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Eligibility and Admissions Standards
LL.M. Program
Eligibility
A candidate for the degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.) must hold the first degree in law (J.D. or LL.B.) from a law school that is approved by the Section of Legal Education of the American Bar Association or a bachelor of law degree from a non-U.S. law school approved by its foreign equivalent. A prospective applicant in his or her final year of study toward the first degree in law is eligible to apply only if he or she will complete all necessary requirements to receive the first degree in law by the start date of the LL.M. program.
Admission to the LL.M. program does not guarantee or assure admission to the J.S.D. program. In exceptional circumstances, the Committee on Graduate Admissions in conjunction with the Committee on J.S.D. Admissions may offer to a very limited number of students the opportunity of direct admission to the J.S.D. program at the time of LL.M. admittance. These students are admitted to the J.S.D. program conditional upon excellent performance in LL.M. coursework during their first year of study. Interested applicants should email law.grad.moreinfo@nyu.edu for further details and additional application requirements, including the proposal of study (approximately 10,000 words in length; please refer to the Proposal of Study section of Completing your J.S.D. Application).
Standards of Admission
Admission to the Graduate Division for all LL.M. programs is highly selective and is based primarily upon prior legal studies. Standards of admission are equal across all specializations and for study in New York City and in Singapore. For the Fall 2007 semester, the Law School received more than 2,000 applications for full-time programs for a New York City class of about 425 students, and a Singapore class of approximately 40 students. Though there are no inflexible rules about class rankings or grade point averages, those admitted have excellent law school records and strong academic and/or professional recommendations. Evidence of significant professional accomplishment is also taken into consideration.
J.S.D. Program
Eligibility
Applicants must hold a first degree in law (J.D. or LL.B.) from a U.S. law school approved by the Section of Legal Education of the American Bar Association (ABA) or a first law degree from a non-U.S. law school approved by its foreign equivalent. Applicants must also hold an accredited advanced law degree (LL.M. or equivalent) from a U.S. or foreign law school. However, candidates who are currently enrolled in a graduate law degree program at an ABA-accredited law school in the United States (including NYU School of Law) or a non-U.S. law school approved by its foreign equivalent, and will have earned a graduate law degree prior to enrollment, may apply for the J.S.D. program for the Fall semester following the completion of the advanced degree.
Standards for Admission
The J.S.D. is NYU School of Law's most advanced law degree. Only a very small number of students who demonstrate outstanding academic promise are admitted to J.S.D. candidacy. A student is admitted to the program only if he or she meets the application requirements and shows potential for completing a dissertation of publishable quality that will make a significant scholarly contribution to the field in which it is written. Equal consideration is given to those candidates who have completed an LL.M. at NYU and those who have completed their degree at other law schools. Applicants who have completed or are enrolled in the graduate law program at NYU School of Law must have attained a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.50.
Even though students admitted to the LL.M.-J.S.D. Program in International and Comparative Law are admitted with the expectation that they are likely to qualify for the J.S.D. program at the end of their LL.M. year, admission to the program does not assure admission to the J.S.D. candidacy.
Statement of Diversity
The Graduate Division of New York University School of Law is a community of remarkable diversity, enhancing the learning environment for all. Those who comprise our student body hail from around the world and bring with them a variety of experiences and viewpoints. Students are both the recipients and providers of the learning within our walls, and the Law School in turn has a vital interest in what they bring to the task of educating each other.
To select the most highly-talented, motivated and intelligent people to take on this task from a pool of well-qualified applicants, the Committee on Graduate Admissions welcomes applications for the LL.M., J.S.D. and Advanced Professional Certificate programs from all eligible persons. We are additionally committed to making appropriate academic accommodation for admitted students with disabilities.
We very much encourage you to take the opportunity to highlight how you will contribute to our global community of scholars in your application to our institution.
New York University is committed to a policy of equal treatment and opportunity in every aspect of its relations with its faculty, students, and staff members, without regard to race, color, religion, sexual orientation, gender and/or gender identity or expression, marital or parental status, national origin, ethnicity, citizenship status, veteran or military status, age, disability and any other legally protected basis.
Inquiries regarding the application of the federal laws and regulations concerning affirmative action and anti-discrimination policies and procedures at New York University may be referred to Dr. e. Frances White, Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Director for Equal Opportunity, New York University, 7 East 12th Street, 10th Floor, New York, NY 10003.
Thomas Grace, Director for Judicial Affairs and Compliance, is the University's Title IX coordinator (equal opportunity without regard to gender), Title VI coordinator (equal opportunity without regard to race, color, or national origin), and Section 504 coordinator (equal opportunity for disabled persons) and may be contacted at New York University, Kimmel Center, 601-E, 60 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012.