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US LLM Degree Application Deadlines
The application cycle of LLM programs can require considerable time, so it is important to start the application process as soon as possible. Many LLM degree programs have a different submission timeframe than the regular law school deadlines, so it is very important not to assume LLM deadlines are the same as the law schools that house them.
Completing your US Master of Laws application in advance of the deadline is not only important for getting a timely acceptance, but it can also affect the classes that are available for enrolment. Some LLM degree programs that focus their concentrations on foreign-trained students allow LLM candidates to take classes alongside JD (Juris Doctor) candidates. If USA law school deadlines precede LLM deadlines, it becomes vitally important to apply early.
Some universities accept US LLM applications twice a year, usually for spring or autumn (fall) entry. This ensures a shorter wait for those who may become interested in applying mid-decision cycle or part-way through the academic year. Although many Master of Laws courses have rolling admissions, foreign students often have law school deadlines that are much earlier than those for US applicants. Many of the top-ranked traditional law schools offer fixed deadlines, but research-based or online programs are more likely to offer rolling deadlines. Law schools do try to give ample time for visa approvals.
In this article, the LLM degree deadlines for foreign-trained applicants have been specified wherever the information is available. If a listing does not indicate that a program caters to lawyers trained outside the country, USA law school deadlines apply. It is important to contact the admissions office directly to ensure deadlines are the same as those listed on the university website's LLM landing page.
Find your PERFECT LLM PROGRAMUS law school application deadlines
Here we tell you the LLM degree application deadlines for different law schools in the United States.
University of Alabama
Please contact the admissions office, as deadlines are not specified. Concentrations in Taxation and Business Transactions are offered online. The International LLM is a residential program.
American University, Washington College of Law
Washington College of Law LLM degrees are designed for both foreign and domestic law graduates. They feature an online, hybrid or in-person curriculum of specialised law courses.You can request more information including application deadlines on their website.
Arizona State University
To be admitted to the Master of Laws at Arizona State University, you must have completed a JD degree or a law degree at a foreign institution that would qualify you to practice law.
Application deadline are: Fall/summer: 31 July (1 June for students requiring a visa)
Spring: 30 November (1 November for students requiring a visa)
Atlanta's John Marshall Law School
The LLM in Employment Law program is offered online – application for the fall/autumn 2024 is open from 1 September, 2023, until 22 July, 2024.
Boston University
Spring 2025:
International On-Campus Applicants: 31 October 2024
Domestic & Online Applicants: 1 December 2024
Fall 2025:
International On-Campus Applicants: 15 April 2025
Domestic & Online Applicants: 31 July 2025
Brooklyn Law School (for foreign-trained lawyers)
Students may choose to specialise in one of three areas of law and earn a certificate in addition to the LLM degree. The areas are: Business Law; Refugee and Immigration Law; or Intellectual Property, Media, and Information Law.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.
University of California, Berkeley
Berkeley Law offers a Executive Track LLM and a Traditional Track LLM. The application deadline for the 2024 start date was 18 December 2023. Register on site for more infoirmation about application deadlines.
University of California, Los Angeles
The application for admission to UCLA Law's 2024-2025 LLM degree is now closed. The application for admission to the 2025-2026 LLM degree will open in early September 2024 and the deadline to apply will be 1 February 2025.
Case Western Reserve University (for foreign graduates)
Case Western offers LLM specialisms including LLM in US & Global Legal Studies; LLM in Intellectual Property Law; LLM in International Business Law; and LLM in International Criminal Law.
Rolling admissions policy with students notified as decisions are made.
University of Chicago Law School
Fall/autumn LLM applications priority deadline: 15 December (documents such as application, personal statement, and resume must be submitted by this date). The priority application completion deadline is 1 February.
University of Colorado Boulder
Colorado Law offers specialised LLMs with the following concentrations: Natural Resources, Energy, and Environmental Law; International Law and Human Rights; Indigenous Peoples Law and Policy; Entrepreneurship and Business Law; Intellectual Property, Technology, and Telecommunications Law; and US Law for Foreign Lawyers (General and/or Bar Track LLM).
Master of Studies in Law (MSL) & LLM priority applications close on 15 March 2024. Applications completed after that date will be considered subject to class size allowances.
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School offers a general LLM degree that allows the students to delve deeper into their current specilalisation.
You can request more information about the Master of Laws program and application deadlines on their website.
University of Connecticut School of Law (UConn Law)
Applicants to UConn Law's LLM program should have a first law degree, whether a JD from an accredited U.S. law school or a law degree from a school outside the United States.
Annual deadlines at UConn Law are: Spring semester cohort: 15 November for non-US residents; 15 December for US residents.
Fall/autumn cohort: 15 June for non-US residents: 15 July for US residents:
Cornell University Law School
Cornell Law School offers a General LLM degree for practicing attorneys and recent law school graduates who have earned a first degree in law outside the United States.
All applications must be received by 15 December of the proceeding year and decisions are typically released by March of the year of study.
Duke Law School
The Master of Laws at Duke Law School is designed to introduce graduates of foreign law schools to the legal system of the United States.
