General
What are the dates of the program?
The College of Law’s academic calendar is available here. If you start in Fall, the mandatory Law 500: Grad Legal Writing and Research course will take place three weeks before the first day of instruction.
Do you offer a part-time or online program?
No, Illinois’s Master of Laws (LL.M.) is an in-person program. However, a small number of courses may be offered online during the academic year.
Do you offer specializations or concentrations? I want to specialize in corporate law or tax law or IP or compliance.
The Illinois LLM program is designed to provide students the opportunity to complete a concentration in their own area of academic or professional interest to enhance their legal education. Formal concentrations for the LLM degree are offered in the following areas:
- Corporate Law, Commercial Law, and Trade
- Criminal Law
- Intellectual Property and Technology Law
- International and Comparative Law
- Justice, Democracy, and Legal Rights
- Regulation, Sustainability, and Compliance
- U.S. Legal Practice Skills (only available for third-semester LLM students)
Beyond the subjects of the concentrations, the College of Law also has a worldwide reputation in several other areas:
- Business and Law
- Constitutional Law
- Criminal Law
- Environmental Law
- Public Interest
- Patent Law
- Immigration Law
I wish to take the U.S. bar exam. Are Illinois Law and its LLM program approved by the bar?
An LL.M. degree does not guarantee eligibility to take a U.S. bar exam. Your eligibility depends on a lot of factors, mainly whether you have a LLB, national bar courses, law license, or certain years of law practice experience. Different jurisdictions have different requirements for internationally trained lawyers. It is the student’s responsibility to check with the bar authority and file required documents on time. Please note internationally trained lawyers usually have a different timeline and deadline to file their applications.
To the extent that a LLM degree is required, our courses are approved by all jurisdictions’ bar authorities. Most of jurisdictions require bar exam tested subjects (such as Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, and Contract). View our course listing here.
Students interested in taking the New York bar exam should read the requirements as early as possible.
How will the LLM program help me pass the bar?
Our U.S. Law Exam Success track is designed to set you up for success on the bar exam—both through the courses you take and the support you receive. The program is specially tailored for LLM students to build a strong foundation in key areas of U.S. law, such as Civil Procedure, Contracts, and Evidence.
Beyond coursework, students will receive comprehensive support, including individualized exam counseling, a long-term preparation plan, a registration guide, bar study support to complement a commercial prep program, a UBE study workshop, and an MBE simulation exam.
Most graduates choose to enroll in a commercial bar preparation course after graduation and dedicate around 10 weeks of focused study—and our program ensures you’re academically and mentally ready for that next step. Whether you begin preparing early through your LLM courses or focus intensively after graduation, our program provides the knowledge, structure, and confidence you need to succeed on the bar exam.
How do I contact someone regarding the LLM program?
Email, call, or write us at:
Office of Graduate and International Programs
law-gradprograms@illinois.edu
University of Illinois College of Law
504 East Pennsylvania Avenue
Champaign, IL 61820 USA
(217) 333-6066 phone
(217) 244-1478 fax
Do you offer transfers from the LLM to the JD program?
No. However, LLM students are welcome to apply to the University of Illinois College of Law JD program. Additionally, students with a foreign law degree may be eligible for advanced standing admission. Individuals with questions about admission to the Illinois Law JD program should contact JD Admissions.
Admissions and Requirements
What type of admission process do you have?
The LLM program offers year-round admissions.
I do not have a first law degree, such as a LLB or JD, am I still eligible to apply?
Yes, while you must have a bachelor’s degree or an equivalent to apply to the Illinois LLM program, that degree does not need to be in law. Individuals without a first law degree should be aware that even with a LLM degree they may not be eligible to take a U.S. bar exam.
Can I start the LLM program in the spring?
Yes, we understand that a spring (January) start may work better for certain students and have offered this option for several years. Our preferred deadline for spring admission is September 1 of the preceding year.
What is your English requirement?
Unless exempt, all applicants are required to submit an official score from one of the three acceptable below. The test must be taken within 2 years of the program date of entry (August for fall start applicants and January for spring start applicants).
| Accepted Tests | Intensive English + LLM Pathway | Regular LLM Program |
|---|---|---|
| TOEFL iBT/TOEFL iBT Home Edition | 70 | 80 |
| IELTS Academic Exam | 6.0 | 6.5 |
| Duolingo | 105 | 115 |
Our institution code for TOEFL is 1836.
Please deliver your Duolingo score to “University of Illinois Urbana Champaign – Graduate Admission,” NOT “College of Law.”
What if I cannot meet the requirement now? Do you have any English courses available?
Yes. Students who cannot meet the minimum English test score or who simply wish to improve their English before LLM are able to start their study at Intensive English Institute (IEI). Our program works closely with IEI to assess when is the best time for you to start your LLM study at the College of Law.
In addition, all entering LLM students are required to take Law 500: Grad Legal Writing and Research. The three-week intensive course is specifically designed to introduce aspects of the U.S. legal system, legal education, and legal English.
If I am admitted but am unable to attend, is it possible to defer my admission until the next year?
Yes, please contact law-gradprograms@illinois.edu for more information.
Do you require the LSAT or a similar admission test, such as the GRE?
No.
Application Procedures
How many letters of recommendation do you require?
We require one letter of recommendation. Letters are submitted electronically through LSAC or the Graduate College Online Application. If you or your recommenders have trouble submitting it, please let us know.
What should I include in my statement of purpose?
Your statement of purpose should be a short (250 to 500 word) essay that answer the following questions: (1) How has your academic and professional background, including any professional training, prepared you for graduate study? (2) How will our program help you achieve your intellectual and professional goals? and (3) What are your academic interests, and why do you wish to pursue graduate studies in this specific program?
