Transfer & Visiting Students

We welcome applications from qualified transfer students.

Individuals who have attended an ABA-approved law school and who are seeking to transfer must meet the same admissions criteria required of a first-year applicant, as well as the criteria established for transfer students.

The Admissions Committee gives particular attention to the personal information provided in the application for transfer. A limited number of seats are available for transfer students.

A transfer applicant must be in good academic standing. Transfer students must have successfully completed a minimum of 26 credits. Transfer credits will only be awarded for courses in which a grade of “C+” or better was earned, to a maximum of 30 credits.

Transfer credit will be awarded in accordance with the following guidelines:

Maximum Credits: A maximum of 30 transfer credits may be awarded.

Credits Earned: No more transfer credits will be awarded than the number of credits actually earned by the student.

Minimum Grade: Transfer credit will be awarded only for graded courses in which the student earned a letter grade of C+ or higher.

Pass/Credit Courses: Courses graded on a Pass or Credit basis will not be awarded transfer credit, even if the student provides documentation attesting that the underlying grade was equivalent to a C+ or higher.

Additional Credits: If a transferred course carries one or two credits more than the equivalent course at CUNY Law, the additional credit(s) will be awarded as elective credit.

Degree Completion: Depending on course sequencing and course availability, full-time transfer students may need to complete their degree requirements over five semesters, excluding the summer.

Class Start Date: Students who are required to complete Liberty, Equality, and Due Process (LEDP) will begin the course during orientation, which typically takes place one week before the official start of the Fall semester.

Applicants for transfer admission must submit the following, in accordance with our policies, to complete an application file for review by the Admissions Committee:

• electronic application;
• an active and complete Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
• a non-refundable $60 (U.S.) application fee;
• the required personal statement;
• a statement indicating reasons for requesting transfer;
• two letters of recommendation, in accordance with the instructions on the application form;
• an official transcript of all law school work submitted through LSAC; and
• a letter confirming your academic standing, sent by the dean or other law school official directly to CUNY School of Law.

Proof of immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella is required before a transfer or visiting student can register for classes. See Immunization Requirement.

Fall Start

• The application opens on May 1.
• The application is due by July 1.
• The last day for supporting documents is July 15.

No credits or transfer consideration will be given for applicants from non-ABA-approved law schools.

We may admit a few special students who desire to study at the Law School for a semester or a year, but who will receive their degrees from their home law schools.

Such students will be admitted only after completion of at least one year of satisfactory academic work at another ABA-approved law school, and must demonstrate compelling reasons for attending CUNY School of Law.

Applicants for visiting admission must submit the following, in accordance with our policies, to complete an application file for review by the Admissions Committee:

• electronic application;
• an active and complete Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
• $60 (U.S.) non-refundable application fee;
• a résumé;
• required personal statement;
• a separate statement indicating reasons for your request to attend as a visiting student;
• an official transcript of all law schoolwork submitted through LSAC; and
• a letter confirming your academic standing, sent by the dean or other law school official directly to CUNY School of Law.

Visiting student applicants must also have two letters of recommendation submitted through LSAC:

• one (1) academic letter from a law school professor who has taught you and;
• one (1) character reference from someone with whom you have worked in the last three years.

Proof of immunity against measles, mumps, and rubella is required before a transfer or visiting student can register for classes. See Immunization Requirement.

Spring Start

• The application opens on November 1.
• The application is due by Dec 15.
• The last day for supporting documents is January 3.

Fall Start

• The application opens on May 1.
• The application is due by July 1.
• The last day for supporting documents is July 15.

Students wishing to take less than 12 credits during any given term (Summer, Fall, Spring) must complete a “Visiting Student Less Than 12 Credits application”, which is required for approval before enrollment.

Application documents can be uploaded to our Visiting Student Application Form via a link in the application.

• Current LLM students must upload official or unofficial LLM transcript
• Visiting students from other ABA approved Law Schools must upload an official or unofficial transcript
• To adhere to New York State Health Law, students taking six or more credits must also submit immunization records. Registration will not be finalized until immunization records are submitted and approved.

Once you are approved to register as a visiting student, you must pay a $60 non-refundable registration fee to CUNY School of Law online. Payment instructions will be provided after your enrollment is confirmed. Your registration will not be processed until proof of payment is confirmed with the Bursar’s Office.

Please note: Visitors will be registered for courses at the end of the registration period for CUNY Law matriculated students and are subject to course availability. Course registration is not guaranteed and is on a first come, first served basis. Once approved, visiting students can enroll in one or more semesters.

For any registration and course schedule questions or concerns, please contact the Registrar’s Office at registraroffice@law.cuny.edu or (718) 340-4237

• Summer: Monday, May 11
• Fall: Monday, August 10
• Spring: Monday, December 14

CUNY School of Law does not have a Winter session. Note that summer offerings are limited.

Please refer to the academic calendar for semester start and end dates, liability dates, and other important information.

Use the Global Class Search tool to review course offerings for a semester of your choice. After identifying a course (or courses) of interest, please note the course title, course number, and section. Due to cohort restrictions, visiting students are generally permitted to participate only in elective classes, not core required classes, such as Legal Research, Contracts, Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, etc. However, visiting students can enroll in Professional Responsibility.

Tuition is $655 per credit for in-state and $1,065 for out-of-state students, plus student fees.

For any tuition and fee-related questions, please contact the Bursar’s Office at bursaroffice@law.cuny.edu.

To qualify for in-state tuition, please submit a Residency Form and upload supporting documents. Please review CUNY’s residency policy before submitting an application, as certain visa types do not qualify for in-state tuition.

Tuition must be paid by the first day of classes to avoid cancellation of your course registration. Payment plans are also available, but must be arranged prior to the start of the term.

Students intending to take 12 or more credits in a given semester must apply through Admissions. If you are enrolled at another law school and anticipate needing financial aid, you are required to complete a consortium agreement after enrollment, which must be submitted the Financial Aid Office.

Sometimes, individuals with an LLM degree from another institution, international or domestic students, wish to take classes at CUNY School of Law to earn credits to sit for the New York bar exam. It is the student’s responsibility to determine whether the courses taken will fulfill the requirements of the New York Board of Law Examiners. We strongly encourage you to contact them before finalizing your registration.

Please note that CUNY School of Law cannot issue or transfer a Form I-20 or provide F-1 visa sponsorship for visiting international students.

• Classes are offered both in the daytime and in the evening after 5:45 pm.
• There are no Friday or weekend classes available.
• Some courses might be offered remotely.
• Visiting students must meet the academic achievement standards established for matriculated students.
• Students are responsible for confirming that they meet their home institution’s requirements and that credits will transfer toward their Juris Doctor (JD) degree, if applicable.
• Credits earned as a non-matriculated student cannot be credited towards the completion of a Juris Doctorate at the CUNY School of Law.
• Classes at CUNY Law are open only to current law students and individuals who already hold a law degree (e.g., JD, LLM, or SJD).

Students can opt not to have directory information disclosed to third parties. If you choose not to have your directory information disclosed, you will need to submit a FERPA Non-Disclosure Form to the Registrar’s Office.

Our Student Handbook provides more information about CUNY School of Law, including academic support and Student Affairs services.