LLM: Application Process

LLM Admission Standards

The University of Miami School of Law seeks to enroll highly qualified students with a Juris Doctor from an ABA-accredited institution or equivalent first degree in law from a recognized institution outside of the United States who want to develop their legal expertise to advance their careers. Miami Law engages in a highly individualized, holistic review of each applicant's file to determine how the applicant will contribute to the law school community and the applicant’s likelihood of academic and professional success. We seek applicants with strong academic credentials evaluating such factors as educational history; standardized test scores; evidence of strong writing and analytical skills; and rigor of previous academic work. We also seek students with significant work experience and who demonstrate a broad range of experiences and perspectives, considering professional background; public service engagement; leadership; strength of character; and extracurricular activities.

 

Accordion Group

Application Form

Cards

Law School Admission Council (LSAC)

Prospective students are required to submit their application form through LSAC. However, supporting documents (Transcripts, LORs, and English Proficiency Scores) can be arranged to be sent directly to LLMAdmissions@law.miami.edu or LSAC's LL.M. Credential Assembly Service (LL.M. CAS).
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Important Application Dates & Deadlines by Program

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  • LL.M. in Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law

    Applicants may be admitted to the program during the Fall term. Spring semester enrollment is possible at the Director’s discretion. The priority deadline is May 1. Part-time enrollment and option in Intensive English are available. A JD from an ABA-approved law school or a foreign law degree equivalent may be used to meet the admission requirements. 

  • LL.M. in Estate Planning (Heckerling)

    Applicants may be admitted to the program during the Fall term. Part-time enrollment is available. A JD from an ABA-approved law school is required to meet the admission requirements; foreign-trained LL.M. applicants who do not hold a J.D.from an ABA-approved law school are not eligible to apply to the Estate Planning LL.M. Pre-requisite courses include: JD level Federal Income Tax for 4 credits and JD Level Wills and Trust (Trust and Estates) for 4 credits. For more information, please contact Laura Adams at ladams@law.miami.edu or 305-284-4918. 

  • LL.M. in International Arbitration (White & Case)

    Applicants may be admitted to the program during either the Spring or Fall term. The priority deadlines are December 15 for the Fall term and November 1 for the Spring term. Part-time enrollment and option in Intensive English are available. A foreign law degree equivalent or a JD from an ABA-approved law school may be used to meet the admission requirements. For more information, please contact Alexandra Sellers at intl-llm@law.miami.edu or 305-284-5402.

  • LL.M. in International Law (includes specializations General LL.M. - U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers and LL.M. in International Law)

    Applicants may be admitted to the program during either the Spring or Fall term. The priority deadlines are May 1 for the Fall term and November 1 for the Spring term. Part-time enrollment and option in Intensive English are available. A foreign law degree equivalent or a JD from an ABA-approved law school may be used to meet the admission requirements. For more information, please contact Alexandra Sellers at intl-llm@law.miami.edu or 305-284-5402.

  • LL.M. in Maritime Law

    Applicants may be admitted to the program during either the Spring or Fall term. The priority deadlines are December 15 for the Fall term and November 1 for the Spring term. Part-time enrollment and option in Intensive English are available. A foreign law degree equivalent or a JD from an ABA-approved law school may be used to meet the admission requirements. For more information, please contact Alexandra Sellers at intl-llm@law.miami.edu or 305-284-5402.

  • LL.M. in Real Property Development (Robert Traurig-Greenberg Traurig)

    Applicants may be admitted to the program during the Fall term. Part-time enrollment, including for distance learners, is available in the Fall or Spring semesters. For more information, please contact Laura Adams at rpdinfo@law.miami.edu or 305-284-1754.

  • LL.M. in Taxation

    Applicants may be admitted to the program during the Fall term. Part-time enrollment, including for distance learners, is available in the Fall or Spring semesters, at the Director’s discretion. For more information, please contact taxllm@law.miami.edu or 305-284-1754. Note that prior to enrollment, applicants must have successfully completed a basic Federal Income Tax course at the JD level. 

