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Admission Requirements for the First Year Level and Transferees

A. WHO MAY APPLY

      Anyone seeking admission to the Xavier Ateneo Law must be a graduate of a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts or Science, or a higher academic degree, from an authorized and recognized university or college.

      All applicants must have earned eighteen (18) units of English subject. Applicants who have deficiency for this requirement may still apply and be eligible for admission, but admission will be conditioned on their completion of the deficiency and before they can graduate from law school.

      All transferees (Law students from another Law school applying to transfer to Xavier Ateneo Law) will be required to go through two (2) years residency at Xavier Ateneo Law.

      Admission to Xavier Ateneo Law will be based on the applicant’s abilities and possession of good moral character, and will be determined based on the results in the Law Entrance Exam, academic grades, ability to express and communicate in English orally and in writing, letters of recommendations, and online or in-person interview(s).

      Please take note that for the AY2024-2025, and barring any public health mandate to the contrary, Xavier Ateneo Law classes and examinations will be conducted ONLY in-person.

      Classes may begin early afternoon for full-time students. But generally, classes start at 5.30PM and end by 9.30PM at the latest for weekdays; and 9AM to 5PM at the latest for Saturdays.  Attendance in classes will be checked, and, pursuant to LEB rules, students who incur absences of more than 20% of the total class hours will receive a failing mark due to absences.

      Moreover, midterm and final examinations will be given in-person at Xavier Ateneo Law premises, but using ExamSoft — the same platform used by the Supreme Court in the conduct of the Philippine Bar Examinations.  Thus, all Xavier Ateneo Law students will be required to bring a suitable laptop for ExamSoft during examinations.  The laptop need not be brand new, may be Windows-based or using Mac-OS, but must comply with the minimum system requirements for the software to run. You may check this link to know more about the minimum systems requirement.

B. HOW TO APPLY 

Read and follow the instructions carefully. Your ability to comply will be part of the assessment.


1. TAKE THE LAW ENTRANCE EXAM.  REGISTER & PAY FOR THE ENTRANCE EXAM NO LATER THAN 11 MAY 2024.

      There are only four (4) scheduled Law entrance exams. Testing fee is PhP 930.00 (non-refundable). Please take note of the dates carefully. There will be no other schedule:

DATE TYPE Maximum Slots DEADLINE TO PAY AND REGISTER
20 April 2024 In-person 90 13 April 2024
27 April 2024 In-person 90 20 April 2024
4 May 2024 In-person 90 27 April 2024
18 May 2024 In-person 150 11 May 2024 (at 5pm)

 

      Registration and payment for the Law entrance exam must be done at least one week before the chosen scheduled exam date. 

      Take note of the slots per test date. It will be on a first come first serve basis. Registration per test date will close once slots are full. Those who registered first will be prioritized.  Please make sure that the testing requirements are complete in order to secure a slot on a particular test date. The Law entrance exam fee of PhP 930.00 is entirely separate and distinct from the application processing fee.

      Applicants who take the Law Entrance Exam may defer application for one year. But the result of the Law Entrance exam is good only for two years.   

Registration Process:  (The registration link together with the detailed instructions will follow once available)

Prepare the following: 

a. Scanned copy of a recent photo (with white background);
b. Scanned copy of valid ID

 

2. SUBMIT ALL APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS NO LATER THAN 7 JUNE 2024.

1.1 Application form (to be accomplished no later than 7 June 2024) This link together with the detailed instructions will follow once available

Click on the link above and fill this up.  This uses Google Forms, so you will need a Gmail address for access.

Note: please copy and save the link for the recommendation forms [within the application form] as you will need this link for your letters of recommendation.

1.2 Three (3) Letters of Recommendation (to be submitted no later than 7 June 2024) Detailed instructions to follow

None of the recommenders must be a relative within the 4th degree of consanguinity or affinity.

      The applicant should (i) identify the three persons who will make the recommendation based on the criteria below; (ii) get their consent and email addresses, and (iii) send the link of the recommendation form (previously saved from the online application form) to the recommenders to accomplish.      

a. Two (2) of the following who know the applicant’s abilities well:
              i.     Dean of the applicant’s school
             ii.     former professor(s)
            iii.     immediate supervisor(s)

b. One (1) person who knows the applicant well enough to provide a true character reference.

Note: It is the applicant's responsibility to check that the online recommendation form is accomplished by each recommender.

1.3 Personal Essay (to be submitted no later than 7 June 2024)

      The essay must be at least 300 words, in word format, where the applicant introduces himself/herself, and shares the circumstances that led to his/her application to Xavier Ateneo Law.

