Application Checklist
The application process begins when you visit the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website, where you will create an account and submit your application. Berkeley Law requires all applications to be submitted online through the LSAC website.
The following materials are required for an application to Berkeley Law:
- Transcripts from every institution you are currently attending or have previously attended. All academic records must be sent directly to LSAC by the issuing institution. The International Transcript and Authentication Evaluation Service (ITAES) is recommended for applicants educated outside of the United States.
- An English language proficiency exam score (TOEFL or IELTS), unless you qualify for an English proficiency waiver. Applicants seeking a waiver must submit a formal waiver request through the application.
- A Credential Assembly Service (LLM CAS) report (i.e., your transcripts) from LSAC.
- Written components of the application, including a personal statement (up to three, double-spaced pages), a curriculum vitae or résumé (no page limit), optional statements, and any required addenda.
- 2 letters of recommendation.
- A completed online application. The application is available online via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). It becomes available each year on September 1.
- $80 non-refundable fee application fee. (For applicants who apply to the LL.M. traditional track after the December 1 Priority Deadline)
Continue reading to learn about each component in depth.
Academic Record and the LLM CAS Report
LSAC operates a service that collects academic documents and letters of recommendation for participating U.S. law schools, known as the Credential Assembly Service (LLM CAS). All applicants must create an LLM Services account.
Through LLM CAS, we receive your transcripts from all institutions attended, TOEFL or IELTS scores, and letters of recommendation. We are unable to receive any of this information in any other way. LLM CAS registration is required and cannot be waived.
It is important to request an official copy of your academic records from each institution you attended and have them sent directly to LSAC using LSAC’s Transcript Request Form, which can be printed from the Transcripts page of your LLM CAS account. All academic records must be mailed directly to LSAC by the issuing institution in a sealed school envelope with a stamp or seal across the sealed flap. Documents sent by the applicant or without the Transcript Request Form will not be accepted. Transcripts received by LSAC become the property of LSAC and cannot be returned to the applicant or the issuing institution.
Do not send transcripts directly to Berkeley Law. Transcripts sent directly to Berkeley Law will not be appended to your application, analyzed, or considered, and will not render your application complete and ready for review. All academic records must be sent directly to LSAC by the issuing institution.
You will be able to monitor your LLM CAS status through the LSAC website. Once you send us your first-time report, LLM CAS will automatically send us updates, including new transcripts and letters of recommendation.
International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service
The International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service (ITAES) is an optional service offered by LSAC. This service is highly recommended, but not required, for applicants educated outside the United States. ITAES includes authentication and evaluation of transcripts, degrees or diplomas, graduation certificates, and rank statements.
Academic records issued in a language other than English must be translated into English. The translation may be completed by anyone, provided that it is a literal, line-by-line, word-for-word translation in the same format as the original. The translation does not need to be certified.
English Language Proficiency Exam
Applicants to the LL.M. program whose primary language is not English are required to take an English language proficiency exam for admission. We accept the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). We do not accept other exams, including the Cambridge English Assessment or Duolingo English Test.
Applicants who qualify for an English proficiency waiver must submit a formal waiver request through the application form, following the instructions provided. Berkeley Law does not automatically grant waivers or presume English proficiency for any applicant. Applicants seeking a waiver are responsible for demonstrating that they meet the eligibility criteria.
Please note that TOEFL and IELTS scores must be no more than two (2) years old at the time of application. Scores older than two years cannot be considered, and applicants must retake the test to submit a more recent score. Applicants should register for the test well in advance to ensure that the score report is available by the December 1 Priority Decision deadline or the February 1 Regular Decision deadline.
For more information on submitting a TOEFL or IELTS score report to LSAC’s LLM CAS, visit the LSAC website.
Personal Statement
You are required to submit a personal statement as part of your application. It should be limited to three pages of double-spaced 11 point font text with 1 inch margins.
The subject matter of the personal statement is up to you, but keep in mind that the reviewer will be focused on determining your potential to be a successful law student and graduate of Berkeley Law. Specifically, we are interested in how your personal background shapes, informs, and enhances that potential. Each year, we seek to enroll a class with varied backgrounds and interests who will ultimately become advocates serving all segments of society. The main objective, always, should be to share the things you think are most important for us to know about you (beyond the purely academic and professional) when assessing your candidacy. No topic is off-limits, but we encourage you to consider how what you discuss is relevant to your candidacy for Berkeley Law’s LL.M. Program.
