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All LL.M., S.J.D., and Visiting Researcher/Visiting Scholar (“VS/VR”) applicants must use the Harvard Law School Graduate Program’s online application available below.

To students and researchers affected by the war in Ukraine

Thanks to a generous donation, we are able to offer financial support to visiting Ukrainian researchers displaced by the conflict.  Get more information about applying to the Graduate Program’s Visiting Researcher/Visiting Scholar program or contact  [email protected] .

Important information regarding the online application for all programs

• The online application works best in Google Chrome (but will work in all other major browsers).
• Please make sure that pop-ups are enabled and do not select any pop-up option to “prevent this page from creating additional dialogs.”  If you do select that option, click “Continue” at the bottom of the application page to save your work and close and  completely exit  your browser.  Dialog boxes should be re-enabled after you restart the browser and reopen the application.
• If you experience any technical problems using the Graduate Program application, you may email  [email protected]  for assistance.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report Availability

The University is required by federal law (The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, 20 U.S.C. 1092(f), known as the “Clery Act”) to publish an Annual Security Report and an Annual Fire Safety Report.

The Harvard University Police Department publishes the Annual Security Report, entitled “Playing it Safe,” which includes information about the HUPD, how to report a crime, HUPD’s crime prevention programs, substance abuse, sensitive crimes, emergency notifications, and other important information about security and HUPD services on campus. It also contains three years of statistics on reported campus or campus-related crimes. A hard copy of “Playing it Safe” may be obtained by contacting the Harvard University Police Department at 1033 Massachusetts Avenue, 6th floor, Cambridge, MA 02138, (617) 495-9225.

The Harvard University Environmental Health and Safety Department publishes the Annual Fire Safety Report, which includes fire safety polices, evacuation procedures, and fire statistics. A hard copy of the Annual Fire Safety Report may be obtained by contacting Environmental Health and Safety Department at 46 Blackstone Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, (617) 496-7168.

• The Annual Security Report, “Playing it Safe”
• The Annual Fire Safety Report

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Apply to a graduate degree program

Application priority dates, start dates, admission requirements, check your application status, how can we help you.

• Priority Date: February 1
• Deadline: April 1, then rolling admissions
• Read our admission requirements
• Apply for the fall semester
• Deadline: March 1
• Apply to the SJD program
• Please visit the Center for Constitutional Democracy website for information on the PhD application priority dates and submission requirements.
• Priority Date: September 1
• Deadline: November 1, then rolling admissions
• Apply for the spring semester

Applicants to the LLM and MCL programs: Though applications will be considered until the class is full, it is recommended that you apply no later than the listed deadline. All applications received by this listed priority date will be automatically be considered for scholarships. Applications received after the priority date will be considered for scholarships if funds are still available.

For each future fall semester, we begin accepting new applications to all graduate programs on October 1.

Applicants to the SJD program: Applications to the SJD are accepted only for the fall semester. Preference will be given to complete SJD applications received by the priority date of February 1. All SJD applications should be received and complete by the final deadline of March 1.

To accommodate your busy schedule or specific needs, Indiana Law offers several start dates for our LLM and MCL programs:

Traditional Fall Start: The traditional fall term, our primary start date, begins in early to mid-August each year.

Spring Start: In addition to our traditional fall semester, Indiana Law offers a spring program that starts in January. Applications for spring start will be accepted July through November. Programs that are available for a spring start include the LLM, MCL and certificate. A spring start is not available for the SJD program.

Summer Start: The summer start program is a specially designed seven-week summer Intensive Legal English program for LLM and MCL students that begins in June and is followed by our intensive Introduction to American Law course.

• Intensive Introduction to American Law: By enrolling in our two-week intensive Introduction to American Law course (two credit hours), which starts in late July, you can complete one of your required law courses early. Arriving by the end of July also gives you time to familiarize yourself with the law school, the university, and the Bloomington community before beginning your full course schedule in August.

Education : LLM and MCL applicants who received their undergraduate education outside the United States are generally required to have completed a degree in law or a strong undergraduate concentration in legal coursework.

Our SJD program is for international law graduates who already hold an LLM degree and who have demonstrated exceptional analytical and research abilities. For all programs, an applicant's educational history should demonstrate exceptional performance, based on factors such as courses completed, GPA, class rank, and other indicators.

English proficiency : An LLM or MCL candidate for whom English is not their first language must demonstrate fluency in English by providing one of the following: IBT TOEFL score of 94, IELTS score of 7.0, Duolingo score of 125, or a TOEIC score of 830. An English proficiency score slightly lower than our minimum requirement is not rejected outright, especially when other factors, such as educational background and work experience, are outstanding.

