August 28, 2023 12:10 PM - 1:35 PM
The Ziffren Institute invites all students to the Welcome Lunch Event—an exciting opportunity to discover what the Media, Entertainment, Technology & Sports Law specialization offers. Lunch will be provided to those who RSVP!

RSVP HERE: https://forms.gle/ZvWn3c3dLhJrwQj99

Date: Mon. August 28, 2023
Time: 12:10-1:35pm 
Location: Law Room 1347


The Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree is an advanced, one-year graduate program in which students have the flexibility to enroll in one of several distinct specializations or customize their studies in pursuit of their unique professional goals.

Designed for those who already hold a J.D. or equivalent law degree, the LL.M. welcomes J.D. graduates of U.S. law schools to learn from our world-class faculty and enhance their credentials. Our robust curriculum includes advanced courses in every legal discipline and a rich array of clinical education opportunities.

Send Us Your Résumé to Check Your Eligibility & Receive Application Instructions

The Graduate Studies Team

Lara Stemple

Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies and International Student Programs
Professor Stemple has overseen the LL.M. and S.J.D. Programs since 2005. She also teaches and writes in the areas of human rights, global health, gender, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, and incarceration.

Vic Telesino

Representatives from UCLA Law’s Office of Graduate Studies and International Programs often participate in various virtual and in-person recruitment events across the globe. Events will be included on this page once they have been confirmed, so please continue to check back with us here for updates. We look forward to meeting you at one or more of these events.

LL.M. Recruitment Events

UCLA School of Law proudly presents the Health & Human Rights Fellowship. Launched in 2011, and expanded in 2022, the program has provided specialized training to top law graduates for careers as impact-oriented public interest lawyers in the areas of health, human rights, HIV prevention, and gender equality. The program now features global eligibility to support activists and scholars around the world who have dedicated their work to addressing issues of access to health care and the resulting violations that occur when this right is denied in their home countries.

Fellowship Information

  • Details of the Fellowship

    The fellowship offers a full-tuition grant to enroll in UCLA Law’s LL.M. (Master of Laws) Program. This includes the full cost of tuition, health insurance, and mandatory health facilities fees. 

    Fellows may earn a specialization in UCLA Law’s David J Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy, Law and Sexuality, or related fields. Through Public Interest Law and Policy workshops and seminars, fellows will meet PILP students and faculty and study the problem-solving challenges faced in public interest legal practice. Fellows will examine the principal skills and conceptual approaches useful to public interest lawyers in the PILP seminar, Problem Solving in the Public Interest.

    Through the course Human Rights and Sexual Politics, fellows will interact with students from medicine and public health, and conduct legal research and advocacy for a cause of their choice. Each UCLA Law Health & Human Rights Fellow will also elect other related courses and author a substantial writing assignment on a health, human rights, and/or gender equality-related legal issue facing their home country.

  • Eligibility & Award Conditions

    The UCLA Law Health & Human Rights Fellowship is open to legal professionals and law graduates holding LL.B. degrees classified second class (division two) or higher from law school programs. Competitive applicants will also have a demonstrated commitment to health, human rights, or gender equality, and work or volunteer experience, or research publications in these areas.

    As a condition of the award, fellows will be asked to certify that they will return to their home country upon completion of their LL.M. degree, and commit to a public interest career that promotes health, human rights, and gender equality in their practice region.

    Although successful candidates in the past have predominately come from Africa, any applicant who demonstrates a background and commitment to the purpose and vision of the fellowship will be considered upon receipt of their application.

  • Application Instructions

    To apply for admission, prospective students must submit an online application to UCLA Law's LL.M. Program, a separate supplemental application form for the UCLA Law Health & Human Rights Fellowship, and supporting documentation.

    1. UCLA Law LL.M. Program Application
      To create an account and complete the online LL.M. program application, click the link above and follow the instructions to submit your application and supporting documentation via the LSAC platform between September 1 and February 1.
    2. UCLA Law Health & Human Rights Fellowship Supplemental Application Form [PDF]
      Click the link above to download the supplemental application for the Health & Human Rights Fellowship. After completing this form, include it as part of the "personal statement" file uploaded as a supporting document through the LSAC platform.

    Applicants for whom the LSAC fees present a barrier to application may email llm@law.ucla.edu to request consideration for a waiver of the LSAC process.

    Please direct questions about the fellowship to vanzyl@law.ucla.edu, and questions about UCLA Law's online LL.M. application procedure to llm@law.ucla.edu.

  • Project Leadership

    UCLA School of Law is the youngest top law school in the U.S. It has pioneered innovative specializations and cutting-edge research centers, and has long been committed to skills training courses that offer students hands-on lawyering experience as they master legal doctrine.

    The UCLA Law Health & Human Rights Fellowship is directed by Lara Stemple, Assistant Dean for Graduate Studies and International Student Programs.

Fellows

  • Current Fellows

    Ayodeji Ayolola
    Health and Human Rights Fellow, 2024
    LL.B. University of Ibadan, 2016

    Ayodeji Ayolola was a 2023-2024 UCLA Health and Human Rights Fellow. He earned his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) at the University of Ibadan in 2016 and his qualification certificate at the Nigerian Law School in 2018. He is licensed as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and has practiced in commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Prior to joining the LL.M. program at UCLA Law, he served as an adjunct professor of corporate law at the Nigerian Law School for five years. While at UCLA, Ayodeji completed his LL.M. with a specialization in Public Interest Law and Policy. He also completed a judicial externship in the chambers of Associate Justice Martin J. Jenkins of the Supreme Court of California.

    Elizabeth Mzungu
    Health and Human Rights Fellow, 2024
    B.Com LL.B. University of Pretoria, 2011

    Elizabeth Mzungu was a 2023-24 UCLA Health and Human Rights Fellow. She earned her B.Com Law cum laude in 2010 and LL.B. in 2011, both from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Before joining UCLA, she worked in legal mediation and policy advocacy for greater accessibility to public resources. While at UCLA, she completed her LL.M. with a specialization in Public Interest Law and Policy as well as in Law and Sexuality. She focused on the intersectionality of law, race, sexuality, and public benefits. She was a 2024 U. Serve L.A. honoree and graduated with the highest pro bono distinction for her contributions to the PILP community and for her completion of over 70 hours of pro bono work with underserved communities in Los Angeles. She contributed to a forthcoming publication by the UCLA Institute for Technology, Law & Policy wherein she used her public interest lens to develop policy recommendations for the governance of extended reality technologies.

