Completing Your Application
Application Receipt and Status
NYU School of Law typically receives approximately 2,500 applications for admission to the Graduate Division, processes many more letters of recommendation, transcripts, examination reports, etc., and receives several thousand more inquiries. Because of this volume of correspondence, the Committee on Graduate Admissions is not able to respond to email or telephone inquiries about application receipt and status. Requests of this nature only slow down the process for all applicants. However, applicants will be able to confirm the receipt of a letter of recommendation that is submitted through the NYU School of Law online recommendation service.
We suggest you print a copy of your online application for your records and keep a file of all documents you submit with your application. We cannot return or give you copies of any part of your application, transcripts, translations, letters of recommendation, or supporting material.
Any submissions for which the original is not in English must be accompanied by original, certified translations.
Applicants are required to submit the personal statement and résumé via electronic attachment to the online application. Applicants to the Hauser Global Scholarship, the Singapura Scholarship, the Transitional Justice Scholars Program, or the J.S.D. program must also electronically attach the required essay(s) to the online application. Additionally, we strongly prefer that applicants use the online recommendation service for expedited processing of their applications. Do not mail paper copies of electronically-submitted materials to the Office of Graduate Admissions. Such duplicate submission of materials slows down the admissions process for all applicants.
Transcripts
Original, official transcripts issued from the degree-granting institution for all law degrees conferred or in progress are required. Coursework taken for credit toward a law degree at a school other than the degree-granting institution must be reported on an official transcript, including the grades received—transcripts recording credit only without the grades are not acceptable. Foreign applicants must provide original, certified translations if the official transcripts are not in English. Transcripts from undergraduate colleges and graduate programs other than law may be submitted but are not required.
The transcript form should be given to the registrar at your school(s) who should return the form and transcript to you in a sealed envelope with a signature across the seal. If a translation is required, the certified translator may break the registrar’s seal for translation purposes, and then should seal the original, official transcript, and certified translation, in a second envelope and sign across the seal. Under no circumstances should an applicant break any seal on an envelope to be submitted for application.
LSAC Credential Assembly Service
The Committee on Graduate Admissions requires that applicants with foreign legal education credentials use the Law School Admission Council’s (LSAC) LL.M. Credential Assembly Service. The service assists with the processing of applications by collecting, authenticating, and distributing credentials in an electronic report to all the schools to which an applicant applies. For registration information, visit llm.lsac.org. The registration fee for the LSAC Credential Assembly Service is $185; this fee permits you to request that your report be sent to five schools, with the option to purchase additional reports, and your credentials will be kept on file for five years.
Applicants using the LSAC LL.M. Credential Assembly Service do not need the NYU School of Law transcript form. These applicants must submit their official transcripts (and certified translations, if required) and documentation of class rank directly to LSAC by the appropriate application deadline.
LL.M. applicants with foreign education credentials wishing to be considered exclusively for NYU@NUS, or for both locations of study, may use the LSAC LL.M. Credential Assembly Service. However, because of time constraints, we recommend that these applicants instead send the transcript form, official transcripts (and translations, if required) and documentation of class rank directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
NYU School of Law is unable to provide a reduction of the fee for the LSAC LL.M. Credential Assembly Service. Those applicants with foreign education credentials for whom the fee represents a significant financial burden may submit the transcript form, official transcripts (and translations, if required) and documentation of class rank directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
The LSAC LL.M. Credential Assembly Service is not available for applicants whose first degree in law is from a U.S. or Puerto Rican law school. These applicants should submit the transcript form, official transcripts (and translations, if required) and documentation of class rank directly to the Office of Graduate Admissions.
Rank in Class
If you attended a school that releases information about class rankings, please ensure that your registrar includes that information with your transcript. Where class rank is not available, your law school should submit an explanation of its grading system and the guidelines or regulations that govern it and attest that the school does not rank its students. In addition to these documents, applicants must calculate the grade point average and provide a class rank for each law degree in order to submit the online application.
Self-Reported Transcript
In addition to the official transcript(s) described above, an optional Self-Reported Transcript section is available on the online application for applicants to complete. Applicants who choose to self-report should record all grades received for courses that are counted toward completion of their first law degree.