  • LL.M. in Taxation of Cross-Border Investment

    Applicants may be admitted to the program during the Fall term, which begins in the summer for this program, unless they obtain permission from the Director to start in the Spring. Part-time enrollment, including for distance learners, is available in the Fall or Spring semesters, at the Director’s discretion. This program may be completed either remotely or in person. For more information, please contact taxllm@law.miami.edu or 305-284-1754.  

  • Intensive Legal English + LL.M.

    Applicants who need to improve their English proficiency prior to embarking on their LL.M. studies may select the Intensive Legal English + LL.M. Program as their preferred study option; this 3-semester program only starts in Spring. This program has its own deadline and offers limited spots. Applications will be considered as soon as they are complete, and ideally should be submitted by November 1.

Admission Requirements for LL.M. Applicants

The Application Checklist explains in detail which documents are necessary to complete an application. Please read carefully before applying and follow the below instructions to ensure your application is complete. For questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Graduate Program to which you are applying.

Application Checklist

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  • 1. Application Fee

    The application fee is $60 (non-refundable) and will not be credited toward tuition or any other account in the event of admission. Please note that separate registration and report fees apply for applicants choosing to use the LSAC's LL.M. CAS service.

  • 2. Personal Statement

    Applicants must submit a personal statement of approximately 500 words in English through the LSAC application. Applicants should address their own academic and professional background, professional goals, specific interest in the study and practice of your chosen field, and other matters they deem of importance. The personal statement must be prepared by the applicant without any outside help and should contain a statement to that effect. 

  • 3. Resume or Curriculum Vitae

    Applicants must summarize their academic and professional background in a resume or curriculum vitae and upload it as part of the LSAC application. 

  • 4. Letters of Recommendation

    Applicants must obtain two letters of recommendation from law school professors, stating in detail their opinion of the applicant’s qualifications for graduate law study in the LL.M. Program. Applicants who have practiced law for more than two years may submit one letter of recommendation from an employer or colleague; the other letter of recommendation should be from a law school professor if possible. We encourage you to submit letters of recommendation through the LSAC application. Submissions will also be accepted via email to LLMAdmissions@law.miami.edu.

  • 5. Law School and Other University Transcripts and Diplomas

    Applicants must arrange for official transcripts and diplomas from all colleges and universities attended to be sent to the University of Miami School of Law. We encourage you to submit official transcripts through the LSAS Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Submissions will also be accepted via email to LLMAdmissions@law.miami.edu. 

    Electronic Transcripts 

    Official electronic transcripts should be sent by the institution or through a secure site formally linked to the sending institution, such as eTranscript, Parchment Exchange, eSCRIP-SAFE, or National Student Clearinghouse to LLMAdmissions@law.miami.edu. 

    Physical Transcripts 

    Official hard copy transcripts should be mailed by the institution to: 

    University of Miami School of Law 
    Office of Admissions P.O. Box 248087 
    Coral Gables, FL 33124-8087, USA 
     
    This includes academic work at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional level, completed in the United States or abroad. All documents not in English must be translated into English by an approved translation service of the American Translators Association, or the English translation must be certified as complete and accurate by the issuing institution.  

    Foreign Credentials 

    Applicants who completed more than one year of post-secondary work outside the United States (including its territories) should submit their international transcripts through the LL.M. CAS’s International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service (ITAES). The University of Miami School of Law’s LL.M. CAS school code is 5815. Foreign credential evaluation reports from other NACES-member evaluation agencies may also be considered. 

    Transcripts for any work completed after an applicant has been admitted, such as transcripts for a final semester or degree conferral, should be sent prior to matriculation. 

    All offers of admission are conditional upon receipt of the applicant’s official transcript and diploma prior to matriculation conferring a Juris Doctor degree from an institution accredited by the American Bar Association or a first degree in law from an accrediting institution outside of the United States with equivalent standing.  

