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Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD)

How to Apply

Transfer Students

Students who have completed the first year of full-time legal study at an ABA-approved law school and have done well are invited to apply for transfer admission to Indiana Law. The following information applies to JD students only.

Each year, we review many applications for transfer and typically accept a small number of students, no more than five.

The deadline for submission of the application and all supporting materials is July 1. Decisions on transfer applications are usually not made until the summer after all first-year grades are recorded.

To Apply

• Complete our basic application. If you apply electronically, your LSDAS report will be requested automatically. You may also print off the application and mail directly to us.
• Submit the $35 application fee. If applying electronically you must pay by credit card. If applying by paper application, you may submit a check with the application made payable to Indiana University.
• Maintain a current subscription with LSDAS so that we can gain access to your LSAT scores and undergraduate transcripts. This requirement can be waived if you have applied to the School of Law in the past three years or if your current school will provide us with copies of your undergraduate transcripts, LSAT score, and writing sample.
• Submit your law school transcript, letter of good standing from the dean of your current law school, and class rank.
• Also, submit a personal statement that illustrates why you are interested in transferring, as well as letters of recommendation.

Criteria

Our Admissions Committee does not require transfer students to have a specific LSAT score, undergraduate GPA, or even law school GPA; the committee looks at all of the variables in an applicant’s file in making its decision. Typically, those who are admitted are in the upper quarter of their class and express compelling educational or personal reasons for transferring to IU. The median LSAT score of the current first-year class is 164; the current median GPA is 3.7.

Participation in Activities

Transfer students are eligible to participate in moot court competitions, either as a 2L or 3L, and may attempt to “write on” to one of our three journals. Transfer students are not eligible for Order of the Coif.

More Information

Because of the volume of transfer applications, interviews are not part of the application process. If you have additional questions regarding transfer eligibility or the admissions process, contact the Admissions Office at 812-855-4765 or lawadmis@indiana.edu