Applicants to Duke Law's LLM degree may begin submitting applications on 1 September of the year before the program starts and the application deadline for the LLM program is 1 February of the year of study.
To be considered for admission into Emory Law’s LLM program, candidates must have received a first degree in law that allows them to practice law in their home country prior to LLM enrollment.
Applications deadline: fall/autumn semester: 1 June; spring semester: 1 November
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University
Master of Laws in International Law (LLM)
Please consult the website for application information.
Florida State University (for foreign-trained lawyers)
Decisions are made on a rolling basis and priority consideration is given to the strongest applications submitted by the priority deadline of 15 March 2025. Applications completed after 15 March 2025 but by the final deadline of 31 July 2025 may not receive a timely decision and limit the opportunity for scholarship consideration.
Fordham University School of Law
Fall/autumn admission
September to 1 March – preferred fall admission period
1 February – early deadline for priority scholarship consideration
March to August – late application period
Spring admission
June to 1 October – preferred spring admission period
21 September – early deadline for priority scholarship consideration
November to December – late application period
George Mason University School of Law
Fall/autumn application deadline
International students who need an F1 visa 15 May
Students who do not need a visa 1 August
Spring application deadline
International students who need an F1 visa 1 November
Students who do not need a visa 15 December
George Washington University
Applications for the fall and spring semesters are accepted on a rolling basis. For priority review, especially for scholarship consideration, applications for fall/autumn admission should be received by 15 March, but will continue to be accepted on a space-available basis until 1 June.
Georgetown University Law School
Fall/autumn 2025 admissions opened on 1 October 2024.
University of Georgia
1 September – LLM applications open
15 January – Merit-based Financial Aid Priority Deadline
15 March – second Merit-based Financial Priority Deadline
15 April – admission is on a rolling basis until the class is full. 15 April is the final deadline to submit a complete application for August 2025 enrolment.
Enrolment takes place in the fall/autumn semester (August) only.
Golden Gate University
Non-Tax LLM Application Deadline
Not accepting applications until further notice.
Tax LLM Application Deadline
Summer 2024 – 21 April 2024
Fall 2024 – TBA
Spring 2025 – TBA
Please check website for more information.
Harvard Law School
LLM program 2025-2026 – applications open 2024; application deadline 1 December 2024.
University of Houston
Applicants who have earned their 1st law degree outside of the United States can only begin the LLM program in the fall semester. If you require a student visa, you should submit your application by the Priority Deadline date as visa appointment wait times can be a lengthy process.
Fall/autumn semester (August 2025) – Application available: 1 October
Applicants with Non-US Law Degree:
Priority deadline – 1 March
Application deadline – 1 May
Applicants with US Law Degree
Priority deadline – 1 June
Application deadline – 1 August
Spring semester (January 2025) – Applicants with US Law Degree only – Application available: 1 September
Priority deadline – 15 November
Application deadline – 3 January
Applicants who have earned their 1st law degree outside of the US can only begin the program in the Fall Semester.
Applications are not reviewed until all required information is received. Failure to provide all required information will delay processing of an application.
Applications received after the stated deadlines cannot be assured review. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, but not before 1 January for the fall semester (August) or 1 September for the spring (January) admission.
Indiana University, Indianapolis
Rolling admissions, which means there are no deadlines for you to worry about. You can start in either the fall (mid to late-August) or the spring (early January) term. If you are applying late in the process, we will do our best to get your application processed, although if you are coming from outside the US and need a visa, it is critical that you apply in enough time for us to make a decision and still have time to apply for a visa. The turn-around time on a completed application is typically in the range of three to four weeks, although that can vary somewhat as many of the faculty on the admissions committee travel frequently around the world.
University of Iowa
Fall/autumn semester — 1 April 2025.
Loyola University Chicago School of Law
An online option is available to attorneys who have a minimum of three years of legal and/or health care experience. Deadlines vary and are subject to change. Contact admissions for the latest deadlines.
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
LLM admission: 15 January 2025.
University of Minnesota
To apply for the 2025 LLM programs:
Application available from: 1 October 2024.
Final application due date: 1 May 2025.
Northeastern University
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. You should receive a decision letter within four weeks of receipt of your complete application materials.
Northwestern University Law School
1 September – The application filling period begins for all degree programs.
1 November – JD Early Decision (ED) applicants. We highly recommend you complete the required online interview by this date. This will provide the Admissions Team adequate time to process your interview report and to include it with your ED application file before the 15 November completion deadline.
Deadline (Round2/final) for MSL Online spring start only.
15 November – Deadline for receipt of completed JD Early Decision application.
1 December – Deadline for receipt of completed Visiting Student application for the spring semester.
15 January – Deadline for receipt of completed LLM and LLM-IHR applications.
1 February – Deadline (round 1) for receipt of completed MSL application, all fall/autumn cohorts.
15 February – Deadline for receipt of completed JD, JD/LLM Tax, and JD/LLM-IHR applications.
Deadline for receipt of completed Two-Year JD for International Lawyers applications.
