The M.L.S. Core Classes are exclusively designed for and attended by M.L.S. students. In addition to several exclusive M.L.S. electives, M.L.S. students have over 200 advanced law courses to choose from as specialization courses or electives. These advanced law courses are taken alongside J.D., LL.M. and other UCLA graduate students.

In addition to the courses that are part of the core M.L.S. curriculum, more than 200 UCLA Law courses are open as electives to M.L.S. students. A small number of UCLA Law courses are not available to M.L.S. students because of American Bar Association restrictions, graduation and bar association requirements for J.D. and LL.M. graduates, and the fact that completion of prerequisites not available to M.L.S. students is necessary for some courses. Courses only offered to first-year J.D. students are not open to M.L.S. students. If you are concerned about being able to register for specific courses that do not satisfy a specialization requirement, please contact the M.L.S. office.

At this time, students may only earn one specialization.  However, students may either:

1. Elect General Studies, which allows flexibility on selection of specialization courses; or
2. Take additional units in whatever topic areas are of interest.

For specialization courses, yes! Within each specialization, student can choose from a list of classes each term that apply to their specialization. For those looking to overlap in more than one area of law, you may also consider either:

1. Electing General Studies, which allows flexibility on selection of specialization courses; or
2. Proposing a “self-designed” specialization.  This can be done for any topic area using courses already taught at UCLA Law.  

Students who wish to apply for admission to our graduate program are not required to take the GRE/GMAT/LSAT or submit a GRE/GMAT/LSAT score report as part of their application package. However, students may voluntarily submit GRE/GMAT/LSAT test scores and they will be reviewed as part of the holistic application consideration. The applications with GRE/GMAT/LSAT scores will not be given greater weight than those that do not include scores. 
 

UCLA Graduate Education has specific English language proficiency requirements that apply to U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents as well as international applicants. The requirements can be found at https://grad.ucla.edu/admissions/english-requirements. 

Absolutely! The M.L.S. program is designed for professionals in the private, nonprofit or government sectors who have a growth mindset and believe that deeper knowledge of the law can help them be more successful in their field. The program's admissions evaluation will give substantial weight to an applicant’s work experience and expertise.

Yes! This degree has helped graduates launch their career in a variety of industries. The admissions committee will look closely at your academic record and statement of purpose to determine what your goal and expectations are with this degree.

Only application finalists are contacted for an interview. 

Yes, the interview is a required component of the application. Finalists will complete short video questions that pertain to provided legal cases and a written component; no prior legal knowledge is necessary nor required.

The video assessment provides the opportunity to ensure each candidate receives a very similar interview experience. The written component provides applicants to showcase their analysis and writing.

Finally, the oral interview allows us to get to know you better outside of your submitted application.

Decisions are typically released 4-6 weeks from application submission.

International applicants who do not hold a bachelor's degree or higher 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.

Please note that TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for only two years. The scores must be valid at the time you submit your application. If you took the examination multiple times, only the most recent score is considered.

Exemptions: International applicants who 1) have earned a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited university located in the United States or in another country in which English is both the primary spoken language of daily life and the medium of instruction is English OR 2) have completed at least two years of full-time study at such institutions are not required to submit a TOEFL or IELTS score. 

English requirements and exemption criteria can be found at https://grad.ucla.edu/admissions/english-requirements. 

TOEFL: For admission, UCLA School of Law prefers a score of at least 96 on the Internet-based TOEFL, or 600 on the paper-based exam. (There is no score requirement for specific sections of the exam.) However, if your score is below a 100 on the Internet-based TOEFL, you will be required to take the ESLPE test at UCLA.  If your ESLPE score does not meet requisite levels you will be required to enroll in English language classes.  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 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 is no score requirement 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 UCLA School of Law Master of Legal Studies Program (mls@law.ucla.edu) and the UCLA Graduate Division.

Foreign language ability can fade quickly, so please note that TOEFL and IELTS scores are considered valid for only two years. The scores must be valid at the time you submit your application. If you took the examination multiple times, only the most recent score is considered.

