LLM PROGRAM FOR FOREIGN LAWYERS. J.Reu en C ar BYU LAWSCHOOL

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1 LLM PROGRAM FOR FOREIGN LAWYERS J.Reu en C ar BYU LAWSCHOOL

2 LLM BULLETIN TABLE OF CONTENTS About the Program Applying Finances VISA and United States Government Forms Honor Code J. REUBEN CLARK LAW SCHOOL BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY

3 ABOUT THE PROGRAM WHAT AND WHERE IS THE BYU LAW SCHOOL? Officially named the J. Reuben Clark Law School (JRCLS), the Law School at Brigham Young University (BYU) is located in Provo, Utah. BYU is sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS). The Church has its headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah, and has membership in countries all over the world. WHAT IS THE LLM DEGREE? The Law School offers a two-semester (eight-month) LLM program for foreign lawyers leading to a master s degree in comparative American law. It is a full-time, day program that begins every August and ends in April. It is designed specifically for non-u.s. lawyers who intend to obtain the degree to enhance employment opportunities in their home countries. DO I HAVE TO BE A MEMBER OF THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS TO APPLY TO AND ATTEND THE LAW SCHOOL? No. The Law School welcomes applications from students of all religious backgrounds and denominations who will commit to live the Honor Code (see page 15). 2

4 WHAT IS THE GOAL OF THE LLM PROGRAM AT THE JRCLS? Established in 1988, the LLM program seeks intelligent, dedicated attorneys from other countries who intend to return to their homes and make their communities better places to live. Regardless of the religious affiliation of the LLM student, we expect our graduates to exemplify excellent academic law practice and upstanding ethical and moral principles in their professional and personal lives. WHY SHOULD I GO TO BYU TO OBTAIN AN LLM DEGREE? The JRCLS trains foreign attorneys who are uniquely qualified to be leaders in all aspects of international law practice. The Law School sponsors two centers that are specifically focused on international law. Many members of the Law School community speak second languages and have lived in a country outside the United States. HOW DOES THE LLM DEGREE COMPARE TO THE JD DEGREE? The LLM degree is a one-year master s degree for foreign attorneys only. The LLM applicant will only need to show finances for one year (see page 10). International applicants may also apply for the JD degree, which is a three-year program. All applicants to the JD program must take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT). More information on the LSAT can be found at All applicants to the JD program must be able to prove finances for three years (see page 10). 3

5 I decided to attend BYU Law School because I admire the great study atmosphere here. In the LLM program we can choose whatever classes we are interested in and get a general view of the American legal system. The curriculum is memorable. My horizon was broadened through this program. JUN HAN, CHINA HOW DOES THE LLM DEGREE PREPARE ME AS AN ATTORNEY? The LLM degree is designed to help you understand the comparison between the legal system of the United States and the legal systems of other countries. Note: Students from some countries will be better served by completing the JD program instead of the LLM program, because the three-year JD may offer more job opportunities or better salaries in those countries. If this is your situation, you should apply for the JD program and not the LLM program. WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LLM DEGREE? The Law School requires that you complete at least 24 credit hours of work. Classes are two, three, or four credits each. LLM students work closely with a faculty advisor to select the coursework that is best suited for their individual circumstances and interests. Every LLM student must take one first-year class, a legal writing and research class for 4

6 LLMs, and an Introduction to American Law class. All other credits are considered elective credits, and the student can register for any class as space permits. WHO TEACHES IN THE PROGRAM? Our professors are among the best in the nation. They are recognized experts in all aspects of the United States legal system such as commercial law, antitrust law, administrative law, criminal law, constitutional law, legal history, property law, securities law, bankruptcy, and taxation. Four of the faculty have served as law clerks to justices of the United States Supreme Court. LLM students will have the opportunity to work closely with several faculty members during their program of study. HOW LARGE IS BYU? HOW MANY STUDENTS ATTEND JRCLS? The university enrolls approximately 30,000 undergraduate students annually. The Law School enrolls approximately 450 JD students, and up to eight LLM students are admitted each year. DO LLM STUDENTS INTERACT WITH JD STUDENTS? Yes. Other than two classes that are specifically for LLM students, your classes will be with students enrolled in the JD program. WHAT IS THE OPTIONAL PRACTICAL TRAINING (OPT) PROGRAM? OPT is a status designation given by the United States Government. It is a one-year job placement in the United States to train recent foreign graduates in their field of study. Students who have completed an advanced course of study at a university in the United States, such as an LLM, are eligible to apply for OPT status after their F-1 student status ends. WILL THE LAW SCHOOL S CAREER SERVICES OFFICE HELP ME FIND A PLACEMENT FOR OPT? The JRCLS Career Service Office is not involved with OPT placements, since the goal of the LLM program is to place graduates in jobs outside of the United States. If you plan to work in the United States as an attorney, you should apply instead to the JD program. 5