28 February – Deadline to complete online video interviews fpr the JD program.
1 April – Deadline (round 2) for receipt of completed MSL application, all fall/autumn cohorts (final deadline for international applicants)
15 May – Application filling period begins for JD Transfer candidates.
1 June – Deadline for receipt of completed LLM-Taxation applications
Deadline (round 3) for receipt of completed MSL application (final deadline for domestic applicants).
26 June – Deadline for receipt of completed JD Transfer applications.
1 August – Deadline for receipt of completed Visiting Student application for the fall/autumn semester.
New York University Law School
Full-time LLM Program
Check out more information on their application page.
The Ohio State University Moritz School of Law
Spring application deadline: 15 December 2025 (US); 15 October 2025 (International)
Fall/autumn application deadline: 15 July 2025 (US); 1 June 2025 (International)
The University of Oklahoma College of Law
Online LLM students may start their program in the fall/autumn, spring, or summer semesters. The Admissions Committee will carefully examine all parts of the application and will inform the applicant via email of their decision. Late applications will be accepted and admissions may continue until the start of classes.
On-Campus LLM students may start their program in the fall/autumn semester of an academic year. The Admissions Committee will carefully examine all parts of the application and will inform the applicant via email of their decision. International students must file a completed application and all related materials by 1 June for a fall/autumn semester start, to allow sufficient time to secure a student visa.
University of Pennsylvania
15 November 2024: Early Deadline.
15 December 2024: Regular Deadline.
Pennsylvania State (for foreign trained lawyers)
Dickinson School of Law
Contact admissions as applications reviewed on an ongoing basis.
Pepperdine University School of Law
Summer 2024: 1 March 2024
Fall/autumn 2024: 1 June 2024
Spring 2025: 1 October 2024
St John's University School of Law
For fall/autumn entry, submit application before 15 April 2023 to receive priority consideration. Applications received after the 15 April priority date will be considered and decisions rendered on a space-available basis.
University of San Diego
Fall/autumn: 1 June
Spring: 1 November
University of Southern California, Gould School of Law
Fall/autumn 2025: Priority Deadline 1 February 2025 – Final Application Deadline 1 June 2025.
Spring 2025: Priority Deadline 1 September 2024 – Final Application Deadline 1 November 2024.
Stanford University
The application deadline for the fall/autumn 2025 program is 2 December 2024.
Suffolk University
Fall/autumn semester applications are due 15 May.
Spring semester applications are due 1 October.
Syracuse University
Applications for 2024 are now open.
Temple University (for foreign-trained lawyers)
Fall/autumn admission: 15 April–1 October.
University of Texas at Austin Law School
The application to join the LLM Class of 2025–2026 is currently open and will close 1 March 2025.
Tulane University
Deadline for LLM applicants: 1 June.
University of Tulsa
Please contact the admissions office, as deadlines are not specified.
Vanderbilt University (for foreign-trained lawyers)
Applications for the LLM may be submitted from 1 September through 30 April of year the LLM program starts.
Vermont Law School
LLM applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
University of Virginia
See the applications page for more details.
Wake Forest University (for foreign-trained lawyers)
See the applications page for more details.
Washington University in St Louis
The deadline is not stated, please contact admissions for more information.
University of Washington, Seattle
International applicants must submit a full application no later than 15 February of the year in which they plan to commence study at the University of Washington. As the processing of international applications requires extra time, we appreciate early submission of application materials.
The 15 February deadline is for those students who need to obtain a visa. Applicants who reside in the US or are concurrent JD/LLM students at UW can use the deadlines for US-based applicants.
US-based applicants
Asian & Comparative Law: Fall Entry: 1 May
Global Business Law: Fall Entry: 1 May
General Law: Fall Entry: 1 May
Sustainable International Development: Fall Entry: 1 May
Health Law: Fall Entry: 1 July
Intellectual Property Law & Policy: Fall Entry: 1 July
Taxation: Fall Entry: 1 July Winter Entry: 1 November Spring Entry: 1 February
Applicants for Asian & Comparative Law, Global Business Law, General Law and Sustainable International Development Law must submit a full application no later than 1 May of the year in which they plan to commence study at the UW.
Applicants for Health Law, Intellectual Property Law and Taxation must submit a full application no later than 1 July of the year in which they plan to commence study at the UW.
We recommend US-based applicants submit a full application by 15 February for consideration at the same time as international applicants, so as to maximise their chances of admission. Domestic students may also begin the winter or spring quarter, but may be limited in their choice of classes, as many prerequisites are only offered during the fall/autumn quarter.
College of William and Mary (for foreign-trained lawyers)
Applications for spring admission will be accepted between 1 July and 1 November, with later applications accepted based on space availability. Decisions will be sent by early December.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Spring 2025 application deadline: 15 October 2024.
Fall/autumn 2025 application deadline: 1 May 2025.
Yale Law School
Applications are accepted for the 2025–2026 academic year from 15 August to 1 December 2024.
Find your PERFECT LLM PROGRAM