About us

For more than a century, Columbia Law School has educated students who, having already earned a basic law degree, wish to pursue an advanced course of study. Columbia offers both a general Master of Laws (LL.M.) and an Executive LL.M. in Global Business Law. With the general Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree, students can design an individual program of study to meet their academic and professional goals—whether to broaden their general preparation; to specialize in a particular field; or to deepen their knowledge of American, international, or other legal systems.The Executive LL.M. allows mid-career lawyers to study U.S. business law in an accelerated program consisting of online courses and an intensive 12-week residence on campus. Columbia Law School students live and learn in the world’s center of law practice, interact with expert faculty and accomplished students, and obtain a degree that represents the best that U.S. legal education can offer.

LL.M. Program

A Columbia Law School education prepares students for leadership roles—in academia, the judiciary, business and corporate practice, public service, human rights advocacy, and other legal and non-legal fields.

The key to a satisfying and enriching LL.M. experience is student choice. Columbia Law School offers a general LL.M. degree, giving students the freedom to select their courses from an incredibly vast curriculum. Beginning with a robust three-week long Orientation program, which includes our required Introduction to American Law and LL.M. Legal Research and Writing courses for foreign-trained lawyers, our seasoned advisers in the Office of Graduate Legal Studies help you design an individual program of study to meet your academic and professional goals—whether to broaden your general preparation; to specialize in a particular field; or to deepen your knowledge of American, international, or other legal systems. LL.M. students sit alongside J.D. students in class, resulting in a mix that promotes an exchange of fresh ideas and perspectives.

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Application Instructions

The Office of Graduate Legal Studies welcomes the opportunity to review your application.

Please provide as much information as possible on the online application. Once your application is submitted, we will make changes only to your personal information (such as your mailing address, email address, or telephone number).  We will not accept amended personal statements, résumés, or fellowship applications after your application has been submitted online.  If any of your personal information changes after you submit your application, email gls@law.columbia.edu as soon as possible to inform us of the change(s).

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Scholarships and Financial Aid Information

Columbia Law School has a robust financial aid program to support LL.M. Program candidates. We award financial assistance primarily on the basis of financial need, and most awards consist of a partial waiver of tuition, institutional loans, or a combination of the two. Financial aid recipients are expected to focus their studies primarily on the subjects they emphasized in their applications. We also encourage prospective applicants to begin seeking additional sources of funding as early as possible, keeping in mind that some funding applications are due months before the LL.M. application deadline.

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