Application Requirements and Deadlines
The application to join the LL.M. Class of 2024-2025 is currently open and will close April 15, 2024.
LL.M. applications must be submitted through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). The application opens on September 1 and complete applications (EAPP & CAS) are due by March 1 for priority consideration. The Admissions Committee recommends that those interested in applying for scholarships apply by December due to early scholarship deadlines.
All applicants must purchase the LLM Credential Assembly Service (LLM CAS). Applicants with a foreign law degree must also purchase the International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service (ITAES).
The LL.M. Program requires applicants to have a first professional degree in law. Applicants with a foreign law degree can check the Law School Admission Council LL.M. Eligibility Chart for degree requirements by country to see if they are eligible for the program. The LL.M. Program does not accept applications from graduates of distance learning and online law programs or U.S. J.D. programs not accredited by the American Bar Association. The LL.M. Program currently has 25 spots for each incoming class.
The Admissions Committee reviews applications holistically but with an emphasis on practical experience. The Admissions Committee is unable to review incomplete applications. Incomplete applications after April 15 will be withdrawn. Applicants can check the status of their Texas Law LL.M. application on the Applicant Dashboard. Email questions to LLM@law.utexas.edu.
LL.M. Application Checklist
Application fee: $75 nonrefundable application fee paid through LSAC.
- LSAC Application (EAPP) Applicants must submit their application form through LSAC. The application form requires biographical information, educational experience, professional experience, amongst other sections. In filling out the application, each question must be answered honestly and fully. The applicant is responsible for the accuracy and thoroughness of all information provided. Applicants have a duty of full candor.
- Personal statement The applicant should tell the Admissions Committee about themself, including why they want to pursue an LL.M. at Texas Law and how this connects to past achievements (e.g., coursework, legal practice, and/or research) and future plans. The personal statement should not be a restatement of the other parts of the application. This is an opportunity to tell the Admissions Committee something about that could not be known based on the other application materials. The applicant’s statement could include short- and long-term professional goals and how the LL.M./concentration would benefit their legal career. For example, they could explain why their academic and/or professional background makes them a strong candidate for Texas Law’s program and how the LL.M. degree will impact their post-graduation plans. They could also describe specific area(s) of academic interest. They could discuss their practical legal experience and how an LL.M. degree would take their professional career to the next level. They could discuss any matters relevant to their ability to succeed at Texas Law, practice law, and any other experiences or interests that would enable them to contribute to the intellectual community at the Law School. The personal statement should be written without assistance from others or AI Tools and should be limited to 800 words.
- Resume The resume should be limited to 1-2 pages.
- Official law school transcript(s), including proof of degree If the official law school transcript with final grades and proof of degree are in a language other than English, then literal (word-for-word) English translations are required. However, certified English translations are not required. Applicants must submit all higher education transcripts, including transcripts for study abroad programs, transcripts for degrees still in-progress, and proof(s) of degree. Starting in January 2021, LSAC is accepting transcripts emailed to them as unencrypted PDF attachments on a case-by-case basis. To confirm whether LSAC will accept emailed unencrypted PDF transcripts from the institution, email llminfo@LSAC.org.
- Three letters of recommendation Letters of recommendation must be professional or academic, not personal. The Admissions Committee strongly recommend that at least one letter of recommendation come from an academic source. However, letters from employers or others who have worked closely with the applicant can be very helpful, particularly if the applicant has been out of school for many years. All professional and academic references must be on official letterhead.
- Official TOEFL iBT score (101 minimum) or IELTS Academic score (7.5 minimum) To have a TOEFL score sent (TOEFL iBT or TOEFL iBT Home Edition), provide ETS with LSAC’s institution code (8395) when placing the order for a copy of the score report to be sent. Applicants who are trying to submit their IELTS score (IELTS Academic or IELTS Indicator) should submit to “Law School Admission Council LLM/JD Credential Assembly Svc.” See below for further information about the English Language Requirement and possibilities for a waiver.
- Interviews Applicants, who proceed to further stages of the application process, will be required to attend virtual interviews as a part of their application. Interviews are a further chance to discuss the applicant’s background with the Admissions Committee.