If there is additional information that you believe will be helpful to the Committee on Graduate Admissions to evaluate your academic credentials which is difficult to include in the online application format, please feel free to electronically attach an addendum. Please complete the Self-Reported Transcript to the best of your ability.
In order to make the process more efficient and to facilitate timely decisions, the Committee on Graduate Admissions will use this data to begin the review of applications.
Applicants who complete the Self-Reported Transcript must submit official transcripts and certified translations by the appropriate application deadline because no decision will be made final until the self-reported transcripts have been determined accurate by comparison to the official transcripts. Intentional misrepresentation or omission on the self-reported transcript may result in the revocation of an admission offer or dismissal from the Law School.
Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)
Applicants whose first law degree program was not taught in English must take the TOEFL. Applicants whose law degree program was taught in English but the school is located in a country where English is not the primary language, must take the TOEFL.
You should request that the Educational Testing Service (ETS) send your TOEFL score report directly to the LSAC LL.M. Credential Assembly Service (institution code 8395), and it will be reported in your credential evaluation. Applicants not using the LSAC service, such as NYU@NUS applicants or those with a law degree from a Puerto Rican law school, should request that ETS send their TOEFL Score Report directly to NYU School of Law (institution code: 2599). Under no circumstances may an applicant submit a score report directly to the Law School; only official reports issued by ETS are acceptable. Please do not send photocopies or examinee copies because they are not permitted, such copies will not expedite the review of your application.
For the paper-based TOEFL, a total score of at least 600 with minimum scores of 60 in each of the three sections (listening comprehension, structure and written expression, vocabulary and reading comprehension) is required for consideration. The Test of Written English (TWE) portion of the TOEFL is also recommended for those who sit the paper-based TOEFL. Applicants taking the Internet-based TOEFL (iBT) are required to achieve a minimum total score of at least 100, a minimum score of 26 on the reading and listening subsections, and a minimum score of 22 on the writing subsection. Because the speaking subsection is unique to the iBT, we do not set a minimum score for this subsection. However, the Committee on Graduate Admissions will look for scores of at least 22.
There is no conditional admission status for applicants who do not achieve the minimum standard.
J.S.D. applicants must present scores substantially higher than the minimum.
Applicants are advised to take the TOEFL as early as possible. LL.M. applicants wishing to be considered exclusively for NYU@NUS, or for both locations of study, should take the TOEFL no later than mid-October. All other applicants should take the TOEFL no later than November.
Applicants whose first law degree program was not taught in English, but who have completed an advanced degree taught in English in a country where English is the primary language are not required to take the TOEFL. These applicants must submit an official transcript showing the advanced graded academic coursework and conferral of the degree with their application. Applicants who are currently enrolled in an advanced degree program that is taught in English must submit a TOEFL.
Note: Applicants whose primary language is not English must have strong English language proficiency in order to participate productively and successfully in all aspects of the graduate program. Simply meeting the minimum standards on the TOEFL and TWE exams is not sufficient and will not ensure academic success. In addition to the TOEFL, interviews for English proficiency may be required; any such interviews would be conducted in the applicant’s home country.
For information about the TOEFL and TWE, contact:
Test of English as a Foreign Language
Educational Testing Service
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541-6151
www.toefl.org
Recommendations
We strongly prefer that your recommender submit his or her recommendation using the NYU School of Law online recommendation form because this allows faster processing of your application. Applicants are required to provide a recommender’s educational or professional email address in order to use the online recommendation service. Please read the instructions available on the online application carefully so that you may advise your recommender appropriately regarding the completion of an electronic recommendation. Recommenders using the online recommendation service must submit their letters in English. If the recommendation is submitted electronically, kindly instruct your recommender not to mail a duplicate copy to our office.
Alternatively, the recommender may attach his or her letter to the recommendation form and return the form to you in a sealed envelope. Ask your recommender to sign across the seal of the envelope to ensure confidentiality. If a translation is required, the certified translator may break the recommender’s seal for translation purposes, and then should seal the original recommendation and certified translation in a second envelope and sign across the seal. Applicants should not break the seal on the envelope, rather, it should be forwarded to the Office of Graduate Admissions. If your recommender prefers to send the letter directly to the Law School, he or she may do so.
