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Transfer and Advanced Standing

Applications for Transfer

Transfer from another ABA-accredited law school

Each fall we welcome students who have transferred to BU Law after successfully completing one year at an ABA-accredited law school. When making admissions decisions, we place strong emphasis on first-year GPA and class rank. Our transfer applicants are typically ranked in the top 15-20% of their first-year class.

If you're interested in transferring to BU Law in the fall, you must submit your application form and fee by June 15 and complete your file with all supporting documentation by August 1. We will not review your application until we receive a law school transcript that contains all first-year grades. BU Law grants a maximum of 30 transfer credits, the equivalent of our first-year curriculum. Part-time students are eligible to apply to transfer to BU Law, however, to apply as a transfer student, you should have completed the equivalent of our first-year curriculum. BU Law does not generally grant credit for courses taken over the summer.

Applying to BU Law

You should submit your transfer application online via LSAC. Please be sure to use the Transfer Application.

A transfer application consists of the following:

1. Electronic Application

No application will be processed unless the electronic application is submitted through LSAC.org.
Inaccuracy in any statement may result in revocation of an offer of admission, dismissal from the School of Law, cancellation of courses, denial of certificates of attendance, or revocation of any degrees that may have been granted.

2. $75 Application Fee

When submitting your application, please pay by credit card or check or money order for $75 made payable to Boston University. The application fee is nonrefundable and is not credited toward any charges when you register as a student.

3. First-Year Law School Transcript

You must send your transcript from your law school. We will not review your application until we receive a law school transcript that contains all first-year grades.

4. First-Year Law School Class Rank

We must receive your class rank in writing from your law school, or written notification that your law school does not provide class rank.

5. Letter of Good Standing from Law School Dean

Your law school must send us a letter indicating that you are in good standing.

6. Original LSAC Law School Report

Please have LSAC send your original law school report to us. This report should include your LSAT score(s) and final transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate schools attended. Your Credential Assembly Service (CAS) registration is valid for five years so you will have to pay only a report fee to send your LSAT score(s) and transcripts from CAS to BU Law.

7. Dean's Certification Form from Undergraduate School

The certification of a dean or administrative officer in charge of students at your degree-granting undergraduate college or university is required. We anticipate that in many cases the dean will not know the applicant personally and will base his or her recommendation on information on school records. The Dean's Certification Form must be sent directly to the BU Law Admissions Office in an envelope that has been sealed and signed across the seal.
In conformity with licensing standards, the issues of a disciplinary record (or absence of one) must be directly and explicitly addressed in writing. If it is not the policy of the institution to report on disciplinary action, a statement to that effect will be sufficient.

8. Personal Statement

A carefully worded and detailed personal statement is an important part of your application. This statement should also address why you want to transfer to BU Law.

9. Two Letters of Recommendation

We require two letters of recommendation. At least one of your recommendations must be from a professor who taught you during your first year of law school. The Admissions Committee values letters from individuals who are able to provide a thoughtful, thorough, and candid assessment of a transfer applicant's academic ability and potential for law study. BU Law requires that  at least two letters of recommendation be sent through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service that is part of CAS. CAS will copy your letters and send them to us with the LSAC Law School Report. BU Law will accept up to four letters of recommendation through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service.  To use this service, follow the directions as outlined at LSAC.org. Be sure to give each recommender a Letter of Recommendation Form printed out from LSAC.org.  Additional letters of recommendation may be sent directly to BU Law, but you should still use the form provided at LSAC.org.

Federal legislation gives you right of access to letters of recommendation. You may waive this right (as provided on the form). Your waiver is not required as a condition for admission or for financial aid.

10. Resume

Submitting a resume detailing your educational and professional background is required.

Financial Aid

Transfer students applying for financial aid should follow the instructions for entering students, although we do not expect transfer applicants to comply with the same deadline as entering students.