  • Past Fellows & Affiliated Practitioners

    Ohene Yaw Ampofo-AntiOhene Yaw Ampofo-Anti
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow, 2019

    Ohene Yaw Ampofo-Anti was a 2018-19 UCLA-Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow. He earned his LL.B. from the University of Cape Town in 2013 and was admitted as an attorney in 2017. Prior to attending UCLA, Ampofo-Anti worked as a trainee investigator at Public Protector South Africa (PPSA). At PPSA, he assisted with ongoing investigations into maladministration in various government entities. His work covered issues related to administrative justice, immigration law, family law, refugee and asylum seeker law, and socio-economic rights. Ampofo-Anti has also written legal articles for Ground Up, an online news publication covering social justice issues in South Africa. Ampofo-Anti’s articles have been featured on numerous news websites and publications throughout South Africa.

    Ayodeji Ayolola
    Health and Human Rights Fellow, 2024

    Ayodeji Ayolola was a 2023-2024 UCLA Health and Human Rights Fellow. He earned his Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) at the University of Ibadan in 2016 and his qualification certificate at the Nigerian Law School in 2018. He is licensed as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria and has practiced in commercial litigation and dispute resolution. Prior to joining the LL.M. program at UCLA Law, he served as an adjunct professor of corporate law at the Nigerian Law School for five years. While at UCLA, Ayodeji completed his LL.M. with a specialization in Public Interest Law and Policy. He also completed a judicial externship in the chambers of Associate Justice Martin J. Jenkins of the Supreme Court of California.

    Chuma Bubu
    Health and Human Rights Fellow, 2023

    Chuma Bubu was a 2022-2023 UCLA Health and Human Rights Fellow. She earned a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Economic History, International Relations and Politics 2014; and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2017, both from the University of Cape Town. Chuma is an admitted attorney in South Africa. Prior to attending UCLA, Chuma held a position as an associate in the Public and Regulatory Law department at ENSafrica in Johannesburg. While at UCLA, she worked as a racial justice and human rights research assistant for the Promise Institute of Human Rights. Her primary research interest areas are at the intersection of human rights law, critical race theory and gender.

    Melissa HendrickseMelissa Hendrickse
    Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow, 2022

    Melissa Hendrickse was a 2021-2022 UCLA-Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in politics, history, and French in 2013, and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2017, both from the University of Cape Town. She is admitted as an attorney in South Africa. Prior to attending UCLA, Melissa held a position as an associate in public and constitutional law at Webber Wentzel in Cape Town. While at UCLA, Melissa worked as a racial justice and human rights student fellow for the Promise Institute for Human Rights. In this role, she focused on issues surrounding climate reparations for previously colonized states. Melissa also interned as a critical race theory law clerk at the African American Policy Forum. Her primary interest areas are at the intersection of human rights law and racial justice, with a particular emphasis on restorative and redistributive justice for colonialism and other forms of racial oppression.

    Katy HindleKaty Hindle
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Law Fellow, 2013

    Katy Hindle was a 2012-2013 UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow. She obtained a Bachelor of Social Sciences degree in Politics, Gender Studies and Sociology in 2005 and a Social Science degree in International Relations in 2008, both from the University of Cape Town in South Africa. Hindle also earned a postgraduate LL.B. degree at UCT in 2009 and completed her articles of clerkship at the firm Edward Nathan & Sonnenbergs, Inc. She was admitted as an attorney in South Africa in 2012.

    During her year as a Sonke Fellow at UCLA Law, Hindle focused her studies on health, gender, human rights, and empirical legal studies. Wherever possible, Hindle made attempts to link the academic content of her law school coursework to current issues in South Africa; Hindle was “grateful that her professors allowed and encouraged her to do this.” It made the transition to joining Sonke upon graduation rapid, and she now “grounds her advocacy and research efforts within theoretical frameworks” she studied at UCLA Law.

    After earning her LL.M. degree from UCLA Law, Hindle worked as a fellow in Sonke’s Policy Development and Advocacy Unit, focusing on projects relating to gender and the South African judiciary, the decriminalization of sex work, and research and advocacy surrounding sexual violence in prisons. After her fellowship, Hindle was hired as an associate in the Policy Development and Advocacy Unit at Sonke, and she plans to continue a lifelong career in public interest law in South Africa.

    Mateenah HunterMateenah Hunter
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Law Fellow, 2014

    Mateenah Hunter was a 2013-2014 UCLA Law – Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow. Prior to earning her LL.M. degree from UCLA Law, she earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from Wits University in 2009, completing her practical legal studies in the Human Rights Unit of Wits Law Clinic. Hunter served her articles of clerkship at the Legal Resources Centre in Johannesburg and then clerked for Justice Yacoob of the Constitutional Court of South Africa. She also briefly clerked for Justice Frank Stock, VP at the Hong Kong Court of Appeal before joining the Open Society Foundation for South Africa as a project officer in their Criminal Justice Initiative.

    During her time at UCLA Law, Hunter pursued two specialized courses of study: Public Interest Law & Policy and Law & Sexuality. While at UCLA Law, Hunter felt as though she “was spoilt for choice due to the wide number of courses [she] could choose from covering issues of health and broader human rights.” She felt “fortunate . . . to be taught by great professors” and “really enjoyed being able to take courses in the Public Health School” while completing her LL.M. degree at the Law School because it offered a perspective beyond a legal one.

    Upon graduation from UCLA, Hunter began working as a fellow in Sonke Gender Justice’s Johannesburg office. Through this fellowship, Hunter works in Sonke’s Policy Development and Advocacy Unit, focusing on several different projects, including: The Sex Work Decriminalization Project; The National Strategic Plan to End Gender-Based Violence; and Oversight and Accountability in the Criminal Justice System Involving Crimes Against Women. In July of 2014, through the UCLA-Sonke partnership, Hunter attended an intensive course on Women’s Health and Empowerment co-sponsored by the UC Global Health Institute’s Center of Expertise on Women’s Health and Empowerment and Aga Khan University in Nairobi, Kenya.

