Applying as a Transfer Student

As a result of collaborative conversations with deans of other North Carolina law schools, the University of North Carolina School of Law will no longer accept transfer applications from students currently enrolled at law schools in North Carolina-even from students who are academically qualified-unless they present a compelling case for enrollment at UNC. Better job opportunities, better course selection, or lower tuition are not viewed as compelling reasons.

The UNC School of Law will continue to offer a very limited number of transfer opportunities to first, academically qualified residents of North Carolina attending law schools outside of North Carolina who present compelling reason(s) for attending UNC. A desire to follow a spouse who has been transferred to North Carolina by the military or a business, for example, might be viewed as a compelling reason. After meeting this preference, the School of Law will then offer any remaining opportunities to qualifed residents and nonresidents attending law schools outside of the state of North Carolina, who present compelling reasons for wanting to attend the UNC School of Law. Files will otherwise be evaluated using the standards below.

To apply to the UNC School of Law as a transfer applicant, you must have successfully completed one year of law study at a law school approved by the Association of American Law Schools or the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admission to the Bar. No more than 32 credits of work from another law school will be credited. No student will be admitted who is ineligible to return to the institution last attended. To be competitive for admission, transfer applicants should be originally admissible to the School of Law and be performing superior academic work at their current law school.

Transfer candidates must submit the following:

• Application for admission. Electronic applications are available at www.lsac.org. A paper copy of the application can be downloaded here.
• $70 application fee in the form of check or money order, made payable to UNC School of Law.
• A updated copy of your LSDAS report, evidencing your matriculation in law school.
• A letter of good standing from the dean at your current law school.
• An official transcript, sent directly to the Office of Admissions, reflecting law courses completed and grades received.
• Two letters of recommendation.
• A statement of the reason for the proposed transfer, in lieu of the personal statement.

We will begin accepting applications for transfer applicants for fall 2008 on May 1, 2008. The application deadline is June 16, 2008, and grades for courses completed after that date must be submitted to the Office of Admissions as soon as they are available. Admissions decisions regarding transfer applications are typically made after mid-July.