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Applicants with a foreign law degree must demonstrate English proficiency by taking the TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic. The LL.M. Program requires a minimum total score of 101 on TOEFL iBT (with at least a 24 in each section) and a minimum total score of 7.5 on the IELTS Academic (with at least a 7 in each section). If the test score falls below the minimum requirement, the applicant should address their English language proficiency in their personal statement and/or have their recommenders address their English language skills in their letters. Applicants who receive a score below the minimum requirement on the TOEFL iBT or the IELTS Academic can still apply to the program. However, if admitted, the applicant may receive an offer of conditional admission. Score reports are valid for two years, and scores will be considered expired if the test was taken more than two years prior to the submission of the application. Non-native English-speaking LL.M. students, who submit a TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic score and are not otherwise eligible for a waiver, receive extended time on exams.
The LL.M. Program does not accept the Duolingo English Test, the IELTS General Training test, MyBest scores for the TOELF iBT test, the TOEFL Essentials test, or the TOEFL ITP.
Applicants are exempt from submitting a TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic score if they hold a first professional degree in law from a university where English is the medium of instruction from a qualifying country:
American Samoa Dominica Ireland Singapore Australia Ghana Jamaica Trinidad/Tobago Bahamas Grenada Kenya Turks and Caicos Islands Barbados Grand Cayman Liberia United Kingdom Belize Guyana New Zealand U.S. Pacific Trust Canada (except Quebec) India Nigeria List of Qualifying Countries not Requiring an English Test Score All other applicants must submit an official TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic score. Foreign LL.M. applicants are eligible to request a TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic waiver if one of the following scenarios apply. Waivers are subject to the sole discretion of the Texas Law Admissions Committee, whose decision is final. Applicants who meet waiver criteria are not eligible for language accommodations, for example, extra time on examinations.
- The applicant has attended a U.S. university for full-time study for a minimum of four academic years with a minimum 3.0/4.0 GPA in a post-secondary degree-granting program taught in English, OR
- The applicant has earned their first law degree from a foreign university in which the sole language of instruction is English in a country that does not appear on the list of qualifying countries. In this scenario, the applicant must upload a letter from their foreign law school as part of their application for admission verifying that English was the medium of instruction.
Non-native English-speaking LL.M. students are encouraged to take the 5-week Academic English Program through the University’s English Language Center the summer before the start of the LL.M. Program.
Note: English language requirements at the School of Law may vary from other departments at the University of Texas.
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To meet the needs of applicants who are unable to take the TOEFL iBT test at a test center due to public health concerns, ETS is temporarily offering the TOEFL iBT Home Edition. The test is identical in content, format and on-screen experience to the TOEFL iBT test taken at a test center. It is taken on the applicant’s own computer at home and is monitored by a human proctor online through ProctorU. To have theTOEFL score sent, provide ETS with LSAC’s institution code (8395) when the applicant places their order for a copy of the score report to be sent.
IELTS Indicator is an online test that can be taken from the comfort and safety of the applicant’s home. The test includes four skills – Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking, and the applicant will receive an indicative score for each. The applicant’s performance will be marked by IELTS examiners and the applicant will receive their result within seven days. The Academic test is available for a limited time while IELTS testing is currently suspended due to COVID-19. Educational providers can use IELTS Indicator to help them gauge the English language ability of future students while IELTS testing is suspended. Applicants who are trying to submit their IELTS score (IELTS Academic or IELTS Indicator) should submit to “Law School Admission Council LLM/JD Credential Assembly Svc.”
Misconduct and Irregularities in the Admission Process
LSAC Rules Governing Misconduct and Irregularities in the Admission Process defines misconduct or an irregularity as the submission, even by mistake, as part of the law school admission process of any information that is false, inconsistent, or misleading, or the omission, of information that may result in a false or misleading conclusion, or the violation of any regulation governing the law school admission process (Source: LSAC Rules Governing Misconduct and Irregularities in the Admission Process, Section 3). In accordance with LSAC Rules Governing Misconduct and Irregularities in the Admission Process, the LL.M. Program reserves the right to deny admission or revoke an offer of admission if it concludes misconduct or an irregularity has occurred as part of the law school admission process.