Admission decisions are based on the evaluation of each applicant’s success in law school as well as the extent to which the applicant’s background offers a unique contribution to a diverse education at Florida State University College of Law. The Juris Doctor degree program is a full-time day program.
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Eligibility Notice
To receive consideration for admission, transfer applicants must have completed a minimum of one full-time semester of study or two part-time semesters of study at an American Bar Association (ABA) or Association of American Law School (AALS) accredited law school. Applicants with more than 43 credits may not apply to transfer but may submit a visitor application. Additionally, applicants cannot have been academically dismissed from a prior law school, must be in good standing at their current law school, and be eligible to return to the law school or schools where they formerly studied. Transfer applicants must have a valid LSAT score on file with LSAC of a 147 or higher in order to receive transfer admission consideration.
Applicants who will complete more than one semester at their current law school prior to the application deadline for the term admission is sought must submit transcripts and evidence of good standing and class rank, inclusive of all terms at their current law school, before the application for admission will be considered.
We accept applications for transfers for the fall and spring terms.
The Florida State University College of Law Associate Dean for Academic Affairs determines which credits are transferable. No credit will be given for coursework in which the student received a grade lower than 69 or its equivalent. Transfer credits are recorded as S/U (Pass/Fail); therefore transfer students begin with a new GPA at Florida State University College of Law.
To obtain a degree from the Florida State University College of Law, a minimum of 45 semester hours of approved credit work must be completed. Three quarters of all credits completed at Florida State University College of Law must be graded. Eighty-eight credits are required to graduate; therefore a maximum of 43 credit hours may be transferred from your prior law school. Transfer students must take, or have taken, all required courses and meet all graduation requirements.
Application Process
The College of Law admits transfer students in the spring and fall terms each year. The deadline to submit an application accompanied by the required application fee and pertinent documents to the College of Law for each term is listed below. Applications received after the term deadline may not be reviewed by the Admissions Committee.
Spring Term
- Application: October 1
- Deadline: December 1
Fall Term
- Fall Application Open: April 10
- Fall Deadline: July 31
Required Documents
The following items are required by the deadline in order to complete your application for consideration. Incomplete applications may not be reviewed. All documents must be submitted online through LSAC using the Credential Assembly Service (CAS) with the exception of the Transfer Certification Form, which must be sent directly to the Admissions Office at the College of Law.
Checklist
- Our application requires a $30 non-refundable fee.
- Online Application Form
- Résumé: A detailed updated legal résumé is required and must be submitted as an attachment with the online application.
- Personal Statement: One to two pages, typed and double-spaced. Your personal statement should discuss any factors you would like the Committee to consider along side the rest of the information presented in your application, including your reasons for wanting to transfer to Florida State University College of Law.
- Transfer Certification Form completed by the law school registrar and submitted directly to the law school. This form includes class rank and good standing information.
- CAS Report: Applicants are responsible for ensuring that files are complete and current with CAS.
- Transcripts from your current law school and all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended showing all course work and degrees conferred.
- LSAT score(s)
- Grading Scale/Policy: A copy of your current law school's grading scale and/or grading policy is required with the application in order for the Admissions Committee to properly evaluate your transcripts and performance in law school. This must be submitted with the online application as an attachment.
- Letters of Recommendation: We do not require any letters of recommendation be submitted with the application, however if you would like to include a letter or letters, they will be accepted.
- If you have a law violation and/or a record of discipline at any prior educational institution, you must submit a written explanation that includes a description as well as the final disposition of the incident, IN ADDITION to copies of the official documents pertaining to the incident(s). Official documents include, but are not limited to, court documents, copies of the citation, letter of good standing from the university, letter from the university regarding academic or disciplinary sanctions and their completion, etc. Official documentation must include the final disposition of the incident to be valid.
Documents not submitted electronically must be mailed to:
Florida State University College of Law
Attention: Office of Admissions - Transfer
425 West Jefferson Street
Florida State University
Tallahassee, FL 32306-1601
** Please note, documents submitted to the College of Law with no application on file will be discarded after 60 days. **
Social Security Number
The Social Security Number provided on your application MUST be your actual Social Security Number AND match the Social Security Number provided on your FAFSA. Your application cannot be completed without your actual Social Security Number on record.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Students are encourage to submit the FAFSA as close to the release date as possible for priority consideration. The release date is October 1. Make sure you list Florida State University (school code #001489) on your FAFSA, studentaid.gov.
Character and Fitness
Each jurisdiction establishes bar registration and admission standards for individuals who wish to practice within the jurisdiction. One important aspect of admission to practice is an evaluation of an applicant's character and fitness to practice law. Applicants should take care to respond fully and accurately to each question on the law school application. Applicants should be aware that, in conducting character and fitness investigations, bar examiners frequently request copies of candidates' applications for admission to law school to determine whether they have supplied erroneous, misleading or incomplete information in the admission process. If discrepancies are found, bar examiners may conclude that such discrepancies demonstrate a lack of honesty, trustworthiness, diligence, or reliability so as to call into question the applicant's fitness for admission to the bar.
In addition, bar examiners may ask character and fitness-related questions of candidates which are not covered on law school applications. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Board of Bar Examiners of the state(s) in which they intend to practice in order to secure information regarding the qualifications for admission to the practice of law in that jurisdiction, including what constitutes proof of sufficient character and fitness.
International Students
International students and others who have completed undergraduate education outside of the United States should provide the law school with an official transcript of academic work and an evaluation of the quality of their academic performance by a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services. Students are required to file the law school application and the Florida State University International Certificate of Financial Responsibility. International students who's native language is not English, and did not receive a bachelors degree from an undergraduate institution within the United States are required to take either the TOEFL or the IELTS and have official scores submitted directly to the law school as part of the application.
TOEFL Requirement
Minimum scores of 100 on the Internet-based; 250 on the computer-based; and 600 on the paper based TOEFL test are required. Information on the TOEFL can be obtained by writing to TOEFL, Educational Testing Service, P.O. Box 6151, Princeton, NJ 08541-6151 or by visiting toefl.com.
IELTS Requirement
Minimum score of 7.5 on the IELTS test is required. Information on the IELTS can be obtained by visiting ielts.org.
Application Status Notification
You will receive an e-mail upon receipt of your application which will include a username and password to the online status checker. Applicants are responsible for ensuring all required documentation is received by the College of Law in order to complete the application for review. Applicants will NOT be notified of missing documents other than through the online status checker.
Admissions Decisions
Admission decisions are made on a continuous basis once applications become complete. Decisions are based on the strength of the application, not the date by which the application is received. To determine whether or not your application is complete, you should regularly check your online status checker. Applicants are notified by mail of the Admissions Committee's decision.
Externship Information for Transfers
Click here for important externship information for transfer students.
Contact Us
For more information, please contact the Admissions Office at admissions@law.fsu.edu.