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.

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Application Form

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Law School Admission Council (LSAC)

Prospective students are required to submit their application form through LSAC. However, supporting documents (Transcripts, International transcript evaluation report, LORs, and English proficiency test scores) can be arranged to be sent directly to LLMAdmissions@law.miami.edu or LSAC's LLM Credential Assembly Service (LLM CAS).
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Important LLM Application Dates & Deadlines by Program

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  • LLM 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. A JD from an ABA-approved law school or a foreign law degree equivalent may be used to meet the LLM admission requirements. 

  • LLM 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 LLM applicants who do not hold a JDfrom an ABA-approved law school are not eligible to apply to the Estate Planning LLM 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. 

  • LLM 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. 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 the International Law Programs office at intl-llm@law.miami.edu or 305-284-5402.

  • LLM in International Law (includes specializations General LLM - U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers and LLM 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. 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 the International Law Programs office at intl-llm@law.miami.edu or 305-284-5402.

  • LLM 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. A foreign law degree equivalent or a JD from an ABA-approved law school may be used to meet the LLM admission requirements. For more information, please contact the International Law Programs office at intl-llm@law.miami.edu or 305-284-5402.

  • LLM 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 rpdinfo@law.miami.edu or 305-284-1754.

  • LLM 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. 

  • LLM 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.  

Admission Requirements for LLM Applicants

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

LLM Application Checklist

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  • 1. Application Fee

    The LLM 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 LLM 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 LLM 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. Applicants submitting a CAS report must transmit their letters of recommendation through LSAC. Submissions will also be accepted via email to LLMAdmissions@law.miami.edu.

  • 5. Law School, Other University Transcripts, CAS Report, and International Transcript Evaluation

    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.

    Applicants who graduated with a JD 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 their LSAC application.

    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 LLM CAS’s International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service (ITAES). The University of Miami School of Law’s LLM 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 LLM admissions committee reserves the right to request additional documentation in order to verify academic records submitted as part of the application process.

JD + LLM  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 JD + LLM Joint Degree Programs.

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

Cost of Attendance and Scholarship Information

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

For information on available scholarships, contact the LLM Program to which you are applying and review individual LLM 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 LLM degree will qualify you to sit for that state's bar examination. You should also be aware that successful completion of the LLM 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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