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University of Virginia School of Law

MAILING ADDRESS
580 Massie Road
Charlottesville, VA 22903-1738
MAIN PHONE
434-924-7354
WEBSITE
http://www.law.virginia.edu
ADMISSIONS EMAIL:
hbennett@virginia.edu
REGISTRAR'S PHONE/FAX/EMAIL:
434-924-7348/434-924-4672/
ecc2d@virginia.edu
CAREER SERVICE PHONE/FAX/EMAIL:
434-924-7349/434-924-7594/
lawcareer@virginia.edu

An Overview


Founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819, the University of Virginia School of Law is a worldrenowned training ground for distinguished lawyers and public servants. Consistently ranked among the top law schools in the nation, Virginia has educated generations of lawyers, instilling in them a commitment to leadership, integrity and community service.

Virginia is justly famous for its collegial environment that bonds students and faculty, and student satisfaction is consistently cited as among the highest in American law schools. At Virginia, law students share their experiences in a cooperative spirit, both in and out of the classroom, and build a network that lasts well beyond their three years here.

Degrees Offered
There are no certificates of specialization offered for LL.M. students.

Admission Information


Requirements Details
Eligibility Applicants must have received the academic degree regarded as their countries' first professional degree in law (equivalent to the U.S. juris doctor degree). LSAC maintains a chart of the minimum degree requirements by country that lists criteria for eligibility for admission to the LL.M. program. If either the applicant's degree or country of study is not listed in the chart, please contact the Graduate Studies Office regarding the candidate's eligibility to apply to the LL.M. program based on the candidate's legal education. Note that the chart includes only minimum requirements, and that applicants are expected to include information on all postsecondary education, including any academic work completed prior to or after the minimum degree listed.
Transcripts Applicants must submit transcripts and proof of degree documents (if proof of degree does not appear on the transcript) from all prior colleges, law schools, exchange programs or graduate schools attended, even if the applicant did not graduate from that institution. In addition to the LL.M. Document Assembly Service, international applicants must register for the LSAC International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation service.
Letters of Recommendation The Law School requires applicants to submit letters through the LSAC Letter of Recommendation service. This service is included with the candidate's LL.M. CAS subscription. Letters submitted through LSAC are copied and sent to the Law School along with the CAS law school report and can be read online immediately. Updated reports are sent immediately if letters are received after initial CAS law school report has been sent. To use this service, follow the instructions on the LSAC website.

The Law School requires at least two, but no more than four, letters from people who know the applicant well and are in a position to evaluate his or her capacity for advanced legal study. Current students or recent graduates should submit letters from two law school teachers. Applicants who have completed their law degree more than five years ago should solicit a letter from a current or former employer in addition to one from a former teacher. The committee recognizes that a letter from a former teacher may not be practical in the case of an applicant who has been out of school for some time, in which case the second letter may be from an employer or colleague who is in a position to comment upon the candidate's qualifications. Letters from family members, friends or people who are not well acquainted with the applicant are not helpful and should not be submitted.

If a recommender is unable to write the letter of recommendation on letterhead, please ask him/her to explain why. Emailed recommendations are not accepted, except from Virginia alumni.
Personal Statement Applicants should submit an application form, including a personal statement using LSAC. Applicants should carefully outline and discuss their reasons for pursuing graduate work, including a statement of future professional plans. Applicants should also describe their principal areas of academic interest, with as much specificity as possible.
Proof of Competency in English International applicants who do not meet the very limited exceptions listed below are required to demonstrate proficiency in English by completing the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) within two years prior to submitting the application. This is true regardless of the number of years of instruction in English the applicant may have had or if English is the "official" language of the applicant's home country. Students who have studied in English (in Pakistan, the Philippines, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, African countries, etc.) are not exempt from the TOEFL requirement. The only exceptions are applicants for whom English is the native language (those from Australia, the English-speaking provinces of Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or applicants from South Africa who attended English-medium universities). If applicants do not fall under one of these limited exceptions, they should not assume for any reason that they are exempt from the TOEFL requirement. Instead, they should contact the Graduate Studies Office early in the admissions season, before they apply, to discuss the issue. 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 TOEFL scores.