    Godfrey KangaudeGodfrey Kangaude
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Law Fellow, 2013

    Godfrey Kangaude was a 2012-2013 UCLA Law-Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow. Prior to pursuing his LL.M. degree at UCLA Law, Kangaude earned a Bachelor of Philosophy at Urbaniana, an LL.B. (Hons) at the University of Malawi, and an LL.M. degree at the University of the Free State in South Africa. Kangaude is an expert in sexual and reproductive rights, having previously worked for many years on research and advocacy concerning the high incidence of abortion-related morbidity and mortality with Ipas, an international NGO, in Malawi.

    During his year as a Sonke Fellow at UCLA Law, Kangaude specialized in Public Interest Law & Policy, focusing his studies and coursework on sexuality, gender and human rights law. After earning his LL.M. degree from UCLA Law, Kangaude began working with Sonke Gender Justice as a Policy Development and Advocacy Fellow, where his work has focused on research, advocacy and training of men and boys to achieve gender equality.

    Kangaude’s interests lay at the intersection of society, culture, and human rights, and in particular the sexual and reproductive rights of populations including adolescents, persons with disabilities, LGBTI persons, and women. He has published several works: Disability, the Stigma of Asexuality and Sexual Health: A Sexual Rights Perspective, 5 Rev. Disability Stud. 22 (2009); a chapter in the book Sexuality and Disability: Politics, Identity and Access (2010); and A Sexual Rights Approach to Addressing Gender-Based Sexual Violence Among Male Prisoners in Malawi, 14 Af. Hum. Rts L.J. 1 (2014), the latter of which he began in a seminar course at UCLA Law.

    Portia KaregeyaPortia Karegeya
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow, 2015

    Portia Karegeya was a 2014-2015 UCLA Law - Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow. Prior to earning her LL.M. degree with honors from UCLA Law, she earned a Master of Laws from McGill University in 2013 and an LL.B. from the University of Cape Town in 2011, where she also graduated with a Bachelor of Economics and Law. A lawyer born in Rwanda, raised in Uganda, and educated in South Africa, Canada, and the U.S., Karegeya's research interests span the globe, and have focused on human rights, gender, global health, sexual violence, access to affordable medicines, and freedom of expression and information. Her current work includes legal research for the Global Freedom of Expression and Information @Columbia and work with the Health and Human Rights Law Project at UCLA Law. Karegeya has a forthcoming publication with Lara Stemple and Sofia Gruskin in Human Rights Quarterly entitled, "Human Rights, Gender, and Infectious Disease: From HIV/AIDS to Ebola."

    Emily Nagisa KeehnEmily Nagisa Keehn
    UCGHI Women's Health & Empowerment Fellow, 2010

    Emily Nagisa Keehn is the associate director of the Academic Program in the Harvard Law Human Rights Program (HRP). Her work primarily focuses on the intersection of human rights issues with criminal justice, gender, and health.

    Prior to joining HRP, Keehn worked in South Africa where she was the head of policy development and advocacy at Sonke Gender Justice in Cape Town. At Sonke, she developed cases for strategic litigation, and directed parliamentary engagement, research, and advocacy related to health, gender equality, sexual and gender-based violence, policing, and penal reform.

    Keehn has published her scholarship in Feminist Criminology and the Health & Human Rights Journal, presented before the South African Parliament, and has helped shape national policies on corrections, gender, and health. Her media commentary has included the Guardian, Al-Jazeera, the Mail & Guardian, the Huffington Post, CNN, and United Nations IRIN News.

    Previously, Keehn worked for the Health & Human Rights Law Project at UCLA School of Law and was awarded an inaugural UC Global Health Institute Women’s Health & Empowerment Fellowship. She also held positions with the Annenberg Foundation, mothers2mothers, Legal Aid of Cambodia, and Relief International. Keehn has a B.A. in Anthropology from UC San Diego, a J.D. from UCLA School of Law, and is a member of the State Bar of California.

    Ralph MadlalateRalph Madlalate
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow, 2018

    Ralph Madlalate was a 2017-18 UCLA Law-Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow. Prior to completing his LL.M. at UCLA Law, he earned his LL.B. from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2014. Madlalate served as a research and teaching associate at the University of the Witwatersrand in 2015, and thereafter earned an LL.M. in human rights advocacy and litigation (cum laude) from the same university in 2016. That year, he joined the Legal Resources Centre as a candidate attorney, where he worked to advance civil, political, and socio-economic rights at the domestic and regional levels.

    Thamsanqa MalusiThamsanqa Malusi
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow, 2020

    Thamsanqa Malusi was a 2019-20 UCLA-Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow. He completed his LL.B. at the University of Cape Town in 2014, and a Bachelor of Social Science degree in political and legal studies from the same institution in 2012. Thamsanqa was admitted as an attorney in 2017. Prior to enrolling at UCLA, he worked as an associate in a public interest law firm in Johannesburg, where he focused his practice on land reform, occupational health and safety, consumer protection, and constitutional and administrative law. Thamsanqa has extensive experience assisting mining communities and land restitution beneficiaries with settlement agreements, negotiations, commercial structures, and proceeds management with an eye to transparency and accountability. His legal career includes work on several high-profile South African cases, ranging from a class action lawsuit for victims of the listeria outbreak to litigation against South Africa’s gold mining industry, which culminated in the largest settlement in South Africa’s legal history.

    Sinethemba Memela
    Health and Human Rights Fellow, 2023
    LL.B. University of the Witwatersrand, 2015

    Nabeelah MiaNabeelah Mia
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow, 2017

    Nabeelah Mia was a 2016-2017 UCLA Law-Sonke Health and Human Rights fellow. Prior to completing her LL.M. at UCLA Law, she earned a Bachelor of Social Science in Psychology and Law in 2009 and a Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) in Psychology in 2010, both at the University of Cape Town. She also earned a Bachelor of Laws at the University of Cape Town in 2012. In 2013, Mia completed her articles of clerkship at Webber Wentzel, a South African law firm, and was appointed as an associate in the Corporate Practice department in 2015. Her areas of interest include sexual and reproductive health and rights, with a particular emphasis on adolescents, as well as on prison advocacy and reentry services.

