Graduate Admissions FAQs

General Questions
What is an LL.M.? LL.M. is Latin for Legum Magister, signifying Master of Laws. In Latin abbreviations, the plural form of a word is indicated by doubling the letter - hence the "LL." is short for Laws. The word "legum" is the possessive plural form of the Latin word lex that means specific laws. When used in the plural, it signifies a specific body of laws, as opposed to the general collective concept embodied in the word "Jus," from which the word "Juris" and our modern English word "Justice" derive. In the feminine, i.e., for a female student, the expression is Legum Magistra.
What is the size of the entering Graduate Class at Georgetown Law? In the fall of 2010, almost 400 students entered the graduate programs at Georgetown Law.
What is the cost of attendance?

Tuition for the 2010-2011 academic year was:

F/T $45,105
P/T $1,835 per credit hour


Full-time single students living in the Washington, DC area can expect living expenses for nine months to be approximately $22,895. Please note that these figures are not a financial aid budget. These amounts are an estimate of costs to help you in planning for your educational and living expenses.

 

Academic Info
How many credits does it take to complete an LL.M. or an S.J.D.?
24 credits U.S. Educated Students
  LL.M. Securities and Financial Regulation
  LL.M. Taxation
  LL.M. Individualized Study
  LL.M. Global Health
 

LL.M. International Business and Economic Law
  LL.M. National Security
   
20 credits Foreign Educated Students
  LL.M. International Legal Studies
  LL.M. General Studies
  LL.M. Securities and Financial Regulation
  LL.M. Taxation
  LL.M. Global Health
  LL.M. National Security

LL.M. International Business and Economic Law
   
12 credits Certificate in Estate Planning
   
10 credits Certificate in Employee Benefits Law
  S.J.D.
How long does it take to complete the various programs?
24 credit programs for U.S. Educated students are completed in 2 semesters if attending full-time and within 3 years if attending part-time.
 
20 credit programs for students who studied law outside the U.S. are completed in 2 semesters on a full-time basis.
 
Students enrolled in the Certificate in Employee Benefits Law will complete the 10 credit program on a part-time basis and must finish within 3 years of matriculation.
 
Students enrolled in the Certificate in Estate Planning will complete the 12 credit program on a part-time basis and must finish within 3 years of matriculation.
 
The S.J.D. program is a full-time, two year program.
Can I get advanced standing for credit earned at another institution? Upon prior approval of the Associate Dean for Graduate Programs, and subject to certain restrictions, a cumulative maximum of 4 academic credits earned at other institutions while the student is an LL.M. student at Georgetown Law may be applied to the LL.M. degree.  Georgetown Law does not award LL.M. credit for courses taken at another institution before a student matriculated at Georgetown Law.
Can I get advanced standing in a graduate program if I received my JD from Georgetown Law? Students who received their JD degree from Georgetown Law within 3 years of matriculating in an LL.M. degree program may apply up to 6 academic credits earned while a JD student, provided those credits were in excess of the 83 credits required for the JD degree.  Courses and grades involved will remain part of the JD record; advanced standing credit for specific courses will be applied to the LL.M. degree.  The courses and grades will be entered on the transcript, but grades for those courses will not be included in the computation of the LL.M. grade point average.  For part-time students, the maximum period of study allowed will be reduced by one semester if 4 or more credits are applied. (For rules applying to JD/LL.M. joint degree programs, please see degree descriptions here).
May I take graduate classes at Georgetown Law without enrolling in an LL.M. program? Yes. Georgetown Law offers a comprehensive selection of graduate level law courses for lawyers who wish to deepen or broaden their legal knowledge without enrolling in an LL.M. degree program.  Lawyers may do so by taking courses on a space-available basis. Please click here for more information on the non-degree program.
May I get advanced standing in a graduate program if I earned non-degree credits at Georgetown Law? Students in an LL.M. degree program may apply up to 8 non-degree academic credits that were earned at Georgetown Law within 2 academic years prior to matriculation in the degree program. The Courses and grades will be entered on the transcript; the grades for those courses will be included in the computation of the LL.M. grade point average. The maximum period of study allowed for the degree will be reduced by one semester if 4 or more credits of advanced standing are applied. Please click here for more information on the non-degree program.
How do I develop a proposal for the LL.M. (individualized study) application? In two to three pages, outline a plan of study, including the purpose of the plan of study, a list of desired courses totaling at least 24 credits, as well as several alternate courses. Students in an individualized study program generally should plan to take no more than two seminar courses per semester. Students should also avoid relying heavily on JD courses in their proposals, as spaces for LL.M. students in such courses may be limited.

 

Admission Requirements
Is there a grade cutoff for admission? No.  Although Georgetown does not use numerical cutoffs, only candidates with strong academic and personal credentials are encouraged to apply. The majority of accepted applicants are in the top third of their law school class and have a grade point average above 3.2. We weigh non-quantifiable information to distinguish between applicants with similarly strong academic credentials, although personal information alone is seldom sufficient as a substitute for a strong academic record.
Does Georgetown Law offer "conditional admission" to its Graduate Programs? No. Georgetown Law does not offer "conditional admission" to its Graduate programs. Students must meet the prerequisites for admission (e.g., obtaining the required minimum TOEFL score for foreign students, or completing a course in basic Federal Income Tax for U.S. students applying to the LL.M. in Taxation program) before an offer of admission can be extended.