When crafting your personal statement, you might want to consider addressing several of the following topics. You do not need to answer every question, but we have found that these are the most helpful in assessing your candidacy for admission to Berkeley Law.
Perspectives and Experiences: How will your unique background, professional experiences, and personal perspective contribute to our LL.M. cohort and classroom discussions? We welcome insights into any relevant factors or attributes that shape your voice. In the past, successful applicants have highlighted characteristics such as their jurisdiction or country of origin, race/ethnicity, gender identity, socioeconomic background, first-generation professional status, disability, ideological perspective, or unique career path.
Interest in the Legal Profession: Having already entered or trained in the legal field, what drives you to pursue advanced legal education at this stage of your career? How do you intend to use your LL.M. degree to innovate, practice with integrity, or advance the public good as a lawyer, scholar, or advocate? Share what makes you optimistic or excited about the future of the legal profession, and how you see your role within it evolving.
Interest in Berkeley Law: Tell us about your academic interests, the specialized area of study you intend to undertake, and your professional goals following graduation. What makes Berkeley Law’s unique programmatic offerings, faculty, or research centers the ideal fit for your advanced training?
We ask that you also include a curriculum vitae (C.V.) or résumé of your past and current employment history, extracurricular activities, interests, honors, etc. There is no need to repeat experiences described in the C.V. or résumé in the personal statement. Similarly, you should note the availability of optional statements focused on other aspects of your candidacy. Please use those spaces to answer those questions, and reserve the personal statement for its unique purpose.
The thoughts and words contained in your personal statement must be your own and no one else should assist in its creation beyond basic proofreading or critiquing. This must be your original work and should be written without assistance from others, including generative AI (e.g., ChatGPT, Claude, etc.).
Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) or Résumé
We ask that you submit a curriculum vitae (C.V.) or résumé as part of your application materials. There is no page limit, but generally two pages is adequate.
We strongly recommend that your first section be “Education.” You may then include other sections as needed to highlight and summarize your experiences, such as: Research, Award and Honors, Presentations, Employment, Experience, Volunteer, Leadership, Campus Engagement, Community Involvement, Other Responsibilities, Other Skills and Interests, Memberships, Certification, Affiliations, etc. You should include in all cases: organization or activity name (avoid acronyms or abbreviations), your title or role, dates of involvement, average hours per week or per month, and then also list specific responsibilities using bullet points. You may list more than one role under a single organization name to show advancement or promotion. Rather than attach additional materials to your application, you can include URLs within the C.V. or résumé that go to external references (e.g., published works, newspaper articles, alumni magazine profiles, artist portfolio, etc.) Doing so does not guarantee that any reviewer will visit those pages or links, but inclusion of a URL does inherently give us permission to access such information.
For legibility purposes, please do not include multiple colors or fonts in your résumé, and please keep the font no smaller than 10 or 11-points for all text other than your name at the top. We suggest using a highly legible font such as Times New Roman, Arial, Garamond, Calibri, or Cambria.
Please do NOT include a personal photograph, other image(s), graphic(s), or art within your résumé. There is no need to list an objective. We do not recommend a separate list of “Key Qualities” or a “Personal Summary,” motto, or quote.
Letters of Recommendation
Two letters of recommendation are required to complete your application. We recommend that you provide two letters from recommenders who are familiar with your past academic or professional performance and who are able to assess your potential for law study. Typically, these would be professors, employers, colleagues, or internship supervisors.
You are required to use the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service if you submit letters. This service is included in your CAS registration. Letters are sent to us with your CAS report, and there is a maximum of four letters allowed. Letters sent to us outside of the LSAC Letter of Recommendation Service will NOT be added to your application materials and will NOT be considered when evaluating you for admission. Do not direct recommenders to email us letters or messages regarding your application status, interest, qualifications, etc.
Video & Optional Statements
There are two optional opportunities to provide additional information as part of the application: the Video & Written Assessment and the Generative AI Questions. Applicants may choose to complete either or both components. Neither is required to submit a complete application.
Required Addenda
Additional addenda or essays may be required in certain instances (e.g., if you are applying to certain scholarship programs). Required addenda must be attached with the application on LSAC.org.
Application Fee Waiver
Applicants who apply to the LL.M. traditional track by the December 1 priority deadline are not required to pay the Berkeley Law application fee. A $80 USD non-refundable application fee is required for those applicants who apply to the LL.M. traditional track after December 1.
There is no application fee for the LL.M. executive track.