
LLM in
LLM Learning and Working (LAW) Program Indiana University Maurer School of Law

Introduction
Earn your LLM while getting hands-on experience
Many international students want to gain some practical experience in the US legal system while they're earning their LLM degree. The Maurer School of Law's new LAW (learning and working) LLM program does just that.
The LAW program gives you hands-on, real-life experience while you're studying the law. Depending on your interests and qualifications (including visa status), you could earn law school credit by participating in unpaid experiential opportunities, such as:
- A semester-long clinical course in one of the school's legal clinics, which helps real clients with legal problems, from family law to business issues to intellectual property matters;
- A research assistantship with a member of the Law School faculty, where you'll assist a professor with research on a variety of cutting-edge topics on the forefront of legal scholarship;
- The opportunity to complete job shadowing and informational interviews with local attorneys, nonprofit organizations, or judges, which will help you develop your understanding of legal practice and build your professional network.
The LAW program is among the first of its kind anywhere in the United States, and it's backed by the Maurer School of Law's LLM program, which brings more than a century of experience to the classroom.
We hope you'll apply! To do so, please submit to Ms. Lara Gose a brief statement of interest (no more than 500 words) in which you explain why you are interested in the program, the type of placement(s) you are interested in, and anything from your education or work experience that qualifies you for a placement. We will review applications and invite applicants to take part in an interview. Placement offers will be made by the start of the law school’s orientation program for new graduate students.
For answers to your questions or more information about the program, please contact Ms. Gose. We look forward to hearing from you.
Gallery
Admissions
Application priority dates
Fall
- Priority Date: February 1
- Deadline: April 1, then rolling admissions
Spring
- Priority Date: September 1
- Deadline: November 1, then rolling admissions
Though applications will be considered until the class is full, it is recommended that you apply no later than the listed deadline. All applications received by this listed priority date will automatically be considered for scholarships. Applications received after the priority date will be considered for scholarships if funds are still available.
For each future fall semester, we begin accepting new applications to all graduate programs on October 1.
Start dates
To accommodate your busy schedule or specific needs, Indiana Law offers several start dates for our LLM programs:
- Traditional Fall Start: The traditional fall term, our primary start date, begins in early to mid-August each year.
- Spring Start: In addition to our traditional fall semester, Indiana Law offers a spring program that starts in January. Applications for spring start will be accepted from July through November.
- Summer Start: The summer start program is a specially designed seven-week summer Intensive Legal English program for LLM students that begins in June and is followed by our intensive Introduction to American Law course.
- Intensive Introduction to American Law: By enrolling in our two-week intensive Introduction to American Law course (two credit hours), which starts in late July, you can complete one of your required law courses early. Arriving by the end of July also gives you time to familiarize yourself with the law school, the university, and the Bloomington community before beginning your full course schedule in August.
Admission requirements
Education: LLM applicants who received their undergraduate education outside the United States are generally required to have completed a degree in law or a strong undergraduate concentration in legal coursework.
- English proficiency: An LLM candidate for whom English is not their first language must demonstrate fluency in English by providing one of the following: an IBT TOEFL score of 94, IELTS score of 7.0, Duolingo score of 115, or a TOEIC score of 830. An English proficiency score slightly lower than our minimum requirement is not rejected outright, especially when other factors, such as educational background and work experience, are outstanding.
Applicants who clearly fall below this level of English proficiency have additional admission options:
- First, we offer fall admission that allows students to arrive early—mid-June of each year—to complete our summer legal English program. This program allows students to improve their English and legal English before starting the regular fall term. Applicants who already have an IBT TOEFL of around 80+, an IELTS of 6.5+, or a Duolingo score of 100+ may qualify for this option.
- Second, for applicants who do not qualify for either option above, we now offer fall admission to our two-year LLM. The new Two-Year LLM with English for Law allows students with lower English proficiency to gain admission to the LLM program through successful completion of our one-year LLM Pathway Program. Similar to conditional admission, applicants who successfully complete the Pathway year continue on to the LLM year. Applicants to this program should have an IBT TOEFL of 74+, an IELTS of 6, or a Duolingo of 90. If you are interested in this version of our LLM, you will need to select “LLM Pathway” as your program when applying.
- Finally, if your English level is lower than all options described above, Indiana University has a full-time Intensive English program that students can join prior to applying to Indiana Law.
How to apply
Prospective LLM students should submit applications by using the LSAC Online Application. If you will apply only to the Indiana University Maurer School of Law, you may also use our direct application to apply.
Applying via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website is intended to enable the fastest possible processing of your admission file. A majority of the top US law schools are using the LSAC system. If you would like to know more, review the full description of LSAC services.
- If you do not yet have an LSAC LLM account: After reading all of the application details on this page, you should register for a new LSAC applicant account in order to start the application process.
- If you have an existing LSAC LLM account: Simply log in to your current account in order to apply to the Indiana University-Bloomington Maurer School of Law.
