Admissions decisions to Miami Law’s Graduate Programs are made by each Graduate Program pursuant to the policies established by the Graduate Admissions Committee. The Director of each Graduate Program evaluates the applicant’s potential for excellence in the Graduate Program of choice. The standard indicators of such potential, prior academic achievements, and standardized test scores, are evaluated in light of the quality of the institutions attended and the rigor of the course of study selected by the applicant. In deciding among the applicants who satisfy the law school’s high academic standards, such factors as significant work experience, extracurricular activities, community service, individual characteristics, and background details will also be considered.
Because the process is selective, applicants are encouraged to provide a complete overview of their background and accomplishments. Prior to matriculation, applicants who are granted admission must have earned a Juris Doctor degree from an institution accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) or a first degree in law from an accrediting institution outside of the United States with equivalent standing. Please note that the Graduate Program in Estate Planning (Heckerling) requires applicants to have earned a Juris Doctor degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.
There are two different ways to submit an application:Application Forms
This option allows applicants to:
As an alternative option, prospective students applying to several U.S. and Canadian graduate law programs are recommended, but not required, to submit their application through LSAC. Registration with LSAC's LL.M. Credential Assembly Service (LL.M. CAS) is required when applying through LSAC.
Our Graduate Program in International Law offers two specializations: (1) U.S. and Transnational Law for Foreign Lawyers (General LL.M. program) and (2) International Law. Students in the LL.M. in International Law may study on a full-time or part-time basis depending on their individual preferences and visa requirements (where applicable). Applications for admission will be considered on a rolling basis for a Fall (August) or Spring (January) program start. Applicants intending to start in the Fall semester are encouraged to complete their application by the priority deadline of May 1 of the same year; applicants intending to start in the Spring semester are encouraged to complete their application by the priority deadline of November 15 of the previous year. Students may submit their applications after the priority deadline has passed; admissions decisions will be made until the beginning of semester or until program spaces are filled. However, international students who will need to enter the U.S. on a student visa, should apply at least three months prior to their intended program start, as additional time may be needed for visa application and processing. Applicants who need to improve their English proficiency prior to embarking on their LL.M. studies may select the Intensive Legal English + International Law LL.M. Program as their preferred study option; this 3-semester program only starts in Spring (application deadline: December 1 of the previous year).
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.Admission Requirements for LL.M. Applicants with a Juris Doctor from an ABA-approved Law School
Applicants must arrange for official transcripts and diplomas for all academic work completed to be mailed by the institution directly to: University of Miami School of Law, Office of Admissions, P.O. Box 248087, Coral Gables, FL 33124-8087, USA. This includes law school and other academic work at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional level, completed in the United States or abroad. Alternatively, the institution may email transcripts and diplomas directly to the Graduate Program to which you are applying. 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. Submission of transcripts and diplomas through LSAC's LL.M. CAS is also accepted, but not required. Applicants who completed more than one year of post-secondary work outside the United States (including its territories) or Canada must 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. Transcripts for any work completed after an applicant has fulfilled all the requirements for LL.M. CAS submission, such as transcripts for a final semester or summer session, should be sent to us through LSAC’s LL.M. CAS 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.
Applicants who graduated with a J.D. from a U.S. law school must 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, Office of Admissions, P.O. Box 248087 Coral Gables, FL 33124-8087, USA.
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 LL.M. Program to which you are applying.Admission Requirements for LL.M. Applicants with a Foreign Law Degree
P.O. Box 248087, Coral Gables, FL 33124-8087, USA. This includes law school and other academic work at the undergraduate, graduate, or professional level, completed in the United States or abroad. Alternatively, the institution may email transcripts and diplomas directly to the Graduate Program to which you are applying. 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.
Submission of transcripts and diplomas through LSAC's LL.M. CAS is also accepted, but not required. Applicants who completed more than one year of post-secondary work outside the United States (including its territories) or Canada must 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. Transcripts for any work completed after an applicant has fulfilled all the requirements for LL.M. CAS submission, such as transcripts for a final semester or summer session, should be sent to us through LSAC’s LL.M. CAS 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. Please note that the Graduate Program in Estate Planning (Heckerling) requires applicants to have earned a Juris Doctor degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association.; foreign-trained LL.M. applicants who do not hold a J.D. are not eligible to apply to the Estate Planning LL.M.
Applicants whose native language is not English or whose university-level education was completed outside the United States are required to submit results of an English-language proficiency test. Miami Law will accept scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Test. The minimum required TOEFL score for admission is 580 paper-based, 237 computer-based, and 92 internet-based. The minimum required IELTS score for admission is 7.0. Applicants must arrange for their official TOEFL or IELTS score reports to be sent directly to the University of Miami School of Law, University of Miami School of Law, Office of Admissions, P.O. Box 248087, Coral Gables, FL 33124-8087, USA. The University of Miami School Code is 5815, and the Department Code is 03. No institutional code is needed for the IELTS. Submission of TOEFL/IELTS scores through LSAC's LL.M. CAS is also accepted, but not required. LSAC’s institutional code to report the TOEFL score is 8395. No institutional code is needed for the IELTS. Scores from either test will be included in the authentication and evaluation feature of the LL.M. CAS Report. Prospective students may apply for admission even if they have not yet taken the TOEFL or Academic IELTS. Official TOEFL or IELTS score reports must then be provided as soon as available to finalize the application process. For applicants who did not achieve the minimum required TOEFL or Academic IELTS 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, Summer or Fall 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.
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 Graduate Programs under the J.D. + LL.M. Joint Degree Program option, should contact the LL.M. Program of their choice directly and review individual LL.M. Program pages for further details. 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 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. 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. It is the policy of the University of Miami that no person within the jurisdiction thereof shall, on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, 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.J.D. + LL.M. Joint Degree Programs
Cost of Attendance and Scholarship Information
Practicing Law in the United States
Non-Discrimination Policy
