Program Related Questions

When does the Program begin? Students can begin the LL.M. Program only at the beginning of the academic year in September. There is no mid-year admission. The deadline to apply to start the program in September is January 15.

Can I do a specialized LL.M. at Chicago? Unlike a number of other law schools, the University of Chicago does not offer specialized graduate degree programs with a large number of graduate courses in a particular field such as taxation or securities regulation. There are no specific courses that LL.M. students are required to take at Chicago, nor are there courses they may not take. This means that students have the flexibility to create their own programs. LL.M. students often put together course and seminar schedules that reflect certain practice specialties such as corporate/securities, intellectual property, antitrust/regulation of business or commercial transactions among others. Most, however, also add other offerings in areas like constitutional law, legal theory, law & economics and comparative law to round out their academic experience.

Is there a dissertation requirement? There is no dissertation or major paper requirement in the LL.M. Program. However, the strong orientation of the faculty toward research provides students with unusually good opportunities and LL.M. students often do independent research projects with members of the faculty instead of taking a class or seminar.

What is the cost of the Program? Tuition for the 2006-2007 academic year is $37,334. A reasonable budget for a single student, including tuition and living expenses, for the 2006-2007 academic year is $54,849.

Application Related Questions

What qualifications must I have to apply to the LL.M. Program? The LL.M. Program is limited to students who have already met at least one of the following requirements: (1) obtained a J.D. degree from an A.B.A. approved law school in the United States; (2) completed in a foreign country the academic (university based) legal education required to take the bar examination in that country or (3) be qualified to practice law (admitted to the bar) in a foreign country.

What are the English language requirements to apply? Please see the English Language Proficiency Form which is page 5 of the application documents PDF.

Although I live in a country where English is not the first language, I have studied English for many years in my home country. May I have a TOEFL or IELTS waiver? The TOEFL and IELTS will not be necessary if the applicant studied in full-time status for at least one academic year, within five years of the date of  application, in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, or English medium universities in Canada or South Africa. Students who have studied in English in other countries, for example, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Singapore, African countries, etc., are not exempt from this requirement and must provide either TOEFL or IELTS scores with their applications. Domestic applicants whose native language is not English and who have not attended schools where instruction is in English may also be required to submit these English language test scores.

My TOEFL score is slightly below the University of Chicago requirement. Will I still be considered for LL.M. admission? The University of Chicago Office of International Affairs sets the minimum English language proficiency standard for admission. That office will not certify English language proficiency for visa purposes if an applicant's score is below the required minimum of 104; therefore, if you do not meet this minimum score, you can not be issued the visa that would allow you to study at the Law School.

How do I request an application? Our application materials are only available on our Web page. Please go here to read about our application procedures and download our application documents. We do not send out any printed application materials.

How may I obtain a waiver of the application fee? The Law School does not waive its $75 application fee for the LL.M. Program. Since funds to support students in the LL.M. program are exceedingly limited and grants are available only in a small portion of the total cost, we cannot encourage prospective applicants to apply here if they are not in a position to pay the application fee.

What do I need to do if I applied last year and would like to reapply this year? Since you applied to the Law School this past year you will not have to submit any documents which were part of your earlier application. You will have to fill out a new application form and submit the $75 application fee. You are free to submit any new items you wish such as a new statement or new reference letters.

What are my chances of being admitted to the LL.M. Program? Each year the Law School receives approximately 750 applications for the 50 positions in the LL.M. program. Admission decisions for the LL.M. program are based primarily on two factors: 1) the ability of the applicant to flourish in a demanding academic program as evidenced by the prior academic and professional record, and English proficiency; and 2) the extent to which the applicant's background and research interests coincide with available academic resources for the academic year for which he or she will be in residence.

How do I apply for financial aid? Admitted applicants who wish to be considered for financial assistance from the Law School will be asked at the time of admission to supply information about their own and their family's financial circumstances. Funds to support students in the LL.M. program are exceedingly limited. Grants are available only in a small portion of the total cost. Therefore, applicants requiring financial aid should make every effort to obtain assistance from their governments or other outside sources.

Once I complete the LL.M. Program, can I transfer to the J.D. Program? Yes, you may apply to the J.D. Program and, if admitted, receive one year's credit for your studies in the LL.M. Program. Please go to transfer students on our Web page for a detailed description of the transfer application process. Please note that if you are currently enrolled in our LL.M. Program you will not have to pay the application fee. You will need to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) if you have not already done so.