International Students
The UConn School of Law welcomes students from around the world to study in our LLM, JD and SJD programs. The law school also accepts exchange students and visiting international students. The University's International Student and Scholar Services advises international students and scholars on F and J visas.
English Proficiency Requirements
The English proficiency requirements for international students vary by degree program, as described below.
Juris Doctor (JD) English Proficiency Requirements
International applicants to the JD program typically must take the Test of English as a Foreign Language, or TOEFL unless they can demonstrate that they have earned the equivalent of a bachelor's degree or higher from a university where the sole language of overall instruction is English. The Law School requires minimum TOEFL scores of 100/250/600 (Internet/Computer/Written) for the JD program. All JD applicants to the Law School, whether international or domestic, are required to take the LSAT.
Master of Laws (LLM) English Proficiency Requirements
The following scores meet the LLM admissions requirements without further need to demonstrate proficiency:
- TOEFL IBT® : 90
- IELTS : 7.0
- TOEFL ITP : 577
- PTE : 65
Please click here for the full Language Proficiency Policy for LLM admissions.
Doctor of Laws (SJD) English Proficiency Requirements
International applicants who earned a first law degree outside the United States must obtain a minimum TOEFL iBT score of 95, a PTE score of 65, or an IELTS score of 7.0 to be considered for admission to the SJD Program. Applicants who do not attain a score of at least 100 on the TOEFL iBT, 70 on the PTE, or 7.5 on the IELTS must demonstrate further evidence of English language skills that includes, but is not limited to, a strong SJD proposal in conjunction with an interview.
Applicants may request exemptions from English proficiency testing if they earned an LLM degree from the UConn School of Law or if the language of instruction at the university where they obtained their first or advanced law degree was English. International applicants requesting exemption from the English testing requirement must submit a written request with their applications that includes an explanation of the applicant’s proficiency in English with original documentation supporting the requested exemption. Exemptions are not automatic and require the approval of the Admissions Committee.
The Admissions Committee reserves the right to deny an application or to require an online, phone, or in-person interview as part of the application process.