Information about the Uniform Bar Examination

The Oregon Board of Bar Examiners (BBX) administers the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE) as a part of the Oregon Bar examination. The UBE is composed of the Multistate Essay Examination (MEE), two Multistate Performance Test (MPT) tasks, and the Multistate Bar Examination (MBE).

The MEE is composed of six 30-minute essay questions and is weighted 30% of the final UBE score.
The MPT is composed of two 90-minute performance tasks and is weighted 20% of the final UBE score.
The MBE is composed of 200 multiple choice questions and is weighted 50% of the final UBE score.

The National Conference of Bar Examiners (NCBE) scores the MBE component of the UBE and the BBX grades the MEE and MPT components. The MEE and MPT scores are then scaled to the MBE scores and final UBE total scores are calculated by NCBE.

Materials and resources to better understand the various components of the exam, as well as sample MEE and MBE questions and summaries of recent MPT items, can be found on the website for the NCBE: www.ncbex.org/exams

Accommodations

If Testing Accommodations are needed, the Test Accommodations Request Form can be found here.

For those requesting testing accommodations, both the bar exam application and the accommodation testing forms need to be submitted together, by the timely filing deadline, to provide the Board sufficient time to review and incorporate reasonable accommodation requests into the overall exam plan. Accommodation requests received after the timely filing deadline may be denied or required to adapt in consideration of the overall exam plan and the resources or time required to implement an untimely request for an accommodation.

OSB Diversity and Inclusion Programs

D&I programs are open to individuals who can help advance the department’s mission. As such, students whose applications support an intent to practice law in Oregon will be given preference. However, the D&I Department encourages all law students who can advance the mission of the department and who might consider practicing law in Oregon to apply. Eligible students include those who: 1) can contribute to the bar’s historically or currently underrepresented membership; 2) have experienced economic, social, or other barriers; 3) have experienced discrimination or oppression or can otherwise demonstrate a commitment to advancing the D&I Department’s mission.

For more information, please see the OSB D&I Department website.

Bar Exam Grants

Each grant award consists of stipend of $800 to be used for expenses associated with preparing to take the bar exam as well as a reimbursement of the $750 admissions application fee. Bar Exam Grants are available for both the February and July bar exams each year.

Please see the OSB D&I Department website for more information and to apply for a Bar Exam Grant.

If you have questions about the OMLA Bar Exam Grant program or about the application process, please contact Suji Patel at the Oregon Minority Lawyers Association: sujatapatel@gmail.com or Suraya Barbee, Diversity & Inclusion Specialist at sbarbee@osbar.org or by telephone at 503-431-6335.

Rebar Program

Rebar is a holistic program designed to help JD’s retaking the bar exam and to support them in the process of preparing for the bar exam. This program can be time-intensive and calls for a 3-month commitment from participants. The program is open to law school graduates, not currently licensed in any jurisdiction or any country, who have taken a bar exam at least once without passing, and who can contribute to the OSB’s historically and/or currently underrepresented membership, or otherwise advance the Diversity & Inclusion Department’s mission, and who are planning on taking the upcoming Oregon Bar Exam.

Please see the OSB D&I Department website for more information and to apply for the Rebar Program.

If you have any questions or need more information please contact Suraya Barbee, Diversity & Inclusion Specialist at sbarbee@osbar.org or by telephone at 503-431-6335.