Paper Based TOEFL (PBT):
Writing: 60
Listening: 60
Reading: 60
TWE: 4

Internet-Based TOEFL (iBT):
Writing: 24
Speaking: 22
Reading: 26
Listening: 26

When registering for the TOEFL exam, please note that the University of Virginia's Institution Code is 5820. The Law School Department Code is 03.
The University of Virginia will also accept the IELTS exam. The minimum score required on each section of the IELTS exam is 7.5.
Application Fee $80
Law School Admission Test No, unless the applicant is a graduate of a U.S. or Canadian law school.
Curriculum Vitae Resume

Other Information


Criteria Details
Nature and Tenure of Courses Offered One Year
Application Procedure/Time to apply/Application deadline APPLY BY: Feb. 1
LL.M. Degree Requirements The Master of Laws degree is conferred upon students who, having been admitted to candidacy, have satisfactorily completed at least two semesters of residence and a minimum of 24 credit hours. At least one of these hours must be earned in producing a substantial research paper.

Students must have at least a 2.3 (C+) grade point average to graduate.
To earn an LL.M. degree in the Specialized Programs, students are required to get:

Course Requirement
LL.M Program Minimum of 24 credit hours. Students must have at least a 2.3 (C+) grade point average to graduate.

Details of Courses Offered


Virginia's Graduate Studies Program provides an American legal education to lawyers who have obtained their first law degree in their home countries.

By maintaining a small and highly selective program of about 50 students, the Law School ensures a supportive atmosphere. LL.M. candidates take classes alongside J.D. students, allowing participants to fully engage in the community and plan their own coursework.

Financial Aid


If the applicant receives a financial aid grant, it will not cover the applicant's tuition and living expenses. Generally, the school's financial aid grants, when given, cover less than one-third of the cost of tuition. University regulations do not permit "waivers" of tuition. Assistance cannot be provided for all deserving applicants, and funds must be allocated on the basis of comparative merit and financial need. Most students must therefore expect to meet their expenses from other sources. Applicants from abroad are encouraged to contact the educational attache at the U.S. Embassy or consulate in their home country for assistance that may be available under the Fulbright or similar programs.

The Law School does not offer financial aid to S.J.D. students.

Applicants requesting financial aid are required to provide detailed and accurate information regarding their finances and, where applicable, the finances of their spouses or parents. In calculating the amount of financial aid to be requested, it is important to distinguish "wants" from "needs" and to apply only for that amount of aid that is actually needed to attend the Law School. Requests for full or nearly full funding cannot be met and will disadvantage the applicant relative to others in determining the allocation of scholarship funds.

Any award of financial aid from the School of Law is tentative. If the applicant receives an outside award, then he/she is required to notify the Graduate Program of any changes in the candidate's financial situation. Any award from the University of Virginia may be reduced or withdrawn completely due to a change in the candidate's financial situation.

The employment status of foreign students is closely regulated by U.S. immigration laws. Students with F-1 status may seek limited employment on campus under certain conditions and with the approval of the chair of the Graduate Program Committee. In any case, Law School policy prohibits employment of more than 20 hours per week. The Law School does not have teaching fellowships. Some students may be able to receive limited compensation as research assistants for individual faculty members or from working in the law library. These positions are not available through the Graduate Studies Office but must be individually arranged after the student has completed registration at the Law School.

If an applicant seeks financial aid, the applicant's request for financial aid should be made at the same time he/she submits his/her application for admission to the LL.M. program. The Financial Aid application can be found as a supplemental form at the LSAC electronic application link. The candidate must complete this form, print it out, and send it directly to the Graduate Studies Office. Admissions decisions are made without regard to requests for financial assistance. Awards are generally made only after an applicant has responded with interest to an offer of admission.

Loans

Financial assistance through the Federal Family Education Loan Program is available only to citizens and permanent residents of the United States. To learn about possible loan opportunities for international students, the Law School's Financial Aid Office can be contacted at lawfinaid@virginia.edu.

Cost of Attendance

LL.M. Program, 2013-14 School Years

VIRGINIA Resident Nonresident
Tuition and Fees $47,900 $52,900
Living Expenses, Etc.** $21,324 $21,324
Total: $69,224 $74,224

Career Development/Services Offered


Alumni provide job-search advice to students and graduates. They should be contacted only if the applicant has serious inquiries relating to employment in their substantive or geographic areas. Access the Network through the LAC account.