How to Apply: LLM and SJD Applicants
International candidates are especially encouraged to begin their application processes as early as possible, in order to have enough time to obtain a visa. For Fall admissions, we recommed applicants to submit all the required materials by no later than May 1st. There are no spring admissions.
To be considered for admission to any of our graduate programs, please submit the following:
1. Application Form: There are two ways to submit an application and supporting documents for the LLM or SJD program at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University.
- The preferred method to apply and submit your supporting documents is through the LSAC LLM Service.
- Candidates who prefer not to use LSAC may use our PDF Application Form. Once this form is completed, you may scan and send it by e-mail to dramirez@law.pace.edu . If you choose this method please be sure to send all the application materials in one single email and properly identified. Applications sent by email that are not completed accordingly won't be considered.
2. Official transcripts from all undergraduate and graduate institutions attended.
3. Personal statement: Your personal statement must be no more than 500 words and written in English. It must be entirely your own work. In this statement, please discuss your academic and professional goals, and why you choose to apply for a graduate degree at Pace Law.
4. Letters of recommendation: Please submit at least two letters of recommendation. These letters should be written by persons who know you well enough to evaluate your academic or professional background and your capacity for graduate law study. By way of example, letters may be written by a current or former professor, an employer who has supervised your work, a professional colleague, or even a client from your law practice. Letter must be signed, dated and must be within 6 months of the date of the application.
5. Legal writing sample: Please submit a short sample of your best legal writing. For example, you might submit a legal brief or memorandum from your professional practice, or an academic paper from your previous law studies. This writing sample should be 3 - 5 pages long, and must be entirely your own work, written in English. Do not submit longer writting samples.
6. Complete resume or curriculum vitae: This document should be a chronological summary of your academic and professional experience. You may also indicate other experience, including internships, volunteer work for charities or NGOs, participation in sports or other activities, talents and interests.
7. English proficiency: If your native language is not English, you must submit evidence of English language proficiency. The Graduate Admissions Committee strongly prefers TOEFL scores of at least 90 or IELTS scores of at least 6.5 for LLM, anf 100 TOEFL or 7 IELTS for SJD.
Candidates whose native language is not English, but who have completed university degrees in which English was the language of instruction, may apply for a waiver of the English proficiency requirement.
8. Application fee: Please submit a nonrefundable application fee of sixty dollars ($60.00) by credit card through the LSAC LLM Service or by check or money order to “Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University,” sent to Graduate Programs, 78 North Broadway, White Plains, NY 10603, USA. To pay by credit card or, for international students, http://www.flywire.com/pace.
If you are an SJD applicant you must follow instructions 1-8 and additionally submit:
9. Research proposal: Applicants for the SJD program must submit a reserach proposal, explaining the subject they intend to research while at Pace Law. Note that this requirement is only for SJD applicants. The Research Proposal is the most important component to the SJD application. The Candidate’s Materials and Proposal will be reviewed by the Associate Director of Graduate Programs and International Affairs. Following preliminary review, the Research Proposal is provided to the Faculty Director of SJD Programs for review and, if satisfactory, for distribution to the environmental faculty. If you have questions about the research proposal please contact dramirez@law.pace.edu
Once you submit all your supporting documents and they have been reviewed by the Admissions Committee all Graduate Candidates may be asked to interview as a final step towards admission to the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the application deadlines for the Graduate Program?
What are the application requirements?
Is the LSAT required for admission to an LLM program?
Do I need work experience prior to entering an LLM program?
What are the tuition and fees?
What financial aid is available?
How long does it take to complete an LLM degree?
Can I work while enrolled full-time in an LLM program?
Do credits from my JD transfer to the LLM program?
How can I schedule a visit to Pace Law?
For Non-U.S. Students
May I take the IELTS examination instead of the TOEFL?
What are the minimum scores required?
What information do I need to know about acquiring a visa?
I want to practice law in the United States. What do I need to do?
For any other questions, please contact the Graduate Program Office.
What are the application deadlines for the Graduate Program?
There is no official application deadline for LLM or SJD applicants.
However, candidates are urged to apply as early as possible in order to ensure a place is available in the class, as well as to ensure the best chance of scholarship and financial aid availability.
International candidates are especially encouraged to begin their application processes as early as possible, in order to have enough time to obtain a visa.
What are the application requirements?
An overview of the application requirements and procedure may be found on the page How to Apply: LLM and SJD Applicants.
Is the LSAT required for admission to an LLM program?
No, the LSAT is not required.
Do I need work experience prior to entering an LLM program?
No. Although work experience may be helpful, and most applicants at the graduate level do have some work experience, it is not a requirement for admission.
What are the tuition and fees? - Use this link to see the most current information -- https://law.pace.edu/admissions-aid/tuition-and-fees
What financial aid is available?
Each year, Pace Law makes a limited number of partial scholarships available to exceptionally qualified LLM students.
LLM and SJD students are encouraged to explore all possibilities of financing their study, travel, living and other expenses with external scholarships, loans or grants. Some students are sponsored by their employers; others have received scholarships from the governments of their home countries.
Candidates with US citizenship or permanent residence should contact the Pace Law Financial Aid Office for detailed information.
Pace Law is pleased to offer on-campus housing opportunities to its LLM and SJD students. Dannat Hall is located on the campus and houses up to 104 residents in single furnished rooms. Dannat Hall is equipped with wireless internet, a lounge on every floor, a kitchen, laundry room, recreation room, and fitness room. Free overnight parking is available to all resident students. For additional information about on-campus housing, please visit the Office of Housing and Residential Life.
