English Requirements & Resources

• English Requirements

  Students in the LL.M. Program must be able to read and discuss in class difficult technical material. Those with serious language limitations will have difficulties coping with a new cultural, social, and academic environment, especially if they are enrolled in a discipline like law, which requires a very high level of English reading and writing proficiency.

  International applicants who are not native English speakers, or do not hold a law degree from an institution at which the primary language of instruction is English, are required to submit a Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score. International English Language Testing System (IELTS) scores will also be accepted, but are less desirable.

  TOEFL: UCLA School of Law prefers a score of at least 100 (for exams taken before January 21, 2026) or 5 (for exams taken on or after January 21, 2026). There is no score requirement for specific sections of the exam. Applicants with lower scores are still welcome to apply, but are strongly advised to re-take the exam in order to increase their likelihood of admission.

  For TOEFL information and registration instructions, visit https://www.ets.org/toefl. When registering for the exam, please enter institution code 8395 to ensure that your score report will be sent to LSAC. If prompted to enter UCLA's institution code, enter 4837 and department code 03.

  IELTS: Favorable consideration will be given to applicants who submit a TOEFL score. However, an overall IELTS score of at least 7.5 will also be viewed favorably. There are no score requirements for specific sections of the exam. Applicants with a lower score are strongly advised to take the TOEFL in order to increase their likelihood of admission.

  For IELTS information and registration instructions, visit https://www.ielts.org. When registering for (or at the start of) the exam, please indicate that you wish to have your score forwarded to LSAC for electronic download.

  Exemptions: International applicants whose native language is English, or who have earned a law degree from an institution at which the primary language of instruction is English, are not required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score. Graduates of U.S. J.D. programs are also exempt from the TOEFL/IELTS requirement.

• English Language Resources

  Law & Communication Intensive

  UCLA offers incoming LL.M. students an exciting opportunity to strengthen their English skills and prepare for law school before the regular academic year begins. The four-week Law & Communication Intensive (LCI) features a Law School English course taught by experts from UCLA Extension's American Language Center, and a U.S. Constitutional Law course taught by Professor Peter Reich, one of UCLA's most experienced instructors.

  The program is ideal for students who would like to make their workload during the school year more manageable, especially those who plan to take a U.S. bar exam. The Constitutional Law course, designed specifically for international students, will count toward the 22 units required to earn the LL.M. degree. It will also satisfy a course requirement for foreign-educated attorneys seeking to qualify for the New York and/or California bar exams.

  And while bolstering English skills and learning U.S. law are important aspects of the program, opportunities to explore southern California and network with LL.M. classmates will also abound! Each week, students will embark on a trip to visit a local landmark and practice their conversational English. Excursions include a tour of Catalina Island, a trial observation at a Los Angeles County courthouse, and a Dodgers baseball game.

  The LCI is designed for international students who have not previously studied, lived, or worked in an English-speaking environment. In particular, we hope that those whose native language is not Latin-based (and therefore quite different from English) will find that four weeks of language instruction and early immersion in U.S. law will build confidence and lead to a successful LL.M. year. Students granted admission to the LL.M. Program will receive instructions on how to enroll in the LCI.

  Dashew Center

  The Dashew Center for International Students & Scholars' (DCISS) Language Exchange program enables students and scholars at UCLA to request to be paired with a native speaker of the language they are learning to have one-on-one conversations, held at their convenience. This allows participants to practice and learn a language while also assisting/teaching others to learn their own native language in a collaborative and reciprocity-based format. Participation in the Language Exchange program is also free of charge and open to anyone. Contact intlprograms@saonet.ucla.edu with any questions about the program or or for more details on how and when to apply.

  Graduate Writing Center

  UCLA’s Graduate Writing Center (GWC) provides a variety of workshops and programs throughout the year to assist graduate and professional students with general writing matters as well as more specialized and targeted writing issues. The goal of the GWC is to help increase students’ skill level, confidence, and independence as writers, as well as to help them become effective writers and communicators in their academic and/or professional fields. Students may arrange individual writing consultations by appointment at no cost. To schedule an appointment, students should use the online reservation portal. The GWC also provides several writing resources, including tips on writing specifically for law and for ESL students.

  UCLA Summer ESL Program

  Although they are not typically available during the regular academic year, UCLA Summer ESL Program course offerings include a variety of courses to aid students in improving their pronunciation, fluency, writing skills, and more in English. The UCLA Registrar also indicates which ESL courses may be available during various academic quarters based on your selections for term and subject area.