7 APPLYING HOW MANY APPLICANTS APPLY FOR THE LLM PROGRAM? We receive approximately applications each year. HOW MANY STUDENTS DO YOU ACCEPT TO THE LLM PROGRAM? Between six and eight students are accepted each year. WHO IS QUALIFIED TO APPLY? Applicants must have received a law degree in their home country and be planning to use their degree internationally. In addition, they must be certified, or eligible to be certified, to practice law in their country. Applicants also must score at or above 590 on the paper-based TOEFL exam or 243 on the computer-based TOEFL exam. WHAT IS THE TOEFL EXAM? The TOEFL exam is the Test of English as Foreign Language. It assesses your English language proficiency. Consult the Web site for more information. WHAT IS THE SCHEDULE OF THE LLM PROGRAM? The program starts every year during the month of August and has holidays and oneweek breaks during fall and winter semesters. The school year concludes in April. WHEN SHOULD I APPLY? Applicants may begin applying September 15 of the year before they wish to begin the program. The application deadline is January 15. The application for the LLM program is online at 6

8 WHAT ARE THE PARTS OF THE APPLICATION? Note: All parts of the application must be in English or accompanied by an English translation. They must be completed, submitted, and received before the application can be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. THE APPLICATION CONSISTS OF: A $50 (U.S. dollars) fee, which can be paid online using a credit card or by mail with a money order payable to BYU Law School. Part 1 Personal information. Part 2 Selection to apply for the LLM program. Part 3 Honor Code endorsement form (see page 15). Part 4 Two (2) letters of recommendation from professors or colleagues who know you and your work. Part 5 Test scores and academic history. Important note: You must have a transcript of your law degree evaluated by a transcript-evaluating service or agency. Part 6 Résumé. Part 7 Personal statement: A statement that explains why you are applying to the LLM program and how you intend to use the degree after you graduate. An official TOEFL score report, taken within two (2) years of the date of application. This official score report must be received by the JRCLS Admissions Office before the application deadline. WHEN IS THE APPLICATION DEADLINE? The deadline is January 15, in order to allow time for VISA requirements to be met (see page 13). 7

9 HOW AND WHEN WILL OFFERS BE EXTENDED? The Admissions Committee will review files beginning in January and make decisions by April 1. Notification will follow as soon as possible. Letters will be sent to all applicants by and regular mail notifying them whether they have been admitted, waitlisted, or denied. It is essential that you provide us with and street addresses that will be valid at all times throughout the admissions process. WHAT THINGS ARE THE MEMBERS OF THE ADMISSIONS COMMITTEE LOOKING FOR WHEN THEY REVIEW MY APPLICATION? The Admissions Committee will evaluate the following: (1) a sufficiently high TOEFL score to allow you to effectively communicate orally and in writing, (2) your reasons for applying and your post-graduation plans, (3) your work ethic, and (4) the evaluation of your potential by your recommenders. HOW DO I APPLY? The Law School application is online at the Web site You can also download the application from this Web site, print it, complete it, and mail it to the Admissions Office. WHAT IF I CANNOT ACCESS THE ONLINE APPLICATION? You can , call, or write to request that a paper application be mailed to you. us at admissions@lawgate.byu.edu. DO YOU HAVE A WAITING LIST FOR LLM STUDENTS? Yes. However, it is rare that we are able to take a student from the waiting list because of the timing of VISA requirements. The J. Reuben Clark Law School recommends that international applicants to its LLM degree program register with LSAC s LLM Credential Assembly Service. For a registration fee of $185 (U.S. dollars), LSAC will collect, authenticate, and distribute your university records and TOEFL score. 8

