The Admissions Committee received over 8,500 applications for the Fall 2010 entering class of 265.
To be accepted, you must have a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, or be enrolled in a course of study that will result in the award of a baccalaureate degree before you commence study at BU Law.

Campus Visits

The Admissions Committee invites you to visit BU Law, attend a class and talk with students and staff. During the academic year, there are tours of the School of Law led by current students. Tour schedules are available on our website: www.bu.edu/law/prospective/jd/visit/. To attend a first-year class or to meet with an admissions counselor, please contact the Admissions Office at 617-353-3100 or bulawadm@bu.edu.

Recruiting Calendar

Throughout the year, representatives from 波士顿大学 School of Law travel the country to meet potential law school applicants. View our recruiting calendar for an event in your state, www.bu.edu/law/prospective/jd/recruiting/index.shtml.

Application Instructions

Applications may be submitted beginning September 1 and the deadline to apply is March 1, 2011. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

• A complete application file consists of:
• Application for admission
• $75 Application fee
• An official Credential Assembly Service (CAS) report
• Two letters of recommendation
• Personal statement
• Résumé

Inaccuracy in any statement may result in revocation of an offer of admission, dismissal from BU Law, cancellation of courses, denial of certificates of attendance, or revocation of any degrees that may have been granted.

Application for Admission

BU Law only accepts applications that have been submitted online via the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). LSAC will then send both the electronic and printed versions of your application to us. You can view the BU Law application on our website, www.bu.edu/law/apply.

If you have any updates to your application—such as a change of address—you can email them to the Admissions Office. Please note it is critical to keep all of your contact information, mailing address, and email address up-to-date throughout the application cycle.

波士顿大学 School of Law
Admissions Office
765 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215
bulawadm@bu.edu

Application Fee

A $75 nonrefundable application fee is required of applicants. You may pay by credit card when applying electronically, or if you prefer, you may send a check or money order to the BU Law Admissions Office, payable to 波士顿大学, with the signed Certification Letter accessible on the online application form.

Law School Admission Council Credential Assembly (CAS) Report

All applicants must register with the LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service (CAS) during the current processing year. To register with CAS, contact:

Law School Admissions Services
www.LSAC.org
215-968-1001

Transcripts

The CAS facilitates applications to more than one law school. A transcript from each college or university attended must be sent directly to LSAC, not BU Law. LSAC will produce a CAS report with LSAT scores and recalculated GPA. Copies of the report with your transcripts will then be sent to all law schools that request them. If you have a graduate degree or are pursuing a graduate degree, those transcripts may be submitted through LSAC or directly to BU Law.

Accepted applicants will be asked later to submit their official final transcripts showing the award of a baccalaureate degree and each higher degree earned. Final transcripts, when requested, should be sent directly to the BU Law Registrar’s Office.

Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

All applicants must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). The February 2011 administration is the last acceptable test date for candidates seeking admission to the 2011 entering class. Applicants whose test date precedes October 2006 must retake the exam. If an applicant has taken the test more than once, the Admissions Committee will view all test dates and scores, with the highest score considered in admission review.

Two Letters of Recommendation

Ideally, each letter should come from someone who has taught you in a substantive college or postgraduate course. Given that two-thirds of the incoming class takes time between the undergraduate career and law school, the Admissions Committee acknowledges that it may be difficult to request a letter from an undergraduate professor as years pass. In these instances, it is acceptable to submit letters from employers. The Admissions Committee values letters from people who are able to provide a thoughtful, thorough and candid assessment of your academic ability and potential for success in law study. You may submit up to four letters of recommendation. However, your application may go to the Admissions Committee for review with the first two letters received.

BU Law accepts letters of recommendation sent through the LSAC letter-of-recommendation service that is part of the CAS registration subscription. LSAC will copy your letters and send them to us with your CAS report. To use this service, follow the directions for submitting letters outlined online at www.lsac.org/Applying/letters-of-recommendation.asp. If you are not using the CAS service for your recommendations, you may use the recommendation forms that are found on our online application via LSAC or the BU Law website. Complete the top portion of the forms and send the forms to your recommenders. Recommenders should send their letters directly to BU Law in envelopes that they have sealed and signed across the seal.

Federal legislation gives you right of access to letters of recommendation. You may waive this right (as provided on the form). Your waiver is not required as a condition for admission or for financial aid.

Personal Statement

Your personal statement should discuss the significant personal, social, or academic experiences that have contributed to your decision to study law. Most personal statements are approximately two double-spaced pages long.