    Letlhogonolo MokgoroaneLetlhogonolo Mokgoroane
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow, 2018

    Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane was a 2017-18 UCLA Law-Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow. Before completing his LL.M. studies at UCLA, he earned his LL.B. from Stellenbosch University in 2013. At Stellenbosch, Mokgoroane served as a tutor and as an on-campus residence academic mentor. He co-founded the First Generation Camp, which ensures that first-generation university students are equipped with the skills needed to succeed. Following graduation, Mokgoroane completed his articles and was appointed as an associate at Bowman Gilfillan Inc. in Johannesburg. He then clerked for Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga at the Constitutional Court of South Africa. He is a co-creator of the Cheeky Natives – a literary podcast that reviews arts and literature of black authors and creative people. His areas of interest include identity politics and sexuality, intersectionality, and socio-economic rights.

    Tzili MorTzili Mor
    UCLA School of Law Visiting Jurist, 2014

    A former Visiting Jurist at UCLA School of Law’s Visiting Scholars & Researchers Program, Tzili Mor is an international human rights expert in advocacy, law reform, and litigation focused on gender justice and women’s human rights. Previously she was acting director and clinical fellow at Georgetown Law’s International Women’s Human Rights Clinic, a global coordinator on human rights defenders with Amnesty International, and a human rights and gender specialist with the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative, based in the Middle East and Central Asia. She served as a Gender Justice Adviser in Afghanistan working with the country’s first special prosecution Unit on Violence Against Women. She holds a B.A. from UCLA, a Master of Science degree focused on International Development from Georgetown University, and J.D. and LL.M. degrees in advocacy and international human rights law from Georgetown Law.

    Manisha MunshiManisha Munshi
    UCGHI Women’s Health & Empowerment Fellow, 2010

    Manisha Munshi was a Women’s Health and Empowerment Fellow at the UC Global Health Institute. Through this fellowship, funded by the National Institutes for Health Fogarty International Center, Munshi’s research focused on legal empowerment models to help combat the spread of HIV/AIDS among women in detention in South and Southeast Asia. She conducted her research at Just Detention International, a human rights organization in Los Angeles that works to end sexual abuse in detention. Munshi examined the legal framework relevant to women in detention in South and Southeast Asia. She also conducted qualitative field research in Mumbai, India exploring sex workers’ experiences with detention. Munshi was mentored by Lara Stemple at UCLA School of Law, David Eisenman at UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, and Lovisa Stannow at Just Detention International.

    Munshi earned her A.B. with a joint concentration in Social Studies and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies from Harvard College (2006) and her J.D. from the UCLA School of Law (2010). Her research interests include international law, human rights, trafficking and sex work, and the intersections among these topics. She has conducted anti-trafficking work for Saathi, a Mumbai-based NGO, and has researched refugee resettlement policies at the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

    Sandile NdeluSandile Ndelu
    Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow, 2022

    Sandile Ndelu was a 2021-2022 UCLA-Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow. She holds a Bachelor of Laws as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Media and Writing Studies, both from the University of Cape Town. An attorney of the High Court of South Africa, Sandile was most recently attorney and advocacy coordinator at the University of the Witwatersrand’s Centre for Applied Legal Studies (CALS). There, she worked across all programmatic areas of the public interest law organization, namely in business and human rights, civil and political justice, environmental justice, gender justice, and home, land, and rural democracy. She currently leads the philanthropic advocacy team at FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund, an intermediary fund committed to moving resources to young feminist collectives in the global south.

    Elizabeth Mzungu
    Health and Human Rights Fellow, 2024

    Elizabeth Mzungu was a 2023-24 UCLA Health and Human Rights Fellow. She earned her B.Com Law cum laude in 2010 and LL.B. in 2011, both from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Before joining UCLA, she worked in legal mediation and policy advocacy for greater accessibility to public resources. While at UCLA, she completed her LL.M. with a specialization in Public Interest Law and Policy as well as in Law and Sexuality. She focused on the intersectionality of law, race, sexuality, and public benefits. She was a 2024 U. Serve L.A. honoree and graduated with the highest pro bono distinction for her contributions to the PILP community and for her completion of over 70 hours of pro bono work with underserved communities in Los Angeles. She contributed to a forthcoming publication by the UCLA Institute for Technology, Law & Policy wherein she used her public interest lens to develop policy recommendations for the governance of extended reality technologies.

    Ariane NevinAriane Nevin
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow, 2015

    Ariane Nevin completed a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and History and subsequently pursued her interest in human rights by earning a postgraduate degree in Law at the University of Cape Town. During her time at UCT, she participated in student activism and community outreach and became a member of Students for Law and Social Justice, a national student movement dedicated to protecting human rights, preventing discrimination and promoting the rule of law. In 2013 Nevin joined SECTION27 as a fellow, where she worked on issues relating to the right to education. After completing her fellowship, she remained at SECTION27 as a junior researcher and expanded her portfolio to include access to healthcare. Nevin plans to pursue a career in public interest law, and hopes to focus on issues relating to healthcare access.

    Nomonde NyembeNomonde Nyembe
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Law Fellow, 2012

    Nomonde Nyembe was one of the two inaugural UCLA Law-Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellows during the 2011-2012 academic year. Prior to pursuing her LL.M. degree at UCLA Law, Nyembe earned her LL.B. degree at the University of the Witwatersrand and completed her articles of clerkship at the firm Edward Nathan & Sonnenbergs, Inc. She then clerked for Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng of the Constitutional Court of South Africa.

    During her year as a Sonke Fellow at UCLA Law, Nyembe specialized in Public Interest Law & Policy, focusing her studies on gender, health, and human rights. Nyembe appreciated the multidisciplinary nature of her studies at UCLA Law and especially the opportunity to take two classes outside of the law school in public health and advocacy. Nyembe’s courses at the law school, especially Human Rights & Sexual Politics, helped her to “contextualize sexuality as a human rights issue, a political issue . . . related to and at times dominated by a health discourse.” Through the Public Interest Law & Policy specialization, Nyembe received invaluable training “on the utility, complexity, and multifaceted nature of advocacy for social justice.”

