Transfer to NYU’s LLM Program

Transfer up to 8 credits of law school coursework, and earn an LLM degree from NYU School of Law.

Transfer Application Deadlines

Before you apply, read the Admission 2025 Application Instructions. All transfer applicants must apply, and ensure their supporting materials arrive to LSAC, by the applicable deadline:

Priority full-time deadline: April 1, 2025
Final deadline: June 2, 2025

 

Frequently Asked Questions from Transfer Applicants

Why should I apply to transfer?

NYU Law’s transfer credit policy allows you to count up to one-third of the required 24 credits for the Master of Laws from another ABA-accredited US law school.

How do I know if it is right for me?

NYU offers the Master of Laws and eight LLM specializations. All LLM degrees require 24 credits (with or without a specialization). Therefore, you can earn the Master of Laws with as few as 16 credits of NYU Law courses. If you are interested in one of our specializations, you may need to take a few more classes to meet the in-field requirement for that particular program.

Can I apply if I am enrolled in a two-year LLM program for foreign-trained attorneys?

If your current program at a US law school focuses on English language skills during the first year, yes, you can apply to transfer to one of NYU’s LLM programs. Typically, English courses do not qualify for transfer credit, however, you may still earn your master’s degree from NYU Law by completing the same requirements as all other LLM students in one year of full-time study.

Why does NYU offer transfer application for the LLM?

Our admission standards emphasize excellence in prior legal studies. If you have results from a US LLM program, that information would be considered in addition to your results from your foreign legal studies. And, if admitted, you should get credit for your work thus far.

When does it not make sense to apply as a transfer applicant?

Regardless of whether you are interested in full-time or part-time study, our rules require that a majority of credits be earned at the Law School in order to qualify for one of our master’s degrees.

For the Master of Laws, 16 of the 24 required credits must be completed at NYU Law, therefore, up to eight credits may be approved for transfer to the NYU master’s degree. 

For our LLM specializations, the in-field credits also must be earned in NYU’s classes. Most, though not all, specializations require more than 16 credits to earn the specialized LLM degree:

  • Competition, Innovation and Information Law: 16 credits
  • Corporation Law: 20 credits
  • Environmental and Energy Law: 16 credits
  • International Business Regulation, Litigation and Arbitration: 20 credits
  • International Legal Studies: 14 credits (16 total credits must be completed at NYU)
  • International Taxation: 17 credits
  • Legal Theory: ?
  • Taxation: 20 credits

Depending on how many law courses and credits you’ve completed already, and the particular NYU LLM program in which you are interested, it may or may not make sense to apply for transfer.

How can I be sure that my credits will transfer?

If you are admitted, the Vice Dean will determine the number of credits that will transfer to NYU should you accept the offer. You will be informed of this information before the deadline to accept our offer.

Can I apply for scholarships as a transfer applicant to the LLM?

If admitted, all full-time transfer students are considered to be self-funded. They will pay the applicable flat-rate tuition.

All part-time students pay for tuition on a per-credit basis and are not eligible for NYU Law scholarships.

Do I apply through LSAC?

Yes. You will file the transfer application and ensure your supporting materials are on file with LSAC so that we receive your law school report.

Which of LSAC’s services are required?
  • Electronic Application Service
  • Document Assembly Service
  • International Authentication and Evaluation Service (foreign first law degrees only)

Note: If you used some of these services in a prior cycle, you may have already paid some of the one-time fees, making transfer application relatively less expensive because your materials remain on file.

Are my materials at LSAC still valid? 

LSAC maintains your account for up to five years. 

If you used LSAC’s services to apply to your current program, ensure that your foreign legal education credentials on file are complete (e.g. no new grades and/or degree conferral materials are required) and also arrange for an official transcript from your US law school to be added to your file. 

You may choose to assign to NYU a recommendation letter already on file or obtain new one(s).

You must submit to LSAC an updated, official score report from either the TOEFL or IELTS that is administered at a test center.

May I have a fee waiver or a coupon?

NYU Law does not offer waivers of application fees or any LSAC fees incurred in connection with the transfer application process.