TRANSFER EARLY ACTION (NON BINDING)
The University of Miami School of Law welcomes and encourages applications from students who have compiled strong records at other American Bar Association-approved law schools and wish to transfer.
Transfer applications can be reviewed and students may be admitted on a conditional basis with only one semester’s worth of law school grades and supporting documents (application, application fee, LSDAS report, law school transcripts and statement of good standing). Students who attend law schools that are on trimester or quarter systems must present a minimum of two trimesters or two quarters worth of law school grades for early action consideration.
Files will be reviewed and applicants notified of the decision within two weeks of receipt of the requisite materials. Students who maintain or increase the mid-year performance, remain in good standing, and have no significant changes in the application that might affect their eligibility for consideration, will be granted full admission after final year end grades are received by the Office of Admission. Final admission decisions will be made within two weeks of receipt of final grades. All offers of admission are conditional based upon receipt of official final first-year law school transcripts.
The standard indicator of potential for admission for transfer students is prior performance in law school; however, your undergraduate record and LSAT score are also considered in the admissions process. To be considered for transfer, the University of Miami School of Law normally requires applicants to have a “B” average or better, or to be in the top 20 percent of their class at an ABA accredited law school. Exceptions may be made for students from highly competitive institutions.
Transferring with less than two years of law study remaining is highly unusual. Normally 30 credits are required for transfer; however, if fewer credits comprise the full first-year, full-time curriculum at your school, your application will be considered. The usual number of acceptable transfer credits is 27-30. The maximum number of acceptable transfer credits is 32; therefore, in order to earn the Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law, a minimum of 56 additional credits over four full-time semesters is required.
If you are admitted as a transfer student, all placement materials normally sent to beginning second-year students will be mailed to you at your current address on file. Because time is essential in arranging second-year clerkships, you should notify the Admissions Office promptly of any address changes. Information regarding law review eligibility requirements for transfer students may be found online under section I, item B at http://currentstudents.law.miami.edu/stuorgs/writingcomp/.
The School of Law is committed to a policy of further enhancing the diversity of its student body and encourages applications for transfer from members of all minority groups.
The application can be accessed at http://www.law.miami.edu/admissions/jd_application.php
Course Selection for Transfer Students
Students who have been conditionally admitted as transfer students will be invited to register online in early April with our rising 2L students. A registration appointment time will be available on MyUM. Go to the UM Law Web site to register on MyUM: www.law.miami.edu One may also view the schedules, course descriptions, and instructions for registration on the Law Registrar’s Web page: www.law.miami.edu/registrar After April 15, second and third-year students may have already selected their courses and some courses will be closed after regular registration, but many course selections will be available now and later in the summer before classes begin in the fall semester. Please contact the Office of the Dean of Students, (305)284-4551, for complete information regarding registration procedures for your first semester at the University of Miami School of Law. Course selection can be completed on line, by mail, or over the telephone, with the assistance of Dean VanderWyden in the Office of the Dean of Students, wvander@law.miami.edu.
Transfer students will have their first-year law transcripts evaluated in light of UM Law graduation requirements. Courses taught at UM Law in the first-year curriculum (e.g., Criminal Procedure or US Constitutional Law I) and not taken by the applicant must be made up in the second year. Applicants who completed courses in the first year of study that are not part of the first-year curriculum at UM Law will receive upper-level credit toward the degree to be awarded at UM Law. Transfer students do not make up Elements of Law, which is an introductory course in the first-year curriculum.
Transcripts
Your acceptance offer to the University of Miami School of Law is conditioned upon our receipt, prior to registration, of an official transcript verifying the award of your bachelor’s degree. The transcript is to be sent to us directly by the registrar of the degree-granting institution you attended. Transcripts sent to us as part of your LSDAS report are unofficial, and therefore do not satisfy this requirement. Please be advised that fulfillment of the transcript requirement is a prerequisite to registration and class attendance.
If your degree was awarded by a foreign institution, original foreign transcripts sent to LSAC for the JD Credential Assembly Service will have already been forwarded to your first-year law school. It will be necessary for you to have original transcripts forwarded from your undergraduate institution to the University of Miami School of Law.
Law Review
Students transferring to the University of Miami School of Law who have completed one year of study at another accredited law school should inquire as to their eligibility for membership on any of the law reviews. A transfer student admitted to the School of Law will normally be added, upon admission, to the list of student eligible to participate in the writing competition for the Law School journals, where the student’s class rank at the other law school would result in inclusion in the list had that class rank been earned at the University of Miami School of Law.
Students with Disabilities
The University of Miami School of Law’s Office of Disability Services (ODS) strives to ensure equal access for our diverse population in all aspects of university life. ODS coordinates classroom and exam accommodations for students with diagnosed disabilities, including medical, psychological and learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD. For information on ODS policies and procedures, please refer to the ODS website at www.law.miami.edu/disabilityservices. The website also features information about disability-related scholarships, career planning, advocacy organizations, disability law in the news and wellness initiatives. You can also reach Iris Morera, Student Services Coordinator, by telephone (305-284-4551, TTY- 305-284-6444), or by e-mail (imorera@law.miami.edu).
Immunization
Proof of immunization against measles and rubella will be required from all new students and transfer students. In addition, all new and transfer international students must also submit proof of tuberculosis screening within 12 months prior to registration. An immunization form will be provided by the Student Health Center. All inquiries should be addressed directly to Student Health Center at 305-284-5927.
Housing
To assist students in finding housing, the Office of Student Recruiting provides an Apartment and Relocation Guide, connections to local realtors (who do not charge a fee), a housing day (in tandem with Law Day for Admitted Students), a housing message board, a roommate referral service, and individual assistance as needed. On-campus housing is not available to graduate students. Housing questions should be directed to the Office of Student Recruiting, 305-284-6746 or email, admissions@law.miami.edu.
Student Health Insurance
All students enrolled at the University of Miami are required to have health insurance. A premium will automatically be added to one’s account each semester unless the student completes a Student Health Insurance Cancellation Request by September 15 for the fall semester or by February 15 for the spring semester. A form is enclosed for that purpose.
Other Questions?
Transfer Students who have any question should direct their concerns to Dean VanderWyden, (305) 284-4551, wvander@law.miami.edu