    After earning her LL.M. degree from UCLA Law, Nyembe began working at Sonke Gender Justice where she conducted research for advocacy purposes, made written and oral submissions to government bodies, and helped local communities with capacity building and mobilization. Nomonde worked at Sonke as a Policy Development and Advocacy Associate for an additional year after her fellowship year ended. She now works at the University of the Witwatersrand in the Centre for Applied Legal Studies, a law clinic that engages in advocacy and litigation. Her current work is centered specifically in the Business and Human Rights Programme which aims to ensure that corporate entities abide by and advance human rights principles.

    Thabang PooeThabang Pooe
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Law Fellow, 2016

    Thabang Pooe was a 2015-2016 UCLA-Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow. Prior to earning her LL.M. degree from UCLA Law, Pooe earned an LL.B. from North West University in 2011 and served as clerk for Justice Mbuyiseli Madlanga on South Africa's highest court, the Constitutional Court of South Africa. She also served as fellow and legal researcher for SECTION27, a public interest law center in South Africa. Pooe currently serves as a liaison for Out in Africa Ride, an organization that supports African NGOs working on LBGT rights. Her areas of interest concern the right to education and the right to health, with specific focus on access to health services, sanitation and school infrastructure, sexual victimization in schools, HIV, and medical scheme regulation.

    Cherith SangerCherith Sanger
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Law Fellow, 2012

    Cherith Sanger was one of the two inaugural UCLA Law-Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellows during the 2011-2012 academic year. Prior to studying at UCLA Law, Sanger was an accomplished litigator working to end sexual and domestic violence, hate crimes, and discrimination against LGBTI persons. In addition to her six years as a litigator, Sanger had also taught a course in Legal Education and Development to candidate attorneys in South Africa.

    During her year as a Sonke Fellow at UCLA Law, Sanger specialized in Public Interest Law & Policy. In fact, Sanger applied for the UCLA-Sonke Fellowship program for the specific purposes of “further developing her skills as a public interest lawyer,” with the intention of “taking her advanced skills back to South Africa to reduce gender based violence and HIV and the impact of AIDS.”

    After earning her LL.M. degree from UCLA Law, Sanger worked at Sonke as a fellow in the Policy Development and Advocacy Unit. Sanger stayed on at Sonke after her fellowship year ended and was promoted to a management position in the Policy Development and Advocacy Unit. Sanger currently works as an independent legal consultant in Cape Town, South Africa, providing legal services and conducting research and writing in the areas of gender, health, and human rights law.

    Sekgame Shadrack TebeileSekgame Shadrack Tebeile
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Law Fellow, 2014

    Shadrack "Shaddy" Tebeile was a 2013-2014 UCLA-Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow. He obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from University of Limpopo in 2012. Tebeile then clerked for clerked for Justices Froneman and Skweyiya of Constitutional Court of South Africa. He was admitted as an Advocated of the High Court of South Africa in 2013.

    Tebeile had an interesting and challenging experience as a Sonke Fellow during his year at UCLA Law. Tebeile believes that studying at UCLA Law “granted him an opportunity to be exposed to different dilemmas faced by the international community” with respect to health and human rights.

    Tebeile is now studying for the Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) degree at the University of Fort Hare with a focus on the judicial realization and enforcement of socio-economic rights in South Africa. After the completion of his LL.D., Tebeile intends to teach public interest law in South Africa and pursue a Ph.D. related to access to higher education.

    Nicole van ZylNicole van Zyl
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow, 2019

    Nicole van Zyl was a 2018-2019 UCLA-Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow. She completed her LL.B. at the University of Cape Town in 2016, and a Master’s degree in Criminology, Law and Society from the same institution in 2017. Since earning her LL.B., she has tutored students in Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and the Law of Evidence at the University of Cape Town, in addition to providing mentoring and additional academic support to students. During her time teaching, she conducted research and wrote about legal issues surrounding the sexual grooming of children. Van Zyl is primarily interested in issues of criminal defense, penal reform, and the socio-economic rights of persons re-entering communities after incarceration.

    Lauren VenterLauren Venter
    Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow, 2022

    Lauren Venter was a 2021-2022 UCLA-Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow. She earned a BA Law degree in 2015 and a Bachelor of Laws degree in 2017, both from the University of Pretoria. She was admitted as an attorney in South Africa in January 2021. Prior to attending UCLA, Lauren worked as an associate at DLA Piper in Johannesburg as part of the Banking, Finance and Restructuring team. In this role, she focused primarily on cross-border banking, finance, and restructuring transactions, and was also involved in many pro bono matters. These included projects for organizations such as UNICEF and UNAIDS, which involved advising and conducting research on the reproductive rights of women in African countries, domestic violence and sexual assault laws in South Africa, and the rights of prisoners in various African countries during the COVID-19 pandemic. Lauren’s interests lie in public interest and health law.

    Nobukhosi Ntombifuthi ZuluNobukhosi Ntombifuthi Zulu
    Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellow, 2017

    Nobukhosi Zulu was a 2016-17 UCLA Law-Sonke Health and Human Rights Fellow. A Zimbabwean national, Zulu earned an LL.B. at University of KwaZulu-Natal in 2012. In 2013, she conducted research with a focus on economic development and governance systems. In 2014, Zulu began articling at Lawyers for Human Rights, where she worked in the refugee and migrant rights clinic. Her work centered on a project with former and current Mozambican migrant mine workers and their families in rural Mozambique. Zulu has also worked with a Zimbabwe-based NGO that provides sexual and reproductive health education resources and sanitary supplies to girls. Her interests include gender equality, sexual and reproductive rights, migration, and economic justice. At UCLA, Zulu focused her research on migration and human rights issues as they relate to women and children.

    Lindsey Zwicker
    Women’s Health & Empowerment COE Coordinator, UC Global Health Institute, 2012

    Lindsey Zwicker served as COE Coordinator from November 2010 through August 2012. She received a joint JD/MPP from UCLA in May 2010 and has spent much of her work and academic career focusing on sexual and reproductive health and rights. After receiving a B.A. in Women’s Studies from UC Santa Barbara, she worked as a Program Assistant for the Center for Reproductive Health Education in Family Medicine (“RHEDI”) at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx. She then spent some time as a research assistant for the Irish Family Planning Association, in which she researched Irish adolescents’ access to contraception and sexuality education for a policy report on minors’ restricted access to the full range of reproductive healthcare. During law school, she spent summers working as a law clerk for the New York Civil Liberties Union, Reproductive Rights Project and the Center for Reproductive Rights. Throughout her graduate studies, she focused much of her research and advocacy interests on human rights, sexual violence and women’s conditions in prisons, and HIV/AIDS policies. In her role as COE Coordinator, Lindsey liaised with the faculty leadership to manage the Center and contribute substantively to its conceptualization, growth and development.

