University of California Law San Francisco

Study Program

University of California Law San Francisco (formerly UC Hastings) offers a one-year LL.M. degree program in United States Legal Studies for students who are licensed to practice law and/or have a law degree from outside the United States. LL.M. students at UC Law SF come from over 40 countries, and have a wide variety of experience both abroad and in the United States. Our LL.M. class is a close-knit group who find social and academic support within their cohort, while creating lasting friendships with their Juris Doctor (JD) peers.

Our LL.M. students are fully integrated with all of our law students on campus, and take all but two classes together with our JD students. With over 175 courses offered each year, few other US law schools offer as wide a selection of courses open to LL.M. and JD students alike, including our hands-on experiential courses and clinics. Our LL.M. students receive one-on-one academic and career counseling and choose courses based on their personal and professional interests. In addition, our LL.M. students may also elect to specialize in one of the following eight areas, receiving both an LL.M. degree and a Certificate of Specialization upon graduation:

Specialization areas include Criminal Law, Dispute Resolution & Legal Process, Environmental Law, Health Law & Policy, International Business & Trade, International Law & Human Rights, Taxation, and Science, Technology, & Intellectual Property.
Students may also choose to complete a Practice Training Track to develop basic lawyering skills in a field of interest to them, which must include at least one legal clinic or the Start-Up Legal Garage. LL.M. students can choose to complete both the Practice Training Certificate and another specialization area.

With the premier LL.M. program in San Francisco, one of the largest alumni networks in the United States, access to our awarded-winning faculty, and all of San Francisco’s amenities, University of California Law San Francisco provides a unique and powerful learning experiences to its LL.M. students.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

UC Law SF offers generous scholarships for our LL.M. program. We offer a special scholarship specifically for DAJV participants with a guaranteed scholarship of a $20,000 tuition discount.

Application requirements

To apply to the UC Law SF LL.M. program, you must be an attorney licensed outside of the US or have completed (or expect to complete prior to enrollment at UC Law SF) a first degree in law outside the US. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis from September 1 through May 31. Our priority deadline for scholarship consideration is March 1. Enrollment is limited to the fall semester, which begins in August.
Application requirements include completed application form, official transcripts, letters of recommendation, personal statement, resume/CV, scholarship form (optional), and proof of English proficiency (if applicable). We are happy to provide application fee waivers when you contact LLM@uclawsf.edu.