Whether submitted electronically or by mail, all recommendations must be submitted by the appropriate application deadline. Applicants will be able to confirm the receipt of a letter of recommendation that is submitted through the NYU School of Law online recommendation service. Given the large volume of mail received, we unfortunately are unable to confirm the receipt of a letter of recommendation sent through the mail.
LL.M. and E-LL.M. Programs
One academic letter of recommendation is required for application the full-time LL.M. program, the part-time LL.M. program and the E-LL.M. program. You may submit only one additional academic or professional letter if you wish to do so.
Applicants to the part-time LL.M. in Taxation program or the E-LL.M. program, who additionally received their first degree in law from a U.S. or Puerto Rican law school, may submit a letter of recommendation, but are not required to do so.
J.S.D. Applicants
J.S.D. applicants are required to submit two letters of recommendation from law school faculty members who are familiar with the candidate’s academic work and can attest to the candidate’s ability to complete a doctoral dissertation that will make a significant scholarly contribution.
A.P.C. in Taxation Applicants
Applicants whose first degree in law was obtained from a law school in the U.S. or Puerto Rico may submit a letter of recommendation but are not required to do so.
Personal Statement and Résumé
All applicants must electronically attach to the online application a brief statement of no more than 500 words. You may describe your professional interests and goals or, since the Committee on Graduate Admissions does not grant interviews, you may use the statement to describe aspects of yourself and/or your work that are not apparent from your other application materials. You should include your reasons and qualifications for applying for a particular program or specialization. All applicants must also electronically attach a résumé to their application; it may be one to two pages in length.
Applicants to the part-time LL.M. in Taxation, the E-LL.M., or the A.P.C. in Taxation, who additionally received their first degree in law from a U.S. or Puerto Rican law school may submit a personal statement, but are not required to do so.
Additional Materials
Applicants who are applying for either the Hauser Global Scholarship or the Singapura Scholarship must submit three essays via electronic attachment to their online application. For all other scholarship programs, all admitted students are considered on the basis of their admissions application and no additional materials are required.
Applicants who are applying to the Transitional Justice Scholars Program must electronically attach an essay of no more than 500 words to the online application. The essay should explain why the student is interested in becoming a Transitional Justice Scholar. Students should also indicate any relevant experience or academic writings.
Writing Samples
Due to the large number of applications that we receive each year, the Committee on Graduate Admissions is not able to read or consider writing samples, articles, or research papers submitted with applications. Instead, publications, academic presentations and the like may be noted on an applicant’s résumé for consideration by the Committee.
J.S.D. Proposal of Study
All J.S.D. applicants are required to electronically attach to their online application a completed proposal of study for the doctoral program of no more than 10,000 words in length, including the relevant bibliography. Proposals of study must be submitted via electronic attachment to the online application by the February 1 application deadline. Late submission of a proposal of study is not permitted.
The Committee on J.S.D. Admissions understands that it is difficult to make an argument for a problem one has not yet researched at length, but applicants should give thought to the following when preparing the proposal:
- Research objectives—the inquiry to be pursued.
- A review of the current literature in the field.
- Methodological strategies planned to be utilized.
- The contribution to the field of inquiry, or how the research will be valuable for others. Difficulties that might be encountered during research.
- Full-time faculty at NYU, including full-time adjunct professors, with whom the applicant wishes to work (biographies are available on the Law School Web site).
The proposal should have sufficient specificity to make possible an evaluation by a member of our faculty familiar with the proposed field. While applicants should identify in their proposal of study possible dissertation advisors after reviewing the faculty biographies online, it is not necessary to seek approval from faculty members in advance of application. Students admitted into the program will be notified of their designated advisor. It is expected that admitted students will establish contact with the dissertation advisor before enrolling in the J.S.D. program. Throughout the degree program, the advisor will provide consultation on courses and research, and supervise the student’s progress in writing the dissertation.