When it comes to financing your pursuit of an LL.M. degree, there are a number of options to consider for securing funding. While the list of options below is not exhaustive, it provides links to a variety of resources for learning about scholarship, fellowship, grant, and loan opportunities through private, non-profit and governmental sources. International students are encouraged to seek financial aid funds from additional sources in their home countries. Consider contacting the U.S. embassy or consulate in your home country to inquire about sponsoring organizations and agencies.

  • UCLA School of Law Resources

    Dean's Tuition Fellowship Awards

    All applicants receive full consideration for our very limited number of Dean's Tuition Fellowship awards. No application is necessary; grantees will be notified by the LL.M. Program after receiving their offer of admission. Awards are granted on both a need-based and merit-based basis. In the "Finances" section of the online LL.M. Program application, you are welcome to bring to the Graduate Studies Committee's attention any information that will assist the committee in making a determination regarding a financial aid award.

    Law Library Research Assistants Program

    Research Assistants are occasionally hired to help law professors with their research needs. Students typically work 10 hours per week for a rate of approximately $25.00 per hour. Successful candidates must demonstrate academic excellence as well as research proficiency. The number of positions available in a given year is dependent on the needs of the faculty, and thus is highly variable. In some years, there may be no open positions. Openings for Research Assistant positions are posted with the Office of Career Services, and applications are accepted after the start of the academic year in August.

  • Financial Aid Resources for U.S. Citizens and Permanent Residents

    StudentAid

    StudentAid is a resource from the U.S. Department of Education's office of Federal Student Aid .

    FinAid

    FinAid provides detailed information about scholarships, loans, military aid, and other funding opportunities for U.S. students seeking financial assistance for graduate study.

    Gould & Jefferson of Beverly Hills Scholarship

    Gould & Jefferson of Beverly Hills offers a $2,500 scholarship for students experiencing financial strain. Candidates must demonstrate financial need, provide proof of academic excellence, and complete an essay on one of three available prompts. Both international and domestic students are eligible for consideration.

    Educational Loan Information

    FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

    The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a government form which enables the school to determine students' eligibility for federal loans (Direct Unsubsidized and Graduate PLUS). The FAFSA must be completed each year by all who wish to be considered for federal financial aid at UCLA.

    You can submit a FAFSA by going to studentaid.gov. Request that a copy of the FAFSA be released to UCLA by indicating our school code: 001315. The FAFSA may be submitted after January 1. 

    William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan Program

    Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan

    The Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan program enables qualified graduate and professional students to receive up to $20,500 in a federally guaranteed loan. For the 2024-25 academic year, the Direct Unsubsidized Loan has an interest rate of 8.08 percent and a loan fee of 1.057 percent for loans disbursed on or after October 1, 2020. The federal government will automatically deducted the loan fee from each disbursement; therefore, your original (gross) amount requested and the disbursed (net) amount will differ.

    The student is responsible for the interest, which accrues immediately upon disbursement. Repayment begins six months after graduation or upon dropping below half-time enrollment.

    All applicants must submit a FAFSA in order to be considered. Once the FAFSA has been processed and the data has been received by UCLA, the borrower will receive an electronic Financial Aid Notification (eFAN) indicating the types and the amounts of financial aid offered.

    The U.S. Department of Education allows all eligible recipients to receive a lifetime amount of $138,500, including Undergraduate and Graduate Federal Loans. However, no more than $57,500 can come from the Federal Subsidized Loan.

    Federal Direct Graduate PLUS Loan

    Graduate and professional students are allowed to borrow through a Federal Direct Graduate PLUS (GPLUS) Loan. For the 2024-25 academic year; the GPLUS loan has an interest rate of 8.05 percent and a loan fee of 4.228 percent for loans disbursed on or after October 1, 2023. The federal government will automatically deduct the loan fee from each disbursement; therefore, your original (gross) amount requested and the disbursed (net) amount will differ.

    The GPLUS Loan does not have annual or aggregate loan limits (other than the cost of attendance less other financial aid) but requires a credit review. Just as with the Direct Unsubsidized Loan, GPLUS borrowers are eligible for an in-school deferment if they are enrolled at least half-time. The GPLUS has the same payment options, the same deferments and forbearances, and the same cancellation provisions as a Direct Unsubsidized Loan. The student is responsible for the interest, which accrues immediately upon disbursement. Repayment begins six months after graduation or upon dropping below half-time enrollment.

    All applicants must submit a FAFSA in order to be considered. Once the FAFSA has been processed and the data has been received by UCLA, the borrower will receive an electronic Financial Aid Notification (eFAN) indicating the types and the amounts of financial aid offered.

    How is APR different than an interest rate?

    In most cases, you have seen APR (Annual Percentage Rate) related to private loans, car loans and your credit card. What you are being charged for your loan isn’t actually just an interest rate; it’s really the APR. So, what is the APR?

    The APR is the annual cost of your loan. It includes the interest rate and certain fees. In order to accurately compare the cost of loans, you should always compare the APRs rather than just the interest rates.

    Entrance Counseling

    Important! All first-time federal loan borrowers at UCLA need to be informed about borrowers’ rights and responsibilities. Law students will satisfy this requirement by completing an online Entrance Counseling Session. This can be accomplished by reviewing the counseling session materials and taking an online quiz. All quiz results are transmitted electronically to the UCLA Student Loan Services and Collections Office.

    Please be sure to indicate "UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles" as your institution when registering your account to ensure that you are directed to the entrance exam.

    Failure to follow through with this requirement will delay disbursement of your eligible Federal Direct Loan proceeds.

    Credit-Based Private Loans

    Federal student loans are available to most students regardless of income and provide a range of repayment options, including income-based repayment plans and loan forgiveness benefits, which other education loans are not required to provide.

    Some students find it necessary to finance a portion of their education through private loan sources. These lenders offer loans to offset the cost of attending law school. The loan terms are printed directly on the application and also are governed by federal and state lending regulations. The choice of lender rests solely with the student, but he/she will need to meet the lender’s credit requirements. Please see UCLA's Preferred Lender List and Code of Conduct – Preferred Lenders.

