Depending on your enrollment date, you may need to complete some items more immediately. Use this guide to assist with your on-boarding, and for a more comprehensive view of your 2L year, refer to the 2L roadmap.
| Date | Action |
| Winter | Your first step: formally enrolling at Columbia Law School. You cannot complete any checklist items, pre-register for courses, or register for Summer Interview Program until you have enrolled. To secure the space that has been reserved for you in the 2026-2027 Transfer Class, you must submit a $600 nonrefundable deposit. Online Enrollment Form |
| Early Spring |
For Early Decision Applicants: If you are interested in Experiential Learning
If you are interested in Journals
|
| June | Monday, June 29, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET: Students that have registered to participate in the CLR transfer application process receive the application packet and instructions via email. |
| July | Early July
Mid-July
Late July
|
| August | Early August
Mid-August - September
|
| September |
|
This timeline is meant to provide you with an outline of what to expect in each academic year.
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| July | Honors determinations for continuing students are made once all grades have been submitted Pre-Registration for LLMs, 3Ls, and 2Ls for the upcoming academic year |
| August | Orientations for LLMs and 1Ls Introduction to American Law classes for LLMs and Legal Methods I classes for 1Ls begin Add/Drop Period |
| September | Term-long Law School courses begin (Fall) Add/Drop period Submit research and writing registration forms for Fall term |
| October | For continuing students- Submission of written work from the previous academic year that was granted an extension CPT - Submit Supervised Essay on Legal Practice (L6683-Section 3) to supervising instructor Withdrawal from courses permitted; the notation of W will be recorded on the transcript |
| November | Application for Degree due to University Registrar for February degree conferral Add/Drop Phase One |
| December | Application for Degree due to University Registrar for April/May degree conferral Final Exam period for Fall term Last day of exam period is due date for all Fall written work (unless the instructor establishes an earlier deadline or grants an extension) |
| January | January term classes begin and end Term-long Law School courses begin (Spring) Add/Drop Phase Two Withdrawal from courses permitted; the notation of W will be recorded on the transcript Submit research and writing registration forms for Spring term |
| February | Conferral of February degrees |
| March | NYS Bar Application Period |
| April | Submit final draft of Major Writing Credit Paper to supervising instructor (May and October JD degree candidates) Submit Minor Writing Credit Paper to supervising instructor (May and October JD degree candidates) Submit all outstanding work from Fall term that was granted an extension (all students) Submit final draft of LL.M. Writing Project paper (LL.M. degree candidates) Submit all Spring term written work in non-exam offerings (JD and LL.M. degree candidates) CPT/OPT- Students begin submitting CPT/OPT documents |
| May | Final Exam Period for Spring term Last day of exam period is due date for all Spring written work (unless the instructor establishes an earlier deadline or grants an extension) Law School Graduation Ceremony University Commencement |
| June | Honors for graduating students determined a week or two after Commencement CPT - Students must complete the F-1 CPT Request Form and receive authorization for CPT from the ISSO before the start of summer employment, and not by later than the end of the month |