www.law.uga.edu

Transfer Student Admission  

Eligibility

The University of Georgia School of Law admits a few select transfer students each year.  Students interested in completing their studies at the School of Law are encouraged to apply.  Transfer students are welcomed to Georgia Law by our students and faculty and have opportunities to join student organizations, journals, advocacy teams, clinics, and social activities.

A student who has completed the first year of full-time studies in a Juris Doctor degree program at a law school which has been approved by the American Bar Association may be considered for transfer admission.  Transfer applications from law schools awarded provisional ABA accreditation will not be considered.

In making transfer decisions, the Admissions Committee relies heavily upon three criteria: (1) the applicant's academic record at all schools attended, including law schools and the applicant's Law School Admission Test score(s), (2) the reasons for seeking transfer to the University of Georgia School of Law and (3) the number of places available in the class.

Transfer applicants are admitted in the Fall semester of the second year of law school only.  No transfer applicants are admitted for the Summer or Spring terms.

Credit for first-year courses completed by an admitted transfer student at his/her home school will be awarded in the discretion of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs upon evaluation of the transfer student's grades and courses. Transfer credit will not be awarded for courses taken pass/fail or on any other ungraded basis.

Georgia Law will normally accept approximately 30 hours of credit from another law school.  An evaluation of credit is done on a case-by-case basis after transfer admission.  The School of Law may require transfer students to take particular courses at Georgia Law in order to meet graduation requirements even if the student has had a similar course at another law school.  Students will receive credit for courses completed at another law school as determined by Georgia Law, but a transfer student’s GPA and grades will not be calculated in the student’s Georgia Law GPA.  Transfer students will not have class ranks until the end of the second year of law school.  While transfer students may be considered for graduation honors, a transfer student is not eligible for Order of the Coif.

Georgia Law has three academic journals:  GA Law Review, GA Journal of Int’l & Comparative Law, and Journal of Intellectual Property Law.  All transfer students are eligible to participate in the write-on competition for journal membership.  The write-on will be used for all three publications.  On May 15, the write-on will be available to all rising 2Ls at Georgia Law at the completion of their last exam.  On that date, write-on packets will be e-mailed to all potential transfer students who have requested one.  The write-on is large, providing an e-mail address that will accept larger documents is highly recommended.  There are two parts to the write-on, one part will be due on May 23, the second part will be due on May 29.  Student publications require a two year commitment, therefore, this will be the only opportunity to apply for membership.  

Tryouts for the Trial Advocacy Teams:  Students wishing to be a part of  the Trial Advocacy Team can email Kellie Casey Monk for information on tryouts.   Moot start tryouts begin at the end of August and mock tryouts begin in September.  An information meeting will take place the first week classes are in session.

Admission Procedure Outline
 
1. Law School Application.  All applicants are required to apply online through LSAC.org.  An applicant seeking admission for fall semester must submit an application for admission by June 15, 2012.  All materials necessary to complete the admission file must be received by July 1, 2012.  All files completed after that date may be considered by the Admissions Committee at its discretion.  An application fee of $50 must be paid online when applying through LSAC.org.  Applicants wishing to be considered for student publications, e.g., the Georgia Law Review, the Georgia Journal of International & Comparative Law, and the Journal of Intellectual Property Law should contact the Student Publications Office at (706) 542-7286 by May 1 for elgibility requirements.

2. Law School Transcript. An official law school transcript showing all law school courses attempted, including final first-year grades, is required in order to be considered for admission.

3. Letter of Good Standing. A letter of good standing must be received from the dean of the law school from which transfer is desired. The letter must indicate whether the applicant is in good standing and is eligible for continued enrollment. When possible, it should include the applicant's class standing upon completion of first-year studies. The letter must be sent after the conclusion of the academic term immediately preceding desired enrollment. 

4. LSAC Law School Report. All applicants for transfer admission must have a current LSAC Law School Report sent to the School of Law by the Law School Admissions Council.  The report must include all courses taken prior to law school enrollment.  This requirement may necessitate having the degree-granting institution send a final undergraduate transcript to CAS.  Law School Reports previously received by the School of Law will not satisfy this requirement.  The final undergraduate transcript must indicate that the applicant's undergraduate degree has been awarded.  

5. Letters of Recommendation. Two letters of recommendation are required. At least one of the letters should be from a law professor. Letters should be sent through the LSAC or directly to the Office of Law Admissions.  Letters submitted in support of a previous application for admission will not be used.

Visiting Student Admission

Eligibility
A student who has completed the first year of full-time studies in a Juris Doctor degree program at a law school which is approved by the American Bar Association may be considered for admission as a visiting student.  A student may visit for a maximum of one academic year after either the first or second year of law school.

Admission Procedure Outline

1. Law School Application.  All applicants are required to apply online through LSAC.org.  An applicant seeking to visit beginning spring 2012 semester must submit an application by November 2, 2011 and the file must be complete by November 20, 2011.  An applicant seeking to visit for the 2012 summer term must submit an application by May 1, 2012 and the file must be complete prior to May 15, 2012.  An applicant seeking to visit beginning fall 2012 semester must submit an application for admission by June 15, 2012 and the file must be complete prior to July 1, 2012.  Application files completed after those dates may be considered by the Admissions Committee at its discretion.  An application fee of $50 must be paid online when applying through LSAC.org.

2. Reason for Visiting. Each applicant must provide a statement giving the reason for being a visiting student. The statement should accompany the application form. 

3. Dean's Approval. A letter granting approval for the visit from the dean of the applicant's law school is required. The approval letter must also disclose whether the applicant is in good standing. 

4. Law School Transcript. An official law school transcript of all work attempted is required.