    Bar Loans

    Law students may apply for Bar Loans for the period after graduation when they are studying for the bar. A Bar loan is an unsecured consumer loan offered to graduating law school students to assist with expenses related to the bar process. These related expenses may include the following: bar examination fees, bar review courses, and living expenses during the period after graduation and prior to being notified of the exam results.

    Bar Loan interest rates are generally higher than those of federal and private loans. Students should review the product guidelines and repayment options before applying. See UCLA’s Preferred Lenders List for a list of Bar Loan lenders.

    Please note: For graduates needing to obtain a Bar Loan after graduation, when using UCLA’s Preferred Lender List (ELM Select), please indicate that your graduation date will be in the future in order to obtain a potential list of lenders that offer this product.

  • Financial Aid Resources for International Students

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

    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.

    Gould & Jefferson of Beverly Hills Scholarship
    Gould & Jefferson of Beverly Hills offers a $2,500 scholarship for students experiencing financial strain. Candidates must demonstrate financial need, provide proof of academic excellence, and complete an essay on one of three available prompts. Both international and domestic students are eligible for consideration.

    Institute of International Education
    IIE offers foreign students a toolkit of resources for funding study in the U.S., with a focus on sources such as the Fulbright Program, Education USA, and Funding For U.S. Study.

    IIE PEER
    The Institute of International Education (IIE) and the Catalyst Foundation for Universal Education together have launched the IIE Platform for Education in Emergencies Response (IIE-PEER). This platform serves as an online clearinghouse that connects displaced and refugee students with educational opportunities, scholarships, and language learning or online courses in numerous countries across the globe to provide continued access to formal and informal higher education.

    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
    International Student serves as a resource for international students who will be entering and living in the U.S. Along with immigration, visa, and health insurance information, the site provides foreign students seeking guidance regarding financial aid and study in the U.S. with an overview of scholarship sources, how to create a budget, loans, and other related assistance.

    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.

    Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) International
    The P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship (IPS) provides scholarships up to $12,500 for women from other countries for full-time graduate study in the U.S. and Canada.

    Postgrad Solutions Global LL.M. Study Bursary
    Postgrad Solutions offers 10 global and U.S. LL.M. study bursaries per year of £500 each to domestic, international, and UK students who have been accepted to an LL.M. Program in the U.S. or abroad. Eligible candidates must have already accepted an offer at the chosen institution where they intend to pursue the LL.M. Up to 5 additional £2,000 bursaries are also on offer to postgraduate students of all disciplines and backgrounds to those who apply by the applicable deadline.

    UCLA Lender List
    A list of private loan lenders.  Click on "International" for program type.

    University of California Code of Conduct in Regard to Preferred Lender Arrangements
    The UC code of conduct for preferred lenders. Note: International students would select “International” under program type.

    Asia

    Bridgat Technology Limited
    The Bridgat Scholarship Program awards merit-based funds in the form of a one-time $6,500 scholarship to graduate students pursuing an advanced degree (either masters or doctoral) in any subject at an accredited U.S. institution. Eligible candidates must be citizens of an Asian country.

    Belgium

    The Belgium American Educational Foundation (BAEF)
    BAEF offers non-renewable grants to Belgian citizens for one academic year of graduate study in the U.S. The Foundation will pay up to $30,000 for tuition and health insurance at a U.S. institution and $18,000 to cover living and travel expenses.

    Brazil

    Fundação Estudar
    Fundação Estudar offers scholarships to Brazilian nationals and citizens who want to further their education by pursuing undergraduate or graduate study in Brazil and abroad.

    Instituto Ling
    Instituto Ling/EAGV-LLM offers partial scholarships to Brazilians who have been accepted to an LL.M. Program in the U.S. or Europe and can demonstrate a need for funding. Individual amounts of funding vary, but a typical award is approximately $5,000 to $25,000.

    Canada

    Aide Financière Aux Études
    Aide Financière Aux Études provides Canadian citizens or permanent residents who are residents of Quebec with financial assistance for full-time study at an educational institution in or outside of Quebec through the Loans and Bursaries Program. Funding is provided in the form of loans or bursaries in varying amounts.

    Government of Canada
    Scholarships for graduate level study/research offered to Canadians wishing to study abroad.

    Czech Republic

    Bakala Foundation Scholarship
    Financial support to highly-achieving Czech students looking to study abroad. Eligibility: prospective students seeking an integrated bachelor's or master's programs at a leading university abroad. Student must have Czech citizenship or a permanent residence permit in the Czech Republic and be no older than 33 years of age at the time of application.

    The Kellner Family Foundation
    Grants available for Czech students to use towards tuition fees, and costs of living such as apartment rent, books and other necessities.

    Nadace Sophia
    This foundation focuses on supporting talented students in their university studies of Economics and Law.

    Nadace Nadání Dání Josefa, Marie A Zdeňky Hlávkovych
    See webpage for further details.

    Region-Specific Scholarships

    Fond Renesance
    Scholarships available for Czech students from Ústí nad Labem.
    Ostrava Region Scholarships
    Scholarships available for Czech university students from the Ostrava region.
    Olomouc Region Scholarships
    Scholarships available for Czech university students from the Olomouc region seeking short-term (10 months or less) study abroad.

    Prague Scholarships
    Scholarships available for Prague high school and university students.

    Světluška Support
    For Czech students with visual impairments.

    Finland

    Finlandia Foundation National P.J.C. Lindfors Legal Studies Fund
    The P.J.C. Lindfors Legal Scholarship is open to citizens of Finland who have applied to, been accepted to, or enrolled in an ABA-approved law school. Typical awards are offered in the amount of $1,000 - $3,000.

    France

    White & Case Annual Business Law Scholarship
    White & Case awards an annual €40,000 scholarship (split among three students) to economically disadvantaged law students interested in study abroad. This scholarship is unique among law firms in Paris.

    Germany

    Brain Capital: The LL.M. Education Fund
    The LL.M. Education Fund offers income-based repayment financing options to cover tuition fees and living expenses for LL.M. studies. German students seeking to pursue an LL.M. degree abroad are eligible, and applications are accepted on an ongoing basis. Fund recipients receive financial support to cover their program fees and living expenses, and income-based repayment will begin after graduation from the LL.M. program.

