Study LLM in USA: Top Colleges, Admissions, Fees, Scholarships, Jobs

LLM (Master of Law) in USA is offered in various specialized fields like taxation, commercial law, social justice, human rights, environmental law, criminology, and others. It is 9 months to 2-year course available as a residential program in most of the universities. Some US universities also offer it as a distance-learning program. International students are required to have a 3-year bachelor's degree in law is required to apply for LLM in the USA.  The average tuition cost for universities offering Master of Law in USA varies between 12,000 USD and 70,000 USD.

Explore Scholarships to study in US

LLM is available in 200+ colleges in the USA. To get into these colleges, international applicants need to have a bachelor’s degree in relevant courses with at least an 83-86% score. Additional requirements vary from university to university. Post completion of your LLM degree from the US, you can earn an average salary of approximately 96,200 USD per annum. 

Top Universities offering LLM in USA

According to QS News Ranking, the following are the top 10 universities in the USA offering LLM or Master of Law program: 

Why Study LLM in USA?

Following are some of the reasons that attract the study abroad aspirants towards LLM in USA: 

• With career opportunities like Diplomat or Policy advisor, the law graduates learn to negotiate treaties and maintain international relations.
• American Bar Association (ABA) shared the report of steady growth in the number of active lawyers i.e. 8.4% increase in the number of lawyers from 2011 to 2021
• USA legal studies focus on the Socratic method of teaching to improve the argumentative dialogue among the students which is an important skill for lawyers.
• Through the academic year, the students get opportunities to work on pro bono cases due to high requirements in legal clinics of USA.
• Over the past 20 years, from 2000 to 2020, lawyer salaries increased faster than the rate of inflation. Lawyer salaries rose 63% while the inflation rate was 53%.
• International graduates can practice law without any kind of discrimination in these law firms.
• Entry-level salaries in legal firms range between 58,000 USD and 70,000 USD.

LLM in USA Course Curriculum

LLM in USA is an abbreviation of Legum Megister (a Latin word) which means Master of Law. Students are required to complete at least 24 units while studying in the USA. Approximately 18 units consist of academic courses and the rest can be completed by attending seminars or submitting a project, depending upon the university. 

Following are some of the common courses taught in LLM in the USA: 

• Fundamentals of US Law
• Legal Research & Writing
• Constitutional Law, Regulations and Public Policy
• Criminal Justice
• Legal History and Legal Theory
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Social Justice and Human Rights

LLM in USA Admissions 

In the law schools of the USA, the students get the opportunity to work as pro bono and get acquainted with the legal issues. A JD, LLB, or bachelor's degree in law is required for admission in LLM in this country. Most law schools have their own portal for accepting applications. Students should send their transcripts for evaluation to LSAC’s LLM CAS 3 to 5 weeks before applying so that the agency could complete the evaluation on time and forward it to the university. All the other documents must be directly submitted to the university’s address either via post or mail. 

LLM in USA Deadlines

The application deadline in USA universities for LLM mostly lies in the month of December. Some colleges have a rolling admission policy. Some of the deadlines are discussed below:

Eligibility for LLM in USA Admission

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an ABA-approved US Law School or first degree (JD, LLB or equivalent) from a foreign law school
• Minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale or 83% at bachelors level (varies with the university)
• Minimum 2 to 3 years of work experience (depends upon university)
• Proof of English proficiency

Documents Required for LLM in USA Admission

• Transcripts of 10^th, 12^th and bachelors degree
• Evaluation of foreign transcripts by LSAC’s LLM Credential Assembly Service (CAS)
• Minimum 2 letters of recommendations
• Essays based on the questions asked by the university
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• English Proficiency Requirement
  • TOEFL (iBT): 100
  • IELTS: 7.0

US Visa Requirements for International Students 

The USA has different types of visa. F1 is used for those who want to pursue academics in universities in the USA. The US student visa is issued post submission of the following documents:  

• University Acceptance Letter
• Migration, provisional, character, and birth certificates
• Original I-20 signed and approved by both the university authority and candidate
• GRE scorecard and proof of language proficiency
• 2 letters of recommendation; Resume; Statement of purpose
• Financial Proof: Last 6-month’s bank transaction and balance certificate; Sponsorship letter from sponsor and relationship certificate with sponsor
• Assets valuation
• SEVIS Fee receipt

Once these documents have been submitted, the applicant will be invited for an interview process. Visa will be issued only if the applicant has cleared their visa interview.

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Cost of Studying LLM in USA 

The total cost of living in USA for any program depends upon the university’s tuition fees, cost of living of the area where the university is located, and lifestyle of a student. Thus, it can be divided into two categories: Tuition Fees and Cost of Living in USA. 

Cost of Living in USA

The major contributor to the cost of living for an international student is housing in the USA. On-campus housing is obviously more convenient than off-campus accommodation but most of the universities have only limited space available. Other costs include meal plans, transportation, health insurance, etc. 

Scholarships for LLM in USA

Due to high tuition fees, international students opt for scholarships in the USA to waive off the cost. Though LLM in the USA is a 9-10months course program, the students require scholarships for easy completion of the course. The commonly availed scholarship in USA  and its amount is given below 

Details on more scholarships available for international students in the USA can be found here. 

Job Prospects for LLM in USA 

The graduates of LLM from the USA can try Optional Practical Training (OPT). At least 6 months before completion of the degree, the LLM students should apply for this training. The maximum duration for OPT is 12 months. The job can be on a contractual basis, paid or unpaid. After completion of the OPT, graduates can apply for an H1B visa to start working under a US employer. Every year 65000 H1B visas are being issued for foreign nationals.

You are required to pass the Bar examination of the state in which you are interested to practise as a lawyer. Most of the states, including New York and California, allow students to take this examination even with a foreign degree in law. However, approximately 23 states of the USA have this rule that only those students will be allowed to sit for the Bar exam who have a degree from ABA-approved law school. Thus, pursuing LLM in USA becomes necessary for international students with a foreign bachelor's degree in law to practice in these states. 

Two of the most prominent jobs in USA available for graduates having a degree in LLM are: 

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LLM in USA v/s LLM in UK

Other than the USA and UK, there is a high demand for law graduates in Canada. The job markets for law graduates in Canada are not only concentrated on the law firms but can also work as legal advisors in the banking as well as administrative sectors.

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