Transfer Students

Each year the Law School considers applications from students at other law schools who request to transfer to the University of Chicago for their second and third years of law school. We receive approximately 150-200 transfer applications each year for a transfer class of approximately 15-25 students. The J.D. program is a full-time program only. We do not offer a part-time or evening academic program.

Application Process

The Law School bases transfer admission decisions primarily on an evaluation of the applicant’s law school performance, including the law school attended and a letter of recommendation from a law school professor. We will also consider LSAT scores and undergraduate transcripts, though to a lesser degree.

We have a paperless admissions process. All applicants must apply through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) Electronic Application, which is fully accessible to the visually impaired. We will not accept any paper application materials. Please do not send any paper copies or any additional paper materials to the Admissions Office. Applicants with disabilities in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should contact the Admissions Office at 773-702-9484 or email admissions@law.uchicago.edu with their request.

Transfer applicants may apply through our Early Decision or Regular Decision program.

Early Decision

Early Decision transfer applicants must ensure that we have received their application and all supporting materials, including a law school transcript containing all first-year, first-semester grades and the Law School Information Form, by May 15. Second-semester law school grades are not required to apply under the Early Decision program. Early Decision transfer applicants will receive a decision from the Law School in May. Early Decision acceptances are binding on the applicant, which means that, if admitted, you must commit to matriculating at the Law School and immediately withdraw all other transfer applications at other law schools. If you apply Early Decision, you may not apply to any other law school through a binding early decision or early action program.

All applicants accepted under the Early Decision program will be required to submit a law school transcript containing their final first-year law school grades. All offers of admission made under the Early Decision transfer program are contingent upon the Law School's receipt of a final first-year law school transcript demonstrating consistent performance and successful completion of one full year of study at an ABA-accredited law school.

Regular Decision

Regular Decision transfer applicants must ensure we have received their application and all supporting materials, including the Law School Information Form and a law school transcript containing all first-year law school grades (including Pass/No Pass grades) from an ABA approved law school, by June 15. In the event some of your grades are not available by June 15, please send a transcript with your available grades through LSAC and send a final transcript through LSAC as soon as it is available. Offers of admission under the Regular Decision program are not binding on the applicant.

Transfer Application Materials

All transfer applicants must submit the following materials:

Completed Transfer application
Resume: Include any anticipated or current 1L summer work experience
Personal statement: Please include an explanation of why you want to study law at UChicago
Two letters of recommendation, including at least one letter of recommendation from a law school professor. Only two letters are required, but we will accept up to four. Send letters of recommendation through LSAC.
$90 application fee
Law school transcript: send through LSAC for processing
- Early Decision: Send first-semester transcript by May 15
- Regular Decision: Send full-year transcript by June 15
All undergraduate and graduate school transcripts, reflecting a complete history of your academic performance in your undergraduate education and at any graduate schools. Send through LSAC for processing.
Standardized test score (unless you completed your LL.M. degree at the University of Chicago Law School)
Law School Information Form (this form must be submitted directly to the Admissions Office from your current law school)

Please note that the Law School Information Form is a supplemental form with the application you must download from LSAC. However, the Law School Information Form must be completed and submitted directly to our Admissions Office by your current law school. It cannot be submitted to us through LSAC at this time. All other materials must be sent electronically through LSAC. Your application will not be considered complete until we have received all of the materials listed above.

Admissions Interviewing Program: Certain students applying through the Transfer Program will be invited to interview with a member of the Admissions Committee. Learn more about our Admissions Interviewing Program.

Important Deadlines:

April 15: Transfer Application will be available and may be submitted electronically.
May 15: Application deadline for Early Decision Transfer Program
June 15: Application deadline for Regular Decision Transfer Program

Journal Writing Competition

(This information is from the 2024 transfer cycle and is provided for illustrative purposes. We will update this information with information on the 2025 journal writing competition when available.)

Transfer students are eligible for membership on one of the Law School's four student-edited journals. Transfer students may obtain journal membership through the writing competition or the Topic Access Program. The Topic Access Program is available to all 2L and 3L students.

The writing competition will start on Saturday, June 1, and end on Sunday, June 9. More details are provided below.

Writing Competition Details for 2024

Business Law Review Welcome Letter
Law Review Welcome Letter
Chicago Journal of International Law Welcome Letter
Legal Forum Welcome Letter (2023 - updated letter coming soon)

Important Dates for the Writing Competition

Tuesday, May 21, at 5:00 pm CT: Virtual Information Session for the Writing Competition - Register here.
Wednesday, May 22, at 11:59 pm CT: Writing Competition Signups Close - Sign up here.
Saturday, June 1, at 9:00 am CT: Writing Competition Begins
Sunday, June 9, at 11:59 pm CT: Writing Competition Ends

The writing competition is open to all transfer applicants, including those who intend to apply and have not done so, as well as those who have applied, but have yet to receive a decision on their application. Please note: participation in the writing competition prior to receiving an offer of admission will not guarantee you will be admitted to the University of Chicago Law School. You will not be able to accept any offer of membership to a journal until you have been offered admission to the Law School.

Sign up for the Journal Writing Competition here by Wednesday, May 22, at 11:59 pm CT.

Topic Access Program Details

Once deposited, admitted transfer students may also attempt to join a journal through the Topic Access Program.

Law Review Topic Access Memo
Chicago Journal of International Law Memo
UChicago Business Law Review Topic Access Memo
Legal Forum Topic Access Memo

Legal Forum Volume 2025 Announcement

Frequently Asked Questions

Make sure to check out our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more about the Transfer program.