Upload a copy of your test taker score report of either test to your application as a supplemental document. The test taker score report should include your full name, email, appointment number, and test date. 

The M.L.S. Office will then pull your official score report and upload to your application, so there is no need to have scores sent officially to us. 

Yes! If you are an admitted applicant who has not met UCLA's English language requirement for waiving the English Requirements for this examination, you must, upon arrival at UCLA, take the UCLA English as a Second Language Placement Examination (ESLPE). The ESLPE is an English diagnostic test. Depending on your results on the ESLPE, you may be required to complete English as a Second Language courses beginning in your first term at UCLA. If English courses are required, you should enroll in them right away, and you should also anticipate spending a longer period of time at the University.

Admission is canceled for those who do not pass the ESLPE.

View the UCLA Graduate Division's English Language Requirements.
 

If you accept UCLA's offer of admission, the UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars will email you instructions for applying for an I-20 form online. Along with your I-20 application, you will be required to submit electronic copies of your passport, as well as financial documentation which demonstrates that you possess the necessary funds to pay for the costs of tuition and living expenses. After receiving and processing these items, the Dashew Center will issue your I-20 form, and the law school will ship it to you.

After receiving the I-20 form, you must make an appointment at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in your country of residence in order to apply for an F-1 student visa to travel to the United States. Please make an appointment well in advance of the date you intend to travel to the United States, as some embassies and consulates take several weeks (or even months) to process visa requests.
 

Students without U.S. citizenship/residency are not eligible for federal aid via the FAFSA, but all applicants can apply for, and may receive, multiple M.L.S. scholarship awards in addition to external scholarships. Applicants are typically notified concurrently with their admission offer. 

Full-time M.L.S. students are eligible to apply for university housing designed for both single graduate students and those with families. Students can also choose to live off-campus in the neighborhoods of Westwood, West Los Angeles, Brentwood or Santa Monica to name a few. 

Please note that the outside funding organizations listed below are not affiliated with or endorsed by UCLA School of Law.

American Association of University Women (AAUW)
AAUW helps women around the globe break barriers and pursue their dreams of obtaining graduate degrees or making an impact in their communities. International fellowships are awarded for full-time study in the U.S. to women who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents in the amount of $18,000 (Master’s/First Professional Degree Fellowship).

Discover Student Loans
Discover offers fixed or variable interest rate private student loans to international students attending an eligible U.S. college or university, on the condition that international students provide a creditworthy cosigner who is a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

eduPASS
EduPASS provides financial aid information for international students who plan to pursue higher education in the U.S. This site presents information about how to calculate college costs, scholarships and loans for international students, and other tools and resources for financing education as a foreign student in the U.S.

Fulbright Foreign Student Program
The Fulbright Foreign Student Program brings citizens of other countries to the United States for Master’s degree or Ph.D. study at U.S. universities or other appropriate institutions. Foreign students apply for Fulbright Fellowships through the Fulbright Commission/Foundation or U.S. Embassy in their home countries.

internationalstudentloan.com
InternationalStudentLoan.com provides financial aid resources, articles, videos, and comparison tools to help students navigate their financial aid options. The site offers loan information for international students pursuing study in the U.S.

International Student Organization in the USA (ISO)
ISO provides a detailed list of organizations which offer scholarships and grants to international students based upon factors such as background and area of interest.

Part-Time and Full-Time Students can take the Core Curriculum either 1) Online OR 2) Hybrid:

• Online: Tuesday & Thursday evenings live online
• Hybrid: Tuesday evenings on campus & Thursday evenings live online

These courses are designed exclusively for M.L.S. students.

1. Introduction to American Law
2. Private Law: Property, Torts, and Contract
3. Public Law: Constitutional and Statutory Analysis
4. Legal Analysis and Communication
5. Business Law for Non-Lawyers OR The Civil Dispute Resolution System

Taken online only, the Capstone allows students to deeply engage with issues relevant to their career focus or intellectual interest. There are two ways to satisfy this requirement.

