Transfer and Advanced Standing Admissions
Transfer Applicants
Applicants who have pursued law study at another law school may apply for transfer admission. The applicant must present an official transcript of at least one semester of completed law study. As a general rule, applicants should have completed no more than one-half of their law program prior to admission to Loyola. At a minimum, two year's residence (60 credit hours at any time or, if they are the last remaining hours, 45 credit hours) in Loyola University College of Law is required of students to be eligible for a Loyola degree.
A student who has attended another law school and who has been excluded for defective scholarship, or is on scholastic probation, is not eligible to transfer to the College of Law.
Transfer applicants must also present evidence of eligibility required of entering students the year in which they began the study of law and present evidence of above-average academic study in their prior law record. A student who has pursued law study at another law school may apply for transfer admission by utilizing the same application (via Law School Admission Council) as an applicant for initial admission. Documents which must be submitted prior to evaluation for transfer are:
- Most recent Credential Assembly Service report;
- Letter of good standing from the previous law school attended;
- Official copy of your most recent law school transcript;
- Two letters of recommendation (at least one written by a current law school professor); and
- An explanation for transfer.
Coursework Credits
Once a transfer applicant is accepted, the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs will determine how many credits, if any, will be accepted by Loyola from their prior law school. No credit will be awarded for a course taken at another law school unless the grade in that course is at least equal to the minimum grade point average required for graduation at that school. If the transfer student failed to earn a grade that is at least equal to the minimum grade point average required for graduation at the school from which the student seeks a transfer and the course is a Loyola required course, then the student must repeat that course at Loyola. The right to refuse credit in whole or part is reserved. Transfer quality points are not used in calculating the Loyola College of Law grade point average or rank in class.
Advanced Standing Applicants
Applicants who have earned a law degree outside of the United States may be eligible to have the standardized test requirement waived and the opportunity to earn a J.D. in less than three years as an Advanced Standing applicant. To be eligible for advanced standing status, a candidate must complete both their international law degree and J.D. credits within 84 months, from onset to conclusion. Applicants who are interested in pursuing the test score waiver are encouraged to contact the Law Admissions Office to complete the test score waiver process.
Loyola Law may grant up to 30 credit hours towards a JD for Advanced Standing students. Applicants who are admitted with advanced standing will be notified after completion of the first year of study as to which courses and/or coursework will be waived, if any. Those desiring to apply for admission and to be considered for advanced standing, must apply utilizing the same application as an applicant for initial admission via the Law School Admission Council. Candidates are encouraged to review all application requirements, including the requirements for internationally educated candidates before submitting their application.