Purpose of the Program  

Georgetown University Law Center offers a comprehensive selection of graduate level law courses.  Lawyers who wish to deepen or broaden their legal knowledge without enrolling in an LL.M. degree program may do so by taking courses on a space-available basis.  To be considered for acceptance into this program, students must hold a Juris Doctor or LL.M. degree from an ABA approved law school with at least a C+ cumulative grade point average.  Students who do not have a U.S. law degree but who have a law degree from outside the U.S. will be considered on a case by case basis.  Students accepted into the non-degree program are not candidates for a graduate degree.

Enrollment Restrictions

Non-degree students may enroll in a total of no more than four graduate courses or 8 credit hours, with no more than two courses per semester. Non-degree students must satisfy the same academic requirements and abide by the same Law Center rules and policies as candidates for graduate degrees.

Non-degree students are not eligible to enroll in Juris Doctor level courses unless they are Georgetown University Law Center graduates. Non-degree students cannot enroll in J.D. first year or clinical courses, nor can they enroll in a program of Graduate Independent Research.

Enrollment in any cross-listed course (courses that have separate J.D. and Graduate sections) are by approval of the Associate Dean of Graduate Programs.

Students in the non-degree program who subsequently apply for and are accepted into a degree program, will be awarded up to 8 academic credits for course work with a C or better completed at the Law Center during the two years immediately preceding the student's entry into the degree program. The period of study allowed for completion of the LL.M. will be reduced by one semester for every 4 academic credits of non-degree course work counted under this rule.

Note: Enrollment is on a space–available basis with enrollment priority given to degree candidates.

It is also possible for students in this program to audit classes. The decision to audit classes must be conveyed in writing to the Office of the Registrar before the start of the exam period. Students in this program who decide to exercise this option cannot participate in the exam process.

Application Process

Students are required to have their degree-granting institution forward an official final transcript showing their Juris Doctor or LL.M. degree and date awarded directly to the Office of the Registrar. If you previously participated in the Non-degree program but have not taken classes since the 2004 Fall Semester, you are still required to have your law school forward an official transcript as any previous copy that you sent would no longer be on file with our office. To be admitted, a cumulative grade-point average of C+ or better in the Juris Doctor or LL.M. degree program is required. If a Georgetown Law course has a prerequisite listed, you must have completed that prerequisite or request that the professor teaching the course waive the prerequisite in writing. After your transcript and application form have been reviewed, then a response will be sent to you by email. A final decision on admission cannot be made until all supporting documents, including the official transcript, have been received and evaluated.

Foreign Students

Applicants who are not native English speakers must submit a TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) score of 600 or above. (A score of 250 or above is required on the computer-based TOEFL.) Foreign applicants will be admitted only where it is clear that their education and experience are compatible with full participation in the course(s) requested.

To enroll in non-degree courses at the Georgetown Law, you must hold an entry visa status that allows part-time study in the United States. Some entry visa types allow part-time or non-degree coursework and others do not. E.g., G-4 and H1B permit enrollment while a B-1/B-2 status does not. Non-degree applicants who hold other entry visa status can phone or email the Visa Coordinator for clarification prior to submitting a non-degree application to the Office of the Registrar.

Non-degree applicants should submit a copy of their most recent I-94 card with their application to Indira Dingledine, Visa Coordinator, in Suite 6000 Hotung of the Law Center.

email img4@law.georgetown.edu

phone (202) 662 9319

fax (202 662 9487

Registration Process

The Online Curriculum Guide for the 2008 Fall Semester Graduate Division courses can be found by going to https://www.law.georgetown.edu/registrar/prereg/and then clicking on the link labeled "Fall 2008: Graduate programs schedule". This takes you to pages that display the schedule of courses including course numbers and exam schedule dates. Clicking on the course name takes you to a description of the course. The explanation of the abbreviations in this schedule is available through a link labeled "Explanation of schedule abbreviations" which can also be found at https://www.law.georgetown.edu/registrar/prereg/. There are other useful resources available on this page.

Once you are registered for your course(s) there are restrictions on what will be refunded to you if you subsequently decide to withdraw. Please review carefully the section below entitled "Withdrawal After Enrollment" as it specifies the refunds to which are entitled if you decide to withdraw.

Tuition and Fees

Non-degree tuition for the 2008-2009 Academic year is $1,710.00 per credit-hour.  There is also a $75.00 non-refundable application fee. Your application fee should be paid as part of your tuition and should not be paid separately. Non-degree students may pay tuition by cash, check, bank wire transfer, or by third party billing authorization.  For questions regarding tuition and payment options you should contact the Office of Student Accounts by phone, (202) 662-9057 or online https://www.law.georgetown.edu/finaff/studaccts/.

Financial Aid

Non-degree students are not eligible for federal funds under federal law, and their enrollment in the Non-degree program will not defer payment of prior federal loans. Eligibility for commercial loans is also limited. Please address your questions in this area to our Financial Aid Office at (202) 662-9210.

WITHDRAWAL AFTER ENROLLMENT:  If your plans change and you decide not to attend classes, you must submit written notice of withdrawal to the Office of the Registrar in order for your tuition charges to be cancelled and any appropriate refund to be processed. (See schedule below.)

Notice of withdrawal to any office other than the Office of the Registrar does not constitute sufficient notice for refund/credit purposes. The refund schedule is as follows:

Prior to first day of academic semester ................100%

1st or 2nd week of academic semester...................80%

3rd or 4th week of academic semester...................50%

5th or 6th week of academic semester...................25%

After 6th week of academic semester..................... 0%

Written notice must be received in the Office of the Registrar on or before the date indicated. The above refund policy is strictly enforced to ensure fairness to all.

Immunization Requirements

District of Columbia law requires all students under the age of twenty-six on registration day to submit proof of immunization against polio, tetnus/diphtheria, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, and varicella. This is D.C. law and cannot be ignored. Any student who is required to submit medically acceptable proof of immunization and does not do so will have a $100.00 late immunization fee added to his or her student account. This form is available at http://www3.georgetown.edu/student-affairs/health/2007%20Immunization%20Form%20PDF.pdf

Identification Cards

GoCards (i.e., Georgetown Law picture ID cards) are necessary to enter McDonough Hall or the Williams Library. After you are registered, please telephone the GoCard Office (located in McDonough Hall, Room 133) at (202) 662-9056 to learn the hours of operation for having a GoCard picture ID made. No GoCard will be issued unless your student account is paid in full.

Bar Certification for Non-degree Units

The Law Center is approved by various state Bars for continuing legal education credits. If you wish to have the Law Center certify your enrollment, please consult with the Office of the Registrar at (202) 662-9220. 

Grades

Once all of your grades have been received, we will mail an official transcript to the address provided on your application. 

Please complete the online application and send any needed supporting documents to:

Colleen Grant
Registration & Audit Specialist
Office of the Registrar
Georgetown University Law Center
600 New Jersey Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 662-9226
Fax: (202) 662-9235

Revised November 3, 2008 (AG)