Students may also choose to live off campus. Houses and apartments in nearby White Plains offer convenient and pleasant alternatives. Many of our students decide to commute from New York City or the surrounding area. Pace maintains a Shuttle Bus that runs frequently throughout the school year from the White Plains train and bus transportation center to campus. Parking on campus is free, and many students drive from apartments located across the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Please contact the Graduate Programs Office for assistance with off-campus housing.
How long does it take to complete an LLM degree?
The LLM degree may be completed in two full-time semesters, although some students choose to take three semesters or more. Except with special permission of the Academic Dean, students must complete the LLM degree within three (3) years of matriculation.
Students interested in the New York bar examination must take into account the 24-month time limit from matriculation to award of the LLM degree, as established in Section 520.6 of the Rules of the Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law (22 NYCRR 520.6). Exceeding this time limit will not affect award of the LLM degree. However, it may make the student ineligible to take the New York bar examination.
Can I work while enrolled full-time as an LLM?
While outside employment is not prohibited to full-time students, it is not recommended.
Every hour of class is going to require approximately three hours of reading and preparation outside of class. As a general rule, full-time students can expect to spend more than 48 hours per week reading and preparing outside of class and actually attending class sessions. Attempting to work at the same time would very likely be detrimental to success in the LLM program.
For this reason, students intending to work during the LLM program are strongly encouraged to consider part-time enrollment.
Do credits from my LLB or JD transfer to the LLM program?
Students may apply for transfer credits completed at another ABA-approved law school or equivalent institution outside the United States. If approved, transfer credits will allow them to count up to 12 credits of prior coursework toward the 24 credits required for the Pace LLM degree. Approval is at the sole discretion of the Academic Dean, whose decision is final.
Students with a JD from Pace Law, and who are subsequently admitted to the LLM in Environmental Law, may receive 'advanced standing' for up to 12 credits of environmental law coursework completed during their JD program.
How can I schedule a visit to Pace Law?
A campus visit is one of the best ways of deciding whether Pace Law is the right law school for you. Please contact the Admissions Office to schedule your visit.
Do I have to take the TOEFLor IELTS?
If your native language is not English, you must submit evidence of English language proficiency. The Graduate Admissions Committee strongly prefers TOEFL scores of at least 90 or IELTS scores of at least 6.5. Candidates with lower scores will be considered by the Committee, although they may be required to complete a course of instruction at the Pace University English Language Institute before enrollment in the LLM or SJD.
Candidates who don't have the required english score can enroll at the Pace English Language Institute. The duration of such a course will vary depending on each candidate’s initial level of English. Candidates graduating from the English Institute need to submit an oficial english score to be considered for admission to the LLM program.
Candidates whose native language is not English, but who have completed university courses in which English was the language of instruction, may apply for a waiver of the English proficiency requirement.
May I take the IELTS examination instead of the TOEFL?
Yes, you may submit either TOEFL or IELTS scores as evidence of English proficiency.
What are the minimum scores required?
The Graduate Admissions Committee strongly prefers TOEFL scores of at least 90 or IELTS scores of at least 6.5. Candidates with lower scores will be considered by the Committee, although they may be required to complete a course of instruction at the Pace University English Language Institute before enrollment in the LLM or SJD.
Candidates choosing to fulfill the English proficiency requirement by studying at the Pace English Language Institute will be allowed to enroll in the LLM or SJD program upon completion of their English course to the satisfaction of the Institute's Director. The duration of such a course will vary depending on each candidate’s initial level of English.
Candidates whose native language is not English, but who have completed university courses in which English was the language of instruction, may apply for a waiver of the English proficiency requirement.
What information do I need to know about acquiring a visa?
After you are admitted, Pace Law and the International Students Office at Pace University will provide you with the necessary documents to start the application process for a student visa from the United States embassy or consulate in your home country.
These initial documents include a Financial Affidavit, to be signed by you and/or your sponsors, showing acceptance of responsibility for the cost of your graduate law program, and an application for either Form I-20 or Form DS-2019.
Once you receive Form I-20 or Form DS-2019 from Pace University, you will need to obtain bank documentation showing availability of funds, and make a visa appointment with the United States embassy or consulate in your own country. When you go to this appointment, you must take your letter of acceptance, Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, bank documentation and any other documents the embassy or consulate may require.
When your visa is approved, the embassy or consular official will stamp your passport. This visa gives you permission to apply for entry into the United States. Finally, when you enter the United States the immigration officer will attach a Form I-94, which indicates your immigration status, date of entry, port of entry, and the length of time your visa is valid. Once you arrive in White Plains, please check-in at the Graduate Program office in Preston Hall 216.
I want to practice law in the United States. What do I need to do?
The basic requirement to practice law in the United States is to pass the bar examination of the state in which you wish to practice. Depending on the state, you may also be required to pass the Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination (MPRE) and demonstrate compliance with that state's character and fitness requirements.
In New York, foreign-trained law graduates must submit their credentials for prior evaluation by the Board of Law Examiners. If approved, you must then complete a 24-credit LLM degree in an accredited law school, completing certain courses specified by the Board of Law Examiners.
For more information, please review Rule 520.6 of the Rules of the New York State Court of Appeals for the Admission of Attorneys and Counselors at Law.
If you are not a US citizen or a permanent resident, you must also become legally authorized to work in the United States.