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Illinois Bar Exam News & Format Changes
Bar Exam Project wiki article. Part of the Illinois Bar Exam cluster.
A living timeline of Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar (IBAB) rule changes and announcements that affect Illinois bar applicants. Bookmark this page if you are sitting in 2026, 2027, or 2028 — the NextGen transition is the biggest format change since Illinois adopted the UBE in 2018.
One-line summary
Illinois adopted the UBE in 2018 (first administration July 2019) and will administer the NextGen UBE starting February 2028. Beginning July 2026, IBAB also accepts transferred NextGen UBE passing scores earned in other jurisdictions. The 266 cut score and the 80 MPRE minimum are unchanged.
NextGen UBE in Illinois
The Illinois Supreme Court approved IBAB’s plan to administer the NextGen UBE beginning February 2028. NextGen replaces the traditional UBE three-component format (MEE essays, MPT performance tests, MBE multiple-choice) with an integrated format that tests fewer doctrinal subjects but with deeper application, written and selected-response items mixed across testing days, and added focus on lawyering skills (client counseling, negotiation, legal research).
Sittings on the traditional UBE remain available for Illinois candidates through July 2027. The February 2028 administration is the planned cut-over.
NextGen score acceptance (July 2026)
Effective July 2026, IBAB accepts transferred passing scores from the NextGen UBE earned in other adopting jurisdictions, alongside traditional UBE transfers. The cut floor remains 266 on the standardized scale. Practical: a candidate who sits in another state on NextGen in 2026 or 2027 and passes can transfer the score into Illinois on the same terms as a traditional UBE transfer, subject to the standard 3-year score-life window.
Cut score and MPRE stability
The Illinois cut score has been 266 since the 2018 UBE adoption and is not scheduled to change at the NextGen transition (NCBE intends to publish a NextGen scaled score that maps to existing UBE thresholds). The MPRE minimum has been 80 for years and is unchanged.
Fee schedule changes
The IBAB fee schedule has been updated for the 2026 cycle. First-time bar exam fees for July 2026 are tiered: $1,200 by February 15, $1,475 February 16 through April 1, and $1,875 April 2 through April 30. Late filing closes April 30. The C&F registration fee filed concurrently is $450. The admission-on-motion fee under Rule 705 is $1,500.
What this means for your study plan
- If you are sitting in July 2026 or February 2027: prepare for the traditional UBE. Use UBE-format MEE essays, MPT PTs, and the standard 200-question MBE.
- If you are sitting in July 2027: still traditional UBE, but begin tracking IBAB announcements for any early NextGen pilot or partial conversion.
- If you are sitting in February 2028 or later: prepare for NextGen. Released NCBE NextGen sample items and the published NextGen subject scope are the right starting point.
- Free MBE practice that maps to traditional UBE doctrinal subjects is at MBEmax Free MBE Quiz.
Companion pages
- Illinois Admission on Motion (Rule 705)
- Return to the Illinois Bar Exam Hub
Sources
- Illinois Board of Admissions to the Bar (IBAB) — ilbaradmissions.org (announcements page).
- NCBE jurisdiction page for Illinois — ncbex.org/jurisdictions/IL.
- 2Civility (Illinois Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism) — NextGen score acceptance announcement.