Applying for LLM & JSD degrees
For general information about the LL.M. and J.S.D. program, see Academics.
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Master of Laws (LL.M.) Program
Applicants for admission to the Master of Laws LL.M. Program must have completed a regular curriculum at an accredited college and/or law school, and must hold a professional degree from a law school by the time they begin the LL.M. program at Berkeley Law.
Preference is given to those students who are in or are likely to enter either academic life or public service. Applicants who already hold an LL.M. degree from an American law school will not be considered for admission.
Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.) Program
Applicants for admission to the J.S.D. Program must meet the same requirements as those for admission to the LL.M. Program. In addition, applicants must have earned an LL.M. degree at Berkeley Law or another American law school with a comparable program before applying to the J.S.D. program. Preference is given to applicants who have received their LL.M. from Berkeley Law.* The J.S.D. Program is severely restricted in size, and admission is normally limited to individuals who are engaged in or are outstanding candidates for academic work or other careers that emphasize legal scholarship. Applicants must demonstrate a high potential for completing a scholarly dissertation of the required quality. The approved dissertation must be completed and submitted within three years of the candidate’s initial registration.
*Because of the timing of when degrees are awarded at UC Berkeley, new graduates of Berkeley Law's Summer LL.M. program will not be eligible to apply for the J.S.D. program beginning the same year. They may, however, apply for the J.S.D. program that begins the following year.
English Language Requirement
The university and the law school require Official Score Reports of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) before admitting an applicant whose primary language is not English. The minimum score required is 600 on the paper TOEFL, 250 on the computerized version of the TOEFL, and 100 on the internet based test (IBT). more about the TOEFL...
Application for Admission
To apply for the 2010-2011 Summer LL.M. Program, please visit our Application Forms & Deadlines page.
The deadline to apply for the 2009-2010 academic year LL.M. and J.S.D. programs has passed. Please check back in August for the 2010-2011 academic year LL.M. and J.S.D. application forms.
