International Exams · Entrance Exams

LSAT

The LSAT is the admissions test for law schools in the United States and Canada — the only test accepted by every ABA-approved law school — and is used by some law programmes elsewhere. It is a test of reading and reasoning rather than of law: four 35-minute multiple-choice sections in Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning, three of which count, and a separate unscored essay, LSAT Argumentative Writing, taken online at home up to eight days before the test.

The 2026–27 cycle brought a structural change. From the August 2026 administration the multiple-choice test is taken in Prometric test centres for almost everyone, with remote testing only by exception for approved accommodations, active-duty military abroad or candidates more than 180 miles from a centre. International candidates, including those in India, sit in centres over designated international dates and schedule their session through Prometric in the order they registered.

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LSAT · checked 19 September 2026

The dates, vacancies and rules below are read on the conducting body’s own site and rewritten as each notice appears. The guide beneath carries the full pattern, syllabus, cut-offs and free mock tests.

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19September 2026

Checked 19 September 2026

LSAT: the facts that matter now

01
9–10 October 2026; 15–16 January, 9–10 April and 11–12 June 2027, with US-style dates also open to some
International dates
02
Law School Admission Council, at Prometric test centres from August 2026; Argumentative Writing online at home
Administered by
03
Admission to all ABA-approved US law schools and Canadian law schools; some programmes elsewhere
Used for
04
Four 35-minute sections — three scored, one unscored — of Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning, plus a 50-minute unscored essay
Format

Overview

What LSAT is, and who it suits

Reading Comprehension presents long, dense passages of the kind met in legal study — including a comparative pair — and asks about structure, inference, the author’s attitude and the function of a passage’s parts. Logical Reasoning presents short arguments and asks you to find the assumption, strengthen or weaken the argument, identify the flaw, resolve a paradox or draw the conclusion. The unscored fourth section is one of the two types and is not identified, so every section is worked as if it counts.

Scores are converted from the raw number correct to the 120–180 scale, reported with a percentile rank against the previous three testing years and a score band. A score report carries up to twelve reportable results, including absences and cancellations, and a result is reportable for five testing years after the year it was earned; scores from before July 2021 are no longer valid for admission. First-time candidates must complete and have approved LSAT Argumentative Writing before any score is released, and processing can take up to three weeks.

What makes the LSAT distinctive

No knowledge content — nothing legal is tested; the skills are close reading, argument analysis and the discipline to work fast without losing precision.
Scored on raw count alone — every question is worth the same and wrong answers cost nothing, so every question is answered.
A separate, unscored essay that still gates the score — law schools read it, and a first-timer’s score is held until it is approved.
Score Preview — for a fee, a candidate can see the score before deciding whether to keep or cancel it.

LSAT—India is a different test

Several Indian law colleges admit through LSAT—India, a separate examination administered by Pearson VUE for Indian institutions on its own dates, with its own registration and scoring. The LSAT described here is the LSAC test for law schools in the United States, Canada and a few other countries. Do not confuse the two when registering.

Selection process

How LSAT selection works

Each stage in order, and what it actually tests.

Stages change between cycles. Confirm the structure in the notification for the cycle you are sitting.
Stage	Format	What it involves
Register and schedule	LSAC account; US$253; scheduling through Prometric in registration order	Registration for every 2026–27 administration is open. The registration deadline is about six weeks before the test and is also the last day for a free date change or full refund; later changes cost $153 within seven days of the deadline and $253 after. Each registrant is assigned a scheduling window in the order they registered and books a centre session through Prometric when it opens, about three weeks before the test.
LSAT Argumentative Writing	Online at home; 50 minutes; from eight days before the test	A debatable issue is presented with three or four perspectives; 15 minutes are given for prewriting analysis and 35 for drafting an argumentative essay that takes a position and engages with the other views. It is unscored but sent to law schools with the score, and a first-time taker’s score is not released until it is approved. A writing sample from July 2021 onwards remains valid for later attempts.
The multiple-choice test	Four 35-minute sections at a Prometric centre	Two or three Logical Reasoning sections and one or two Reading Comprehension sections; three count and one is an unscored variable section used to trial questions. The sections may come in any order and the unscored one is not identified. A ten-minute break follows the second section.
Score release and reporting	About three weeks after the test	Scores are posted to the LSAT Status page in the account on the release date — 28 October 2026 for the October international test, 3 February 2027 for January — and reported to the law schools applied to through the Credential Assembly Service. Score Preview lets a candidate see the score first and cancel it, for $46 if bought before the test or $87 after.

Exam resources

Everything for LSAT

Six resource pages, each kept in step with the latest official notification.

LSAT SyllabusLSAT syllabus — the Reading Comprehension and Logical Reasoning question types, the unscored section, and what LSAT Argumentative Writing asks.LSAT Exam PatternLSAT exam pattern — four 35-minute sections, the 120–180 scale, the writing requirement, the 2026–27 international dates, fees and the return to test centres.LSAT Previous PapersLSAT previous papers — the Official LSAT PrepTests in LawHub, the free ones and the Advantage library, and how to use retired tests.LSAT Mock TestsLSAT mock tests — full four-section sittings in the LawHub interface, scored on 120–180, with the error analysis that raises a score.LSAT PreparationLSAT preparation — a plan around the international dates, the Logical Reasoning method, reading dense passages, and the admin steps that hold up a score.LSAT Study MaterialLSAT study material — Official LSAT PrepTests through LawHub, LSAC’s free resources, and the reading and reasoning sources worth adding.

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Questions

LSAT — FAQs

What is the LSAT exam pattern?

Four 35-minute multiple-choice sections — Logical Reasoning and Reading Comprehension — of which three are scored and one is an unidentified variable section used to trial questions, plus LSAT Argumentative Writing, a 50-minute unscored essay taken online at home up to eight days before the test. Scores run from 120 to 180 and are based only on the number of correct answers.

Is the LSAT taken online or at a test centre?

From the August 2026 administration the multiple-choice test is taken at Prometric test centres for almost all candidates in the US and internationally. Remote testing is available only by exception — approved disability accommodations, US military abroad, or candidates more than 180 miles or three hours from a centre with capacity — and requires a smartphone as a second camera. Argumentative Writing is always taken remotely.

When is the LSAT held internationally in 2026–27?

International administrations are on 9–10 October 2026 with registration closing 27 August and scores on 28 October; 15–16 January 2027, registration by 1 December, scores 3 February; 9–10 April 2027, registration by 25 February, scores 28 April; and 11–12 June 2027, registration by 29 April, scores 30 June.

How much does the LSAT cost?

US$253 for the 2026–27 testing year, the same for first-time and repeat takers, including Argumentative Writing. The Credential Assembly Service is $219 and each law school report $45. Score Preview costs $46 if bought before the test or $87 after; a date change after the registration deadline costs $153 or $253 depending on timing.

How long is an LSAT score valid?

A result is reportable for five testing years after the testing year in which it was earned; testing years run from 1 July to 30 June. Scores earned before July 2021 are no longer valid for admission. The score report shows up to twelve reportable results, including absences and cancellations, with a percentile rank for each.

Is the LSAT the same as LSAT—India?

No. LSAT—India is a separate test run by Pearson VUE for admission to certain Indian law colleges, with its own dates, registration and scoring. The LSAT on this page is the LSAC test for law schools in the United States and Canada, and it is what those schools require.

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