Applicants who clearly fall below this level of English proficiency have additional admission options:

• First, we offer fall admission that allows students to arrive early—mid-June of each year—to complete our summer legal English program. This program allows students to improve their English and legal English before starting the regular fall term. Applicants who already have an IBT TOEFL of around 80+, an IELTS of 6.5+, or a Duolingo score of 110+ may qualify for this option.
• Second, for applicants who do not qualify for either option above, we now offer fall admission to our two-year LLM. The new Two-Year LLM with English for Law allows students with lower English proficiency to gain admission to the LLM program through successful completion of our one-year LLM Pathway Program. Similar to conditional admission, applicants who successfully complete the Pathway year continue on to the LLM year. Applicants to this program should have an IBT TOEFL of 74+, an IELTS of 6, or Duolingo of 100. If you are interested in this version of our LLM, you will need to select “LLM Pathway” as your program when applying.
• Finally, if your English level is lower than all options described above, Indiana University has a full-time Intensive English program that students can join prior to applying to Indiana Law.

SJD applicants , even with US LLM degrees, must demonstrate fluency in English via a TOEFL score of 100 IBT, an IELTS score of at least 7.5, or Duolingo score of at least 130.

Prospective LLM, MCL, and SJD students should submit applications by using the LSAC Online Application . If you will apply only to Indiana University Maurer School of Law, you may also use our direct application to apply. If you are applying to our new two-year LLM, which begins with the LLM Pathway year, select "LLM Pathway" as your program of study on either application.

Applying via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website is intended to enable the fastest possible processing of your admission file. A majority of the top US law schools are using the LSAC system. If you would like to know more, review the full description of LSAC services .

If you do not yet have an LSAC LLM account : After reading all of the application details on this page, you should register for a new LSAC applicant account in order to start the application process.

If you have an existing LSAC LLM account: Simply log in to your current account in order to apply to the Indiana University-Bloomington Maurer School of Law.

Prospective PhD students should visit the Center for Constitutional Democracy website for more information on the PhD program and application process.

After you have completed your application, you will be able to check the status of your application online.

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Ph.D. Program

The ph.d. in law degree.

The Ph.D. in Law degree program is designed to prepare J.D. graduates for careers as legal scholars and teachers through a doctoral program aimed at the production of a substantial body of academic research and writing under the close supervision of a three-member faculty dissertation committee. Unlike programs designed for students who wish to learn about law from the disciplinary perspectives of the social sciences or the humanities, the Ph.D. in Law is directed at students who wish to pursue advanced studies in law from the perspective of the law. This program offers emerging scholars an opportunity to contribute to the development of law as an academic field, and it provides an alternate pathway into law teaching alongside existing routes such as fellowships, advanced degrees in cognate fields, legal practice, and clerkships.

Because our entering Ph.D. students will have already completed their J.D. degrees, the anticipated course of study toward the Ph.D. in Law degree is three academic years and two summers in residence. In their first two semesters, Ph.D. students will enroll in courses designed to help them acquire the background and research skills needed to complete a dissertation in their field of interest and to prepare them for qualifying examinations that test the depth and breadth of the literacies and skills they have acquired. During their second year, students will prepare a dissertation prospectus and begin work on a dissertation. The dissertation may take the form of either three law review articles or a book-length manuscript and will make up a portfolio of writing that will be essential for success in the job market. Ph.D. students will also gain experience in the classroom, and receive the full support of Yale Law School’s Law Teaching Program , which has had remarkable success in placing graduates in tenure-track positions at leading law schools.

Ph.D. students receive a full-tuition waiver, a health award for health insurance coverage, and a stipend to cover their year-round living expenses, as well as support for participation in national and international conferences.

Applications for admission to the Ph.D. in Law program are available starting on August 15. The deadline for submission of all materials is December 15. Applicants to the Ph.D. in Law program must complete a J.D. degree at a U.S. law school before they matriculate and begin the Ph.D. program. Any questions about the program may be directed to Gordon Silverstein, Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs, at [email protected] .

Watch Gordon Silverstein, Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs, describe the Ph.D. program at Yale Law School.

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Graduate Student Life

August 2024 Welcome Dinner at the home of Professor Brilmayer

Graduate Programs students and staff at 2024 Orientation.

Students on a snowtubing trip in February 2024.

Orientation welcome dinner, August 2023

2020 and 2021 Graduate Programs alumni celebrate in the YLS Courtyard with Assistant Dean Gordon Silverstein before their in-person ceremony in May 2022

History teaches that in times of tension, in times of conflict, in times of deep division, it takes people of good faith...to bring about peace and healing.

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LL.M. in the United States (USA)

For many international law applicants, doing an LL.M. is the ultimate goal. The country has some of the biggest and best law schools in the world, and many of them offer LL.M. programs.

Those pursuing an LL.M. in the United States do so for a number of reasons. Some law professionals use the degree to learn more about American law, which can be valuable not only in the US, but around the world as well—especially for those working in firms that do business with US companies.