Check your application status
After you have completed your application, you will be able to check the status of your application online.
Scholarships and Funding
Scholarships available for Russian students
The Law School will offer two scholarships for the 2022-2023 academic year to students from Russia who join the Learning and Working (LAW) LL.M. program. These applicants need to apply directly to the LAW LL.M. program.
Please consult Ms. Lara Gose or Graduate Admissions about the application process you should follow.
Scholarships: Indiana Law scholarship opportunities
The IU Maurer School of Law considers every applicant to our LLM and MCL programs for one of our Graduate Legal Studies scholarships, with preference given to those who meet our application priority date. Scholarship decisions are based on academic and professional merit and financial need, as well as a number of other factors, including geographic diversity and the relationship of the applicant to one of our partner institutions (see below).
Multiple scholarships may be awarded in combination, and total awards range from a few thousand dollars to 50 percent of tuition. Even without a scholarship, our overall costs are often less than you would pay elsewhere. We offer one of the best values in legal education in the United States.
Merit scholarships (LLM, MCL)
All admitted students are automatically considered for merit scholarships. Qualified students are selected on the basis of academic and professional merit. Merit considerations include the student’s previous academic performance, English proficiency (if applicable), academic achievements and awards, as well as professional experience. Scholarship funds are limited, so it is advisable to apply as early as possible.
Need-based scholarships (LLM, MCL)
All admitted students are automatically considered for need-based aid, as demonstrated by their admission file. Need-based scholarships are awarded on the basis of demonstrated financial need as described in the student’s personal statement, application, or other indicators during the application process. To be considered, your personal statement should indicate and demonstrate a need for financial assistance.
Diversity scholarships (LLM, MCL)
You are welcome here! Indiana Law makes every effort to broaden our incoming class and extend the reach of legal education by reaching out to and assisting underrepresented groups. Our diversity awards are for graduate law students who are a member of a diverse group, which can vary from year to year or evolve with time. Diversity awards are primarily defined by students of underrepresented origin or ethnicity, but may also be applied based on gender, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical disability, or other broadly defined diversity traits.
George P. Smith, II Fellowship (LLM, MCL)
George P. Smith, II, an internationally recognized scholar, lecturer, and professor emeritus of law, received his undergraduate and JD degrees from Indiana University. He also received an honorary doctorate in law from IU in 1998 and was inducted into the Law School’s elite Academy of Law Alumni Fellows in 2007. In 2008, a fellowship in the LLM program was created in his honor. The fellowship is available to students pursuing a Master of Laws degree (LLM) at the Maurer School of Law, with a preference for a student who is a citizen from any of the 53 countries that make up the British Commonwealth. The number of recipients and amount of scholarship funds will be determined by the school’s Scholarship Committee.
Partner institutions and organization scholarships (LLM, MCL, SJD)
We have established formal and informal partnerships with universities and higher education organizations around the world to assist graduate students in continuing their legal education at the Maurer School of Law. If you are a current or past student of one of our partner institutions or working with a partner organization such as Fulbright, IIE, EdUSA, FUNED, COLFUTURO, or others, you may be eligible for a scholarship of up to 50 percent of tuition. Because our list of partners is constantly expanding, please check with your university’s law department, or the local education organization you are working with, to inquire about an existing partnership with the Law School. If one does not exist, encourage them to reach out to us to discuss the possibilities.
Third-party fellowships and scholarships
The following third-party funding sources may also provide options for Indiana Law graduate students:
- American Association of University Women Educational Foundation
- Australian Federation of Graduate Women Inc. (AFGW)
- DAAD Scholarships for German Citizens
- Foundation Center - Has a free tutorial for students seeking scholarships
- Ford Foundation International Fellowships Program (IFP)
- Fulbright Commission
- Fulbright Grants for Israeli Students
- Fulbright Grants for Students from Turkey
- Fulbright Program for Students from the Middle East and North Africa
- Fundação Estudar (Scholarships for Brazilian students)
- Indiana University’s GradGrants Center - Provides specific information about grants and scholarships available to graduate students at IU.
- Institute for International Education (IIE) Web site
- Inter-American Foundation - funds fellowships for students from Latin America and the Caribbean who have a specific interest in the issues of poverty and development
- Graduate Women International
- Japanese Association of University Women
- Kosciuszko Foundation Fellowships & Grants for Polish Citizens
- Open Society Institute
- Organization of Istanbul Armenians Scholarship
- P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship Fund for Women
- Post Grad Solutions Study Bursaries
- World Bank Scholarship Program
Domestic student financial assistance
To qualify for federal student aid, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- Be a US citizen or eligible non-citizen of the United States (i.e. US permanent resident).
- Be enrolled at least half-time in an eligible program as a degree-seeking student
- Have repaid any financial aid for which you were not eligible.
- Have made satisfactory arrangements to pay off any defaulted student loan.