University of Connecticut School of Law (UConn Law)

The Law School

UConn Law Library

The University of Connecticut School of Law campus is listed on the National Register of historic places and is among the most beautiful campuses in the nation. Located in the west end of Hartford, Connecticut’s capitol, the Law School has its own twenty-one acre campus two miles from the center of the city. The library, built in 1996, is surrounded by four additional buildings which house offices, classrooms and meeting spaces. William F. Starr Hall is home to two courtrooms outfitted with the latest technology.

The Law School is one of ten schools nationally that maintains small sections in the first year (outside of legal writing), and beyond that classes do not exceed 70 and frequently consist of 18-24 students. This classroom intimacy fosters extensive student-faculty interaction and a supportive learning environment, as well as a broad spectrum of opportunities for student involvement in both scholarly and social endeavors.

The Program

UConn Law Library

The LL.M. program in U.S. Legal Studies at the University of Connecticut School of Law is open to a small number of international students selected from a competitive pool of applicants from around the world. The School of Law provides a broad curriculum in American law, the United States legal system, international law, and comparative law. Through close consultation with the faculty, LL.M. candidates design a course of study which suits each student's professional interests. As part of their LL.M. degree, students may also obtain an optional certificate of specialization in one of four areas:

1. International human rights law
2. Intellectual property law
3. Tax law
4. Insurance law

The School of Law combines small class size with an extensive curriculum that encompasses over two hundred classes offered each year. The program in U.S. Legal Studies is also one of the most affordable LL.M. programs in the United States.

The University of Connecticut School of Law LL.M. program structure ensures personalized attention to each international student and easy access to a nationally recognized faculty in a supportive and intellectually challenging environment. It also facilitates the candidates' integration in the greater law school community. The School of Law has one of the lowest student-faculty ratios of any law school in the United States, with a total teaching staff of more than 70 members. The student to faculty ratio is 11.5:1. Many of the faculty members hold other graduate degrees in addition to their LL.B. or J.D. degree and have studied and taught extensively abroad. As part of its faculty, the School of Law also draws upon experienced practicing attorneys who are specialists in areas such as international tax and insurance.

Classes are intellectually rigorous and involve discussions and Socratic questioning as well as lectures and seminars, which encourage active participation in class. Close interaction between faculty and students is a hallmark of legal education in the United States and at the University of Connecticut School of Law.

All students at the School have access to the services provided by the School of Law's Office of Career Services, including a Career Services counselor who specializes in working with our international students. Career Services also include a resume workshop for international law graduates. Students participating in the LL.M. Program in U.S. Legal Studies also participate in an international recruitment program in New York City that is open to lawyers from other countries. The School of Law also subsidizes travel to an international law conference in New York City and Washington, DC.

Application Procedure

Classroom in Chase Hall

Applicants for admission to the LL.M. Program in US Legal Studies must hold a J.D., LL.B. or equivalent degree from a law faculty outside the United States. The admissions committee considers the applicant's academic performance, intellectual curiosity and professional experience. The School of Law admits approximately 20 LL.M. candidates each year; the number of applications and expressions of interest significantly exceed that number.

Consequently, admission is selective and limited to those who demonstrate academic excellence as well as fluency and comprehension in both written and spoken English. Courses are taught solely in English and candidates must demonstrate fluency by achieving a TOEFL score of at least 585 on the paper-based exam or 240 on the computer based exam.

All international student applications should be received by June 1 for August enrollment, or November 15th for January enrollment. Applications received before these dates will be given priority consideration. Admission decisions will generally be made within a month of application receipt.

Tuition and Fees

A seat deposit of U.S. $500 is required of every accepted candidate who intends to enroll in the program. The deposit is due within dates set by the Law School's Admissions Committee and stated in the letter of acceptance. For information on current fees, please visit www.law.uconn.edu/academics/llm.

Consistent with the policy of most professional schools in the United States, the School of Law generally expects students to make their own financial arrangements to cover the cost of their educational and living expenses while attending the University of Connecticut School of Law. As a government supported institution, the School of Law provides a superb legal education with fees significantly less than those charged by most other major law schools in the country. Scholarships are available to a limited number of students who demonstrate exceptional academic promise.

Location

Located on a beautiful, collegiate, gothic campus in a pleasant neighborhood of Connecticut's capital city, the Law School is within two hours of New York, Boston, New Haven, Providence, mountains, seashore and great winter skiing. The Hartford area contains riches out of proportion to its size in cultural, recreational and educational resources.

The Wadsworth Atheneum, the oldest public art museum in the United States, has collections and exhibits of international importance. The Hartford Symphony, an unusually vigorous and ambitious orchestra, performs regularly at Bushnell Memorial Hall, as does the Connecticut Opera Company and principal orchestras and ensembles from around the world. The Hartt School of Music at the University of Hartford offers an opera series, concerts by the Miami String Quartet, and regular recitals. The region is especially strong in live theater. The Hartford Stage Company, Theaterworks in Hartford, and the Long Wharf Theater and Yale Rep in New Haven are among the most distinguished regional theaters in the United States.

The University of Connecticut is the state's flagship institution of higher learning. Founded in 1881, the University of Connecticut has grown to include 10 Schools and Colleges at its main campus in Storrs, separate Schools of Law and Social Work in Hartford, five regional campuses throughout the state and Schools of Medicine and Dentistry at the UConn Health Center in Farmington.

Pre-LLM Course

The University of Connecticut offers comprehensive English language instruction for international students who wish to enhance their English language skills prior to beginning their degree program. For more information, visit: www.ucaeli.uconn.edu/english/