Graduate Program

Admissions and Financial Aid

Admissions

Harvard Law School welcomes applications to the LL.M. Program, the S.J.D. Program, and the Program for Visiting Scholars and Researchers. In order to apply, applicants must complete the relevant parts of the Graduate Program's application materials. These call for applicants to provide information about themselves and the studies they propose to pursue at Harvard. Normally applicants also must submit letters of recommendation from professors and others who know their work, and transcripts from each university they have attended. To obtain copies of these application materials, please either download the application from our website or ask us to send you a copy.

The admission process is highly competitive. Each year we receive applications from many more individuals than we can accommodate. Many applicants are fully qualified for the program, and the Committee on Graduate Studies must select from among a large number of candidates who have excellent credentials. In evaluating applications, the Committee takes into consideration the applicant's grades and rank in his or her law and other university studies, letters of recommendation, occupational interests, professional and personal accomplishments, description of study objectives, and other factors.

For further information about admission requirements for each program (including application deadlines), please see the pages for the LL.M. Program, the S.J.D. Program, and the Program for Visiting Scholars and Researchers.

Financial Aid

A year at Harvard Law School is expensive. Depending on the student's choice of living accommodations, an unmarried student's total costs for the 2005-2006 academic year range from approximately $56,556 to over $64,406 for the LL.M. program and for first-year students in the S.J.D. program. (S.J.D. students who are eligible to and did waive their LL.M. degree pay substantially less in tuition.) Costs for an unmarried Visiting Scholar or Researcher will be at least $24,908, not including the Program Fee. Admitted LL.M. and S.J.D. students who cannot afford the cost of such a year are eligible for financial aid from the Graduate Program. Visiting Scholars and Researchers are not eligible for such assistance.

All financial aid awards are primarily based on the applicant’s demonstrated financial need. Financial aid is offered in the form of both grants (scholarships) and loans. The average grant is approximately half of tuition; for a small number of students with particularly acute financial need, we are able to offer grants covering full tuition and a portion of living expenses. In addition to our grant funds, we are able to offer students with financial need access to educational loans on favorable terms through Harvard University’s special loan program with Citibank. Everyone in the LL.M. class of 2005-06 who demonstrated financial need received some form of aid, whether as grant, grant and loan, or loan only; more than 85% of these financial aid recipients received some amount of grant funding from Harvard.

Other Sources of Funds

Applicants seeking financial assistance should investigate funding sources in their home countries well in advance. Examples of such sources include employers, government agencies and foundations. Loans from private lending institutions in the U.S. may also be available to international applicants.

The United States Embassy or consulate in an international applicant's home country may have information on U.S. government grants under the Fulbright program and other information on fellowship opportunities. Applicants who are from certain countries or who meet certain specific criteria may be eligible for a number of scholarships administered by Harvard University's Committee on General Scholarships. Please note that many of these scholarships have their own application procedures and deadlines, and students must apply for some of these funds by contacting committees or agencies in their home countries.

In some cases it may be possible for students to undertake part-time paid employment on campus, e.g., working in the Law School Library or as research assistants for faculty members. Generally speaking, students can expect to earn up to a total of $3,500 over the course of the academic year in return for 10–12 hours of work per week. These positions cannot be arranged through the Graduate Program Office. Admitted applicants interested in such employment must seek out such positions after arrival at Harvard Law School. Off-campus employment during the year of study is not permitted for international students.

For further information about Harvard Law School financial aid, other sources of funding, and the financial aid application process, please see:

Last Modified: 9/2/2005