10 I enjoyed being at BYU Law School very much.... I was able to receive profound knowledge of the American legal system and a fair impression of studying at an American law school. I was fortunate to meet wonderful people at the Law School: the professors, the staff members, and my classmates. I want to stress the seriousness of the academic side of the program; nevertheless, I was able to enjoy out-of-school activities with my friends. I d like to thank all the people that made my time here so great! KATYA MILONOVA, RUSSIA

11 You will be able to use this credential-processing service to apply to participating U.S. and Canadian law schools for a period of five years. For additional information about this service, go to The LSAC serves only to authenticate non-u.s. or Canadian credentials that are needed in addition to a completed admission application. Note: To complete your file, you must still complete the J. Reuben Clark Law School application and submit all required fees to this institution. FINANCES HOW MUCH DOES THE LLM PROGRAM COST? For a current listing of estimated expenses, check The costs are divided into tuition for two semesters and additional expenses. These estimates are calculated for one individual. If a student is married and has children, the expenses will be higher. Please contact the Office of Graduate Studies, (801) , for the most current information and to obtain the necessary I-1 and I-2 Forms. WHY DO PERSONS WHO ARE NOT MEMBERS OF THE LDS CHURCH PAY A HIGHER TUITION? More than 50 percent of the operating costs of the Law School are paid by the monetary contributions of members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Therefore, students and their families who are contributing members have already made a significant donation to the operation of the university. Because individuals who are not members of this Church will not have contributed, they are charged a higher tuition. This distinction is similar to the higher tuition that state-sponsored law schools charge to nonresidents. 10

12 WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES AMOUNTS? These amounts are average costs other than tuition of attending school for two semesters, which include housing, insurance, books, food, personal items, and other payments. These averages are fixed by the BYU Office of Financial Aid to be used by all students, including international students, in the official paperwork submitted to the government. DOES EVERY STUDENT SPEND THAT ENTIRE AMOUNT? No. Each student will have a different amount that they spend individually. Some students may spend less, and some may spend more. However, even if you do not plan to spend the estimated amount, you must still prove that you have this amount available. For more information on the United States requirements, please see the VISA section on page 13. DOES THE LAW SCHOOL GIVE SCHOLARSHIPS TO LLM STUDENTS? At this time, no funds are dedicated for LLM scholarships. However, practically speaking, the low tuition for the program already works as a scholarship. By comparison to other U.S. law schools, our tuition is one-third to one-half less. ARE LAW SCHOOL LOANS AVAILABLE TO LLM STUDENTS? If you have a cosigner (a person who will officially sign your loan papers and be legally responsible to pay back the loan money if you do not), you may apply for and likely receive a Law School Woolley Loan. A total of $6,000 (U.S. dollars) per year is available to law students from this fund. CAN AN LLM STUDENT DO A WORK-STUDY PROGRAM? No. The Law School does not participate in any work-study programs. 11

13 CAN AN LLM STUDENT WORK IN THE UNITED STATES DURING THE LLM PROGRAM? An LLM student may not work off-campus. An LLM student may work in a university-sponsored job during school up to 20 hours per week and not violate the terms of their F-1 status. Note: Anticipated earnings cannot be used to prove finances. You are expected to provide your own money to pay tuition and expenses. Proving financial resources is a requirement to be accepted into the LLM program. You should plan on having 100 percent of the money required for the program before you apply.

