3501 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Office of Graduate Programs
Phone: 215.898.0407 | Website: www.law.upenn.edu
Introduction
The LLM program at Penn Law is over a century old and recognized as among the best in the United States.
Aside from the chance to take coursework at a top law school, the Penn Law LLM program attracts students interested in
- a cross-disciplinary approach to legal education. It is clear that global leaders in the law must be well-trained in the disciplines related to law. At Penn, this training is infused into the curriculum and is augmented by the ability to take courses at any of the graduate and professional schools at the University of Pennsylvania, one of the US's elite Ivy League institutions.
- faculty members who are not only world-renowned experts in their field but who are also engaged and engaging teachers.
- a culture of collegiality, where students are made to feel welcome and supported, and in which students can safely take risks that deepen and broaden their study.
This program is a two-semester, full-time course of study in advanced legal topics designed primarily for lawyers trained outside of the United States. Students select courses from an extensive curriculum of specialized classes and seminars at Penn Law. LLM students take courses alongside upper-level JD students and are with us for 10 months, including a 4-week summer program.
Penn Law is located on the 250-acre campus of the University of Pennsylvania, in the heart of Philadelphia, one of the US's most historic and livable cities. Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1740, U. Penn. is one of the country's premier Ivy League universities. The Law School is well-integrated with the university; Penn Law students take courses at the other world-renowned graduate schools at Penn, including the Wharton School of Business.
Students in the LLM program may apply to enroll in a certificate program offered jointly with Wharton that is designed for students interested in gaining a foundation in business and law.
Penn LLM students participate actively in the strong intellectual community of the university that includes many international faculty and students (each year the university welcomes more than 3,000 international students from approximately 125 countries). Additionally, within blocks of Penn Law are world-class museums and performing arts centers, graduate student housing, a first-class restaurant scene, and the center of Philadelphia—one of the largest and most diverse cities in the United States.
Penn Law today offers an unparalleled environment for the study of law in the United States.
LLM Programs/Areas of Specialization
For information about Penn Law's US and International Law LLM program, please see Master of Laws Degree (LLM), or contact:
Matthew Parker
Assistant Dean, Graduate Programs
3501 Sansom Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104
USA
Phone: 215.898.0407
Fax: 215.898.6979
E-mail: gradadms@law.upenn.edu
Application Process
Deadlines
Applications for admission to graduate programs at Penn Law are reviewed by the International Programs Committee on a rolling basis. Candidates who submit completed applications online prior to the December 1 Early Notification deadline, and who ensure that the Law School receives all supporting documents by the same date, will receive a response by February 8. We strongly advise all candidates to submit their completed applications at the earliest possible date.
The deadlines are
- December 1 for LLM and LLCM applications submitted for Early Notification (response by February 8).
- February 1 for all other LLM and LLCM applications (absent special authorization).
Required Materials
As detailed in the application materials, a completed application to any of Penn Law's graduate programs must include the items listed below.
- An application form
- A personal statement
- Two letters of recommendation
- A résumé
- A transcript from each degree-granting postsecondary school attended
- TOEFL or IELTS test scores
- An application fee of $75
NOTE: We require the use of LSAC services; however, you may request to send us your materials directly—see Graduate Admissions: FAQs/Contact Us for instructions on how to submit your application directly to us. Please note, if part of the reason you object to using LSAC is related to the fees charged for this service, you will be asked to explain your plans for financing the cost of tuition and other expenses associated with the LLM program.
The application fee may, in exceptional cases, be reduced or waived at the discretion of the International Programs Committee. Candidates requesting a fee waiver or reduction should do so by submitting a request at Graduate Admissions: FAQs/Contact Us.
Online and Paper Forms
The Graduate Programs Committee generally requires candidates to submit their application materials through LSAC as set forth above. These materials sent online are often received in a more complete and efficient manner that better facilitates the Committee's own prompt action.
Again, only applicants applying through LSAC are eligible for Early Notification (see above).
Letters of Recommendation
A completed graduate application to Penn Law must include two letters of recommendation, ideally from law professors or others who have personal experience instructing and evaluating the candidate. We understand the burden this requirement places on recommenders. Such subjective evaluations from knowledgeable references, however, are important factors in weighing the relative merits of international candidates whose objective credentials necessarily reflect many distinct grading systems and national standards for legal education.
An applicant may, alternatively, submit letters from academic instructors outside of the field of law, from employers, or from others with a personal knowledge of the candidate's intellectual and other strengths. The International Programs Committee strongly advises that all letters be submitted in conjunction with the Recommender Form, but it will review letters submitted without the form attached. Please note, however, that the online "Status Page" cannot track the receipt of letters that lack an accompanying Recommender Form or come from individuals other than those recommenders listed on an applicant's online data form.
Additional Information
For additional information on Penn Law's LLM program, including application information, and information on housing, career services, financial aid, and more, please visit us at Master of Laws Degree (LLM) and Graduate Admissions: FAQs/Contact Us.
We look forward to hearing from you soon!
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