Applicants to the J.S.D. Program must meet all of the same requirements for admission as those for admission to the LL.M. Program. In addition, applicants must have earned or be on track to earn an LL.M. degree at Berkeley Law or another school before the start of the J.S.D. program. The applicant’s qualifying LL.M. degree may be from a U.S. or international law school. Applicants who are currently enrolled in an LL.M. program may apply; if admitted, their admission will be contingent upon graduating from their LL.M. degree program in good standing.
The J.S.D. Program is highly selective, and admission is typically limited to individuals who are engaged in or are outstanding candidates for academic work and other careers that emphasize legal scholarship.
Faculty Advisor
Admission is contingent upon the support of a Berkeley Law faculty member who agrees to serve as the student’s primary advisor. Only current Academic Senate faculty members may serve as J.S.D. advisors. Click here for a link to the form and some tips on searching for a faculty advisor.
Applications without a signed Faculty Advisor Agreement Form will not be reviewed by the admissions committee.
English Language Requirement
Although we do not expect all students who are not native English speakers to be perfectly fluent in English, we recognize that a student with significant language limitations would experience great difficulty in navigating the demands of an English-language doctoral program.
The university and the Law School require official score reports of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS) before admitting an applicant whose primary language is not English. The minimum score required is 100 on the TOEFL Internet-based test, 600 on the TOEFL paper-based test, or 7.0 on the IELTS. For further details on the English language requirement, including how to request a waiver based on native proficiency or English-language education, please go to the Application Checklist page.
Application Evaluation
In evaluating J.S.D. applicants, substantial consideration is given to the applicant’s grades, dissertation proposal summary, writing sample, personal statement, letters of recommendation, and professional and academic experience.
Berkeley does not have a minimum GPA requirement or work requirement for J.S.D. applications. We do not require or accept the LSAT or GRE.
A strong application will demonstrate the following:
- A legal education background from an English-speaking common law jurisdiction
- A demonstrated history of, or serious interest in, legal scholarship
- Letters of recommendation confirming your familiarity with and capacity for English-language common law scholarship
- A strong relationship with your faculty advisor