Applying

All that you need to apply to our program is at your fingertips.  A PDF version of the current application form and instructions is available to download and print using Adobe Acrobat Reader. This is a common program that most computers have installed. If you do not have Acrobat Reader, click here.  Alternatively, you may apply electronically via our online application, which is maintained by the Law School Admission Council.

Guidelines for completing the application are detailed on the application forms and instructions.  Key requirements follow:  

Application Deadline

If you are applying for enrollment in Fall 2008, the application deadline is March 1, 2008. However, we strongly encourage the submission of applications earlier than March 1. We anticipate that decisions on most applications will be made by April 15, 2008.  Some applicants may be notified of our decision well before this date.

Eligibility requirements

There is one fixed eligibility requirement:  applicants must have either (a) graduated from a U.S. law school that is approved by the American Bar Association, (b) obtained a full degree in law from a non-U.S. university or (c) be admitted to practice law in a country other than the U.S.  Apart from this, we seek applicants from a variety of backgrounds and with a variety of legal and career interests.  We are most interested in applicants who have completed their prior legal studies with high rank and who intend to return to their home countries to contribute to the legal profession.

English Language Skills

Boston College Law School course work and related academic activities require written and spoken fluency in English. Students must be able to express themselves in both spoken and written English and must read the language with ease. Consequently, if your native language is not English, you must submit your scores on the standardized Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The following minimum scores on the TOEFL examination are required: (1) 100 using the Internet-based test, (2) 250 using the computer-based test, or (3) 600 using the paper-based test. This exam is administered worldwide.  

LSAC Credential Assembly Service

We recommend that foreign-trained applicants register with the Law School Admissions Council’s (LSAC) LL.M. Credential Assembly Service. This service is designed to save you time and money if you intend to apply to a number of U.S. or Canadian graduate law programs. For a fee, LSAC will collect, authenticate, and process all transcripts and TOEFL scores required by each law school to which you apply. This is an efficient and convenient way to apply to many graduate law programs at once, since you only have to supply your official transcripts and other educational records one time, to LSAC, no matter how many schools you intend to apply to.

Application Components

The complete application is to include:

Note: if you are applying online, you must pay the $75 application fee by credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Discover).  If you are applying using our paper application or one downloaded from our web site, you may pay the application fee by check, travelers checks, or a postal money order.  For further information, see the application instructions.

The estimated cost of study for a single student during the 2007-08 academic year is $53,730. This figure consists of tuition of $36,510 and estimated living expenses of $17,200. It does not include the expenses of travel between the student’s home country and the Boston area. The comparable figures for the 2008-09 are likely to be higher.

Applicants requiring financial assistance should investigate funding sources in their home countries well in advance. Examples of such sources include employers, government agencies and foundations. A partial list of organizations that offer scholarship funding for U.S. graduate study follows:

•    American Association of University Women
•    American-Scandavian Foundation
•    Australian Federation of University Women Fellowship Fund
•    DAAD Scholarships for German citizens
•    Ford Foundation
•    Fulbright Scholarships
•    Golden Key International Honour Society
•    International Federation of University Women
•    Kosciuszko Foundation Scholarships for Polish citizens
•    Mackenzie King Scholarships for Canadians
•    Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund
•    Organization of American States
•    P.E.O. International Peace Scholarships for Women
•    Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarships
•    World Bank Scholarships Program

The United States embassy or consulate in your home country may have additional information on Fulbright Scholarships and other fellowship opportunities.  Finally, loan funding may be available from organizations such as the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority or the International Education Finance Corporation.  If you are not a United States citizen or permanent resident, however, these lenders generally require a United States citizen or permanent resident to guarantee the loan.  

Boston College Law School has a very limited amount of financial aid available to LL.M. students.  For further information, please contact the LL.M. Office (below).

Further information

If you would like a physical copy of our application materials, or if you have questions about the application process, please contact the LL.M. Office by email at bcllm@bc.edu , by telephone at (617) 552-1002, or at the following address:

LL.M. Office
Boston College Law School
885 Centre Street
Newton, Massachusetts 02459