Optional Essay

In addition to your personal statement, you may wish to provide another essay. This essay is your opportunity to discuss any aspect of your background or life experience that you believe will enhance your ability to contribute to the diverse BU classroom experience and community.

Résumé

A current résumé is required of all applicants. The résumé should reflect all full-time and part-time employment, both paid and unpaid, and all extracurricular activities and honors. There is no required length for the résumé. Occasionally, the Admissions Committee will request further clarification of an applicant’s activities.

Prior Law School Attendance

If you have ever been enrolled in a JD, or other first-year law program, you must provide BU Law with a letter of good standing from that institution. You should also include an explanation of why you are not continuing with the prior program.

Applicants Who Have Previously Applied to BU Law

If you have previously applied to 波士顿大学 Law, you must complete a new application online via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). You must pay the $75 application fee, submit a new CAS report, personal statement and résumé. The Admissions Office keeps three years of applications on file and will supplement your current file with archived documents if re-application occurs within this timeframe.

Deposit after Acceptance

If you are notified of acceptance on or before April 1, you will be required to submit a nonrefundable tuition deposit of $300 postmarked by April 15 to reserve your place in the Class of 2014.

Applicants accepted after April 1 will be required to submit the deposit of $300 and other materials postmarked by the date specified in the acceptance letter.

A second tuition deposit of $500 will be due postmarked by June 1. Tuition deposits are credited to your student account when you matriculate at BU Law.

Dean’s Certification

Upon admission to the School of Law, the certification of a dean or administrative officer in charge of students at the degree-granting undergraduate college or university is required. We anticipate that in many cases the dean will not know the applicant personally and will base his or her recommendation on information in school records.

The Dean’s Certification Form will be sent to the admitted student with the acceptance letter. The Dean’s Certification Form must be forwarded to the dean or administrative officer at the degree-granting undergraduate institution, completed and then mailed directly to the BU Law Admissions Office in an envelope that has been sealed and signed across the seal.

In conformity with licensing standards, the issues of a disciplinary record (or absence of one) must be directly and explicitly addressed in writing. If it is not the policy of the institution to report on disciplinary action, a statement to that effect will be sufficient. Information from the Dean’s Certification may result in the rescinding of the offer of admission to the School of Law.

Diversity

BU Law values and recognizes the importance of diversity. An ethnically, socio-economically and otherwise diverse class is essential to the education of each student. As a producer of leaders in legal practice, government or other public service, academia, and business, BU Law continues its long-standing tradition of providing opportunities for persons of all backgrounds and providing the excellent training to which a diverse classroom is indispensable.

Students with Disabilities

BU Law welcomes students with disabilities. If you believe that a disability significantly influenced your GPA, LSAT, or other credentials, you are invited to include information regarding your disability in an addendum to your application. (It is not mandatory that this information be provided; any information that is provided will be kept confidential.) The Law School Admissions Council provides accommodated testing for the LSAT. Interested candidates should contact the LSAC directly.

波士顿大学 Disability Services will assist law students who require academic or other accommodations. Disability Services can be reached at 617-353-3658 or at access@bu.edu.

Requirements for Admission to the Bar

If you plan to seek admission to the bar following law school, we urge you to research the state bar requirements before you enter law school. To secure information regarding character and other qualifications, contact the Board of Bar Examiners in each state in which you plan to practice.

Deferred Admission

Admitted students may be granted a one-year deferral of admission, but the number of deferrals granted is limited. Applicants must detail in writing their reasons for requesting a deferral. Deferral requests are considered on a case-by-case basis. Admitted students are encouraged to submit requests in writing by June 1. Admitted students who defer must still submit a deposit to hold their seat for the class in the year in which they intend to enroll.

Admitted students whose petitions for deferral are denied must repeat the application process in order to be considered for admission the following year.

Applicants Who Received Their Undergraduate Degrees Outside of the U.S.

Applicants who received their undergraduate degrees outside of the United States or Canada are required to submit their foreign transcripts to the LSAC Credential Assembly Service for authentication and evaluation. For information about this process please consult LSAC: www.lsac.org/Applying/lsdas-jdcas-educated-outside.asp.

Applicants who received their undergraduate educations outside of the United States or Canada, or whose undergraduate educations in the United States or Canada were conducted in a language other than English, are required to submit a score from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) taken within two years of the date of application. Successful applicants usually score at least 250 on the computer-based test, or 100 on the Internet-based test. TOEFL scores may be submitted through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service or directly to 波士顿大学 School of Law.

