Law students in the library at University Park

How to Apply

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Application Requirements
Application Deadlines

The LL.M. program is designed for internationally trained legal professionals seeking to acquire specialized knowledge and pursue advanced study in specific areas of law. This flexible one-year residential program offers students the opportunity to choose from a diverse array of courses, enabling concentration in a range of legal disciplines. Graduates of U.S. law schools with an interest in one of our LL.M. concentration areas are also invited to apply.

Prospective students have the option of applying directly to Penn State Dickinson Law or via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Penn State Dickinson Law does not charge application fees, making the process accessible to all prospective applicants.

Comparing LSAC vs. Direct Application

	LSAC Application	Direct Application
Who should use this application?	Any LL.M. applicants	LL.M. applicants from partner institutions, or those who prefer to manage their own credential translation, evaluation, and submission
Transcripts	Applicants must submit to LSAC official, institution-issued transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended. Transcripts must be translated to English before submitting to LSAC. LSAC will authenticate and evaluate the transcript and include the evaluation and transcripts in the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report.	Applicants must submit, via the direct application, official, institution-issued transcripts from all post-secondary institutions attended. All transcripts must be translated to English and evaluated by a service like ECE or WES before submission. Penn State Dickinson Law does not authenticate, translate, or evaluate transcripts. Transcripts not evaluated or translated will not be accepted.
English Proficiency Tests	LSAC will accept TOEFL and IELTS score reports for inclusion in your Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Report.	Penn State Dickinson Law will accept TOEFL and IELTS score reports, as well as Duolingo scores. Score reports may be uploaded to the online application.
Application Requirements	Application requirements are the same for all applicants, regardless of application method.	Application requirements are the same for all applicants, regardless of application method.
Fees and Costs	Fees for LSAC CAS and other services (including Electronic Application, Document Assembly, and Transcript Authentication) can be found here. Penn State Dickinson Law does not charge an additional LL.M. application fee.	Applicants are responsible for fees to obtain all transcripts and to have them translated and evaluated for submission. Penn State Dickinson Law does not charge an additional LL.M. application fee.

Apply via LSAC Apply Directly

Application Requirements

: Only complete applications will be reviewed. A completed application includes all of the components listed below. Applications will not be reviewed until all required documents have been received.

Applicants may choose to apply directly on the Penn State Dickinson Law website or via LSAC. Applicants may submit only one application per admissions cycle. Duplicate applications will be deleted.
: Applicants must submit a brief personal statement (1-2 pages) that provides a clear and well-organized rationale for pursuing an LL.M. degree and specifically why the applicant has chosen to do so at Penn State Dickinson Law. This rationale should succinctly explain the applicant's career plans and the relevance of an LL.M. degree in realization of those plans.
: Applicants must submit a résumé or CV outlining relevant work experience, education, and publications.
: Applicants are required to submit official transcripts from each post-secondary institution previously attended. Transcripts must include both the original and, if needed, a certified English translation.

Individuals applying via the LSAC application have the option of requesting the Credential Assembly Service through which their transcripts will be evaluated and translated.

Individuals applying via the direct application must have all transcripts evaluated and translated before submitting to Penn State Dickinson Law.

Unofficial transcripts are acceptable at the time of application, but official transcripts must be provided within two weeks of the start of classes.
: For applicants who are not native English speakers and have not received a degree from a college or university whose language of instruction is English, a TOEFL, IELTS or similar score that demonstrates advanced proficiency in English is required. Applicants must submit documentation of a TOEFL score report of 88 or higher, an IELTS score of 6.5 or higher, a Duolingo English Test score of 120 or higher, or the equivalent.
: Applicants are required to submit two letters of recommendation in English (or certified translations into English) from an academic or professional contact who can speak directly to the applicant's capacity for advanced law study and potential for fulfilling the professional objectives for which the applicant seeks the degree.
: Though optional, applicants are encouraged to submit a short writing sample (in English) written entirely by the applicant without assistance, usually in the form of a journal article or legal brief.
: As needed, applicants may submit additional supporting documentation that may be helpful with determining admissibility.

Application Deadlines

September 15: LL.M. application cycle opens for fall semester

June 15: Completed applications due for fall semester

Penn State Dickinson Law admits students exclusively for the fall semester (August). International students who require a visa for study in the U.S. should apply no later than six months ahead of the anticipated semester start date. Applications are reviewed and admission decisions made on a rolling basis, so early submission is highly recommended. Application review will commence in November. From November, applicants can generally expect notification within one week completing their application.

Tuition & Scholarships

For the most current information on tuition and fees, please see Cost of Attendance.

Penn State Dickinson Law is committed to providing every student access to a world-class education. All LL.M. applicants are automatically considered for merit-based scholarships at the time of admission. No application is required for scholarship consideration. Scholarship awards are based on several criteria, including: 1) academic performance, 2) professional experience, and 3) other professional and personal experience (e.g., volunteer activities and initiatives demonstrating exceptional leadership skills).

International students usually do not qualify for U.S. government-sponsored financial aid. However, many external scholarship sources are available, see External Scholarship Sources. Application deadlines vary.

Please note that Penn State Dickinson Law has some country-specific scholarship agreements with key funding agencies around the world, such as Colfuturo in Colombia and the Fulbright Commission in Germany. Please contact us for more information.

Questions

If you have any questions, feel free to submit an inquiry form or email us at DickinsonLawLLM@psu.edu.

Nondiscrimination Statement

The University is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the University’s educational mission, and will not be tolerated. Direct all inquiries regarding Penn State’s non-discrimination policy to the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901, Email: oeoa@psu.edu, Tel (814) 863-0471.

How to Apply

Comparing LSAC vs. Direct Application

LSAC Application

Direct Application

Application Requirements

Application Deadlines

Tuition & Scholarships

Questions

Nondiscrimination Statement

Legal Statements