
Overview
Transfer admissions is an opportunity for rising 2L students to join the Harvard Law School community after completing their 1L year at another law school. We encourage all interested and eligible applicants to apply.
The transfer application typically opens up in early May and the submission deadline is usually in mid-June. We aim to notify transfer applicants of their admission decision in early July.
Eligibility
Applicants for transfer admission must meet the following criteria:
- Applicants have completed one year of full-time study in a J.D. program (or one-third of the total credits required in a part-time program) at a United States law school.
- Applicants attend a law school that is accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).
Applicants are not eligible for transfer admission if they have completed more than one-third of the total credits required for the J.D. program in which they are currently enrolled. Students may apply for transfer to begin the second year of J.D. studies in the fall semester only. Additionally, students are required to spend at least two years in residence at HLS.
Current LL.M. (Masters of Laws) students are not eligible to transfer to the J.D. program at HLS. Current and former LL.M. students interested in applying for the J.D. program at HLS should instead apply through the regular J.D. application pathway.
Application Timeline
Application Opens | Submission Deadline | Decision Release |
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Monday, May 1, 2023 | Monday, June 12 @ 12:00 p.m. (Noon) | Early July 2023 |
Information Sessions
Transfer Cohort
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Number of Undergrad Institutions 79
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Number of 1L Law Schools 47
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Languages 21
Additional Information
Transfer Blog Posts

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Student Voices: From Content Moderation to Social Impact–My Path to Harvard Law School
I’m from the Bronx, New York, a community where two in every five children grow up in poverty. Unlike most of my classmates, my legal education began as a child: First, in housing court, where my family was nearly evicted from our apartment because of my aunt’s criminal background. And later, as a teenager, when
November 13, 2023
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Our Favorite Interview Questions
November officially marks the beginning of interviews for those applying in the 2023–2024 cycle! To help you prepare, we wanted to share some of our favorite interview questions. Before we dive in, here’s some additional context about interviews: If you have been invited for an interview with a member of the J.D. Admissions team, you can
November 2, 2023
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Ten Tips for Finding Balance as a Transfer Student
For those of us transferring from smaller regional schools, Harvard Law School is a significant change. Here is my (possibly controversial) list of the ten most important things a transfer student can do to stay balanced and take advantage of all the opportunities at HLS.
July 7, 2023
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Section 8 Takes the Stage
Being a part of Parody reminded me of something I always knew: Drama Club is a bond like no other. In law school, participating in something only for your own enjoyment is rare, and as a transfer that experience takes on an especially crucial valence.
June 27, 2023