Those pursuing an LL.M. in the United States do so for a number of reasons. Some law professionals use the degree to learn more about American law, which can be valuable not only in the US, but around the world as well—especially for those working in firms that do business with US companies.

But beyond US law, LL.M.s in the USA might also cover various other topics. Indeed, when studying in the US, students can opt to do specialized master's programs in a number of different fields, including Business Law, Tax Law, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Human Rights Law, International Law, and many more.

In terms of location, students who want to pursue an LL.M. in the USA have a huge range of options. Many students opt to study in large, well-known cities, such as New York, Chicago, and San Francisco. But of course, the United States is a large country, with law schools in all corners, in locations such as Los Angeles, Seattle, Miami, and Buffalo, and countless cities in between.

Graduates from LL.M. programs in the United States also have a wide variety of career options. Some international LL.M. graduates opt to stay in the USA, many taking advantage of the country's Post-Completion Optional Practical Training visa program (otherwise known as the OPT visa). Others decide to return to their home countries to leverage their new skills back home. 

See below for a list of all LL.M. programs in the USA.

• 100 most popular schools in USA

Most popular states: California , District of Columbia , Florida , Massachusetts , New York , Texas

All LL.M. Programs in the USA

1-15 of 176 results sorted by featured popularity name city

15 50 100 schools per page

Full-Time: Master of Laws (LL.M.), Executive Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Global Business Law more…

Part-Time: Executive Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Global Business Law more…

By Research: J.S.D. more…

Dual Degree: JD / LL.M. (Frankfurt), JD / LL.M. (London), JD / Master in French Law, JD / Master in Economic Law or LL.M. in Transnational Arbitration an... more…

Full-Time: General Studies LL.M., Environmental and Energy Law LL.M., National and Global Health Law LL.M., Global Health Law & Governance LL.M., Inter... more…

Distance Learning: Executive LL.M. Securities and Financial Regulation, Online Taxation LL.M., Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) in Taxation more…

Dual Degree: LL.M. Dual Degree, J.D. / LL.M. more…

Full-Time: American Law LL.M., LL.M. in Civil Litigation and Advocacy, LL.M. in Criminal Justice, LL.M. in Cybersecurity & Data Privacy, LL.M. in Enter... more…

Distance Learning: Online Master of Laws (Tax LLM) more…

Full-Time: LL.M., LLCM (Masters in Comparative Law), Master in Law (ML) more…

Part-Time: Artificial Intelligence, Industry, and the Law Certificate Program, Regulatory Analysis and Decision-Making Certificate Program, U.S. Corpor... more…

By Research: SJD Program more…

Dual Degree: LL.M. / MFS (Master's in International Finance and Law), JD / LL.M. more…

Full-Time: LL.M. Traditional Track, LL.M. Executive Track (Two Summer), LL.M. Executive Track (Remote + Summer), J.S.D. more…

Distance Learning: LL.M. Executive Track (Remote + Summer) more…

Full-Time: LL.M., Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.), Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) more…

Full-Time: Master of Laws (LL.M.), Two-Year Extended LL.M., Master of Laws in Alternative Dispute Resolution (LL.M. in ADR), Master of Laws (LL.M.) in... more…

Distance Learning: Master of Laws (LL.M.), Online Master of Studies in Law (MSL), Online Certificates in Business Law, Compliance, Entertainment Law & Industry... more…

Full-Time: LL.M. in Banking, Corporate, and Finance Law, LL.M. in Corporate Compliance, LL.M. in Fashion Law, LL.M. in Intellectual Property and Inform... more…

Distance Learning: Online LL.M. in U.S. Law more…

By Research: Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) more…

Full-Time: General Studies LL.M., Comparative Legal Thought LL.M., Dispute Resolution and Advocacy LL.M., Intellectual Property Law LL.M. more…

Full-Time: LL.M. in U.S. Law, Energy, Environment, and Natural Resources Law LL.M., Health Law LL.M., Intellectual Property & Information Law LL.M., In... more…

Full-Time: Master of Laws (LL.M.), JSD, Master of Legal Studies (MLS) more…

Full-Time: LL.M. in International Law: U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers (General LL.M. degree), LL.M. in Entertainment, Arts and Sports L... more…

Distance Learning: LL.M. in Real Property Development, LL.M. in Taxation of Cross-Border Investment more…

Full-Time: Master of Laws (LL.M.) more…

Full-Time: LL.M. in American Law (for non-US lawyers), LL.M. in Banking and Financial Law, LL.M. in Intellectual Property & Information Law, LL.M. in T... more…

Full-Time: International Trade and Business Law LL.M., Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy LL.M., General LL.M., Master of Legal Studies (MLS) more…

Distance Learning: Master of Legal Studies (MLS) Online more…

By Research: Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy SJD, International Trade and Business Law SJD more…

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