Questions? Start Here

We require students to have their 1st law degree by the time they begin at Berkeley Law. Please refer to the LSAC eligibility standards. For any specific questions, please email us at llm@law.berkeley.edu.

No, we do not have a minimum GPA requirement.

No, work experience is not required. Our LL.M. cohort is diverse, ranging from recent law graduates to experienced legal professionals.

Yes, applicants must have completed their first law degree and obtained their degree prior to the start of the program.

We accept TOEFL and IELTS test scores. Please refer to our English Language Requirements for specific score requirements.

No. Test scores must have been taken within the last two years.

Yes.

Yes.

Yes.

No.

No.

Please check if you qualify for the English language requirement waiver. If you do qualify, there is a question on the application with more instructions.

No, we do not. Please refer to our English language requirement waiver.

Yes! There is no application fee for the LL.M. executive track. For the LL.M. traditional track we only charge an application fee after the priority application deadline of December 1. To request a waiver after December 1, email llm@law.berkeley.edu.

We have different deadlines depending on what track and option you are applying to. Please check out our Ready to Apply page.

Applicants who apply by the priority deadline will have their application fee waived and maximize their opportunity for merit scholarship consideration. They will also receive an earlier decision by January 15th, instead of the regular March decision release. This is beneficial for international students who may need additional time to secure a visa to attend the program.

Please refer to our Application Overview page for an overview of the whole application process.

You can check your application status on LSAC’s student portal. Please refer to our After You Apply page for more information.

We will be releasing our first admission decisions in October and continue to send out decisions on a rolling basis. 

We must receive your complete application which includes your academic records and letters of recommendation before your application can be reviewed.

We recommend that you ask 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.Choose the recommenders who know you best.

There are no strict formatting requirements. Please refer to LSAC’s guidelines on Letters of Recommendation.

All transcripts/academic records must be sent to LSAC, not directly to Berkeley Law. Please follow LSAC guidelines.

You can update select documents via the LSAC website by logging into your account.

Please refer to our common application mistakes presentation or attend one of our virtual sessions.

The only scholarships that require a separate application are the Atticus Fellowship and the African Legal Impact scholarship for the LL.M. executive track program. Instructions will be on the application.

No application is needed for all other Berkeley Law scholarships, however only admitted applicants will be considered.

Yes, we recommend prospective students to apply by the priority deadline for all tracks to maximize their opportunity for merit scholarship consideration. Please refer to our Ready to Apply page to confirm the priority deadline for the different tracks.

Admitted students will be notified shortly after they receive their admission decisions.

Please refer to the Cost of Attendance page.  Typically, tuition fees increase by 3% to 5% annually, with final adjustments determined by the Regents of the University of California in July. Please be aware that the officially approved tuition and fee amounts may deviate from the figures listed on the website.

Students are only charged for each semester they’re enrolled in. Tuition is usually due at the beginning of each semester. Please see the Student Billing Services page for more details.

Yes, the Fee Payment Plan (FPP) allows for qualified registration fees to be paid in monthly installments.

You can find the link to the current academic calendar on the Academics page.

Yes, all LL.M. students receive a general LL.M. degree regardless of which track they’re enrolled in. Both tracks result in the exact same degree.

While Bar membership is not always necessary for short‐term employment opportunities in the United States, our students may find that a U.S. Bar credential improves their professional development prospects in their home countries while also preserving the opportunity to practice law in the United States at some point in the future. Students in the traditional track of the LL.M. program can meet the educational requirements for any state that permits foreign-educated attorneys to take the bar exam; students in the executive track of the LL.M. program can meet the education requirements for the California bar exam.

Many of our students take a bar exam in California or New York, and we offer workshops on navigating those states’ requirements as well as create detailed course-planning guides. But our students might be planning to work anywhere, so your LL.M. professional development advisors are also able to counsel you on planning your course of study to comply with other states’ bar exam requirements.

Berkeley Law offers numerous courses every semester. You can take a look at our Schedule of Classes to see what courses we have offered in the past.

While we do not offer a fully remote online degree program, we do offer a partially remote option in our LL.M. executive track.

Yes, many of our LL.M. students participate in student organizations and journals. Sometimes our students also create their own student organizations during their time here!

Because we offer a general LL.M. degree, we offer a variety of optional Certificates of Specialization that students can earn to demonstrate a curricular focus during their time at Berkeley Law.

LL.M. students have access to a variety of experiential opportunities at Berkeley Law offered by the Pro Bono Program, Clinical Program, and Advocacy Competitions Program.

Berkeley Law is a member of both the consortium that sponsors the International Student Interview Program (ISIP), which typically occurs in New York City at the end of January, and the consortium that sponsors the UCLA LL.M. Interview Program, which typically occurs in Los Angeles at the end of February. 

Any Berkeley Law LL.M. student with a first degree in law from outside the United States is eligible to participate in both fairs. Your professional development advisors will walk you through the process of registering, qualifying, and preparing for these job fairs if you are interested!

While we encourage participation in the LL.M. job fairs, we have found that the best way for LL.M.s to navigate the job market is by individual focused networking. Accordingly, Berkeley Law does not host an on-campus job fair for LL.M. students; instead, your advisors will work closely with you on building your network and your job-searching skills.

No, housing costs are included in your cost of living estimate and are separate from the tuition and fees you will be charged. Please refer to the Cost of Attendance page.

Students can choose to find their own privately owned housing or apply for university-owned housing. Please refer to our Housing Resources page to see the different options.

Yes, students must have health insurance while they are enrolled at Berkeley Law. All students are automatically enrolled in the Student Health Insurance Plan or they can submit a waiver application.

Our colleagues at Berkeley International Office serve all international students at UC Berkeley. They help our students through the necessary steps to obtain their visa to study at Berkeley Law.

Many of our LL.M. students come to Berkeley with their families while they study at Berkeley Law. 

You can refer to Berkeley International Office’s page on Parents & Families and the Student Parent Center’s website to learn more about the resources available to you.

While LL.M. students are eligible for paid on-campus research assistant positions, these opportunities are limited, highly competitive, and often modestly compensated.

Some LL.M. students serve as research assistants for law school faculty to earn academic credit. These positions are arranged directly between the student and the professor after the start of the program.

Please email us at llm@law.berkeley.edu with your questions.

Please see our Connect with LL.M. staff page to see all the ways you can reach us!

Please email llm@law.berkeley.edu with your appointment request and please answer these questions:

1. Country of 1st Law Degree
2. What track are you interested in?
3. What year do you expect to apply to our LL.M. program?

Due to high demand, we can only conduct phone appointments with prospective students who hold a first degree in law or are in a law degree program).

Yes, you can! Please refer to our Visit Berkeley page.

If you are interested in taking courses on a non-degree basis, please see that Berkeley Law Executive Education offers a wide range of training and professional development courses. 

You may reach out to Executive Education directly at executive@law.berkeley.edu.