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Living and Learning in Albany

Live the (Capital Region) Life

Whether you prefer urban, suburban, or rural living, the Capital Region accommodates all lifestyles. Theater, sports, museums, outdoor activities—there’s something for everyone. Albany, New York State’s capital and the heart of Tech Valley, offers students an exceptional quality of life through its cultural, culinary, and commercial institutions, as well as its proximity to popular destinations in the Adirondacks, Hudson Valley, and Western Massachusetts.

Living and Learning in Albany

Albany Law School is located in a prime section of the city—near the eclectic Center Square and Lark Street neighborhoods—with restaurants, coffee shops, boutique shopping, and Washington Park all within walking distance. Also nearby are the Capitol, the Justice Building, the New York State Bar Association headquarters, and the Court of Appeals—New York’s highest court—not to mention the Egg, the Palace, and the Times Union Center performing arts venues.

  • 200+ restaurants
  • 30 music/performance venues 15+ higher education institutions
  • 13 museums
  • 10+ D-1, pro, and semi-pro sports teams 5 state parks

Albany was ranked #1 “best places to live” in New York by U.S. News & World Report in 2021, outranking all other metro areas in New York State thanks to its high scores in value, job market, and quality of life.

Live the (Campus) Life

Albany Law School shares a 50-acre campus with three other colleges. Walkways and green spaces connect the law school with Albany Medical College, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, and Sage College of Albany. Together, the schools attract students from across the country and around the world with diverse interests and backgrounds that enrich the intellectual and social environment for all.

Albany Law School exterior courtyard

Albany Law School exterior courtyard

Campus amenities include a fitness center, athletic fields, gymnasiums, an art gallery, and the three-story, 53,000-square-foot Schaffer Law Library.

Albany is amazing—and affordable. Many students find housing through the lists we provide and our roommate notification system. Others live in the UH College Suites, located on the school’s shared campus.

Get Involved

Connect with your classmates. Elevate our campus culture and community. Student organizations play a key role at Albany Law School, hosting events such as conferences, symposia, and informal sessions on a range of legal topics. Organizations can change from year to year; students often create new groups based on their own interests—academic, athletic, or social.

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Students in McKinley Lounge

Study at Your Pace & Master Your Field

For many students, earning a J.D. is a three-year process. But it’s not one-speed-for-all. Some want to accelerate to save a year of tuition and enter the workforce sooner. Those students can apply to Albany Law School’s two-year program, which includes intensive study through the summer sessions. Others see value in taking it slow— in those cases our four-year program is a great option. Albany Law School’s admissions counselors can help find the tempo that works for you.

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Student with laptop in the library

Student with laptop in the Schaffer Law Library

Achieve Your Goals

Career and Professional Development Center

Start charting your path with a career counselor on Day 1. The Career and Professional Development Center offers personalized services, fostering in students a mindset of career education and exploration. In the process, you will develop professionalism, self-awareness, resourcefulness, resilience, ethical decision-making, and confidence—skills that lead to successful employment outcomes.

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Student in the library reading a book

Health and Wellness

Perform At Your Peak

The words supportive, encouraging, and close-knit don’t always come to mind when you think of law school. That is the Albany Law School difference. From the administration to faculty to your fellow students, we all root for each other. Need to talk? We’re listening. Need help? It is available and accessible.

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