Admissions: International Students

The University of San Diego School of Law has a longstanding practice of welcoming attorneys, judges and government officials from around the world to enroll in one of our graduate law programs. Please see the following program descriptions to determine which LL.M. program meets your needs best.

• LL.M. in Comparative Law
• LL.M. in Taxation

Entrance Requirements

Applicants to the LL.M. in Comparative Law Program or the LL.M. in Taxation Program (as approved) must have the equivalent of a U.S. law degree from an accredited institution outside the United States. Candidates must have also graduated in the upper half of their law school class or otherwise establish qualifications indicating their ability to complete graduate law work successfully. Applicants may begin their studies in either the fall or spring semester. An applicant whose native language is not English must establish competency in English through successful completion of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 600 points on the paper-based test, 250 points on the computer-based test, or 100 points on the internet-based test is required for admission. For more information on TOEFL, go to www.toefl.org.

Completed applications are reviewed on a “rolling” basis throughout the year, and many applicants will receive a decision within three weeks from the date their application becomes complete.

Deadlines

Priority deadlines are as follows:
Fall Admission	File complete by July 1
Spring Admission	File complete by December 1

Applications for admission will be considered on a space-available basis after the priority deadlines.

Application Instructions

We prefer to accept applications prepared by using the Law School Admissions Council’s (LSAC) credential evaluation and reporting service for LL.M. applicants. This credential service is solely for graduates of international universities or law schools who wish to obtain a master of laws (LL.M.) degree from a law school in the United States. This service will allow you to use your computer to efficiently fill out your application. Visit the Law School’s LSAC site at http://www4.lsac.org/lsacd_on_the_web/login/open.aspx?ID=KE934849L1489MO and complete the application. LSAC will then send both printed and electronic versions of your application to our office.

We believe that this service offers a distinct advantage to all applicants, since it eliminates the need to authenticate official documents multiple times and it facilitates a speedy and accurate processing of the application. However, in consideration for those students for whom this might present a financial burden, we continue to recommend usage of the service, but we do not require it. The $50.00 application fee will be waived for those who submit their applications via the LSAC credential evaluation and reporting service.

If you are unable to complete the online electronic application, you can print out a paper version in PDF format and send a completed copy directly to this law school at the address indicated below. Application Checklist

Application Fee

Payment of the nonrefundable application fee of US$50.00 may be made by a check drawn on a US bank or by international money order; payment may not be made by credit card. The application fee must be made payable to the University of San Diego School of Law. The application fee will be waived for applicants who submit their applications electronically through the LSAC Electronic Application service; please note that LSAC requires a separate registration fee to utilize their services.”

Personal Statement

Please submit a brief personal statement addressing

1. the nature and extent of your legal background;
2. other related professional experience;
3. how you plan to make use of your graduate degree; and
4. additional information you deem important.

Resume

Please submit a current resume or curriculum vitae.

Letter of Recommendation

Please submit at least one letter of recommendation from a law professor, attorney, or other legal professional who is familiar with your work.

Official Law School Transcripts

An official transcript from each law school attended is required and must be sent directly to us from your school’s registrar. Please include a description of your university’s grading policies with your application. In countries where an official transcript is not provided by the university, but is instead given to the students, the applicant must certify that the photocopy is a true and correct copy of the original document. You do not need to provide an official transcript from your undergraduate institution.

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)

Foreign law graduates seeking admission must also request that Educational Testing Services submit directly to us an official report of their score on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). A minimum score of 600 points on the paper-based test, 250 points on the computer-based test, or 100 points on the internet-based test is required for admission. Our Institutional Code is 4849, and our Department Code is 03.

Photocopies

Applicants should keep a copy of all material submitted to the Graduate Programs Office. Once original transcripts and documents are received, they cannot be returned or photocopied by the Graduate Programs Office.

Materials should be mailed to the following address:

University of San Diego School of Law
Graduate Programs - Warren Hall 207
5998 Alcalá Park
San Diego, California 92110-2492

Questions may be directed to (619) 260-4596 or by e-mail to llminfo@sandiego.edu