How to Apply
2013 Foreign Language Evaluation Form
Applications for the GLS Program must be received before the deadline to apply for admission to the Law Center. Selections into the GLS Program are made from among those applicants who have been admitted to Georgetown Law.
The only concrete prerequisites for admission to the GLS Program are a genuine desire to take full advantage of one of Georgetown Law's premier programs and a demonstrated proficiency in a language other than English (fluency in English is assumed). GLS students and alumni claim fluency or proficiency in a range of languages, most frequently French, Spanish, and Italian, and many of our Global Law Scholars speak more than two languages fluently. Over the years, conversations with GLS participants could be had in Arabic, Dutch, Mandarin, Korean, Hakka, Basque, Russian, Bulgarian, Persian (Farsi), Greek, Danish, Swahili, Serbo-Croatian, Romanian, Portuguese, Mooré, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Gujarati, Japanese, Shona, and Turkish.
Admission into the Program is competitive. However, there is no GLS “profile” other than proficiency in a second language, a commitment to excellence, and a demonstrated curiosity about the world beyond the borders of the United States.
Although most of our students were born in the United States, all have lived, studied, or worked outside the country. Many GLS students come to us from abroad, haling in recent years, for example, from China, Algeria, Austria, Ghana, Uruguay, Australia, the Ukraine, Turkey, Holland, Bulgaria, Serbia, Japan, and Korea. Some GLS students come to Georgetown directly from undergraduate or graduate school; others have returned to school after enjoying careers in international banking and journalism. GLS students have come to us after working for such diverse employers as the United Nations, the Inter-American Development Bank, the Coca-Cola Company, the U.S. Navy, an orphanage in Hong Kong, and the Boston Red Sox. The Program attracts students wishing to practice everything from national security law, to transnational corporate law, to international criminal law, and to international human rights or refugee law.
The Law Center is committed to the continuing success of the Global Law Studies Program. In furtherance of that commitment, we have a message for prospective applicants:
If you are prepared to devote time and energy to a special program focused on transnational and international law and practice, the GLS Program can provide a unique and enriching experience. Ultimately, the GLS Program is only as strong as the students it attracts. We believe that there is no more interesting, varied, talented, or committed group of students at the Law Center. We invite you to review the specific requirements of the Program described below, and encourage all those who meet the Program’s qualifications to consider applying.
Program participants are selected from applicants who have been admitted to the full time J.D. Program for the upcoming Fall semester. The GLS Application form is separate from (but must accompany) the J.D. application. Students must also submit a Foreign Language Evaluation form. Applications will not be reviewed until complete.
To be admitted to the program, prospective Global Law Scholars must be fluent in English and must demonstrate a proficiency in a second language. Oral proficiency is defined as the ability to speak in one's second language in a clearly participatory manner and with sufficient fluency and accuracy that the student will be able to discuss political, economic, and international issues. The necessary linguistic skills include the ability to narrate and describe with paragraph-length connected discourse in past, present, and future time frames.
Global Law Scholars are selected from the qualifying applicant pool based upon their prior academic records, personal and professional goals, and proven commitment to a career in international law or policy. Such a commitment is often evidenced by applicants' prior internships, study abroad, and work or volunteering experiences. Late applications for the GLS Program cannot be accepted.
