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LL.M. Program

The one-year Master of Laws degree, LL.M., is for foreign lawyers who have already received a primary law degree from universities in their home countries. LL.M. students enter the program in the fall semester. Over the course of one academic year, students are required to take 24 hours of course work to receive the LL.M. degree. UNC requires LL.M. graduates to achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.25. There is a mandatory LL.M. Student Orientation Session, preceding the start of classes in August.

The deadline for the 2013-14 academic year application cycle is April 30, 2013.

Application Requirements

Applicants should demonstrate:

  • Academic excellence in their performance securing their initial law degree with an average grade of B/3.0 or its equivalent
  • Fluency in English, with a goal TOEFL score of 600 on the traditional paper-based test (PBT), 250 on the computer-based-test (CBT) and 100 on the internet-based test format (iBT), or a goal IELTS score of 7.0

Application Process

Applicants are encouraged to register with the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) for its Credential Assembly Service (CAS) at http://www.lsac.org/llm and to apply through LSAC. However, UNC will accept direct mailings of the required application materials if an applicant does not choose to use LSAC.

Applicants must submit:

  • A completed LL.M. Application Form (PDF submitted directly or the LSAC's FlexApp)
  • Transcripts in English from all colleges, universities and law schools from which they received a degree, including one showing a first degree in law (equivalent to a J.D. or an LL.B. degree) from an accredited educational institution outside the United States. (Transcript Request FormPDF)
  • Two letters of recommendation (Recommendation FormPDF)
  • An official TOEFL or IELTS test score sent directly from the testing organization
  • A personal statement that includes reasons for interest in the LL.M. degree and qualifications for admission to the program
  • A non-refundable $75 application fee
  • Financial Certificate Form (PDF), demonstrating full program funding, must be submitted before formal admission of an international LL.M. student can be made.

The $75 application fee must accompany all applications. It may be paid by check in U.S. dollars, made out to "UNC School of Law" and mailed to the law school address; or the application fee may be paid online at https://www.law.unc.edu/admissions/applynow/payment.aspx. Applicants are expected to secure their own funding for the LL.M. program. UNC is not able to provide financial aid.

Two core LL.M. courses, both taught in the fall semester, are required for graduation:

  • Foundations in United States Common Law - This course provides an introduction to the substantive and procedural law of the United States, to the legal system of the United States, and to distinctive aspects of the Anglo-American system of common law.
  • United States Legal Research and Writing - Students will learn basic techniques of legal research, writing and analysis in the context of American professional practice.