      Please take time to write and review your essay well for content and grammar. This will be used, among others, to gauge your proficiency in the English language.

      Applicants are expected to write their own essays. Essays will be subjected to a plagiarism checker and word count.  A plagiarized essay will lead to the denial of the application.

You can upload the personal essay here. (Link to follow)

Note: If you want to have your essay checked, you can submit it preliminarily to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. three (3) weeks before the deadline, on or before 17 May 2024. The plagiarism/similarity rate should not score beyond 10% to be considered for admission.

1.4 Scanned photos of the following documents (to be submitted no later than 7 June 2024):

You are only allowed to upload the scanned documents in one sitting. Make sure you have all the required documents before you decide to upload them, at this link for first year applicants, and this link for  transferees (Law students from another Law school applying to transfer to Xavier Ateneo Law). (The links together with the detailed instructions will follow once available)

a. 2”x2” ID Picture with white background (not more than 6 months old)
b. Birth certificate from PSA
c. Marriage Contract from PSA (for married women only)
d. Transcript of Records (if graduation is not yet reflected in the transcript, a true copy of grades and a certification of candidacy for Graduation). Upload Transcript of Records in one file or upload true copy of grades and certificate of candidacy for graduation in one file.

Please be reminded that the true copy of grades and the certificate of candidacy for graduation are for evaluation purposes only and serve as a substitute for the OFFICIAL TOR requirement. The official TOR where the graduation date is reflected should be submitted to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. once available.

For XU graduates: request for TOR takes 5 -14 working days

Additional Requirements:

e. Transfer Credentials or Honorable Dismissal (for non-XU graduates, or if last school attended is not XU, or transferees). This is the document you need to request from your previous school certifying that you are eligible for transfer to another educational institution. Upload Transcript of Records and Transfer Credentials or Honorable Dismissal in one file.
f. Recommendation Letter from the Director of Student Affairs from last school attended (for transferees only)

Please take note that (for non-XU graduates, or if last school attended is not XU, or transferees), the submission of Transfer Credentials or Honorable Dismissal is needed to proceed with the enrollment.

 

3. PAYMENT OF PhP900 PROCESSING FEE. (Detailed instructions will follow once available)

      After completing all the requirements in #1 & #2, please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on or before 7 June 2024, informing that you have (i) completed submission of requirements under #2; and (ii) when you took the Law entrance exam, or when you are scheduled to take the Law entrance exam. The Law Office will verify the same, and then send a confirmation email, with instructions on how to pay the Processing fee (PhP900.00).

     The processing fee is non-refundable, but is not a guarantee that you will be admitted. Please think carefully before you make the payment.

 

4. INTERVIEW: PERSONAL, OR  BY VIDEO CALL. (Detailed instructions will follow once available)

       Only applicants who have taken the entrance exam, and completed and submitted all requirements and payments will be interviewed.

      Once the payment has been verified (within 2-3 working days after payment), and the results of the entrance exam are available, the applicant will receive an email of his/her interview schedule and instructions. Interviews may be waived for applicants who have demonstrated in their submissions the abilities, skills and aptitude necessary for the study of law.

      Please note that interviews will be conducted either in-person or online on assigned dates within the interview period.  Online interviews will be conducted via Google Meet or through Zoom. Each applicant is responsible for ensuring that he/she is available for the interview as scheduled, and has the necessary internet access and information & communications technology (ICT) device for the online interview. The applicant must also be in business attire during the interview, whether it be in-person or through video call.

      Interviewed applicants will receive an email on the results of their application. Successful applicants will receive an email confirming eligibility for enrollment, and instructions on how to enroll.

      All first year students are required to attend the orientation and introductory class on 15-20 July 2024.

      Regular classes for Academic Year 2024-2025 begin on 22 July 2024.

 

DATES TO REMEMBER

Last day to pay for entrance exam: 11 May (for exam scheduled on 18 May 2024)

Entrance Exam dates: 20 April, 27 April, 4 May and 18 May 2024

Submission of application and admission requirements:  February – 7 June 2024

Deadline for submission of application and admission requirements:  7 June 2024

Interview Period: 27 May – 30 June 2024

Enrollment Period for First Years: 1 – 6 July 2024

Delayed Enrollment for First Years: 8 – 10 July 2024

 

Freshmen Orientation, Introduction to Law & Intro to Law Exam (mandatory for all First Year students)

Freshmen Orientation: 15 – 16 July 2024

Introduction to Law:  17 – 18 July 2024

Intro to Law Exam: 20 July 2024

Class Sessions: 22 July – 26 November 2024

 

For queries, please email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.