TOEFL All applicants except those who earned their first law degree entirely in English in an English-speaking country must take the TOEFL iBT or the paper-based TOEFL and the Test of Written English (TWE) by our admission deadline (February 1, 2018). If you successfully completed an English language taught (not research-based) LL.M. program in an English speaking country within the last two years, you may request a waiver of the TOEFL by sending an email to the Office of Graduate Legal Studies at gls@law.columbia.edu. The minimum scores required for admission are: * TOEFL iBT: 105 overall score, with 26 on Reading and Listening sections and 24 on the Speaking and Writing sections; * Paper-based TOEFL: 620 overall score, with 59/60 on the Structure/Writing and Reading sections, 60/61 on the Listening section, and 5.0 on the TWE. IELTS We do not accept the IELTS or any other exam in place of the TOEFL.

PS Your Personal Statement should describe your background, academic and research interests, and professional goals. You should prepare this statement without assistance from others. The format of the statement should not exceed three double-spaced pages using a 12-point font with standard margins. We will not accept a résumé or curriculum vitae in place of the statement. CV You must submit a résumé or curriculum vitae for consideration as part of your application. Fee You must submit an application fee of U.S. $85 with your application. This fee is nonrefundable and will not be credited against your tuition. The fee must be paid by credit card (Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover) before you can submit your online application through LSAC. RL We require two original letters of recommendation from your law school professors, employers, supervisors, or other persons qualified to appraise your academic potential for doctoral level research and writing. At least one letter should come from a law school professor. While we prefer to receive only two letters, occasionally, J.S.D. candidates will have good reason to submit additional letters which speak to the applicant’s ability to conduct doctoral level research and writing. If you are submitting additional letters, they must be submitted through LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service by the application deadline. Please note, however, that your application will be considered complete as soon as we have received two letters in your CAS report from LSAC. Transcript You must submit an official transcript and, where applicable, a diploma or proof of degree from all postsecondary (university level) institutions you have attended, whether or not you earned a degree. If you are unable to submit original documents to LSAC, you may submit certified copies. If the originals are not in English, you must submit an official, certified translation of each document in addition to the original document. If you are in school at the time you submit your application, submit your most recent transcript, and send an updated one to LSAC once your fall grades are available. We strongly prefer but do not require the International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service in addition to the basic CAS service; it is up to you whether you select the evaluation service.