You should complete your application for admission and financial aid simultaneously. Because the transfer admissions process takes place at the end of the financial aid awarding period, we regret that we may not be able to offer scholarship aid to transfer students who qualify.

Life at BU Law

Our Student Affairs Office is prepared to help make your transition to BU Law as easy as possible. You will have the opportunity to attend our new student orientation and to attend a special meeting for transfer students led by Christine Marx, Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Dean Marx and her staff are available to support you in adjusting to life at BU Law - from guidance in competing to join one of our six journals, to providing academic information, to offering counseling resources.

Transfer credit for foreign-trained applicants who completed a BU School of Law LL.M. program

Students enrolled in the BU Law LL.M. in American Law Program may apply to the J.D. program as transfer students during the spring semester of their LL.M. year and -- if they are admitted -- may receive up to 30 credits for their LL.M. studies towards the J.D. degree, based on their BU Law LL.M. studies and prior legal studies, consistent with American Bar Association standards. This means they may be able to complete the J.D. program with two additional years of study.

Graduate Tax Program and Banking and Financial Law students may receive up to 12 credits earned during their LL.M. year. Transfer students who matriculate into the J.D. program need to complete all the requirements of the J.D. program. Transfer applicants need to take the LSAT and will be judged in comparison to all other J.D. transfer candidates. Candidates should not expect preferential treatment by the J.D. Admissions Committee simply by virtue of attending the LL.M. program at BU Law. Admission is not guaranteed. For fall semester transfer candidates, application forms and fees are due to the J.D. Admissions Office by June 1 and completed files with all supporting documentation are due by August 1. LL.M. students may take the LSAT as late as June for fall enrollment. January Banking and Financial Law and Graduate Tax Program graduates are not eligible to begin the J.D. program in the spring term immediately following their final fall semester of studies.

Applications for Advanced Standing

Applicants who are not eligible to apply as transfer students may apply through the regular admissions cycle. BU Law accepts only applications that have been submitted online via the Law School AdmissionCouncil (LSAC). The deadline for the regular admissions cycle is March 1. Once admitted, foreign-trained lawyers and graduates of LLM programs at ABA-accredited law schools may petition the Academic Standards Committee for advanced standing based on their prior legal study.

Advanced standing credit for foreign-trained lawyers

Subject to American Bar Association regulations, BU Law may admit graduates of foreign law schools and allow credit for studies at foreign law schools.  Foreign law graduates apply for admission following the same procedures as other foreign-educated applicants.  Foreign law graduates who have been admitted to BU Law may petition the Academic Standards Committee to determine whether, based on the courses taken at a foreign law school, they might be exempt from certain first-year courses.  Petitions must be submitted before the beginning of first-year classes.  After their first year at BU Law, foreign law graduates may petition the Academic Standards Committee for credit toward their upperclass credit requirements for courses taken at a foreign law school.  The maximum credits that may be granted for first-year and/or upperclass courses may not exceed one-third of the total required for the BU Law J.D. degree.  

Credit for foreign-trained applicants who completed or will complete an LL.M. program at another ABA-accredited law school

Subject to American Bar Association regulations, BU Law may admit foreign-trained applicants who complete an LL.M. program at another ABA-accredited law school, and may accept credits earned in the LL.M. program.  These students should apply as first-year students.  Students who have been admitted to BU Law may petition the Academic Standards Committee to determine whether, based on the courses taken in the LL.M. program, they might be exempt from certain first-year courses.  Petitions must be submitted before the beginning of first-year classes.  After their first year at BU Law, students may petition the Academic Standards Committee for credit toward their upperclass credit requirements for courses taken in their prior LL.M. program or prior foreign law studies.  The maximum credits that may be granted for first-year and/or upperclass courses may not exceed 30 credits.

BU Law Contact Information

If you have questions about transferring to BU Law, please contact our Admissions Office:

Boston University School of Law
Admissions Office
765 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
Phone: 617.353.3100
Email: bulawadm@bu.edu