Resources for Legal Educators

Welcome to the NCBE resource page for legal educators! This page has important information about NCBE’s exams and services to help you in your role at your institution, including resources you can share with your students.

If you are a legal educator and have questions or suggestions about this page, please contact the NCBE communications department at communications@ncbex.org. Applicants should reach out to NCBE through our Contact page. 

Jurisdiction Information

Application Policies, Admission Requirements, Contact Info

There are 56 US jurisdictions, including all US states, territories, and the District of Columbia. Jurisdictions set their own requirements for admission. Since jurisdiction rules and policies change, NCBE strongly advises consulting the jurisdiction's bar admission agency directly for the most current information.

Jurisdiction Information Links:

 

Character & Fitness

Background investigations are a part of the admission process for all jurisdictions. NCBE conducts investigations and hosts applications for many jurisdictions, but not all jurisdictions use both or either of these NCBE services. 

NCBE provides these services related to character and fitness but makes no determinations nor recommendations regarding who is eligible or ineligible to practice law. Jurisdictions make this determination.

Character and Fitness Links:

Character and Fitness Bar Examiner Articles:

NCBE Exams

NextGen Uniform Bar Examination (NextGen UBE)

Set to debut in a limited number of US jurisdictions in July 2026, the NextGen UBE will test a broad range of foundational lawyering skills, utilizing a focused set of clearly identified fundamental legal concepts and principles needed in today’s practice of law. The NextGen UBE will be administered over one and a half days, with two three-hour sessions on day one and one three-hour session on day two. The exam will be taken on examinees’ own laptops at in-person, proctored testing locations and the written sections will be graded locally by the administering jurisdiction. The NextGen UBE will take the place of the current (aka “legacy”) UBE for the purpose of score portability.

Would you like NCBE to make a presentation about the NextGen exam at your upcoming legal educators' conference or symposium? Contact us at nextgenbarexam@ncbex.org.

NextGen UBE Links:

NextGen Bar Examiner Articles:

NextGen UBE Print & Presentation Resources:

Official NextGen UBE Study Aids:

Contact your dean's office for educators' access to the practice sets; email licensing@ncbex.org for information on licensing study aids.

 

Uniform Bar Examination (UBE)

The UBE (aka the “legacy UBE”) is designed to test knowledge and skills that every lawyer should be able to demonstrate prior to becoming licensed to practice law. It results in a portable score that can be used to apply for admission in other UBE jurisdictions. The UBE is administered over two days, with the MBE given on the last Wednesday of February and July and the MEE and MPT given on the Tuesday prior to that. The UBE will no longer be administered after February 2028. Please see the Preparing for the MEE page for important information about legacy-NextGen UBE alignment of testable subjects. 

The UBE is composed of the following components:

Legacy UBE Links:

Legacy UBE Bar Examiner Articles:

Legacy UBE Print Resources:

Official Legacy UBE Study Aids:

Email licensing@ncbex.org for information on licensing study aids.

 

Multistate Bar Examination (MBE)

The MBE is a six-hour, 200-question multiple-choice (175 scored questions and 25 unscored pretest questions) examination developed by NCBE and administered by user jurisdictions as part of the bar examination on the last Wednesday in February and the last Wednesday in July of each year. The MBE is a component of the UBE and administered using Scantron forms. Jurisdictions that administer the UBE weight the MBE component 50%.

MBE Links:

MBE Bar Examiner Articles:

Official MBE Study Aids:

Email licensing@ncbex.org for information on licensing study aids.

 

Multistate Essay Examination (MEE)

The MEE consists of six 30-minute questions. Developed by NCBE, the MEE is administered by user jurisdictions as part of the bar examination on the Tuesday before the last Wednesday in February and July of each year. The MEE is a component of the UBE. Each jurisdiction grades the MEE and determines its own policy regarding the relative weight given to the MEE and other scores. Jurisdictions that administer the UBE weight the MEE component 30%. Please see the Preparing for the MEE page for important information about legacy-NextGen UBE alignment of testable subjects. 

MEE Links:

MEE Bar Examiner Articles:

Official MEE Study Aids:

Email licensing@ncbex.org for information on licensing study aids.

 

Multistate Performance Test (MPT)

The MPT consists of two 90-minute items. Developed by NCBE, the MPT is administered by user jurisdictions as part of the bar examination on the Tuesday before the last Wednesday in February and July of each year. The MPT is a component of the UBE. User jurisdictions may select one or both MPT items to include as part of their bar examinations. Jurisdictions that administer the UBE use both MPT items.

MPT Links:

MPT Bar Examiner Articles:

Official MPT Study Aids:

Email licensing@ncbex.org for information on licensing study aids.

 

Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE)

The MPRE is a two-hour, 60-question multiple-choice examination that is administered three times per year (March, August, and November). The MPRE is administered on computers provided by Pearson VUE at its testing centers.

MPRE Links:

MPRE Bar Examiner Articles:

MPRE Print Resources:

Official MPRE Study Aids:

Email licensing@ncbex.org for information on licensing study aids.

