Admissions Requirements
Is there a grade cutoff for admission?
No. However, although Georgetown does not use numerical cutoffs, only candidates with strong academic and personal credentials are encouraged to apply. The majority of accepted applicants are in the top third of their law school class and have a grade point average above 3.2. For applicants to specialized degree programs, grades in relevant courses are a factor. The Graduate Admissions Committee weighs non-quantifiable information to distinguish between applicants with similarly strong academic credentials, although personal information alone is seldom sufficient as a substitute for a strong academic record.
How many recommendations should I submit?
We ask for two letters of recommendation. One or both letters should be from law school faculty members who have personal knowledge of your academic work. If appropriate, employers may also provide recommendation letters.
Do I have to complete the Registrar's Certification Form?
Foreign-educated applicants who have registered with the LL.M. Credential Assembly Service do not need to have the Registrar's Certification Form filled out. All other applicants must submit the Registrar's Certification Form and your application file will not be considered complete until the form is received.
Do you require the test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL)?
If your native language is not English, you must take the TOEFL and achieve a score of at least 100 points on the internet-based TOEFL with minimum scores of 25 in each section, or 250 points on the computer-based TOEFL with minimum scores of 25 in each section, or 600 points on the paper-based TOEFL with minimum scores of 60 in each of the three sections, to be admitted to Georgetown Law.
May I request a waiver of the TOEFL?
In appropriate circumstances (normally the completion of an undergraduate or first law degree from an English-speaking country at a school where all courses were taught in English), the Graduate Admissions Committee will consider requests for a waiver of the TOEFL requirement. Any requests for a waiver of the TOEFL requirement must be made in writing and submitted along with your application. We generally do not grant waivers on the basis of another one-year LL.M. degree completed in an English-speaking country.
Do you accept any test of English other than a TOEFL?
Although the TOEFL is the preferred test of English proficiency, if circumstances are such that an applicant is unable to take the TOEFL test, the results of an IELTS test (academic module) taken within two years of the date of application may be submitted in place of the TOEFL. Applicants should have received an overall average score of 7.5 or higher, with a minimum of 7.0 in each section.
How long are TOEFL scores valid?
The Educational Testing Service (ETS) reports scores for up to two years.
Do you grant application fee waivers to graduate applicants?
No. In general, Georgetown Law does not grant fee waivers to those applying to our graduate programs. Fee waivers may, however, be granted for current Georgetown J.D. students applying for a joint degree program, current Georgetown LL.M. students applying for second LL.M.s, and current students studying at the Center for Transnational Legal Studies who wish to apply for the LL.M. program.
