Frequently Asked Questions - Foreign Applicants

1. What LL.M. programs are offered at the Law Center?
   • Energy, Environment and Natural Resources
   • Health Law
   • Tax Law
   • Intellectual Property & Information Law      
   • International Law
   • Foreign Scholars
2. Can I apply to any of these programs?
   Yes.

3. Are there required courses?
   Any student who earned a law degree outside of the United States is required to take Introduction to American Law and Lawyering Skills and Strategies* during their first semester, August-December.  Students in a concentration, such as International Law, are also required to complete a certain number of concentration-specific credits. 

 

Program/Concentration	Total Credits	Required Coursework
Energy, Environment and Natural Resources LL.M.	24	15 credits of EENR coursework and two required courses*
Health Law LL.M.	24	18 credits of health coursework and two required courses*
Intellectual Property & Information Law LL.M.	24	15 credits of intellectual property and information law coursework and two required courses*
International Law LL.M.	24	15 credits of international law coursework and two required courses*
Tax LL.M.	24	18 credits of tax law courses and two required courses*
Foreign Scholars LL.M.	24	Two required courses*

4. When can I begin the LL.M. program?
   Lawyers who earned their law degree outside of the United States must begin their studies in early August.

5. What is the length of the program?
   The LL.M. degree is a 24-credit program.  Most students attend full time and complete the program in one academic year, August-May.

6. Do you have a part-time option?
   Our part-time option allows students to take up to three years to meet all program requirements.  Students must, however, meet applicable visa restrictions that may require completion of the program in a shorter period of time.

7. When do classes begin?
   Classes begin after orientation which is the first week of August.

8. When are classes scheduled?
   Classes are typically scheduled Monday-Thursday throughout the day and early evening hours.  The current schedule is available at http://www.law.uh.edu/schedule

9. How do I select courses?
   Each student is assigned a faculty advisor.  Working with the advisor, students select courses to meet their professional and program requirements. 

10. What are the admission requirements?
    Lawyers who earned their law degree outside of the United States must have earned the degree from an accredited university in the country in which the university is located.  Applicants must present evidence of a high grade point average or superior class standing at the school where they obtained their law degree and be eligible to practice before the highest jurisdiction in their country.

11. Am I required to take the LSAT exam?
    No.

12. Am I required to take the TOEFL exam?
    Applicants from a country where English is not the official language are required to provide adequate proof (TOEFL) of their English proficiency.  The Law Center requires a score of 100 iBT.  Applicants who have completed an advanced degree in the United States or have resided in an English-speaking country for a significant period of time can request a waiver of the TOEFL exam.  A phone or Skype interview may be required before a TOEFL waiver is granted.   Additional information available at
    http://www.uh.edu/admissions/apply/international/admissions-criteria/english-proficiency-toefl/index.php

13. Do you offer conditional admission to applicants who do not meet the Law Center's minimum TOEFL requirement?
    No.

14. I'm in the United States and it's going to be difficult to obtain the original academic documents.  Will you accept photocopies?
    The University cannot accept photocopies.  Official translations are also required if the documents are not in English.

15. Should my transcript/academic documents be evaluated before submitting them to the Law Center?
    No.  Request only a translation.  The University's International Admissions Office evaluates foreign academic credentials.

16. Am I required to register for the LSAC LL.M. Credential Assembly Service (CAS)?
    Use of this service is optional and applicants are not required to register for it.   Go tohttp://www.lsac.org/llm/applying/llm-cas.asp for information about the LSAC LL.M. Credential Assembly Service.

17. I submitted my academic documents and reference letters to LSAC.  Does the University of Houston Law Center accept applications through LSAC?
    Yes.

18. I  will not register with LSAC.  How should I submit my documents?
    The application form, available at http://www.law.uh.edu/llm/application-deadlines.asp, can be completed online, printed, and submitted directly to the Law Center with other required application documents.  Transcripts and other academic documents must be sent from the applicant's university directly to the University of Houston Law Center.  Reference letters can be sent directly to the Law Center or given to the applicant in sealed envelopes.

19. How are applications evaluated?
    Academic performance, work and professional experience, the personal statement, reference letters and the TOEFL report (if applicable) are all considered in making admission decisions. 

