An LLM is a one-year graduate law degree built for people who are already lawyers — not a way to become one for the first time. If you're a qualified lawyer outside the US or UK looking to specialize, add a US or UK credential to your resume, or work toward US bar eligibility, the LLM is almost certainly the degree you want, not a JD or a second LLB. Here's what the application process actually looks like.
What an LLM Is (and Isn't)
The LLM (Master of Laws) is a postgraduate law degree, typically one year full-time, designed for students who already hold a first law degree (an LLB, JD, or equivalent) and often already have some legal practice experience. Unlike a JD or LLB, an LLM doesn't qualify you to practice law on its own in most jurisdictions — it's a specialization or credentialing degree layered on top of an existing legal qualification.
Why international lawyers pursue an LLM:
- US bar eligibility — in a handful of states (most notably New York and California), a foreign law degree plus a qualifying LLM can make you eligible to sit that state's bar exam; see our guide to the US bar exam for international LLM graduates for exactly which states and what the LLM must include.
- Specialization — many LLMs focus on a specific area (International Business Law, Tax, IP, Human Rights, Environmental Law) that a lawyer wants to add to a general legal education.
- Credential and network value — a degree from a well-known US or UK law school can meaningfully strengthen a legal career, particularly for lawyers aiming at international firms or cross-border practice.
- Academic pathway — some pursue an LLM as a step toward further legal academia or a research-focused legal career.
Typical Admission Requirements
| Requirement | Typical expectation |
|---|---|
| Prior law degree | A completed LLB, JD, or equivalent first law degree — required at essentially every LLM program |
| Academic record | Strong transcript from your law degree; grading-scale conversion is often required for international transcripts |
| Professional experience | Not always mandatory, but commonly expected or preferred — many applicants are already practicing lawyers |
| Personal statement | Usually 1–2 pages, focused on your background, specialization interest, and goals |
| Letters of recommendation | Typically 2, often from law professors or supervising lawyers |
| English proficiency (non-native speakers) | TOEFL or IELTS — see below |
| Standardized admissions test | Not typically required — see comparison below |
| CV/resume | Standard, emphasizing legal education and any practice experience |
English Proficiency Benchmarks
Requirements vary by school, but representative figures from several well-known US LLM programs give a useful range:
| School (example) | TOEFL iBT | IELTS Academic |
|---|---|---|
| Columbia Law | ~100 (old scale) / new 1–6 scale equivalent ~5.5 preferred | Broadly equivalent — confirm current figure |
| UCLA Law | ~100 | Broadly equivalent |
| UC Berkeley Law | ~100 (with Speaking/Writing subscore minimums around 22–23 / new-scale ~4.5) | Broadly equivalent |
| General range across programs | ~86–101 | ~7.0–8.5 |
Important scoring-scale note: ETS began transitioning TOEFL iBT to a new 1–6 scale (in 0.5 increments, aligned to CEFR) starting January 21, 2026, with both scales shown on score reports through a transition period into 2028. If a school's published requirement still shows the old 0–120 figure, that's expected during this transition — confirm which scale a specific program is referencing before comparing it to your score. Confirm each target school's current exact TOEFL/IELTS threshold directly on its admissions page, since these figures shift periodically and vary meaningfully by program.
How This Differs From a JD Application
| LLM Application | JD Application | |
|---|---|---|
| Standardized test | Not typically required | LSAT or GRE required at most ABA-accredited schools |
| Prior law degree | Required (you're already a lawyer or law graduate) | Not required — any undergraduate major is fine |
| Application service | Usually direct to each school (not centralized) | Usually routed through LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS) |
| Class profile | Practicing/qualified lawyers from many countries and legal systems | Mostly first-time law students, largely domestic |
| Personal statement focus | Specialization interest, professional trajectory, sometimes bar-eligibility goals | Personal narrative and motivation for law generally — see our personal statement guide |
| Timeline | Typically apply 6–12 months ahead for a 1-year program | Typically apply 12+ months ahead via LSAC cycle |
The absence of an LSAT/GRE requirement is the single biggest structural difference — LLM admissions committees are evaluating whether you're a strong, already-credentialed lawyer who will thrive in an advanced, specialized program, not whether you can succeed as a first-year law student from a standing start.
Typical Cost
A one-year US LLM is a significant investment: tuition alone at well-known programs commonly runs $60,000–85,000 for the year, and total cost of attendance (tuition, fees, housing, health insurance, and living expenses) commonly lands in the $80,000–120,000 range depending on the school and city — for example, published estimates put Harvard's LLM at roughly $121,800 total and the University of Michigan's at roughly $110,500 for 2025–26. These are approximate, program-specific figures — confirm the current published cost of attendance directly on your target school's site, since tuition rises most years. UK LLMs are generally, though not universally, somewhat lower in headline cost — confirm current figures for your specific target programs in both countries before comparing.
Application Timeline (Typical)
| Stage | Typical timing |
|---|---|
| Research programs and confirm bar-eligibility fit (if relevant) | 12+ months before intended start |
| Take TOEFL/IELTS | 8–12 months before |
| Request transcripts, LORs, draft personal statement | 6–9 months before |
| Submit applications | Deadlines commonly fall between December and April for a following-fall start, varying by school |
| Decisions | Rolling at many schools, so applying earlier in the cycle is generally an advantage |
Prepare for TOEFL with Gabble — most LLM programs set TOEFL or IELTS thresholds in the 90–100+ / 7.0–7.5 range. AI-powered speaking and writing feedback to help qualified international lawyers clear their target program's English requirement on schedule.