If you are an international student, you may want to think carefully about whether or not a US Law degree will be useful for you in your future career plans. Law schools will teach US law which may or may not translate well to the laws in the country in which you plan to practice. It is also important to note that graduating from law school and passing the bar exam do not guarantee you the ability to work in the US. These are two different processes and you will need to consider your immigration status separately.
Pre-Law Advising
International Students
Requirements for International Students
Law schools vary in their admission policies for international applicants. Check with each of the individual schools in which you are interested to learn about their policies.
- If you are not a native speaker of English, you may be required to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS).
- If you have more than a year’s worth of coursework from a foreign university, you may be required to submit a transcript from that institution.
- International students may be required to demonstrate the ability to pay for their legal education. Legal education in the U.S. is financed largely by Federal loan programs, for which international students are not eligible. Some school-based grants and scholarships are available, though these rarely cover the entire cost of law education.
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically law schools have the same LSAT requirements for students regardless of their background language skills.
No, your work status in the US is separate from the process of passing the bar.