20. Does the application process include a personal interview?
    No.  Applicants can use the Personal Statement to write about circumstances, goals, etc. that would be discussed in an interview.

21. How many students are admitted each year?
    The size of an entering class varies from year to year and is not predetermined.  Classes typically include recent graduates and practicing lawyers.

22. Is there an early admissions/decision process?
    Applications are reviewed upon receipt of all required application materials, but not before January 1 (for fall admission).  Applicants are encouraged to submit applications, especially academic documents, as early as possible. 

23. Once admitted, can I change from one program to another?
    No.  Applications and offers of admission are program-specific.

24. I'm a permanent U.S. resident.  Am I still considered a foreign lawyer?
    For purposes of admission to the LL.M. program, a foreign lawyer is anyone, regardless of immigration status, whose law degree was earned outside of the United States.

25. I'm a permanent U.S. resident.  Does that qualify me as a Texas resident for tuition purposes?
    U.S. residency and Texas residency are not the same.  It is possible to be a permanent U.S. resident but not a Texas resident for tuition purposes.  Details on determining Texas residency are available at www.thecb.state.tx.us or www.collegefortexans.com

26. What are my housing options?
    Houston is a very large metropolitan city with limited public transportation.  Students who will not have their own transportation are encouraged to consider campus housing such as the Calhoun Lofts, which is adjacent to the Law Center.  Campus housing fills up very quickly and arrangements should be made upon admission to the program.  There are also apartment locator services that assist students in finding accessible and affordable off-campus apartments and rentals.

27. What is the cost of the program?
    Based on the 2012-2013 academic year, tuition and fees for a Texas resident are approximately $27,500 and $34,500 for a non-resident.  (Amounts are estimates based on the current year and are subject to change.)

28. What expenses should I plan for in addition to tuition and fees?
    Expenses, such as housing, personal, and transportation vary depending upon individual preferences.  For example, books can be purchased new or used, online or in Houston and there is a wide variety of on and off-campus housing options.  
    
    Students typically budget approximately $2900 for books, $10,200 for housing and $5500 for personal expenses (such as transportation), and parking ($195/annually). Health insurance is required of all visa-holding students and is $950 for the academic year, August-May.  It can be waived for students who already have health insurance approved by the University of Houston.

29. Do I qualify for in-state (Texas resident) tuition?
    U.S. and Texas Residency are not the same.  Go to http://www.uh.edu/admissions/apply/graduate/ for information on qualifying as a Texas resident.

30. Are scholarships or other financial assistance options available to foreign LL.M. students?
    Foreign students who are U.S. permanent residents may qualify for student loans.  Contact our financial aid advisor at:  lawfinaid@uh.edu  There are a limited number of merit-based scholarships awarded to non-US lawyers admitted to the LL.M. program.
    
    Visit the following websites for information on scholarships, funding and financial assistance available for studying in the United States.  Many of these have a lengthy application and review process.  Interested students should begin their research as early as possible.
    
    Fulbright International:  http://fulbright.state.gov/
    Rotary International:  www.rotary.org
    Ford Foundation International Fellowship Program:  www.fordifp.net
    LASPAU (Latin America, Caribbean):  www.laspau.harvard.edu
    Rocky Mountain Mineral Law Foundation, https://www.rmmlf.org/geninfo/schgrant.htm
    Edmund S. Muskie Fellowship, www.irex.org/programs/muskie
    Association of International Petroleum Negotiators, http://www.aipn.org/ScholarshipProg.aspx
    American-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST), http://www.amideast.org/
    
    General information on financial assistance and funding resources for study in the
    United States is available at:  http://www.edupass.org/finaid/, http://www.nafsa.org/students.sec/  and http://www.amideast.org/usstudy/us-study-advantage

31. After completion of the LL.M. program, am I eligible to take a bar examination?
    Each state determines eligibility requirements for their bar examination.  A limited number of states allow non-US educated lawyers to take the exam.  Law schools cannot confirm bar eligibility, and students planning to take a bar examination upon the completion of the LL.M. program (or for whom this may be a possibility), should research a state bar's eligibility requirements before beginning any program.  Eligibility in some states, such as New York, requires completion of specific courses during a student's LL.M. studies. 
    
    Visit the National Conference of Bar Examiners website, www.ncbex.org for a survey of state bar eligibility requirements for foreign-trained lawyers.