Spring has officially reached Cambridge! The J.D. Admissions Office is busy planning for both of our upcoming application cycles: the Junior Deferral Program and the Transfer Program, as both applications have launched today, Thursday, May 1. We wanted to share some information on application dates and advice for both programs to help you prepare.
Junior Deferral Program (JDP)
The Junior Deferral Program (JDP) is an excellent option for students who know they want to go to law school but want to explore other professional, educational, or service opportunities first. Through JDP, undergraduate students in junior standing (or the international equivalent) can apply to HLS as long as they are scheduled to complete all required coursework and graduate the following year. If admitted, they must commit to defer their admission offer for at least two years once they’ve completed their undergraduate degree. The application will be available on the Junior Deferral Program website.
Timeline for the 2025 JDP Cycle:
May 1: JDP Application Opens
July 1: JDP Application Closes
Mid-July: Interview Invites Released
Late July: All Decisions Released
Mid-August: Deadline to Respond to Offer of Admission
JDP Information Sessions
Thursday, May 22 at 08:00 – 08:45 p.m. ET
Thursday, June 26 at 12:00 – 12:45 p.m. ET
JDP Blog Advice
Curious about how to begin your JDP journey? Explore our JDP blog posts, where incoming JDP students share their experiences, insights, and advice on navigating the application process and making the most of the deferral period.
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Timeline for the 2025 Junior Deferral Program (JDP) and Transfer Application Cycle
Spring has officially reached Cambridge! The J.D. Admissions Office is busy planning for both of our upcoming application cycles: the Junior Deferral Program and the Transfer Program, as both applications have launched today, Thursday, May 1. We wanted to share some information on application dates and advice for both programs to help you prepare. Junior
May 1, 2025
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JDP Reapplication Insights
As noted in a previous blog post entitled Reapplying after JDP, the Admissions Committee warmly welcomes reapplications. Each year, several students who were not admitted to HLS through the Junior Deferral Program reapply and join the HLS community. In this updated blog post, we aim to clarify our advice for JDP applicants, specifically regarding when JDP
October 21, 2024
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JDP Reflections: 8 Lessons I Learned Through my Junior Deferral Program Experience
The Harvard Junior Deferral Program (JDP) can take you anywhere you can imagine (sometimes even places you haven’t imagined). JDP provides time before law school to explore other opportunities, the world, and, most importantly, yourself. Reflecting on my two-year deferral time, it is difficult to narrow down all of my experiences from spending time in
August 2, 2024
Transfer Program
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.
Timeline for the 2025 Transfer Cycle:
May 1: Transfer Application Opens
June 9: Transfer Application Closes
Mid-June: Interview Invites Released
Early July: All Decisions Released
Transfer Information Sessions
Wednesday, May 14 at 12:00 – 01:00 p.m. ET
Wednesday, June 4 at 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. ET
Transfer Blog Advice
Interested in transferring to HLS? Check out our transfer blog posts, where past transfer students share their unique journeys—from navigating the application process to transitioning into life at Harvard Law School.
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Timeline for the 2025 Junior Deferral Program (JDP) and Transfer Application Cycle
Spring has officially reached Cambridge! The J.D. Admissions Office is busy planning for both of our upcoming application cycles: the Junior Deferral Program and the Transfer Program, as both applications have launched today, Thursday, May 1. We wanted to share some information on application dates and advice for both programs to help you prepare. Junior
May 1, 2025
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Transferring to HLS: Joining the Harvard Law Review
Thinking about transferring to Harvard Law School (HLS) and interested in writing on to the Harvard Law Review? Students that transfer to HLS can join the Harvard Law Review either as a rising 2L, or as a rising 3L (although they may only participate in the competition once). Write-On is a six-day competition where students
June 14, 2024
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Transferring to HLS: A Transformative Experience in Legal Aid
By joining the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau (HLAB), I am doing more hands-on, direct services work as a student than I could be doing anywhere else. When I was considering transferring, one of my biggest concerns was whether I would have the opportunity to get clinical experience in my second year, given the uncertainty about
May 13, 2024
For both the JDP and Transfer program, we recommend reviewing our application toolkit, which includes resources, information, and advice from across our website to help you put together an application that best reflects your abilities and readiness for Harvard Law School. In particular, our resume and written statement workshops are excellent brainstorming tools.
Filed in: Inside the Black Box, Junior Deferral Program
Contact the J.D. Admissions Office
Website: hls.harvard.edu/jdadmissions
Email: jdadmiss@law.harvard.edu