To be eligible for the LEP, you must:

• be a United States citizen of good moral character;
• be on active duty as a commissioned officer;
• be a college graduate;
• be in pay grade O-1, O-2, or O-3 with 2 to 6 years active-duty service (including any active enlisted time) as of the time of proposed entry into law school;
• be able to complete 20 years of active service as a commissioned officer before your 55th birthday;
• have taken the LSAT and have applied to an American Bar Association (ABA)-accredited law school; and
• comply with all other requirements detailed in the governing instruction (Secretary of the Navy Instruction SECNAVINST 1520.7G.

No waivers will be considered for Time in Service requirements.

Applicants must take the LSAT and apply to law school. Applicants are encouraged to apply to more than one school but must apply to at least one law school in which they are eligible for in-state tuition and one school that is close to the officer's current duty station.

LEPs will remain on active duty, with pay and benefits, while attending law school and completing the bar examination. Obligated service is two full years for each year or part thereof in the program, in addition to any other obligation, which the individual has incurred.

During the summer, you are not required to intern with the Navy JAG Corps. You may find a suitable internship that would equally benefit your professional development. For those students who are outside of a fleet concentration area, you will need to accept no-cost TAD orders to a fleet concentration if you chose to intern with the Navy JAG Corps. You will need to inform Code 61 about your summer plans during your spring semester

If you have already started your legal studies (such as through a part-time evening program), you may still apply for this program. If selected, the Navy will pay for the remaining courses of your legal education and you will have less obligated service.

For further details, please refer to the implementing guidance, SECNAVINST 1520.7G, and the most recent Navy administrative message (NAVADMIN).

The submission deadline for fiscal year 2026 is September 30, 2024, as announced in NAVADMIN 096/24.

The selection board meets in February of each year. Selected officers are typically notified in March.

Generally, the application process involves the following steps:

• Complete a structured interview. Your interview must be completed before the application deadline, and you are responsible for contacting the appropriate office to schedule your interview. Your application will not be considered without a completed interview.
• Submit a completed application form (SECNAV Form 1520/1) with official college transcripts from each school attended via your commanding officer to the address delineated in the NAVADMIN. You must apply to at least one school at which in-state tuition can be obtained, one school near your current duty station, and one school located in a fleet concentration.
• LSAT score reports may be submitted via separate correspondence after the deadline to melissa.waldron2.civ@us.navy.mil, but must be received prior to the convening of the selection board.
• You are not required to submit your periodic January LT FITREP because the board meets in early February. If you have your LT FITREP and would like to submit it before the start of the board, you can email it to PERS 4416 at melissa.waldron2.civ@us.navy.mil.
• LEP applicants may only attend ABA-approved law schools that maintain an active Education Service Agreement (ESA) with the Naval Post Graduate School (NPS). The list of NPS-approved schools is updated annually. View the latest list of approved schools.

NOTE: Letters of recommendation are not authorized and will not go before the board.

If you have any additional questions, please contact the Special Assistant for Accessions at navyjagaccessions@us.navy.mil.