Transfer & Visiting Students

Transfer applicants must apply for admission in the same manner as first-year applicants. In addition, transfer applicants must submit the following information:

• Written certification from the dean of the applicant's law school stating that she or he is in good academic standing and is unconditionally eligible to return (must be submitted to Syracuse directly from your law school).
• An original CAS report from the Law School Admission Council.
• Two letters of recommendation are required. At least one letter of recommendation from a faculty member at the applicant's law school.
• A current official transcript of coursework completed at the applicant's law school (must be submitted through LSAC to be considered official).
• Review of transfer applications is ongoing throughout the summer and we will accept applications through July 15. Students may begin to apply as soon as a final fall semester transcript is available but a complete file won't be considered until spring final grades are received.
  • If the prospective transfer student is taking summer classes, we will make an exception and complete the file once we receive grades.
• Transfer applications are considered as soon as all required materials have been received by the Admissions Office.
• In order to be eligible for transfer credit, students cannot have been out of law school for more than 2 calendar years from the date they would begin again at Syracuse Law.
• Fall transfer applications are due by July 15 with flexibility for transcript updates on a case-by-case basis. 

• Access to Career Service's on-line job postings
• Participation in the On-Campus Interview Program through the Office of Career Services
• The opportunity to participate in academic journals and the advocacy program should timing allow
• The opportunity to compete in the Syracuse Law Review & Journal of International Law & Commerce write-on competitions
• Pursuing a joint degree
• Earning a certificate by participating in a Center or Institute
• Participating in a clinic or externship
• Joining a Syracuse Law student organization
• Law in London summer program

Policy for granting credits from another ABA-accredited law school (Transfer)

To graduate from the Syracuse University College of Law, a student is required to have 87 credits. A transfer student must earn a minimum of 58 credits at Syracuse University College of Law in order to fulfill the 87 credit hour requirement. Additionally, these 58 credits must be fully graded if a student is to be eligible for honors upon receipt of the J.D. diploma.

The credits earned from the transferring school will be recorded on a pass basis if the grades received are equivalent to a "C+" or higher. Transfer students may receive credit for the following first-year required courses if the grades received are "C+" or higher and the course content is materially the same:

• Civil Procedure
• Constitutional Law I
• Contracts
• Criminal Law
• Property
• Torts
• Legal Communications & Research I & II
• Professional Responsibility

Additional upper division requirements include:

• Constitutional Law II
• Professional Writing Requirement (must be satisfied by a course)
• Administrative/Statutory/Legislative Course
• Cultural Competency Course
• Six credits of experiential learning