    The admissions committee reserves the right to request additional documentation in order to verify academic records submitted as part of the application process.

  • 6. Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Report and LSAT Score

    Applicants who graduated with a J.D. from a U.S. law school should arrange for a copy of their LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report, which includes their Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score, to be sent directly to the University of Miami School of Law as part of the LSAC application. Submissions will also be accepted via email to LLMAdmissions@law.miami.edu. 

  • 7. English Language Proficiency Test

    Applicants whose native language is not English and whose undergraduate education is from outside the U.S. are required to submit the results of an English language proficiency test. Miami Law will accept scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), and Duolingo English Test (DET). 

    English Language Test 

    Minimum Score 

    Submission Instructions 

    TOEFL internet-based 

    92 

    Institution code 5815 and department code 03 or submit through LSAC’s LL.M. CAS 

    IELTS 

    7.0 

    No institution code needed or submit through LSAC’s LL.M. CAS 

    DET 

    125 

    Email directly to llmadmissions@law.miami.edu 

    Prospective students may apply for admission even if they have not yet taken an English language proficiency test. Official TOEFL, IELTS, or DET score reports must be provided as soon as possible to finalize the application process. 

    For applicants who did not achieve the minimum required score, Miami Law may recommend or require enrolling in an Intensive Legal English course designed for foreign-trained law graduates who need to improve their English proficiency before embarking on their LL.M. studies. Depending on the TOEFL or Academic IELTS score achieved, students may enroll in Intensive Legal English courses at Miami Law during the spring semester immediately preceding the LL.M. Program start, or concurrently during the student's first semester in the LL.M. Program. Learn more about Miami Law's Intensive Legal English + LL.M. Program here. 

    At the discretion of the program director, waivers of the English language proficiency test requirement may be granted in situations where the applicant can present other evidence of English language capability, such as a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution in the U.S. or other English-speaking country or from an accredited institution where courses are taught entirely in English. To apply for a waiver, please contact the LL.M. Program to which you are applying for further details. 

J.D. + LL.M.  Joint Degree Programs

Recognizing the increased need for specialization, Miami Law offers a wide range of options for advanced training in a complementary discipline through its J.D. + LL.M. Joint Degree Programs.

Current Miami Law J.D. students who wish to apply to one of Miami Law’s LL.M. Programs under the J.D. + LL.M. Joint Degree Program option should complete the Joint J.D./LL.M. application form.

Current Miami Law LL.M. students who hold a foreign law degree and wish to earn the J.D. through Miami Law’s LL.M. to J.D. Joint Degree Program “Transfer” Option, should contact their LL.M. Program directly and review their LL.M. Program page for further details. More information on the LL.M. to J.D. Joint Degree Program “Transfer” Option is available here.

Cost of Attendance and Scholarship Information

Cost of attendance information for international LL.M. students not receiving U.S. federal funding, including students on F-1 or J-1 visas, and for domestic LL.M. students can be accessed here.

For information on available scholarships, contact the LL.M. Program to which you are applying and review individual LL.M. Program pages.

Practicing Law in the United States

It is your responsibility to contact the Board of Bar Examiners of the state in which you desire to practice law to determine whether the foreign degree you received or the LL.M. degree will qualify you to sit for that state's bar examination. You should also be aware that successful completion of the LL.M. program, and even admission to a state bar, does not automatically give you the right to practice law in the United States. Thus, we urge you to carefully examine current immigration regulations and consult with a United States Consulate before applying to the Graduate Program.

Non-Discrimination Policy

It is the policy of the University of Miami School of Law that no person within the jurisdiction thereof shall, on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, military status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected factor be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination or harassment (including all forms of sexual harassment and sexual violence) under any program or activity of the University, regardless of whether such program or activity occurs on-campus or off-campus. Retaliation against an individual who files a complaint of discrimination, opposes a policy/procedure/practice because he/she believes it to be discriminatory, or who participates in the investigation of a discrimination complaint, is prohibited.

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