General LL.M. Admissions

To be considered for admission to the General LL.M. program, applicants must have:

• Earned a first degree of law outside the United States prior to the start of the program.
• Proficiency in English as demonstrated by all aspects of the application and the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS), if required.

We accept both the internet-based (iBT) TOEFL and IELTS test scores. If submitting a TOEFL score you must request that the Educational Testing Service send your official score report(s) to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) using the institution code number 8395. For IELTS, you must request that your official IELTS score report(s) be sent to the LSAC Credential Assembly Service for electronic download using the IELTS system.

A high level of English proficiency is needed to complete the General LL.M. program. While all applications will be reviewed regardless of ESL scores, successful applicants typically have a minimum TOEFL overall score of 100 or a minimum IELTS overall band score of 7.0.

Applicants should plan to take either test prior to December. TOEFL and IELTS scores are valid only if dated within two years of the program’s application deadline.

The English language proficiency requirement may be waived if the applicant meets at least one of these criteria:

• Is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, or a citizen of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or Canada (except Quebec).
• At the time you enroll at Cornell, you have studied in full-time status for at least two academic years within the last five years in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand, or with English language instruction in Canada or South Africa. Even if English was the language of instruction at your school, if you did not study in one of these countries you are not exempt from the requirement. You must submit a transcript that shows you attended college in one of the designated locations, and that your academic program was at least two years in length.

If you meet this criteria, you may request to waive the English language proficiency requirement. You may submit an ESL waiver request as an attachment to your online application along with required supporting documentation (e.g., proof of citizenship or permanent residence in a designated location, or an academic transcript showing study in a designated location for at least two years within the last five years). Waiver requests are reviewed with complete applications only and are approved on a case-by-case basis in the discretion of the Committee. Applicants who do not meet the stated waiver criteria are advised to take the TOEFL or IELTS.

All applications must be received by December 15 and decisions are typically released by March.

Applications received after December 15 will be reviewed on a space-available basis.

All applications must be submitted through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

A complete application file contains the following:

1. The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Law School Report including:
   • Official certification of each degree you have earned
   • Two letters of recommendation through LSAC’s Letter of Recommendation Service
   • Official TOEFL or IELTS score
2. The completed Cornell Law School LL.M. Application form and supporting documents including:
   • Statement of interest
   • Résumé or curriculum vitae
   • Character & fitness addendum (if required)
   • Optional addendum (if needed)
   • ESL waiver request (if applicable)
   • Payment of the nonrefundable $80 USD application fee

Complete application instructions can be found in the Cornell Law LL.M. application available through LSAC. Documents must be submitted in their original language; documents in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation.

The Credential Assembly Service simplifies the application process by centralizing the collection of application materials and distributing them in an electronic report to all ABA-approved law schools to which you apply. LSAC has provided a Checklist for the LL.M. Application Process on its website.

Unexpected delays do happen. We strongly advise that you register with LSAC at least six weeks before the December 15 application deadline and ensure that application materials are received by LSAC at least four weeks before the deadline.

Apply now through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC).

Tuition for the 2025–26 academic year is US$84,722. Total expenses, including tuition, are estimated to be US$111,318. See an overview of the estimated cost of attendance below, which includes tuition, living expenses, books and supplies, and university fees.

Tuition Scholarships

General LL.M applicants wishing to be considered for financial aid should indicate their interest on their admissions application.

We provide a limited number of financial awards to General LL.M. candidates based on merit.

All of your application materials must be received by December 15 to be considered for an award.

For applicants who are U.S. citizens or residents, you may qualify for federal student loans. For more information, contact the Financial Aid Office. If ineligible for federal financial aid, applicants needing loan funds may apply for a private student loan. Note: Cornell Law School cannot assist in securing a student loan.  

Post-Graduate Fellowships

General LL.M. students can apply to specific Cornell Law School post-graduate fellowships and summer legal internships with government agencies (including courts) or nonprofit organizations outside of the United States, if available during the academic year.

Tuition and university charges will be processed through the University Bursar. You should receive your first bill in mid-July, and it will be due in early August. Financial aid offered by Cornell Law School will show as pending aid on that bill. If you apply for a private loan before July 1, that amount will also be reflected on your bill.

All refunds should be picked up at the Bursar Office located at Day Hall. If you have signed up for direct deposit your refund will be direct deposited into your account. We recommend direct deposit whenever possible.

If you are denied admission, you may reapply to Cornell Law in a subsequent year. The Admissions Committee will review your entire application but will also focus on any significant changes since your prior application.

To re-apply for admission, you should submit new versions of the following:

• Application
• Résumé or curriculum vitae
• Statement of interest
• Letters of recommendation
• Updated transcripts
• Application fee

Deferral of admissions decisions is rarely granted. If an admitted applicant wishes to defer, they must email a petition detailing the deferral request to glsadmissions@cornell.edu.

Only current Cornell Law School General LL.M. students may apply to transfer to the J.D. program at Cornell Law.  Your transfer application must be received by the J.D. admissions office by April 1.  The transfer procedures and requirements are similar to those applied to J.D. students at other law schools who seek to transfer into the Cornell Law J.D. program.  Complete requirements may be found on the J.D. Admissions webpage.

If you are accepted into the J.D. program as a transfer student, you will be eligible to apply up to 24 credits obtained in pursuit of your LL.M. degree toward your J.D. degree requirements. However, you will lose your eligibility to receive your pending LL.M. degree. You must complete at least four semesters at Cornell while enrolled as a J.D. student.

Typically, financial assistance from Cornell Law School is not available to students transferring from the school’s LL.M. program to the J.D. program. However, in extraordinary circumstances, the Admissions Committee may make exceptions to this policy.

Students currently enrolled in the General LL.M. program who wish to continue taking courses  during the next academic year after completing current degree requirements must apply to the Graduate Legal Studies office by April 1 at glsadmissions@cornell.edu. Email requests should include a brief statement of plans for the next academic year, including reasons for continuing with coursework, financial support for continued study if require a student visa, and a current Cornell Law School transcript.