JD Admissions

Transfer (JD) Application Questions


How do I request an application?
The online application for fall 2024 transfer admission will be available May 1.

How many credits are required to apply as a transfer candidate?
Applicants for transfer must have completed one full year of study (28-33 credits) by June 15. Applicants whose law school credits fall outside of the 28-33 credit range must submit a statement explaining why they fall outside the range.

What are the deadlines for transfer admission?
The application filing deadline for transfer applicants is June 15. All supporting materials must be received by June 15.

Do you offer application fee waivers?
The Law School does not waive application fees for this program.

Do you require a standardized test score?
If an applicant has a valid LSAT score, the score(s) must be submitted. A writing sample is required for those applicants who submit a LSAT score. Valid LSAT scores and writing samples will be submitted as part of the CAS report. Applicants are required to submit GRE scores if they submitted GRE scores to the law school at which they completed their first year of law school. GRE scores must be sent to NYU Law directly from ETS. The law school code for NYU School of Law for both LSAC and ETS is 2599. 

What is weighted more heavily, fall or spring semester grades?
Neither is weighted more heavily than the other. The Committee will consider grades for all courses taken.

Do you require a dean's certification from my home law school?
Yes. The form should be completed by the dean of students or administrative officer with access to official records at the law school the applicant attends and emailed to law.moreinfo@nyu.edu.

Do you require certification from my undergraduate institution?
Yes. The college questionnaire form should be completed by the dean of students or administrative officer with access to official records at the undergraduate school from which the applicant received a baccalaureate degree and emailed to law.moreinfo@nyu.edu.

How many recommendations do I need to submit?
Two recommendations are required to complete your admissions application. At least one of the two letters must be written by a law professor at your current law school. The Committee on Admissions requires the use of the LSAC Letter of Recommendation (LOR) Service. Please do NOT submit duplicate letters directly to NYU School of Law.

How long should my personal statement be?
Applicants should include a personal statement with their application on a subject of their choice. The personal statement should be double-spaced and no more than 500 words. 

When can I expect to receive a decision on my application?
All decisions will be made no later than the end of July.

Am I eligible to apply for or participate in financial aid, scholarships, on-campus housing, Law Review/Journals, or Early Interview Week?
Transfer applicants offered admission to the Law School are eligible to apply for housing, and those enrolling at NYU School of Law may participate in Early Interview Week and may apply to participate in Law Review/Journals. Transfer applicants are not eligible for scholarships or need-based financial aid grants.

I have previously applied to the Law School's JD Program. May I use my previously submitted application materials to support my transfer application?
No. Even if you have previously applied to NYU School of Law, you must submit an entirely new application and submit all required supporting material anew as well.

Does having prior involvement with the criminal justice system, such as an arrest, charges, or conviction, or answering "yes" to any of the other Character and Fitness questions on the Transfer Application, preclude me from being admitted to NYU Law?
No. NYU Law strives to ensure that students in each transfer class bring with them a diversity of experience. All individuals, including those with previous criminal convictions and other prior involvement in the criminal justice system, are encouraged to apply.

Please be advised that in addition to a bar examination, there are character, fitness, and other qualifications for admission to the bar in every U.S. jurisdiction. Bar examiners consider prior criminal legal history as part of the character and fitness evaluation. This may include charges, convictions, arrests, and other forms of involvement in the criminal justice system.

Applicants are encouraged to determine the requirements for any jurisdiction in which they intend to seek admission by contacting the jurisdiction. The National Conference of Bar Examiners provides addresses for all relevant agencies and a Guide to Bar Admissions Requirements.

Applicants who plan to seek New York Bar admission may petition the State bar for an “advance ruling” on the effect of a felony or misdemeanor conviction upon their character and fitness evaluations. Applicants seeking such a ruling are encouraged to contact the Appellate Division of the New York State Unified Court System in which you reside; if you do not reside in New York State, please contact the Attorney Admissions Office of the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department. Applicants who expect to practice in New York State also are encouraged to review Are You Fit to Be a Lawyer, published by the New York State Lawyer Assistance Trust.

NYU Law will use information shared in the Character and Fitness section of the application to advise and support admitted students. The Law School’s Office of Career Services and Public Interest Law Center will provide counseling to students who have questions on how a criminal legal history may impact a legal career..  

Are transfer students eligible for Order of the Coif? 
In order to be eligible for membership in the Order of the Coif, a graduating student must have completed at least 75% of his or her law studies in graded courses at NYU School of Law.  4-semester JD students are eligible for Order of Coif. Transfer students coursework completed for a grade in the first year of law school and transferred towards the NYU School of Law JD degree will count as completed graded credits for calculating the required 75%, however, the grades earned in the first year will not be considered. The number of students eligible to be in the top 10% of the class is computed based on the entire class, including 4-semester JDs. Ten percent of the number of 4-semester JDs are calculated, and that number is the maximum of 4-semester JDs eligible for Coif from among the top 10% of the entire class.