JD TRANSFER PROGRAM
The S.J. Quinney College of Law enrolls students seeking to transfer from other law schools. Students wishing to transfer from another law school for the purpose of obtaining a law degree from the University of Utah must satisfy the admission criteria elements (see below). The College of Law reserves the right to refuse credit for any course work completed at another law school and does not accept more than 30 hours of transfer credit.
Transfer applicants may participate in the Utah Law Review write-on competition held for 1L students after the spring semester. The Editorial Board of the Utah Law Review establishes the write on and rules for transfer students. Please contact the Utah Law Review after April 15 for information on the write on competition.
NOTE: Participation in the competition does not impact the transfer admission decision.
2024-2025 Important Dates and Deadlines
| Spring 2025 | Application Opens |
| July 15 | Transfer Application Deadline |
JD Transfer Application Requirements
Applicants must register for the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that transcripts from each U.S. college or university ever attended are sent to the CAS, regardless of credits being transferred or applied toward degree requirements.
Required:
- Submission of all post-secondary transcripts for all post-secondary schools ever attended and reflecting degree conferral(s); and
- Official law school transcripts with all first-year grades posted.
Transfer applicants may apply before they receive their undergraduate degree. However, before they matriculate, they must provide official transcripts showing that they have been awarded a baccalaureate degree from a college or university whose accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education or be the foreign equivalent of a U.S. baccalaureate degree.
LSAT scores that are older than five years will not be accepted for candidates seeking admission. For example, applicants submitting an application during the 2024-2025 application cycle must have a score no older than September 2019.
This letter must also include two items of information: 1) class rank based on all grades earned in all first-year courses, or a statement that the school does not rank students; and 2) a statement indicating whether any of the applicant's first-year courses were "Distance Education Courses" as defined by the ABA Standards. If Distance Educations Courses were taken, they must be identified.
The status of "good standing" must be based on both academic and behavioral standing.
Transfer applicants are required to submit a personal statement outlining the reason(s) the applicants are seeking to transfer. The personal statement is also viewed as a document demonstrating their writing ability; therefore, the personal statement must be written by the applicant.
The personal statement may also include information that will let the Admission Committee know more about the applicant as a person, and address qualities that are not presented in other areas of their application. Issues addressed in their personal statement may include what background, experiences, and events (positive or negative) have affected the applicant. Applicants may address the perspectives and experiences they will bring to classroom discussions and the law school community.
Applicants are required to have one letter of recommendation from a current law school source. They may, however, submit up to two additional letters of recommendation on their behalf. The letters of recommendation should come from people who know the applicants well and have had an opportunity to observe them performing academic skills. Letters must be submitted directly through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service that is included with the CAS registration subscription.
CAS Evaluation of Foreign Transcript(s)
The S.J. Quinney College of Law requires that foreign transcripts be submitted through the Credential Assembly Service. If an applicant completed any postsecondary academic work outside the U.S. (including its territories) or Canada, they must use this service for the evaluation of their foreign transcripts. The one exception to this requirement is if an applicant completed the foreign work through a study-abroad, consortium, or exchange program sponsored by a U.S. or Canadian institution, and the work is clearly indicated as such on the home campus transcript.
This service is included in the Credential Assembly Service registration fee. An International Credential Evaluation will be completed by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO) and will be incorporated into your Credential Assembly Service Law School Report. To use the Credential Assembly Service for your international documents, follow the online instructions for registering for the service. Be sure to print out a Transcript Request Form for each institution and send it promptly to them. More time is usually required to receive foreign transcripts. Questions about foreign transcripts and the Credential Assembly Service can be directed to LSAC at 215.968.1001 or LSACinfo@LSAC.org.
PLEASE NOTE: Applicants are not required to submit a TOEFL score if they have received a baccalaureate or graduate degree from an institution whose primary language of instruction is English.
Transfer applicants may submit any other information they believe is relevant.
Addendum
*Files will be processed if a valid LSAT score and LSAT writing sample are on file unless the candidate requests a hold on review.
Standard Admissions Criteria
Students wishing to transfer from another law school for the purpose of obtaining a law degree from the University of Utah must:
- Be a student in good standing at an ABA-approved law school;
- Have completed the first-year full-time student curriculum without having begun the second year;
- Have an exceptional law school academic record; and
- Possess qualities that would add significantly to the educational experience of Utah law students.
The application and file completion deadline is July 15. Files completed after the deadline will be considered only if circumstances allow. It is your responsibility to make sure the application file is complete.