How to Apply to U.S. Law Schools from Abroad

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By bostonienne
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Apply to U.S. Law Schools from Abroad

Whether you are an American living abroad or an international applicant, applying to law schools from outside the U.S. can seem daunting. Learn how to navigate the confusing application process and have a successful application cycle!

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

An account with LSAC
2 or more Letters of Recommendation
Academic Transcripts
LSAT Score
Personal Statement
Resume

Step 1

Register for the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS) at lsac.org. LSAC will be the liaison between you and the schools to which you apply, compiling all of your information into a report and sending it to your schools. LSAC also oversees the mandatory Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).
Step 2

Sign up for the LSAT at least one month before the test. All U.S. law schools require this challenging exam, and it is offered worldwide, so check LSAC for the test center nearest you. In Europe, for instance, you could take the LSAT in London, Paris, Madrid, Moscow, Munich or Rome. Take the LSAT no later than December if you are applying for the following Fall semester. You will receive your score via email approximately three weeks after the exam.
Step 3

Leave plenty of time to study for the LSAT. This can be done on your own (with books like PowerScore's Logic Games Bible and Logical Reasoning Bible) or with the help of a prep course. LSAT prep books can be hard to find in European bookstores but are easily available on online. Depending on your starting point, you may need between one and three months of prep time -- so start taking practice exams under timed conditions early!
Step 4

Ask two or three people for Letters of Recommendation. These should be university professors who know you well and can talk about your academic achievements. If you have been out of school for several years, you might want to include a letter from your supervisor at work, but most schools want to see at least one "academic" letter, too.
Step 5

Request official transcripts from any colleges or universities you attended, and have these universities forward the transcripts directly to LSAC. LSAC will process them and include them in its report to law schools. In the LSDAS report, LSAC will also recalculate GPA according to its own rules. For more on how this LSDAS GPA calculation works, check out the article in the links section below.
Step 6

Write a Personal Statement. Schools want to know more about you, so your motivations, background, challenges, and desire to go to law school might all be relevant. Be sure to tailor your statement to each school you apply to; some have page limits or specific prompts to write about, while others are more open-ended with their requests.
Step 7

Fill out applications online through LSAC. Review each application's instructions carefully, and be sure to include an up-to-date copy of your resume, your personal statement, the application fee, and any other addenda requested by the law school. Visit the law schools' websites for more ideas; since you likely cannot visit campus when living abroad, this might be your best method to get a sense of what schools you would like to attend. Proofread carefully before submitting.
Step 8

Begin financial aid paperwork (such as FAFSA) while waiting for schools to make a decision on your application. You might need to submit this to a school before receiving an acceptance.
Step 9

Law schools will often email you to inform you that your application is "complete." It might take them up to 12 weeks to reach a decision. While prospective students applying from the U.S. may receive their decisions via telephone, those living abroad are more likely to find out the status of their application by mail or email.
Step 10

Accepted? Congratulations! If possible, try to arrange a visit to the schools you are considering before putting down a deposit. In reality, this is not always possible from abroad, so if you are conflicted about which school to choose and unable to visit, contact the admissions office and consider putting down deposits at multiple schools. Good luck!