LL.M. Graduates’ Transfer to J.D. Program

LL.M. students at the University of Georgia School of Law may apply for admission to the Juris Doctor (J.D.) program as transfer students.

To apply for transfer, applicants must submit an application no later than April 1, 2026. All applicants will be notified of a decision by May 1, 2026. 

A completed LL.M. to J.D. transfer application must include an official transcript containing all LL.M. grades through the Fall 2025 semester. Spring 2026 semester grades are not required to apply to the J.D. program, though admission is contingent on the applicant graduating from the LL.M. program. LL.M. applicants admitted to the J.D. program will be required to submit a final law school transcript to the Office of Admissions by July 1, 2026.

LL.M. to J.D. Transfer Application Materials:

  1. Law School Application. All applicants are required to apply online through LSAC.org. An LL.M. applicant seeking admission to the J.D. program must submit an application for admission and all materials necessary to complete the admission file by April 1, 2026. Files completed after that date may be considered by the Admissions Committee at its discretion. An application fee of $50 must be paid online when applying through LSAC.org. Applicants may request a fee waiver by emailing ugajd@uga.edu. After submitting the application, applicants must send an email to Brandi Saunders, Enrollment Management Specialist, at bsaundrs@uga.edu stating that they have applied to transfer to the J.D. program.
  2. Law School Transcript. A copy of the applicant’s LL.M. transcript (available at no cost from the School of Law registrar) must be provided. The transcript may be sent directly to Brandi Saunders at bsaundrs@uga.edu from the School of Law Registrar’s Office.
  3. Personal Statement. A brief statement explaining the applicant’s reason(s) for seeking transfer to the J.D. program must be provided.
  4. LSAC CAS Report. All applicants for transfer admission must have a current Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) CAS Report sent to the School of Law. The report must include all courses taken prior to law school enrollment. This requirement may necessitate having the degree-granting institution send a final undergraduate transcript to the LSAC Credential Assembly Service. CAS Reports previously received by the School of Law will not satisfy this requirement. The final undergraduate transcript must indicate that the applicant's undergraduate degree has been awarded.
  5. Letters of Recommendation. Two letters of recommendation written in support of the transfer applicant’s candidacy are required. These letters must be from a member of the School of Law faculty who has instructed the applicant in a course at the University of Georgia School of Law. Recommendation letters must address the applicant’s academic performance, potential for success in the J.D. program and the likelihood of adequate performance on the bar exam. Strong preference will be given to letters of recommendation from professors of courses in which LL.M. applicants were graded alongside current J.D. students. Letters can be sent by recommenders via email to Brandi Saunders at bsaundrs@uga.edu. 
  6. Resume. Applicants must submit a resume detailing their education, employment, skills, honors, awards, and accomplishments. This document must be uploaded as an attachment to the application form.
  7. Experience Statement (Optional). Applicants may submit a brief statement describing how their personal experiences, background, or perspective have prepared them for the rigors of legal study and how they may contribute to the School of Law community.
  8. Career Statement (Optional). Applicants may submit a brief statement outlining their career goals, intended area(s) of legal practice, preferred geographic region for employment, and any specific interest in experiential learning opportunities or clinics at the School of Law.

Decision and Credit Transfer

Following acceptance, the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will make a preliminary and provisional determination of the credit hours to be awarded as transfer credits. This preliminary determination will be finalized upon receipt of any additional information requested by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Information requested typically will involve details about previously completed coursework, as well as certification by each relevant School of Law instructor that the coursework completed by the applicant in the instructor’s course met or exceeded the performance standards required for a J.D. student in good standing. 

Transferrable credit hours may include courses taken in the LL.M. program, as well as courses completed at a law school outside the United States. The assessment of credit for courses taken outside the United States shall occur in a manner prescribed by the American Bar Association (Standard 505(d)).

Transferred credits may not exceed 30 credit hours. All transferred credits will be entered in the applicant’s J.D. transcript on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis. The LL.M. to J.D. transfer student will not be assigned a class rank until the student has completed a full year of J.D. study.