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The US bar exam pathway guide

How the UBE is scoredMBE + MEE + MPT

MBE 50% 200 multiple-choice questions · 6 h
MEE 30% Six essays · 3 h
MPT 20% Two performance tasks · 3 h

Most legacy UBE jurisdictions combine the three parts this way into one score. Passing scores and score transfer are set by each jurisdiction.

When each exam is held

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
UBE
MPRE

The UBE is held on the last Tuesday and Wednesday of February and July. The MPRE is offered three times a year. Confirm exact dates with NCBE and your board.

1CheckYour board's admission rules, including for foreign-trained applicantsStart early

2MPRE60 questions · 2 hEthics examMar · Aug · Nov

3UBEMBE, MEE and MPT over two daysCore examFeb · Jul

4FitnessCharacter and fitness review by your boardTiming varies

5AdmittedOath and licence from the jurisdictionOrder varies

Some jurisdictions order the MPRE, the UBE and the fitness review differently, and the UBE is not accepted everywhere. Your board's page is the authority.

Independent guides for choosing a format and building a study routine.

Legacy UBE or NextGen: choose the right practiceYour jurisdiction and exam sitting determine the format you need.Build a deliberate MBE practice routinePractise a rule, explain the distractors, then review your mistakes.Practise essays with an issue checklistConnect rules to the facts instead of reciting an outline.A bar study routine while workingFit focused questions, review and writing into available study time.Find your jurisdiction’s admission requirementsExam preparation and eligibility to sit are separate questions.Plan for the MPRE alongside the bar examThe professional responsibility exam is a separate requirement with its own timing.Practise the performance test as a timed taskTreat the performance test as a skill you rehearse, not content you memorise.Turn missed questions into a review routineA short error log and spaced revisits beat re-reading outlines.Structure the final weeks before the examShift from learning new material to timed practice, review and rest.

Upcoming sittings

Exam	Date	Register by
UBE	23–24 February 2027	Set by your board
UBE	27–28 July 2027	Set by your board

Registration deadlines and fees differ by jurisdiction.