LL.M. Application Process

Foreign-Trained Applicants
Foreign-trained applicants are eligible to apply to the LL.M. program if they hold a degree from a recognized foreign law school, law faculty, or law department that meets the educational requirements for admission to the practice of law in that country. For most international applicants, an undergraduate degree in law, such as an LL.B., is sufficient. If additional education after the LL.B. or other first degree in law is required to practice law in your country, please contact our office at llm@law.fordham.edu to determine eligibility. Alternatively, admission to practice law in any jurisdiction may be used to meet our eligibility criteria.

U.S. Applicants
U.S.-trained applicants are eligible to apply to our LL.M. program if they hold a J.D. degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.

The admissions committee considers many factors in its decisions, including the following:

• Academic performance and class standing
• Occupational and law-related experience and career plans
• Letters of recommendation
• English-language ability, as evidenced by performance on the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test (if applicable)
• Extracurricular and public service activities

Fall Admission (August Start)
Application Period Opens: September 15
Application Deadline: March 1

*Note: The deadline for the Feerick, Treanor, and Martin Scholarships is February 1. Priority consideration for our other scholarships is given to those with applications completed by February 1.

Spring Admission (January Start)
Application Period Opens: June 1
Application Deadline: October 1

*Note: Priority consideration for Fordham Law Graduate Student Scholarships is given to those with applications completed by September 21.

Rolling Admissions Decisions
We make admissions decisions as we receive applications. Thus, applicants are encouraged to apply early.

Late Applications
We accept applications after the application deadline if space is available. However, applicants considering late submission should be aware of course registration dates, typically a few months prior to the start of a semester. Course selection may be restricted as some classes close quickly due to enrollment limits.

Please also be advised that if you require a visa to study at Fordham, it is best to apply before the general deadline. If you are unable to secure a visa before our start date, we will be pleased to defer your admission to another semester.

Applications to the LL.M. program are accepted through Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), lsac.org/llm. There, you will find our LL.M. application form. Except as noted below, all applicants will also submit the following materials:

Personal Statement
All applicants must submit a 500-word personal statement describing their reasons for pursuing this graduate degree, where they plan to practice in five years, and the contributions they hope to make to the legal profession upon completion of their course of study.

Resume/CV
Applicants must submit a current resume or curriculum vitae. Your resume or curriculum vitae should include your complete university-level educational experience, your complete employment history, and any additional academic or professional activities. Please also include any publications and presentations.

Transcripts
Applicants must submit an official transcript from each college, university, graduate school, and law school attended, regardless of whether the program was completed or a degree was awarded.

Two Letters of Recommendation
Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation. Each letter should be from someone who knows you well and can provide a candid personalized evaluation of your potential success in the graduate program and the profession. If possible, at least one letter should be from a law professor or law school dean.

Proof of English-Language Proficiency
All applicants are required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, or Duolingo English Test unless they hold a degree from the U.S. or other country where English is an official language and the language of law school instruction. If you do not meet the exemption described above but your law school classes were taught entirely in English, you may request an English proficiency waiver on the application form.

Minimum Score: 120

For applicants unable to demonstrate sufficient English proficiency through the TOEFL or IELTS requirement, we are pleased to offer admission contingent on full-time enrollment and satisfactory progress in Fordham’s Legal English Institute.

law.fordham.edu/lei

LL.M. students are welcome to apply for student housing through our Office of Residential Life. A limited number of dormitory-style rooms at the Lincoln Center campus are available in McMahon Hall on a first-come, first-served basis. Fordham also offers some graduate student studio and one-bedroom apartments at 134 West 58th Street, a short walk to the Law School. Additional information about on-campus housing for LL.M. students, as well as a list of off-campus housing resources, is available on our website.

law.fordham.edu/llm/housing