1. Capstone Seminar
   This course guides the student through a project applying the skills and knowledge gained in the program to a "real world" scenario. This is flexible, but could include a project at work or a project completed with professor guidance.
2. Seminar course
   There are several paper-based law courses which satisfy the capstone requirement.

PART-TIME STUDENT TIMELINE: YEAR 1

Acceptance: See here for application deadlines and decision release dates.

Connection: February-June - Optional online and in-person networking events, mixers, & Admit Day (optional: 1-2 hours / week)

Online Orientation: July - Online Orientation sessions once a week (2 hours / week)

M.L.S. Launch Week: Early August - Mandatory live, in-person class sessions (5 days, 8am-5pm)

Fall 1 Semester: Late August to Early December - Online or hybrid classes in the evenings (1 course: 9 hours of work / week OR 2 courses: 18 hours of work / week)

Spring 1 Semester: 

Early January: Optional J-term short courses (2 weeks)

Late January to Mid-May: Online or hybrid classes in the evenings (1 course: 9 hours of work / week OR 2 courses: 18 hours of work / week)

PART-TIME STUDENT TIMELINE: YEAR 2 (3 & 4)

Summer Break: Mid-May to Late August - Optional short courses (9 hours of work / week) OR 3 months off (0 hours / week)

Fall 2 (3&4) Semester: Late August to Early December - Online or on campus classes in the evenings and/or on-campus classes during the day (1 course: 9 hours of work / week OR 2 courses: 18 hours of work / week)

Spring 2 (3&4) Semester

Early January: Optional J-term short courses (2 weeks)

Late January to Mid-May: Online or on campus classes in the evenings and/or on-campus classes during the day (1 course: 9 hours of work / week OR 2 courses: 18 hours of work / week)

Commencement: Mid-May - Final Year

FULL-TIME STUDENT TIMELINE

Acceptance: See admissions pages for application deadlines and decision release dates.

Connection: February-June - Optional online and in-person networking events, mixers, & Admit Day (optional: 1-2 hours / week)

Online Orientation: July - Online Orientation sessions once a week (2 hours / week)

M.L.S. Launch Week: Early August - Mandatory live, in-person class sessions (5 days, 8am-5pm)

Fall Semester: Late August to Early December - Online classes in the evenings and/or hybrid and on campus courses throughout the day (40 hours of work / week)

Spring Semester: 

Early January: Optional J-term short courses (2 weeks)

Late January to Mid-May: Online classes in the evenings and/or hybrid and on campus courses throughout the day (40 hours of work / week)

Commencement: Mid-May - Final Year

Join us at an information session where we discuss all the relevant details!  Bring your questions.

View upcoming sessions here.  

M.L.S. Orientation: July 2024 (Online 1X per week @ night)

M.L.S. Launch Week: August 2-6, 2025 (Online on campus:  Full days)

For full academic calendar, see here.  

M.L.S. Orientation: July 2024 (online)

M.L.S. Launch Week: August 3-7, 2024

For full academic calendar, see here.  

For all previous academic calendars, see here.  

Yes, this is extremely common for our part time students. Courses will be offered between 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on weeknights with flexible online and hybrid options for our working professionals. Courses for 3 units of credit typically meet twice a week during the semester for approximately 80 minutes each, while courses for 2 units of credit typically meet once a week for 120 minutes. Specialization courses can be completed completely online in the evening for certain specializations.  If you prefer on campus courses, the core curriculum can be completed in a hybrid fashion in the evenings.  Limited courses are available on campus in the evenings.  Numerous (over 90+ a semester) course options are available on campus during the day if you can make that work in your schedule.  Our academic advisors will work with you to create a plan that balances your work requirements with the opportunity to access the unmatched curriculum of UCLA Law.

The M.L.S. course of study is not a pre-J.D. program. While students who earn an M.L.S. degree may subsequently apply to J.D. programs at UCLA or elsewhere, under American Bar Association regulations, no law school may award credit toward a J.D. for any coursework taken during an M.L.S. degree program. If you wish to become a licensed lawyer, you should earn a J.D., not an M.L.S.

No. The M.L.S. degree will not qualify you to sit for a bar examination or obtain a license to practice law.