Transferring to the J.D. Program

 LLM/JD Transfer Program

1. International LL.M. students who have a minimum Grade Point Average equivalent to 3.3/B+ and who have completed two semesters worth of work in our LL.M. programs, may apply as a transfer student to the J.D. program under the regular J.D. transfer process. This ability to transfer would only apply to international students in one of our LL.M. programs; LL.M. students at other schools would not be eligible to utilize this process.

2. These students will not have to take the LSAT, though they would have to complete all other aspects of the transfer application process which can be found on our web site. When possible, the J.D. Admissions Committee will utilize material from the applicant's LL.M. file, including transcripts from foreign law schools and TOEFL scores.

3. LL.M. students will need to take a minimum of one required first year (J.D.) course in their first two semesters. Students who wish to transfer must submit two letters of recommendation from the University of Connecticut School of Law faculty; one of which must come from the professor teaching the required first year course. 

4. LL.M. students will be notified by mid-July or after two academic semesters if they have been accepted into the J.D. program. This should allow adequate time to review the application after receipt of the second semester’s grades and still provide sufficient time to obtain any necessary visa approval. 

5. LL.M. students must complete their LL.M. program before beginning their J.D. studies.

6. J.D. Admissions will require LL.M. students to have a minimum TOEFL score of 100/250/ 600 (Internet/Computer/Written) either when applying to the LL.M. program, or prior to admission to the J.D. program; this requirement can be waived under appropriate circumstances.  Subject to the discretion of the J.D. Admissions Committee, LL.M. students whose language of instruction was English in their foreign law program will generally be exempt from the TOEFL requirement.

7. Once accepted into the J.D. program LL.M. students will be able to automatically transfer credits for courses taken at the Law School provided that the examination in such courses was conducted on "substantially the same terms" as J.D. students.  For example, credits in courses with proctored exams can only be transferred if the student completed the exam under the same conditions as J.D. students (i.e., they received no extra time in writing the examination). The 4 credit U.S. Law & Legal Institutions class would not transfer.