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  • How to Apply
  • Financial Information
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  • Contact Graduate Admissions
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LLM, MCL, SJD, PhD

Application Priority Dates

The application period for the 2009-2010 academic year has closed. We are accepting applications for the 2010-2011 academic year. 

Applicants to the LLM and MCL programs are encouraged to submit their applications by Feburary 1 for priority consideration and no later than March 1 to allow ample time for your application to be reviewed and, upon admission, your visa documents (Forms I-20 or DS-2019) to be created and sent to you. Applications may be considered until the class is full; however, applicants should understand that the later their applications are received, the later they will receive their Forms I-20 or DS-2019, the documents required to obtain a visa.

Applicants to the SJD and PhD in Law and Social Science programs should be aware that admissions deadlines have changed as of the current application cycle. Preference will be given to SJD applications received by March 1. All SJD applications should be received by the final deadline of April 1.

Applications to the PhD in Law and Social Science program may be submitted at any time during the application cycle and will be reviewed on a rolling basis for admission to the fall semester only. Please be aware that ample time must be allowed for visa processing for foreign applicants.

For instructions on how to apply for the Certificate in Legal Studies, contact the Office of Graduate Legal Studies.

All applications received by February 1 will be considered for scholarships. Applicants do not need to submit an additional form to be considered for scholarships.

How to Apply

All applicants seeking admission to Indiana Law graduate programs must have a bachelor’s degree or a recognized equivalent from a college or university in the United States or abroad. Students who received their undergraduate education outside the United States are generally required to have a degree in law or a strong undergraduate concentration in legal coursework. Most of our graduate programs are open only to international students, though the LLM thesis program and PhD program admit a limited number of domestic students each fall.

We encourage prospective students to apply online. If you are unable to apply online, a print application is available for download.

• Indiana University International Graduate and Professional Student application (online application)
• Indiana University International Student application (submit by mail)
• Applicants to the LLM Thesis, SJD, and PhD programs must also submit the following with their application: LLM Thesis, SJD, and PhD supplemental application

Whether you submit your application online or by mail, a completed application contains the following:

• Completed application form for admission
• Supplemental information required by the program to which you are applying
• $65 application fee (all applicants must pay the $65 application fee by credit card or by wire transfer)
• Official academic records (official original and English translations)
• Three letters of recommendation
• Statement of purpose
• Resume
• TOEFL score report (sent to code 1324) [IELTS score report also accepted]
• International Student Financial Documentation worksheet with required financial documents (Note: Evidence of financial support is seen only by the Office of International Admissions after the Indiana Law Graduate Committee has reviewed your file and made an admissions decision. Evidence of financial support is never factored into an admissions decision by the Indiana Law Graduate Committee.)

If you do not include all of these items with your application, then the review of your application will be delayed, and this in turn will slow the processing of your visa documents. To avoid unnecessary delays, please be sure to submit a complete application.

All supporting and supplemental materials must be sent to:

Indiana University Office of international Admissions
300 N. Jordan Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47405

Applications for our graduate programs are accepted only for the fall semester. Applicants to the Certificate in Legal Studies program may apply for either the fall or spring semester. The application review process takes approximately one month and goes through the following stages:

1. Application and all supporting materials go to Indiana University’s International Admissions Office for review, which takes two to three weeks.
2. International Admissions then sends your application and materials to the Law School’s Office of Graduate Legal Studies.
3. You receive an e-mail notification that the law school has received your application.
4. Your completed application file (which includes the application, transcripts, test scores, letters of recommendation, and other supporting materials) is reviewed by the Indiana Law Graduate Committee.
5. After the Graduate Committee makes an admissions decision, usually within two weeks, the file is returned to the Office of Graduate Legal Studies’ admissions office.
6. You will be notified of our admissions decision by e-mail, followed by letters mailed to your current address (as listed on your application). Please be sure that your e-mail account is set to receive e-mail from our office, including e-mail with PDF attachments.
7. Two to four weeks after you receive the admissions letter from Indiana Law, you will receive a packet from the university’s International Admissions office, which will include visa documents.
8. To confirm your intent to enroll, you will be required to submit an enrollment deposit in the amount of $200.00 U.S. dollars to Indiana Law. Payment by credit card is preferred. To pay via credit card, click here. After you have made payment, e-mail a copy of your receipt to the Graduate Legal Studies office (lgradadm@indiana.edu).