ยป Law School Transfer Applicants

Criteria for Transfer of Credits Earned at Another Institution

Chapman University Dale E. Fowler School of Law will accept no more than forty-two (42) academic credits for transfer during a student’s career at the Law School. All courses required for graduation must be successfully completed at the Law School, except for comparable courses successfully completed by transfer students at their previous institution and approved for transfer credit by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. All coursework must either be taken at an ABA-approved law school or in an ABA-approved program. The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs has the discretion to approve or disapprove the transfer of credit in those instances where the grade for a course is 2.2 or below or the equivalent. The Law School will not accept transfer credit if the grade received in the course(s) completed at the other law school is below 2.0 or its equivalent. All grades for which credit is transferred will be reported as “pass” for the purpose of computing academic averages of the student at the Law School. Please note that the Law School has not established an articulation agreement with any other institution. 

All Transfer Applicants must apply online via the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC).  Applicants must be:
  • Currently enrolled (or on an approved leave of absence)
  • In good academic standing at their current law school
  • Finished with their first year of a full-time or part-time JD program at an ABA-approved law school, by the time of enrollment
Depending on the amount of time that has lapsed since attending law school, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs may require that certain courses be repeated.

Online Application Instructions

  1. Check the "Transfer" box on your application and indicate for which semester and year you are applying.
  2. Upload your Personal Statement.  The personal statement must be no more than three pages in length, typewritten, 12-point font, and double-spaced.
  3. Upload your Resume. The resume should include, but is not limited to, your work experience, volunteer experience, extracurricular activities, etc.
  4. Request that the Registrar or Dean of Students at your current law school transmit directly to LSAC an official copy of your transcript.
  5. Request that the Registrar or Dean of Students at your current law school transmit directly to us your letter of good standing with class rank that reflects the results of all completed academic work.
  6. Transfer applicants must order a Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report to be sent to Chapman University Fowler School of Law.
  7. Two letters of recommendation are required, one of which must be from a law professor who has taught you. These letters must be submitted directly from the recommender to LSAC. We will accept a maximum of three letters of recommendation.

Summer Session

Transfer students whose applications are pending admission are eligible to attend Fowler School of Law’s Summer Session, but those students will be regarded as visiting students until a final decision on the transfer status has been rendered by the Admissions Committee. Please note a separate application process is required for students to attend the Summer Session. Contact the Registrar’s Office for separate information and an application for the Summer Session. 

NOTE: If the application materials do not meet the requirements, there may be a delay in processing your file and a subsequent delay in placing your file into review.  If you have any additional information that you cannot upload as an attachment with your electronic application, please email scanned in documents to lawadmission@chapman.edu.