Transfer & Visiting Students

Transfer Students

Transfer students receive the numerous benefits of the excellent academic environment at the University of Illinois College of Law, including opportunities to learn from renowned scholars who are influencing the legal and regulatory underpinnings of the profession’s core.

The College’s administration, faculty, and staff work to integrate incoming transfer students into the life of the school. From Law Review to Trial Advocacy to the Student Bar Association, transfer students have every opportunity to enjoy and benefit from all that the College has to offer.

In general, transfer applicants are evaluated on the basis of academic achievement at their current institution, as well as their writing ability and other factors relevant to first-year admissions.

Application Requirements

  • Online application through LSAC
    • Undergraduate transcripts showing certification of degree
    • Personal statement that includes the reasons for requesting the transfer
    • Résumé
  • Additional documents, which may be submitted to LSAC or emailed directly to the Office of Admissions:
    • Official transcripts of all previous law school work showing completion of at least one full semester of law study (an updated transcript must be submitted after completion of the full first year of law study)
    • Two letters of recommendation

All admitted transfer students must send original copies of the following documents to the Office of Admissions before matriculation at Illinois:

  • Letter of good standing from the previous law school
  • Official law school transcript
  • Official undergraduate transcript

A Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report will be requested from LSAC. Every candidate who registers for CAS will receive five years of service, and transfer applicants will not have to renew their CAS service, but pay only the report fee for each additional law school report.

Transfer of Credit From Other Academic Institutions

Transfer students must satisfy all of the College’s graduation requirements, including any of the College’s first-year courses. Students who transfer to the College of Law may receive credit for the courses they successfully completed at their prior law school, subject to the approval of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

The University of Illinois College of Law does not have articulation agreements with other law schools. Accordingly, transfer of credit from other academic institutions is subject to the following rules.

  • The credit must have been earned at another ABA-Approved law school.
  • The student must have earned a grade of “C” (or equivalent) or better in the class for which transfer credit is sought.
  • The amount of transfer credit awarded will be based on the number of minutes of instruction in the class for which transfer credit is sought. In general, one semester hour of transfer credit will be awarded for each 700 minutes of classroom instruction or its equivalent. In making the determination of “equivalents,” the College applies the standards for granting of course credit contained in ABA Standard 304 and Interpretation 304-3 of the Standards and Rules of Procedure for Approval of Law Schools.
  • No transfer credit will be granted for work undertaken in an LL.M. program or other post-J.D. program. However, students with foreign law degrees may be eligible for advanced standing status (see the following paragraph).
  • The maximum number of transfer credits awarded may not exceed 34 semester hours.

Students who have graduated from foreign law schools are not eligible for transfer to the College of Law. However, such students may be eligible for advanced standing status. The College of Law applies the principles of ABA Standard 505 in granting advanced standing status, and uses the assistance of the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) to establish whether any students from a foreign law school may be eligible for advanced standing credit. The LSAC evaluation includes an evaluation of the prior degree and credit and grading equivalencies, among other items. The maximum number of advanced standing credits the College of Law will grant to graduates of foreign law schools is 30.

Applicants will be notified by the College of Law admissions staff whether they are eligible for advanced standing.

Application Timeline

Applications Accepted: Beginning February 15
Application Deadline: July 15

Visiting Students

Students in their final year of studies and in good standing at an accredited U.S. law school may be considered for admission as a visiting non-degree student. Visiting students may take one or two semesters of law course at Illinois to earn credit for transfer to their degree-granting institution.

Application Timeline

Applications Accepted: Beginning September 1
Application Deadline: July 1

Application Requirements

  • Application
  • Fee
  • Transcripts from current law school
  • Letter of good standing remitted by the dean of the applicant’s current law school. It must include permission to count the work completed at Illinois toward the degree at the present law school.
  • Personal statement that includes why attendance at Illinois is desired