For foreign trained lawyers, Southwestern's LL.M. program provides an excellent opportunity for exposure to U.S. law and American legal practice. In addition to the Degree Requirements, applicants to the program who completed their undergraduate and/or legal degrees at institutions outside the United States or Canada must fulfill additional requirements:
- English Proficiency: Because the program requires a professional level of English language proficiency, applicants whose primary language is not English or whose education has been in a language other than English must demonstrate English proficiency by achieving a minimum score of 100 on the Next Generation Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), 250 on the computer-based test, or 600 on the paper-based test, or a minimum of 6.5 on the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam. More information on TOEFL is available online at www.TOEFL.org and more information on IELTS is available online at www.ielts.org.
- Law Degree: The applicant's degree(s) in law must be from a university accredited in the country in which it is located or the applicant must be admitted to practice before the highest court in that country.
- Financial Support Documentation: International students who are accepted to Southwestern are required to have sufficient finds to cover travel to and from the United States and tuition, fees, and living expenses while attending Southwestern. Documentation of financial support will be required during the student visa process. More information on the student visa process may be found here.
- Credentials Evaluation: The applicant must submit foreign academic transcripts for analysis by a credentials evaluation service (International Education Research Foundation, Inc., World Education Services, Inc. or other). A degree equivalency statement with an assessment of grade point average should be requested. For information on completing this requirement, contact the service providers directly. Two evaluation service providers often used by Southwestern applicants are:
Global Services Associates
2554 Lincoln Boulevard, #445
Marina del Rey, CA 90291-5082
Tel & Fax: (310) 828-5709
www.globaleval.org / info@globaleval.org
International Education Research Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 3665
Culver City, CA 90231
Tel: (310) 258-9451
Fax: (310) 342-7086
www.ierf.org
World Education Services, Inc.
Bowling Green Station
P.O. Box 5087
New York, NY 10274-5087
Tel: (212) 966-6311
Fax: (212) 739-6100
www.wes.org / info@wes.org
A list of service providers' reports that may be accepted can be found here (PDF)
Admission to the Bar in the United States: Each state sets its own criteria for qualification for the bar. Students who earn the LL.M. degree or Certificate of Completion may be eligible to take certain state bar examinations. Please be sure to contact the jurisdiction of state in which you wish to take the bar examination to determine their eligibility requirements to sit for the examination. More detailed information can be obtained at www.abanet.org/education.html (click on Comprehensive Guide to Bar Admission Requirements). Information about the California State Bar Examination can be found at www.calbar.ca.gov.
A special Fellowship opportunity for Argentine law graduates to complete an LL.M. in Civil Liberties and Human Rights or Advocacy has been established at Southwestern under the auspices of the Fulbright Commission. Click here for information on the Fulbright-Jose Siderman Human Rights Fellowship.
