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Transfer Applicants

Online Transfer Information Session

Friday, December 6, 2024
12:00- 1:30 p.m. CST
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The Online Transfer Information Session is designed to give prospective transfer applicants a general overview of the admissions process and the University of Houston Law Center J.D. program. Students will have the opportunity to hear from Financial AidCareer Development and current UHLC students.  

Recording of our Transfer Information Session, June 17, 2022

We’re glad you’re considering transferring to the University of Houston Law Center! Before applying, please carefully read the following admissions policies to fully understand the eligibility requirements. You may submit your transfer application online via LSAC’s website.

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Students in good standing at another ABA-accredited law school may apply to transfer to the University of Houston Law Center. Admission as a transfer student is competitive and first consideration is given to applicants who have performed well in the first year of law school. Transfer applicants must have completed the equivalent of the first year of law school and all or most of the Law Center's first-year required courses (Torts, Property, Contracts, Criminal Law, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Legal Research and Legal Writing.) Transfer applicants that applied to law school using a GRE must have the GRE score sent. (Request scores from ETS using school code 4360)

Transfer applicants must have a minimum of 22 semester hours of credit to apply and may transfer a maximum of 30 hours. Transfer credit will not be awarded for any course in which the student has earned lower than a "C."  The transfer credits will be noted on your final University of Houston Law Center transcript with hours rather than grades.

  • Spring 2025 Semester – Regular Decision Deadline, January 3, 2025
  • Fall 2025 semester – Early Decision Deadline, TBD
  • Fall 2025 semester – Regular Decision Deadline, TBD

The early decision deadline for fall transfers is based on the On-Campus Interview (OCI) schedule as set by the Career Development Office. Only applicants whose files are complete by the early decision deadline will receive their decision in time to apply for the early round of OCI.

All application materials must be submitted by the regular decision deadline. However, the committee will try to accommodate applicants whose 1L grades or class rank are unavailable before the deadline. For Spring 2025, your file must be complete by the end of the business day on Friday, January 3, 2025.

Send via LSAC

Send via mail or email to UHLC Office of Admissions
Documents must be sent directly from the applicant’s home law school to the Law Center. Documents will not be accepted from the applicant. 

  • Application (Fee is waived automatically waived when submitting online application)
  • Personal Statement – reasons for transfer
  • Resume
  • CAS Report – including two letters of recommendation
  • Official Law School Transcript* – must reflect a minimum of 22 hours and a grade for every course taken
  • Letter of good standing* from your current law school, which includes your class rank
  • Transfer applicants that applied to law school using a GRE must have the GRE score sent. (Request scores from ETS using school code 4360)

University of Houston Law Center
Attn: Office of Admissions
4170 Martin Luther King Blvd.
Houston, TX 77204-6060

*may be sent via email to lawadmissions@uh.edu

Approximately half of the Law Center's transfer students are from other Texas law schools. The remaining students come from all over the country, including Texans hoping to return home after attending another school in another state, and those new to our area. The numbers in the table below reflect transfer applications for both fall and spring start.

 

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Applications

73

97

94

89

87

Admitted

16

41

41

35

27

Enrolled

11

24

25

18

16

 

Employment
Transfer students are eligible to participate in all rounds of on-campus interviews (OCI), with career advising and employer bidding available once the student has submitted the enrollment deposit and formal commitment to the Law Center.  Please visit the Career Development Office for more information.

Journals
Transfer students are eligible to compete in the Write-On Competition for many of our student-run journals.  First-year grades and demonstrated proficiency in legal writing are the criteria that lead to membership.  Due to the timing of your admission, we recommend that you contact your journal of interest to confirm the dates of the competition and that you may write on. 

Advocacy Transfer students are welcome to participate in multiple advocacy opportunities provided at UHLC.  These opportunities include advocacy classes offered by the Blakely Advocacy Institute and UHLC’s interscholastic advocacy teams.  All transfer students are eligible to try out for the ADR Team, the Mock Trial Team, and the Moot Court Team.  Although tryouts typically occur in the spring of each year, accommodations will be made for transfer students to try out at the beginning of the fall semester.  Interested students should contact the Blakely Advocacy Institute to inquire about the advocacy teams and to learn more about our advocacy classes: https://www.law.uh.edu/blakely/contact-us.asp

Transfer students can also learn more about the student advocacy organization, The Advocates, which runs in-school advocacy competitions and related events.

J.D./LL.M. Dual Degree

The UH Law Center offers a joint J.D./LL.M. degree program which allows students to earn both degrees in 3.5 years (105 credit hours). Students in the UHLC JD program can apply to the LL.M. program after the conclusion of the 1L year. Students must be admitted to the LLM program no later than the first semester of the 3L year. Joint degree students must meet all degree requirements in order to complete the program. LL.M. specialty programs eligible for the joint program include: Energy, Environment and Natural Resources Law, Health Law, Intellectual Property & Information Law, International Law, and Tax Law.  For additional information please visit our website or email llm@uh.edu.

Financial Aid
Students accepted to transfer to UHLC must file a FAFSA listing the University of Houston's school code of 003652. Once accepted the school will download the FAFSA approximately 5-7 business days later. Once the student's financial aid file at UH is complete, the student will be awarded and notified by an email award notice.  Any financial aid awarded from the transfer student's original school must be cancelled and that school must report the cancelation to the DOE before the funds will disburse at UH.  As a transfer student, there could be a minimum of a 4 week delay in the financial aid process, so students should plan accordingly.  Please visit our website for more information on the financial aid process.  Please email lawfinaid@uh.edu if you have any questions.

"You shouldn't fear transferring to UHLC. You will be able to find all of the success you could ever dream of, including incredible career prospects. Everything is contingent on your effort, but that is completely within your control.

"As silly as it sounds, UHLC actually did change my life and career trajectory. It is probable that I wouldn't have even been able to set foot in an interview with the firms I met had I not transferred. I never would have had the incredible opportunity to be Editor-in-Chief of one of the nation's top student journals."

Travis Earp, J.D.
May 2018 Graduate, Magna Cum Laude,  University of Houston Law Center
Editor-in-Chief, Houston Law Review
Associate, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld

 

"Although I was apprehensive to leave the comfort of my friends and an established routine at my prior law school, I found that I was welcomed by the UHLC community with open arms.  I am pleased with the level of professionalism, quality of education, and opportunities that UHLC offers.  I feel at home at the UHLC and I believe it will provide me with a solid foundation and necessary skills to succeed in my career. I joined the Houston Business and Tax Journal by application since I met the required GPA.  It has been a wonderful way to meet new people and other transfer students on campus."

Lindsay Contreras
December 2019 Graduate, University of Houston Law Center
Houston Business and Tax Journal

 

"Transferring to UHLC was an effortless process. Everyone on campus was extremely helpful from admissions, financial aid, and the career development office. After about a month, most people - including myself, forgot that I was even a transfer student. My participation on Law Review, Moot Court, and ADR made the social part of transitioning extremely simple. With all the amazing faculty and staff at UHLC, I know that my decision to transfer was the best thing to do."

Samin Agha, J.D.
May 2019 Graduate, University of Houston Law Center
Houston Law Review | Board 56 | Senior Articles Editor 
Blakely Advocacy Institute | Alternative Dispute Resolution Team | Competitions Chair 
Blakely Advocacy Institute |  Moot Court Team