What should I include in my Personal Statement?
Your answers to the following questions are considered your Personal Statement. The response to each of the questions should be 250 words or less.
- Required Question #1 Please describe pivotal experiences, opportunities, and/or challenges (including any financial or access to education barriers) that have influenced your educational and professional development.
- Required Question #2 At Illinois, we value a student’s ability to contribute to a community of inclusion, belonging, and respect where our graduate students can learn and collaborate productively and positively. Please provide an example of how you contributed to or engaged with a community of students or colleagues with different perspectives, abilities, and experiences to achieve a positive outcome, and reflect on what you learned from this experience.
- Optional Question #1 If you believe that your academic record does not demonstrate your true capabilities, please explain why. You may also discuss any gaps in your academic and professional experience.
- Optional Question #2 If there is something that you would like to share with the admissions committee that you have yet to discuss in other areas of the application, please do so here. If needed, you may also use this space to expand upon the topics discussed in the above essays.
Can I get an application fee waiver?
We do not charge a fee to apply for the program. Our application through the Illinois Graduate College is completely free. However, we cannot waive the fees associated with applying through LSAC.
Housing
I am an international student currently overseas. When and how can I find housing for the program?
It is more than doable to find housing while you are still overseas. There are generally two options: university housing (dormitory) and off-campus housing. Most of our students live off campus because they offer more unit options and are more affordable.
In order to apply online for university housing, you must have your UIN (University Identification Number). You will receive this number after you are admitted and pay your seat deposit. Once you have that number, you should apply through University Housing. A resource for off-campus housing is the University of Illinois’ Office of Off-campus Community Living.
Good housing options go quickly. Please consider applying for housing as soon as possible, preferably right after your visa is approved.
Tuition and Fees
What are the tuition and fees?
Information about tuition, fees, and other costs can be found online. Tuition and fees for the academic year are set during the spring semester of the preceding academic year.
Do you offer scholarships to international students?
All admitted students (regardless of nationality) are considered for a partial tuition scholarship, and no additional application is needed. However, like its name suggests, it can only cover part of the tuition. You will still need funding for the rest of the tuition and living expenses.
How much is the average scholarship amount?
Because the Scholarship Committee adopts a holistic approach to evaluate each and every one of the applications, there is no way to predict anyone’s scholarship amount based on any single or multiple factors. However, over 80% of our students receive a scholarship and the highest could cover most part of the tuition.
Our admission process is completely free if you use our internal application portal as opposed to LSAC. You are more than welcome to submit your application whenever you are ready.
Do you offer TA or RA or any other assistantships?
Generally, the scholarships are intended to take the place of fellowships and assistantships. So, in contrast to other graduate programs, the College of Law simply does not arrange assistantships for students, regardless of whether they are JD, LLM, or JSD students.
Teaching and research assistantships may become available during the program based on the needs of the professors, but students must apply for the positions like any other job, and they do not usually receive monetary compensation. If you are still interested in those positions, once you start your semester here, you will have access to the Law Bulletin email where most of the professors post TA or RA positions.
How can I pay my tuition and fees?
You may use one of the following methods: check, cash, debit card, credit card, or wire transfer. The University accepts both e-checks and credit card payments online through UI-Pay.
The University accepts American Express, Discover, Mastercard and Visa credit cards, debit cards and Apple Pay payments online through UI-Pay. Pre-paid cards are not accepted. All United States credit card, debit card and Apple Pay transactions will be assessed a non-refundable 2.5% service fee. More information on paying tuition and fees can be found on the University Bursar office website (https://paymybill.uillinois.edu/payments).
Can I pay the tuition in installments?
Yes, please refer to the Bursar office for our payment plan.
When is the deadline for tuition? When do I have to pay?
The deadline for Fall semester tuition is September 28, while the deadline for Spring is February 28. If you enroll in any payment plan (installments), your deadline will be different.
Visa
I am an international student who needs a visa. How does the entire process work?
To obtain a student visa (usually F1 or J1), you will need to receive your visa eligibility certificate (I-20 or DS-2019) from the University and then use the information provided there to submit a DS-160 form (https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/). After you submit the form, you will need to pay your visa application fee (185 dollars) and SEVIS fee (220 or 350 dollars) and then schedule a visa interview at the local U.S. embassies or consulates. There is usually a waiting time between the submission of your DS-160 form and the visa interview date. Every location is different. You can find the waiting time at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/global-visa-wait-times.html.
If your visa is approved, you will receive your passport with the U.S. visa sticker within 1 to 2 weeks. After that, you are free to enter the States up to 30 days before the LLM program start date.
When will I get my I-20 or DS-2019?
To receive your I-20 or DS-2019, you will need to (1) be offered an admission by the LLM program, (2) pay your seat deposit, (3) have your academic credentials (transcript and degree certificate) approved by the Graduate College, a separate office that oversees our program, and (4) provide satisfactory proof of funding documents (see below).
The I-20 or DS-2019 will be sent to you through emails.
What is the proof of funding requirement for my I-20 or DS-2019?
The U.S. government requires applicants requesting an I-20 or DS-2019 to demonstrate they have the financial resources available to live and study in the U.S. The proof of funding amount is based on the cost of attendance for the LLM program that includes tuition, fees, and estimated living and other expenses.
The specific U.S. dollar amount you need to show will be sent via email after you pay your seat deposit. We generally accept bank statements (no need to freeze the fund) and Certificate of Deposits. The fund does not need to be in U.S. dollars. It can be in equivalent amount of local currencies. More information about the proof of funding requirement can be found here.