Transfer & Visiting Students

Admission will be based primarily upon the applicant's law school academic record and to a lesser degree the applicant's pre-law qualifications. Only applicants transferring from a law school that is a full member of the American Bar Association (ABA) will be considered for admission. Since the UC College of Law enrolls a small entering class, the space available varies from year to year. No applicant will be admitted who is not in good standing with a law school previously attended.

In order to be considered for admission to the University of Cincinnati College of Law, transfer and visiting students must:

• Complete at least one year of study at another law school that is a member of the American Bar Association (ABA). The UC College of Law does not consider applicants from fee-paid non-member schools.
• Complete the Transfer/Visiting Student application online.
• Submit all of the following:
  • Credential Assembly Report (applicants must have their report submitted along with their electronic application from LSAC)
  • Personal statement explaining the applicant's interest in transferring to the University of Cincinnati College of Law
  • Recommendations from two law school professors and a letter of good standing from the current law school (these items may be submitted through the LSAC CAS service or sent directly to the UC College of Law Office of Admissions).

Law school work will be evaluated and credited toward the Juris Doctor requirements as determined by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs Kimberly Bailey. However, as a general rule, the transfer of credit for first year classes can be completed with a grade of at least a "C". On occasion students may need to complete a UC College of Law first year course that was not completed at the previous law school. Transfer students may be granted academic credit up to the equivalent of three semesters for full-time students or up to four semesters for part-time students, for work successfully completed at another AALS member school and two semesters for full-time students or 2.6 semesters for part-time students for work successfully completed at a non-AALS member law school. The right is reserved not to grant credit for work done in another law school.

Transfer students will be required to:

• Complete the Evidence course and four of the following bar-tested courses: Business Associations; Criminal Procedure 1 or 2; Family Law, Sales, Secured Transactions or Wills and Estates.
• Complete the course Legal Analysis and Drafting for the Bar Exam. (JD Rule 9.08)

Transfer students are required to meet with the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs to review the course requirements in Rule 9.08.

Other Information

Transfer students are eligible to write for law review as junior members for their third year in the UC College of Law. Transfer students also are eligible for the intramural Moot Court competition that takes place each fall semester.

Current Cincinnati Law LLM students who wish to transfer into the Cincinnati Law JD program will be considered for admission under this policy. This policy does not apply to LLM students at or graduates of other schools. The transfer admissions process is more selective than the LLM admissions process, and only exceptional applicants will be admitted.

Learn more about requirements here.

A student enrolled in another accredited law school who has a compelling need to take up to one year of courses at the College of Law may apply for admission as a transient, or visiting, student. The student should submit the transfer/visiting application and a letter requesting transient status. The student must also provide a letter from the dean of the primary law school spelling out the length of the visit and stating that credits earned at the University of Cincinnati College of Law will be applied to the student's degree requirements. The letter should also specify other requirements of the primary law school. In addition, the visiting student must submit all of the transfer requirements listed above.