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, 2012, and no later than the priority deadline of June 15, 2012.
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.
- Transfer coursework is accepted on a credit only basis. This means that transfer students will not be eligible to qualify for Order of the Coif. However, transfer students remain eligible for a myriad of other programs (including law review and moot court, among others).
- 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.
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. There are no fee waivers granted for transfer applicants. - 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 to have your law school send an official copy of your transcript reflecting all first year courses and grades directly to USC Law. We can only accept official copies sent directly to us. Please do not have a copy sent to CAS. - Letter of Good Standing
Request a letter of good standing to be sent directly to USC Law from your current law school after all of your first year grades have posted. Please do not have a copy sent to CAS. The letter needs to certify that you are in good standing and eligible to continue at that law school. It should also include your class ranking. The letter must confirm ALL of this information unless the transcript carries an unequivocal certification of the information. We cannot accept faxed letters or letters sent in by the applicant. - Letter of Recommendation
One letter of recommendation is required to complete your application. The letter must be written by a professor who knows you well and can evaluate your academic performance at the law school. Please do not mail the letter of recommendation to our office. It must be submitted directly to LSAC. - LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Law School Report
We will request a copy of your current law school report directly from LSAC. If you do not re-subscribe to the Credential Assembly Service, we will not consider your application complete. For more information, please contact the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) at (215) 968-1001.
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 applicants should be aware that USC Law will host an early interview week (OCI) between August 8-11. Students who wish to participate in the OCI program must be admitted to the law program and must have paid a seat deposit. It is imperative that all documents including law transcripts and letters of good standing are submitted by the application deadline of July 1 for timely consideration.
For priority consideration, applications must be postmarked no later than June 15, 2012.
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.