The TOEFL is not required if your undergraduate degree was conducted primarily in English in Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, South Africa, or New Zealand. Undergraduate educations conducted in English in any other country do not qualify applicants for an exemption to the TOEFL requirement. A graduate degree conducted primarily in English does not automatically qualify an applicant for a TOEFL waiver.

Exceptions from these requirements are considered on a case-by-case basis. We encourage foreign applicants to complete their applications before January 1. Requests for TOEFL waivers should be made as early as possible in the application process, so that applicants who are not granted waivers will still have time to take the TOEFL.

Applying for Advanced Standing

Subject to the regulations of the American Bar Association, BU Law may admit graduates of foreign law schools and allow credit for studies at foreign law schools. Foreign law graduates apply for admission as described above. Decisions about whether or not credit will be given for prior coursework will be made after an admitted student makes a commitment to attend BU Law. For more information about this process please contact the Admissions Office directly.

Transfer Students

Each fall, we welcome students who have transferred to BU Law after successfully completing one year of a JD program at an ABA-accredited law school. When making admissions decisions, primary importance is placed on an applicant’s law school GPA, class rank, and the rigor of the law school attended. Successful applicants generally rank in the top 25% of their first-year law school.

A transfer application consists of:

• The online transfer application accessible via the LSAC website, available on March 1, including a personal statement
• $75 application fee
• An original Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Law School Report
• Dean’s Certification from the applicant’s undergraduate school
• Letter of good standing from the applicant’s law school
• Law School transcript for all completed coursework
• Law school class rank, or a letter from the law school indicating that the law school does not rank its students
• Two letters of recommendation, at least one of which should be from one of the applicant’s first-year law school professors
• Résumé

The Admissions Committee will not review an application until it receives a law school transcript that contains all first-year grades. The deadline for transfer applications is June 15. BU Law must receive all supporting documentation (including transcripts) by August 1. BU Law grants a maximum of 30 transfer credits, the equivalent of our first-year curriculum. Part-time students are eligible to apply to transfer to BU Law. However, in order to apply as a transfer student, the applicant should have completed coursework substantially similar to BU Law’s first year curriculum: www.bu.edu/law/prospective/jd/first/curriculum.html

Transferring from the BU Law LLM in American Law Program

A student enrolled in the BU Law LLM in American Law Program may apply to the JD program as a transfer student during the spring semester of the LLM year. If admitted, you may receive up to 30 credits from the LLM studies towards the JD degree, consistent with American Bar Association standards. This means you may be able to complete the JD program with two additional years of study. Transfer students who matriculate into the JD program need to complete all the program’s requirements. To apply, you will need to follow the transfer application instructions detailed above, including taking the LSAT. For fall semester transfer candidates, application forms and fees are due to the Office of JD Admissions by June 15 and completed files with all supporting documentation are due by August 1. LLM students may take the LSAT as late as June for fall enrollment.

Five-Year Completion Rule

Students are required to complete the JD program within five years of its commencement (including any leaves of absence). Please review the Academic Regulations handbook for the Juris Doctor Program: www.bu.edu/law/central/jd/academic/.

Visiting Students

Students at other law schools who wish to spend a semester or a year at BU Law as visiting students can obtain a Visiting Student Application from our website. Visiting students may not transfer to degree status.

Application Instructions

To complete your application, you must provide us with the materials described below. All of the attached forms may also be printed from our website at www.bu.edu/law/prospective/apply/llm. You should keep a copy of all materials you submit to us, since we cannot return or copy any part of your application. We also cannot return original transcripts after we receive them.