 

Exam Validity & Fairness

Research Awards:

The NCBE Validity and Fairness Research Award award is intended to provide support for graduate students or faculty in any discipline doing research germane to testing and measurement, particularly in a high-stakes licensure setting. The proposed research should identify aspects of validity evidence including, but not limited to, scoring, response processes, and the impact of using licensure and certification testing. 

NCBE's Joe E. Covington Award for Research on Testing for Licensure honors a former dean of the University of Missouri–Columbia School of Law who was the first Director of Testing for NCBE. The Multistate Bar Examination was created and launched largely through his vision and perseverance. The award is intended to provide support for graduate students in any discipline doing research germane to testing and measurement, particularly in a high-stakes licensure setting. 

Articles:

Recent Bar Exam Practice Analysis Reports:

Additional Information:

NCBE Resources

Admission Statistics

Useful links:

Contact communications@ncbex.org for questions regarding exam statistics.

 

Score Services

Examinee Score Services

After examination results are announced, examinees may wish to have their scores transferred or reported to other jurisdictions or to learn their scores if the testing jurisdiction does not release scores to examinees. For more information on exams that NCBE offers score services for, see the links below:  

Law School Score Services

NCBE provides two types of score services to law schools. 

Jurisdiction pass/fail reports: Half of all jurisdictions coordinate with NCBE to disseminate essential pass/fail reports to law schools. This program helps law schools obtain the information they need for American Bar Association bar passage reporting. As jurisdictions release these reports to NCBE, we in turn forward them to the law schools. 

Law school MPRE reports: Law schools participating in NCBE’s aggregated data reporting program receive anonymized reports following each administration of the MPRE, showing how their students and graduates performed on the exam. This program helps schools meet their reporting obligations to the ABA under Standards 302 and 315. Law schools that wish to join the program should email communications@ncbex.org at least one month prior to an MPRE administration to receive reports for that administration.  

 

BarNow Study Aids & Licensing

Help your students prepare for the bar exam with NCBE's authentic, affordable study aids delivered on BarNow, our online platform. These study aids will help you and your students become more familiar with the types of questions we develop for the bar exam and the MPRE. NCBE offers free subscriptions to faculty/staff with Value Pack purchases for 10 or more students. If you are interested in licensing study aids, please contact the NCBE study aids department here. 

BarNow Study Aids

MPRE

MBE, MEE, MPT (Legacy UBE)

NextGen UBE

Free Study Aids

 

NCBE Publications

NCBE provides multiple publications that contain valuable information in your role as a legal educator. See the list of NCBE publications below to discover more information on the bar exam, bar admissions, legal education, and more:

  • Bar Exam Fundamentals for Legal Educators contains a high-level overview of the bar exam, from development to administration to scoring.
  • The Bar Examiner, published quarterly by NCBE, features comprehensive, authoritative information on current issues in bar admissions, legal education, and testing, and features annual bar examination and admission statistics by jurisdiction.
  • The Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements contains detailed information on the admissions policies of the 56 US jurisdictions.
  • The NCBE Year in Review is a data-filled snapshot of the work NCBE undertakes in its commitment to serving the bar admissions community.

Educators are welcome to distribute the content of these publications and NCBE communications is happy to provide print-ready PDFs for your use. Email communications@ncbex.org for assistance.

 

NCBE Account/Number

NCBE Account/Number

Students preparing to take the MPRE and/or the bar exam will need to create an NCBE account. Creating an NCBE account is free and by doing so students/candidates will receive an NCBE Number, the unique identifier through which all NCBE services are delivered. Some jurisdictions use the NCBE Account for submission of the character and fitness application.  

Contact Us & FAQs About Admissions

Legal Educators' Email Updates:

Sign up to receive regular updates for legal educators here. 

Applicant Contact Form & FAQs:

Bar Examiner FAQ Articles:

Educators are welcome to distribute this information; NCBE communications is happy to provide print-ready PDFs for your use. Email communications@ncbex.org for assistance.

 

Upcoming Bar Exam Dates

MBE

Test Administration
July 30, 2025
Jul 30
Test Administration
February 25, 2026
Feb 25
Learn more

MEE

Test Administration
July 29, 2025
Jul 29
Test Administration
February 24, 2026
Feb 24
Learn more

MPT

Test Administration
July 29, 2025
Jul 29
Test Administration
February 24, 2026
Feb 24
Learn more

UBE

The Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) is composed of the MBE, MEE, and MPT (see dates above) and results in a portable score that can be transferred to other UBE jurisdictions.

Learn more

Upcoming MPRE Dates

MPRE

Registration Deadline
January 23, 2025
Jan 23
Test Dates
March 26, 2025
Mar 26
Test Dates
March 27, 2025
Mar 27
Registration Deadline
June 18, 2025
Jun 18
Test Dates
August 20, 2025
Aug 20
Test Dates
August 21, 2025
Aug 21
Registration Deadline
September 25, 2025
Sep 25
Test Dates
November 13, 2025
Nov 13
Test Dates
November 14, 2025
Nov 14
Learn more