Students Studying Outside

LLM Programs

Admissions and Tuition

How to Apply

Applications for admission must be submitted using Hofstra Law’s official application, available online through the Law School Admissions Council website, or by contacting the Office of Enrollment Management at (516) 463-5916. To apply online to the LLM program in American Legal Studies, sign up with the LLM Credential Assembly Service at llm.lsac.org.

Application Requirements

November 15: Spring Enrollment Priority Deadline

July 1: Fall Enrollment Priority Deadline

  1. Application via LSAC
  2. Résumé or Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  3. Personal Statement (In English)
  4. Academic Transcripts
  5. Foreign-educated applicants register with the LLM Credential Assembly Service or Transcript Evaluation by World Education Services (If Required)
  6. Two Letters of Recommendation
  7. TOEFL, IELTS or ILEC Score (International Applicants)

Application Review Process

The Admissions Committee takes an integrated approach when reviewing applications. The committee considers the rigor of each candidate’s undergraduate education, law school credentials, demonstrated commitment to public service, work and leadership experience, and any other pertinent information. International applicants to the LLM program in American Legal Studies are required to submit a TOEFL score or IELTS score. Foreign-educated applicants must also send their official law school transcripts with certified English translations, arranged through World Educational Services, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, or the LSAC LLM Credential Assembly Service.

Financial Aid

Students enrolling at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law who are neither U.S. citizens nor permanent residents, and who are therefore ineligible for federal aid programs, are expected to cover the cost of their legal education on their own. Private loans may be available for international students from some lenders, although they usually require U.S. co-signers. All international students who hold U.S. citizenship or a green card are fully eligible to receive federal financial aid.

Scholarship Opportunities and Tuition

Each year Hofstra Law offers a number of partial merit scholarships of varying amounts to highly accomplished international LLM students.

For information regarding costs, please visit the Tuition and Fees page on the Hofstra University website.

Student Experience

“I appreciated that there were LLM students from different countries, which gave me greater perspective and the opportunity to learn about other legal systems. Taking classes with so many American JD students also gave me the chance to learn more about U.S. culture.” — Hamid Durani, LLM ’12, Afghanistan

FAQs

  1. American Legal Studies LLM for foreign-trained lawyers (fall and spring semester enrollment)
  2. Family Law LLM (fall and spring semester enrollment)
  3. Online Health Law LLM (fall, spring and summer enrollment)
    Visit the Online Health Law LLM website for additional details.

For students attending full time, the degree can be completed in two semesters or one academic year. For students attending part time, the LLM degree can be completed in four semesters or two academic years.

You must complete 24 credit hours of courses from the Hofstra Law curriculum.

Students in the Family Law program must have a GPA of at least 3.00 out of 4.00.

Students in the American Legal Studies program must have a GPA of at least 2.2 out of 4.00.

No. We will only accept official documents with an official signature of the dean or registrar for academic records on undergraduate and law school transcripts. Foreign applicants must also have their transcripts certified.

Additional Information for International Applicants

In order to apply to the LLM program you must have a law degree from a U.S. or foreign law school. If you already have a foreign law degree you may apply for both. However, if you would like to be eligible to take the New York state bar exam, the American Legal Studies LLM degree may be better suited for you. The JD program is designed to offer a comprehensive three-year course of study that will give you the opportunity to select one of several course concentrations. The American Legal Studies Program is designed for foreign-trained lawyers, and the Family Law Program is for U.S. trained lawyers but is also open to foreign-trained lawyers. Admission to the JD program requires a qualifying score on the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). Admission to the LLM program does not require an LSAT score.

Yes, provided that you receive the dean’s permission to have your LLM course work count toward the JD program.

You must complete a “Request for Evaluation of Foreign Academic Credentials,” which can be found on the New York State Board of Law Examiners website. The request and official transcripts must be filed as provided on the website in order to determine your eligibility to sit for the New York state bar exam. We recommend you obtain this evaluation before you enroll in any LLM program.

Get in Touch

Need more info? Want to talk to someone at Hofstra Law? We've got plenty of options to help you on your way to joining our community.

Ryan Larson
Associate Director of Enrollment Management

Tel.: (516) 463-5916
Email: llmadmissions@hofstra.edu

108 Hofstra University
Joan Axinn Hall
Hempstead, NY 11549