Applicants to Duke Law's LLM program may begin submitting applications on September 1. The application deadline for the LLM program is February 1.
To monitor your application status, visit the Applicant Status Online (ASO) link. Use your LSAC.org credentials to log in. The status checker has the most recent information available and will be updated when there is new information to report.
The application review process includes a thorough evaluation of a candidate's performance in previous law studies. Also of special significance are the applicant's professional experience, areas of special interest and expertise, professional and personal goals, strong letters of recommendation and English proficiency. To be eligible for admission to the LLM program, applicants must hold a first degree in law - the JD, LLB, or the equivalent - from an accredited or comparably recognized foreign law school or law faculty program.
Although the application deadline is February 1 for the LLM program, candidates are encouraged to apply as early as possible. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis beginning in December. A rolling basis means that applications are considered until the class is full. Admission to the LLM program is for fall semester only.
Applicants must select one of the two following options for submitting materials to Duke Law: electronically via LSAC, OR in hard copy format via the Mail-In Option noted on the Application Checklist tab. Methods may not be combined.
Our preferred method for submitting application materials is electronically via LSAC (Law School Admission Council). Please visit the LSAC website for account access or to create a new account. Complete application instructions are available on the electronic application for the Duke Law LLM program.
You may also submit your application materials directly to our office. The application checklist allows you to investigate the options available for both application types. Please note that you must omit the box number
from the address if you plan to send application materials via courier (DHL, FedEx, etc.) to the International Admissions office. Please note that we do not accept application materials submitted via e-mail.
Duke University is committed to encouraging and sustaining a learning and work community that is free from prohibited discrimination and harassment. Visit the Office of Institutional Equity's website at https://oie.duke.edu/ to learn more and review the full policy.
Have ETS submit your TOEFL score report to Duke – institution code 5156, department code 03
Have the British Council forward your IELTS score to the International Studies Office.
The following items are required to complete your application for LLM program admission. Application files will not be evaluated until all required items have been received. Applicants will receive an e-mail with login and password information to check the status of their application. Please note that e-mails are not sent indicating the completion of application files.
| Application & Certification Form | Transcripts |
| Fee | Recommendation Letters |
| Resume | TOEFL / IELTS Score Report |
| Personal Statement | Scholarship Request Letter (if applicable) |
The recommended application deadline for the LLM program is February 1. We encourage the submission of application and supporting material as early as possible.
Our preferred method for submitting application materials for the LLM program is electronically via LSAC (Law School Admission Council). Please visit the LSAC website for account access or to create a new account. Complete application instructions are available on the electronic application for the Duke Law LLM program.
You may also submit your application materials in hard copy form directly to the International Admissions office (address below). Please note that you must omit the box number from our mailing address if you plan to send application materials via courier (DHL, FedEx, etc.). Please note that we do not accept application materials submitted electronically via e-mail.
If you apply electronically through LSAC, you must pay by credit card. The application fee is waived for individuals applying directly to Duke Law via mail-in application.
Please submit a resume with your application. If you apply via LSAC, use the electronic attachment.
You are required to submit a 2-5 page personal statement. The personal statement should include your professional and educational experience, special areas of interest, previous international experience, and any other information that supports your application. Please let us know if there is a special reason for applying to Duke Law School, such as family or friends who are living in North Carolina, a spouse or significant other with admission to a nearby school, or who is also applying to the LLM program.
All written product must be your own work. This means that the ideas and expressions originated with you, and you wrote all drafts and the final product without the assistance of generative artificial intelligence. It does not preclude asking family members, friends, and others for proofreading assistance or general feedback.
A minimum of two letters of recommendation should be submitted on behalf of the LLM applicant. Unless you have been out of school for some time, at least one letter should come from an academic instructor who has personal knowledge of your performance and potential. A second letter should come from someone who can address your professional and work-related accomplishments, interpersonal skills, leadership, and involvement, such as a supervisor or advisor from a job, internship, or student organization. Additional letters from either source may also be submitted. If you have been out of school for long enough that an academic reference is not available, you may submit an employment letter in its place. Applicants may submit up to four recommendation letters through LSAC. Please submit any additional letters of recommendation directly to the International Studies Admission Office.
Transcripts for all previously attended academic institutions must be submitted.
Applying via LSAC: If applying via LSAC, applicants must utilize the Credential Assembly Service (CAS). Purchase of the Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service offered by LSAC is optional. Please follow all LSAC instructions for transcript submission.
Applying via the Mail-In option: Applicants may submit original transcripts (or certified copies) either 1) with their application materials, or 2) have their transcripts submitted electronically to international@law.duke.edu directly from their university. All transcripts not in English must include a professional translation containing the seal or signature of a professional translator. An explanation of the grading system should be included.
TOEFL / IELTS Score Report
Register for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) at least two months before the examination is given. As it may take time for score results to reach Duke, it is advisable to take the test as soon as possible. Scores must be less than two years old from the date the application is received to be considered valid.
TOEFL and IELTS score results for applicants utilizing LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) will automatically be included in the report. Students admitted to graduate study normally have scores of at least 100 on the TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT), and 7.0 on the IELTS test.
Candidates who are native English speakers or who have received degrees of at least three years in length from a university where English is the medium of instruction and where English is an official language of the country, may be exempt from this requirement. All other applicants must submit test scores to complete the application process.
Candidates who believe their academic and professional backgrounds qualify them to be considered for a Duke Law scholarship must submit a scholarship request letter with their LLM applications. Applicants’ admissibility to Duke and applicants’ scholarship requests are considered separately, and scholarship decisions will generally be made after an applicant has already been admitted.
The scholarship letter should specify the following: (1) whether an applicant expects to receive sponsorship support from an external source such as governmental agency, employer, a foundation or another third party; (2) what, if any, family and/or personal funds the applicant intends to use to cover their graduate study and living expenses at Duke Law School; (3) amount of scholarship support requested; and (4) the reasons the applicant believes they qualify for financial assistance, merit or need-based. Reasons could include, for example, an outstanding previous academic record and/or a commitment to a legal career in academia or the public interest. English language ability is also a factor in scholarship consideration. Scholarships are granted on a competitive basis for students who demonstrate exceptional merit and/or significant need.
Admission to Duke's graduate law programs is highly competitive and depends to a great extent on the demonstration of outstanding performance in previous law studies. Also of special significance are the applicant's professional experience, areas of special interest and expertise, professional and personal goals, strong letters of recommendation, and English proficiency. The Law School benefits from a student body that represents a broad range of experiences and interests. It is often helpful to indicate reasons for interest in an LLM degree in general and Duke Law School in particular, especially as they relate to an applicant's specific experience. The application review process generally begins in December, and decisions are made throughout the following months.