1. Application for Admission. We recommend that you complete the online application form at www.bu.edu/law/prospective/apply/llm. Alternatively, you may complete and sign the application form included with these materials, or download the paper forms from the admissions page of our website. Use additional sheets of paper if necessary to give complete answers to any of the questions on the application form.
2. Application Fee. Payment of a nonrefundable application fee of U.S. $75 must accompany the application. Online applicants may pay this fee by credit card only. Other applicants may pay the fee in the form of a money order or check in U.S. dollars, made payable to 波士顿大学.
3. 交流
4. Two Letters of Recommendation. You must submit two letters of recommendation from individuals who are well acquainted with your academic or professional abilities. At least one must be from a former law professor; the other should be from a law professor, a law school administrator or an employment supervisor. A recommendation form, which you may photocopy, is provided with these application materials. You should ask each recommender to enclose the recommendation form and letter in an envelope, seal the envelope, sign it across the seal and return it to you to be submitted, unopened, with the other application materials. (If a recommender prefers, he or she may mail the recommendation directly to us, and you should indicate on the application form that the recommender is doing so.) If you are currently a 波士顿大学 School of Law student, you need submit only one letter of recommendation from a 波士顿大学 School of Law professor.
5. Personal Statement of Interest. A carefully worded and detailed personal statement of interest is an important part of your application. You should discuss your personal and professional reasons for pursuing the LLM degree. You should also include an explanation of your study interests and their relation to your previous study, employment experiences and professional goals.
6. Curriculum Vitae. Please enclose your curriculum vitae or résumé as a separate item, not as a substitute for your personal ­statement.
7. LSAT Scores. If you have taken the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), you must list on the application form each time you took the test and the scores you received. (We do not require the LSAT, GRE or other standardized test results.)
8. International Student Data Form. If you are not a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, you must complete the International Student Data Form, which is included in the application materials, and provide the appropriate financial declaration and documentation as described in the form. Applications cannot be processed unless complete financial documentation is ­submitted.

Proof of English Language Proficiency

(applicants whose native language is not English)

Applicants whose first language is not English must take one of the following language exams to demonstrate their English competency:

• TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)
• ILEC (International Legal English Certificate)
• IELTS (International English Language Testing System)

LLM students must have a high degree of proficiency in speaking, reading, writing and listening in the English language. When submitting score report requests for TOEFL /ILEC/IELTS, please use 9627 as the “Institution Code”. The code will be named “波士顿大学 School of Law LL.M. Programs”. Please enter Department Code 03 (for law schools). You also must indicate that your scores should be sent to:

波士顿大学 School of Law
LLM Admissions Office
765 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA 02215

TOEFL If taking the TOEFL exam, you must demonstrate proficiency in English by achieving a minimum score of 600 (paper-based) or 250 (computer-based) or 100 (internet-based). If you have taken the internet-based test, your scores on the individual sections should at a minimum be 25 (reading), 25 (listening), 25 (writing) and 23 (speaking). Candidates whose scores fall slightly below these minimums may still apply to the program, but may be asked to attend an intensive English language program prior to the commencement of law school studies. You should take the TOEFL as early as possible, preferably eight months or more before your anticipated admission. You must arrange for an official report of your TOEFL scores to be sent to us from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Information on TOEFL may be obtained from:

The Educational Testing Service
TOEFL/TSE Services
P.O. Box 6151
Princeton, NJ 08541-6151, USA
Telephone 609.771.7100
Fax 609.771.7500
Email: TOEFL@ets.org
Web site: www.toefl.org

ILEC If taking the ILEC exam, please visit the Verification of Results site, fill in the provided form, and then click the submit button to have your official ILEC scores sent directly to the LL.M. Admissions Office at 波士顿大学 School of Law. If taking the ILEC exam, you must demonstrate proficiency in English by achieving a minimum score of B2. Candidates who receive a score of B1 may still apply to the program, but may be asked to attend an intensive English language program prior to the commencement of law school studies. You should take the ILEC exam as early as possible, preferably eight months or more before your anticipated admission.

IELTS If taking the IELTS exam, you must demonstrate proficiency in English by achieving a minimum score of 7.0 across each band. Candidates who receive scores lower than 7.0 may still apply to the program, but may be asked to attend an intensive English language program prior to the commencement of law school studies. You should take the IELTS exam as early as possible, preferably eight months or more before your anticipated admission.

Note: Applicants whose native language is not English may be exempt from taking the TOEFL/ILEC/IELTS exams is he/she has received their first degree in law from a college or university in a country where both the language of instruction and the official language is English.

Application Deadlines:
LLM in American Law: April 15
LLM in Intellectual Property: April 15
LLM in Banking & Financial Law:

Enrollment:	Fall Semester	Spring Semester
Domestic Students:	June 30
Domestic Students:		November 30
International Students:	May 31
International Students:		October 31

LLM in Taxation:

Enrollment:	Fall Semester	Spring Semester
Domestic Students:	July 31
Domestic Students:		November 30
International Students:	May 31
International Students:		October 31

Please mail your completed application materials to:

波士顿大学 School of Law
Graduate & International Programs Office
765 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 1534
Boston, MA 02215
617-353-5323
Fax: 617-358-2720
bullm@bu.edu
www.bu.edu/law

Additional Program Information:

• LLM in American Law
• LLM in Intellectual Property Law
• LLM in Banking & Financial Law
• LLM in Taxation