Transfer Student Information

Thank you for your interest in USC Law. Transfer applications may be obtained by applying online. Application materials may be submitted no earlier than May 1, 2010, and no later than the postmark deadline of July 1, 2010.

Students who are enrolled in schools that are approved by the American Bar Association may apply for admission as transfer students. We do not consider applicants from law schools that are not approved by the American Bar Association. In addition, the following general guidelines apply:

• Applicants must be in good standing and eligible to continue at their current law school, and must have completed the entire first year of full-time study (or the equivalent of the first year if taken on a part-time program)
• To be eligible to apply as a transfer student, applicants must have a weighted overall average which places them in the upper 20% of their first-year class.
• Applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree prior to the beginning the study of law. (Evidence of a bachelor's degree will be required for each student who enrolls.)
• Advanced standing credit will not be granted for more than 30 semester units. Credits toward the USC J.D. may not be given for all courses taken elsewhere. Transfer students must complete a minimum of 58 units of credit at USC Law to obtain a USC J.D. Transfer students are not eligible to take courses outside of USC Law for credit; nor may transfer students participate in dual-degree programs. The USC Law grade point average will be computed only on the work taken at USC. Transfer students must meet all graduation requirements.
• Course work completed during the first-year of study at an ABA-approved law school will usually be applied as transfer credit at USC Law. Transfer students admitted to USC Law will not need to repeat any required first year courses already completed at their prior law schools. Most admitted transfer students must complete Constitutional Law I and Legal Profession at USC Law during their first year as transfer students if they have not already completed these classes at their prior law schools.
• Please see this site for more information regarding policies applying to transfer students at USC.

Application Procedures for Transfer Students

Transfer application files will not be complete until the following materials have been received by the Admissions Office:

• Application
  Complete the online Application for Admission and submit the required nonrefundable application fee of $75.00.
• Personal Statement
  Include a personal statement with the application form. Applicants should inform the Admissions Committee of any special or personal circumstances which the applicant deems relevant to his or her decision to seek transfer to the USC Law.
• Law School Transcript
  Arrange for your law school to send a transcript of your full first year of law school work to our office. The transcript must include final grades from all first-year courses.
• Letter of Good Standing
  Request a letter from the Dean or Registrar of the law school you are currently attending which certifies that you are in good standing and eligible to continue at that law school. The letter should also include your class ranking. Lastly, the letter must confirm ALL of this information, unless the transcript carries an unequivocal certification of the information.
• Letter of Recommendation
  Submit at least one letter of recommendation from a faculty member, but no more than three. At least one letter should specifically address your academic abilities. Letters submitted through LSDAS will be copied and sent to us along with your LSDAS report. To use this service, follow the directions outlined at www.LSAC.org
• LSDAS Report
  You must re-subscribe to the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). For more information, contact the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) at 215-968-1001. We will request a copy of your current LSDAS Report directly from LSAC. If you do not re-subscribe to LSDAS, we will not consider your application.

The Admissions Committee meets in the summer to evaluate transfer applications. Application files that are missing any of the documents listed above will not be reviewed by the Committee. Admissions decisions are mailed in late July and early August.

All transfer transcripts should be mailed to:

Applications must be postmarked no later than July 1, 2010.

Financial Aid for Transfer Students

Transfer students are not eligible for USC Law scholarship consideration. They can apply for student loans, including federal Stafford loans, federal Plus loans, and private educational loans.

Transfer applicants interested in receiving financial aid are responsible for obtaining forms and meeting all deadlines. Please note that the financial aid filing deadlines are in February, long before the admission deadline. Applicants who miss the financial aid filing deadlines can still apply for financial aid at a later date.

For additional information about financial aid application procedures, please explore the financial aid information section of this web site, or contact our Financial Aid Office at (213) 740-6314.