Master of Laws (LLM) - Yale University

Yale Law School admits a limited number of graduate students each year to pursue one year of full-time study leading to the degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.). Admission is generally open only to those committed to a career in teaching law. The LL.M. program at Yale Law School is not designed to prepare students to take the New York State Bar Examination.

LL.M. students at Yale Law School enjoy small class sizes, the camaraderie of fellow LL.M. and J.D. students, and a close relationship with the Yale Law School faculty. No uniform course of study is prescribed for LL.M. candidates. Courses are elective, and students are afforded considerable flexibility to tailor their studies to their interests. Subject to meeting degree requirements, LL.M. candidates are invited to use the resources of the Law School in whatever program of study will best prepare them for a career in research and teaching. They are also eligible to apply for support to present at national and international academic conferences.

Beyond the extraordinary academic opportunities at Yale Law School, LL.M. students regularly and actively participate in many other aspects of student life at the Law School and across Yale University, including participating in a diversity of student organizations and attending a wide variety of co-curricular events and activities. The Graduate Programs Office also hosts a range of academic and social events for graduate students throughout the academic year—from, for instance, the Works in Progress Symposium, where students present their research to faculty and peers, and workshops on academic writing and publishing, to the winter and spring luncheons, a cruise around the Thimble Islands, and a visit to the historic Litchfield Law School, among others.

Admission Requirements

• Applicants from outside the United States must have graduated, or expect to graduate by the summer before their intended matriculation at Yale Law School, with high rank from a law school or law faculty with standards substantially equivalent to those of U.S. law schools. 
• Ordinarily, applicants must have earned, or expect to earn, a degree that entitles them to practice law in their home countries. 
• All offers of admission are contingent upon graduation from the first law degree. 
• The Law School reserves the right to review or revoke admission if an applicant fails to graduate from the first law degree with his or her class.
• Applicants must have a strong record of academic accomplishment. Additionally, some professional or law teaching experience following the completion of the first professional degree is encouraged. 
• Admission is ordinarily not available to students who have obtained or are pursuing an LL.M. or an equivalent degree from another law school in the United States.
• Admission is generally available only to individuals planning careers in law teaching and scholarship. 
• The LL.M. program at Yale Law School is not designed to prepare students to take the New York State Bar Examination.

Course Structure

Graduate students are admitted for one academic year in residence, leading to the degree of Master of Laws (LL.M.). There are no required courses in the program, and students may design a customized course of study according to their individual objectives and interests. 

To qualify for the LL.M. degree, students must:

• successfully complete at least 24 units;
• successfully complete at least 18 units (of the 24 units required) in the regular course and seminar offerings (in the Law School or other schools and departments at Yale University);
• carry no fewer than 12 units per term; and
• spend at least two terms in residence.

Up to six units per year (or eight units if a candidate takes a first-term ungraded course) may be taken credit/fail, with the consent of the instructor.

LL.M. candidates can complete up to six units of the 24 units required through independent research and writing for credit under the supervision of a Law School faculty member. With approval, up to six units of the 24 units required can be earned in courses in other schools and departments at Yale University. LL.M. candidates may also participate in faculty-supervised, student-run reading groups. Course offerings at Yale Law School change each year, depending on faculty interests and availability.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees for students enrolled in the LLM program are as follows:

• Tuition: $67,108
• University Administrative & Activities Fee: $2,325
• Room, Board, & Personal Expenses: $20,740
• Books: $1,100
• University Hospitalization Coverage: $2,650

That is a total of $93,923 per year.

Scholarships:

Yale Law School offers financial aid for LLM students to help them in their studies. Financial aid awards are based on a budget of tuition and fees plus allowances for living expenses, books, etc.

Financial aid is not applied for or determined until after admission. At that time, the university will provide admitted applicants with information on how to apply for financial aid. Financial aid is available to all admitted applicants and is based on need.