 

Application Process

Does it help to apply early? Yes. The Admissions Committee reviews files on a rolling basis. Therefore, it is to your advantage to submit your application as early as possible within each admissions cycle.
When will I know the decision? If you submit a completed application by the appropriate Early Action Deadline, your decision letter will be sent by December 15, 2010 (foreign trained) or February 1, 2011 (U.S. trained). For all others, once your application is complete, the Graduate Admissions Committee will review the file and notify you, by mail, when we reach a decision. The Committee strives to make decisions within six to ten weeks after the file is complete.
If I apply Early Action and am admitted, am I required to attend Georgetown? No. Our Graduate Early Action option is non-binding. Students admitted Early Action will have until the same date as Regular Action admitted students to decide whether or not to attend Georgetown.
Do you grant application fee waivers to graduate applicants? No. Georgetown Law does not grant fee waivers to those applying to the graduate programs.
How many recommendations should I submit? We ask for two letters of recommendation. One or both letters should be from law school faculty members who have personal knowledge of your academic work. If appropriate, employers may also complete forms.
Do I have to complete the Registrar's Certification Form?

Foreign applicants who have registered with the LL.M. Credential Assembly Service, do not need to have the Registrar's Certification Form filled out. All other applicants must submit the Registrar Certification Form and your application file will not be considered complete until the form is received.

 

TOEFL
Do you require the test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)? If your native language is not English, you must take the TOEFL and achieve a score of at least 600 points on the paper-based TOEFL with minimum scores of 60 in each of the three sections (listening, structure/writing, and reading), or 250 points on the computer-based TOEFL with minimum scores of 25 in each section, or at least 100 points on the internet-based TOEFL with minimum scores of 25 in each section to be admitted to Georgetown Law.
May I request a waiver of the TOEFL? In appropriate circumstances (normally the completion of an undergraduate or first law degree from an English-speaking country at a school where all courses were taught in English), the Graduate Admissions Committee will consider requests for a waiver of the TOEFL requirement. Any requests for a waiver of the TOEFL requirement must be made in writing and submitted along with your application.

 

Campus Life

Are there student organizations on campus? Yes. There are over 60 student organizations located at Georgetown Law. Two organizations specifically geared for LL.M. students are the Foreign Lawyers at Georgetown (FLAG) and the LL.M. Tax Council. In addition, students are more than welcome to join any organizations located at the main campus.
What are the housing options? The Gewirz Student Center houses approximately 290 (mostly first-year JD) students in 150 one-, two-, and three-bedroom furnished apartments. The Center includes a child care center, a student health clinic, and several multipurpose rooms available to the entire student body. While preference is given to first-year JD students, before the start of the fall semester, upper class and LL.M. students may request that they be placed on a waiting list for Gewirz housing.

 

The Office of Residence Life can also help you find off-campus housing. The office has a list of available apartments, houses, and rooms to rent. Residence Life gives students a guide to living in the D.C. area during their Summer Housing Orientation Program to help incoming students become acquainted with the Washington metropolitan area.
What about my family?

The Georgetown Law Child Care Center serves toddler through preschool age children and offers both a full-time and drop-in care program. The Child Care center is in the Gewirz Student Center and includes a secure open-air playground.

There is also a student organization at the Law Center called the Georgetown Association for Spouses and Friends of Law Students. This association provides support to students and their friends and family members through activities, which allow family and friends to participate in the student's educational experience.
Is there parking at the law school?

Georgetown has limited underground parking on a first-come, first-served basis. There are two commercial parking lots nearby. Students find that bicycles, motorcycles, and public transportation provide an economical alternative to driving.

Georgetown Law is midway between the Union Station and Judiciary Square Metrorail stations on the Metrorail "Red" line. (Click here for directions and a map of campus.) Several public bus routes cross main arteries within two blocks of campus. In the evening Georgetown offers free shuttle service to the metro station. There is very little street parking.

 

Career & Professional

Is there career placement assistance for graduate students? Yes. Located in the Office of Graduate Programs, the Professional Development team serves as a valuable resource for graduate students. For more information about the Professional Development team click here.
If I am an international student, can I take a bar exam after I earn my LL.M.?

Many of our LL.M. students who received their first degree in law in a foreign country choose to take a U.S. bar exam, usually the New York bar exam, upon completion of their LL.M. at Georgetown. Your academic advisor will work with you to help you select the courses needed to qualify for the bar exam, as part of designing your overall course of study. 

Please note that while bar membership can be a useful credential for many international lawyers, for international students whose primary goal is to practice law in the U.S., Georgetown Law advises them to consider earning a JD, as that is the basic credential most sought after by U.S. law firms and other legal employers.

 

Reapplying
How do I reapply if I applied previously to a graduate program and was not accepted? Candidates who did not receive an offer of admission may choose to reapply for admission in a later term. Although it is likely that an applicant will receive the same decision, in some cases applicants may receive a different determination because new or additional information is provided or because the application is submitted earlier in the admissions cycle than in the prior year. Applications are maintained by the Graduate Admissions Office for one year only.