14 VISA AND UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT FORMS (I-20, I-1, I-2, I-94) HOW DO I GET A VISA? You must apply for a VISA through your consulate office. You will probably need to request an interview as part of your VISA application. It may take up to two months to schedule your interview. You must have an I-20 and/or an I-94 before you go to the interview. WHY DO I NEED AN I-20 AND/OR AN I-94? You need an I-20 and/or an I-94 in order to apply for a VISA, the document issued by the United States Government that gives you permission to enter the country. WHAT IS AN I-20? An I-20 is a Certificate of Eligibility that the United States Government requires you to have in order to apply for a VISA. WHAT IS AN I-94? An I-94 is also known as the Arrival/Departure Document. The United States Immigration Service will create this card when you are inspected upon arrival in the United States. It is given to individuals admitted to the United States as nonimmigrants and will serve as your registration form. HOW DO I GET AN I-20? After you apply, and if you are accepted, you must prove finances. If you can prove finances, you are eligible to receive an I-20. HOW DO I PROVE FINANCES? You must fill out the I-1 and/or I-2 Forms issued by the United States Government, which are available from the JRCLS Admissions Office or online at You will have to prove finances for the entire cost of attendance for two semesters (tuition 13

15 plus expenses). Read these forms carefully in order to understand how to fill them out and what evidence and proof is required and accepted by the United States Government. WHAT IS AN I-1 FORM? An I-1 Form shows that you have enough money either in the bank and available, or as a combination of savings and loans to cover the total cost of attendance. You must submit a bank statement or other official documents with the form. WHAT IS AN I-2 FORM? If you do not have all the money, you can have a sponsor sign the I-2 Form and show that the sponsor has sufficient money to pay the costs that you are not able to cover. This sponsor must submit a bank statement or other official documents with the I-2 Form. Please read the instructions on the I-2 Form for more information. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A VISA? The waiting period varies, depending upon individual circumstances. If you have to go to name clearance, it may take an additional three to five months. If you are denied a VISA, you may appeal. Appeals can take up to six months.. WHAT IS STATUS? Status is the word used by the United States Government to describe why you are in the country. The status that you will receive as an LLM student is F-1. WHAT IF I HAVE A PERMANENT RESIDENT NUMBER? If you have a valid Permanent Resident Number, you do not need to prove finances. Submit a copy of your card with your application. 14

16 WHAT IF MY VISA EXPIRES AFTER I AM IN THE UNITED STATES BUT BEFORE THE LLM PROGRAM ENDS? A VISA expiration does not affect your status. You can stay in the United States to finish the LLM program. However, if you want to leave the United States after your VISA expires, you will have to apply for and receive a new VISA to come back into the country, even if you have not yet completed the LLM program. For a number of reasons, we generally do not advise students to visit their home country during the LLM program because of the complications that could arise when trying to re-enter the United States. WHAT IS THE SEVIS SYSTEM? SEVIS stands for Student Exchange Visiting Information System. It is the computer database that will keep track of your status and where you live while you are in the United States. You must report any change of address at once. Your SEVIS information is kept by two offices: the Law School Registrar and the university s Office of International Students. HONOR CODE WHAT IS THE HONOR CODE AT BYU? It is an ethical code that each university student is expected to follow. Its requirements reflect the code of conduct that has been established by the sponsoring institution, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Compliance with the Honor Code is a part of the application. Part 3 is your signed commitment to live by the Honor Code if you are accepted as a student at BYU. You must also have an interview by either your own clergy, a leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints known as a bishop or branch president, or a judge. The interviewer must evaluate whether you will live by the Honor Code based on their discussion with you; then he or she must sign the form and send it to the Law School Admissions Office. 15

17 WHAT DOES THE HONOR CODE INCLUDE? Parts of the Honor Code are excerpted below. Full information can be found on BYU s Web site As a matter of personal commitment, students, faculty, and staff of Brigham Young University are expected to demonstrate in daily living, on and off campus, those moral virtues encompassed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and will: Be honest Live a chaste and virtuous life Obey the law and all campus policies Use clean language Respect others Abstain from alcoholic beverages, tobacco, tea, coffee, and substance abuse Observe Dress and Grooming Standards Participate regularly in church services if a member of the LDS Church Encourage others in their commitment to comply with the BYU Honor Code Other specific policies embodied in the Honor Code include Academic Honesty Dress and Grooming Standards Continuing Student Ecclesiastical Endorsement 16

18 I am really grateful for the opportunity to attend BYU s Law School. It is the most important 03/ thing that I have done to improve my career. The professors and classmates are always willing to help, and the environment is simply fantastic. DOUGLAS DE CASTRO, BRAZIL

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