. 

The law school tuition rates and mandatory/optional fees will be posted here.

Contact Anne Cruz-Alvarez in the Office of Admissions if you have any questions. 

The Veterans Services certifying officials are located in the Office of the University Registrar to assist veterans and dependents of veterans who are entitled to VA educational benefits. Review the Veterans Resource Guide to learn about the services that are available.

The Veterans Resource Center provides support and guidance to student veterans for the successful transition from military service to campus life. They also connect veterans and military-affiliated students to academic and other University resources through collaborative programs and engagement activities with campus partners and alumni.

Contact the Veterans Resource Center at 305-284-8727 if you have any questions or Jack Townsend who serves as the law school's liaison.

You will receive an email from the law library with registration instructions for Westlaw, LexisNexis, and other legal information resources before Orientation. Please complete the registration before your initial LComm class.   

Contact Robin Schard from the Law Library if you have any questions. 

If you have not already done so, please join us on our Class of 2028 University of Miami School of Law WhatsApp Community. We will post announcements over the summer about upcoming events, deadlines, and Orientation.