Transferring to a US Law School
Considering taking your legal education overseas? Most US law schools, including the Ivy League, consider international applicants for their Juris Doctor (JD) programs.
If you have completed an undergraduate degree outside of the US, you will likely be eligible to apply for an American JD. It is worth noting that most law schools in the US, do not give credit for having completed an LBB.
Most American law schools require you to take the Law Schools Admissions Test (LSAT). The LSAT has two parts, a multiple-choice test and a writing section aimed to demonstrate your legal reasoning, organisation and language skills to prospective law schools. The multiple-choice sections aim to test your reading comprehension, analytical and logical reasoning. Each of these sections is tested in 35-minute intervals and the test be taken in person or online during testing periods in June and October/November. The writing section of the test is taken solely online and as of July 2024 focuses on argumentative writing with 50 minutes allowed.
It is recommended that prospective applicants get a Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report. Importantly, this report provides a transcript summarisation, and for international applicants it will authenticate and evaluate your academic record, ensuring your non-US bachelor’s degrees meets the requirements of most US law school. That is that your degree is equivalent to a US bachelor’s degree.
For most Ivy League universities and in fact most US law schools the application process forinternational students and domestic students is relatively similar.
Prospective students must sit the LSAT, register with CAS, write application essays and complete and submit their application and afterwards, may attend any interviews if needed. Law school applications should be submitted through the Law School Admissions Council.
International students should be aware they may need to demonstrate their ability to pay for their legal education. International students are not eligible for federal loans that many domestic American students use to finance their education and university-based grants and scholarships often do not cover the entire cost of legal education.
IVY LEAGUE
IVY LEAGUE
Harvard University
Students wishing to attend Harvard Law should submit a LSAC application that includes the LSAT results, academic transcripts, 2-3 letters of recommendation with a least one from an academic source, a 1–2-page resume and a Statement of Purpose (your motivations for attending law school) and Statement of Perspective (how your experiences and background have shaped you and will shape your time at Harvard Law).
Prospective applicants may be invited to an interview with a member of the Admission Committee, typically over Zoom.
International students can apply for a Juris Doctor (JD) at Harvard Law provided they will have completed a bachelor’s degree by August of the year they want to enrol.
Cornell University
To complete a LSAC application for Cornell, students are required to submit a personalstatement, a statement explaining why they wish to attend Cornell, a resume along with an academic transcript, and two letters of recommendation.
Applicants will not attend in-person interviews and instead will be invited to take part in a Kira Online Assessment – an online interview process with pre-recorded questions with timed responses.
Cornell also has an active International Law Students Association who can support you in your studies and transition to the US.
Yale University
Applicants should submit academic transcripts, along with a personal statement and a 250-word essay on an idea or issue from the applicant’s academic, extracurricular or professional work – this does not need to be law related. Students have the option and are strongly encouraged to submit an optional essay on the topics Yale provides.
Additionally, students must submit two or three letters of recommendation, with letters from professors preferred as well as a statement of activities describing what the applicant did during their undergraduate education and if applicable after graduation.
An interview may be requested of some applicants and the Admissions Office will provide additional information and a list of possible interview questions.
Yale Law School offers up to 100% of demonstrated financial need through loans and scholarships for international students
Columbia University
Applicants must submit a personal statement/essay, two letters of recommendation (at least one reference from a professor is preferred), a resume, a Dean’s appraisal and academic transcripts.
Colombia may invite applicants to conduct an interview via a video conference.
Published 6/10/24
Written by Gracie Glen