    Italy

    Italian Student Loan Fund (Fondo per Studenti Italiani)
    The fund offers financial aid to Italian university graduates who wish to attend a post-graduate course (master or Ph.D.) in the U.S. Financing is awarded at a maximum of €20,000.

    Los Angeles County Italian-American Lawyers Association (IALA) 
    IALA has annually awarded this $3,000 scholarship since its founding in the 1970s, principally to advance Italian-American lawyers onto the bench.

    Latin America and the Caribbean

    COLFUTURO
    COLFUTURO provides Colombian citizens seeking postgraduate study abroad with scholarship loans of up to $25,000 per year for a maximum study period of two years through the "Crédito Beca" program.

    The Rowe Fund (Organization of American States)
    The Rowe Fund helps qualified citizens from Latin America and Caribbean OAS Member States finance their studies across the U.S. with awards of interest-free loans of up to $15,000.

    Netherlands

    WilWeg
    WilWeg lists a variety of scholarship programs for study abroad, including the Holland Scholarship and others administered by EP-Nuffic. Study in Holland provides a comprehensive database of grant and scholarship opportunities, within which candidates may search on the basis of awards covering the field of law. The Beursopener search engine additionally provides a listing of over 250 grants and scholarships for Dutch students seeking internships, research opportunities, and positions abroad.

    Scandinavia

    American-Scandinavian Foundation (ASF)
    ASF offers funding to citizens of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, or Sweden to pursue study or research programs (typically at the graduate level) in the U.S. for up to one year.

    NORAM Scholarships
    The Norway-America Association offers stipends to Norwegian citizens for graduate study and research in the U.S. in the amount of $2,000 to $20,000. Up to 35 scholarships are awarded each year, and a maximum of two grants may be received from NORAM for Master's and Ph.D. studies in the U.S.

    Scotland

    St. Andrew’s Society of the State of New York
    The Society provides funding in the amount of $20,000 to $30,000 for two Scottish graduate students to study in the U.S. per year. Funds should be used initially against tuition, then board, transportation and other expenses.

    Singapore

    Kathryn Aguirre Worth Memorial Scholarship
    Established with support from White & Case, Standard Chartered Bank, and other donors in Singapore and New York, the scholarship is open to National University of Singapore (NUS) LL.B. graduates who plan to pursue an LL.M. degree at an accredited U.S. law school. The scholarship provides a stipend of up to $15,000.

    Spain

    Fundación Rafael del Pino
    This foundation provides limited scholarships per year for Spanish students who plan to pursue graduate-level study in Spain or abroad.

    Ukraine

    WorldWideStudies Scholarship
    The Victor Pinchuk Foundation's WorldWideStudies Scholarship offers grant awards covering 60% of expenses required to complete a Master's degree abroad up to $30,000. Eligible candidates must be Ukrainian citizens under the age of 35 at the time of enrollment in the degree program.

    United Kingdom

    British Universities North America Club (BUNAC)
    BUNAC Educational Scholarship Trust (BEST) scholarships offer financial assistance to UK passport holders seeking to undertake postgraduate study in the U.S. or Canada. Individual award amounts vary, but a typical award is in the amount of approximately £5,000 to £10,000.

UCLA School of Law has a global reputation for excellence. The LL.M. Program offers students the combination of an outstanding educational program at a world-class university with the opportunity to live in one of the most dynamic, beautiful, and diverse cities in the United States.

The application period for admission to the 2025-2026 LL.M. Program has ended. The application for admission to the 2026-2027 LL.M. Program will be available September 1, 2025.

Creating Your Online Application

To apply for admission to the UCLA Law LL.M. Program, prospective applicants must submit an application and supporting documents through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) LL.M. Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Document Assembly Service. If you have not already done so, please create an LSAC LL.M. CAS account. Creating an account requires one-time fees charged by LSAC. As a courtesy and to help applicants offset these costs, UCLA does not charge an application fee for our LL.M. Program.

After creating your LSAC account, you may begin your application to our LL.M. Program by visiting https://llm.lsac.org/login/access.aspx?appl=4837L1 during our application period. As you fill out your application and compile your supporting documents, please carefully follow LSAC's application checklist to ensure that your application and documents will be processed in a timely manner. (You may begin your application to the LL.M. Program even if you have not yet submitted all of your supporting documents to LSAC.)

Please note that applicants are not required to register for the LSAC CAS LL.M. International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service (ITAES), for which LSAC charges an additional fee. Nonetheless, you are welcome to register for this evaluation service. Doing so may result in faster processing of your application and the announcement of our program's admission decision.

Domestic applicants: Please note that LSAC's LL.M. CAS is separate from the LSAC service through which you previously applied to J.D. programs. As a result, you must create a new LSAC LL.M. account by following the instructions above, then submit your undergraduate transcripts, law school transcripts, and letters of recommendation to the LSAC LL.M. CAS so that these documents will be transmitted to UCLA.

Application Deadline: Please submit your application and supporting documents (items 1-5 in the section below) to LSAC no later than February 1.

Submitting Your Supporting Documents

After creating your LSAC account and beginning your online application, please submit the following supporting documents to LSAC:

  • 1. Current Résumé or Curriculum Vitae

    A standard résumé listing your academic qualifications and relevant work experience is required. You may submit a more detailed curriculum vitae if you wish. When completing your online application through LSAC, please follow the instructions to attach an electronic copy of your résumé to your application.

  • 2. Personal Statement

    An important aspect of the application is the personal statement, in which applicants describe their objectives in pursuing graduate legal studies at UCLA School of Law. Discuss any matters relevant to your ability to succeed in law school and the practice of law, and any attributes, experiences, or interests that would enable you to make a distinctive contribution to UCLA and the legal profession. The personal statement should be typed, double-spaced in 12-point font, and should not exceed three pages in length. When completing your online application through LSAC, please follow the instructions to attach an electronic copy of your personal statement to your application.

  • 3. Official Transcripts

    Applicants must arrange to have transcripts submitted to the LSAC LL.M. CAS Document Assembly Service from all graduate and undergraduate coursework evidencing their completion of a prior degree in law, such as an LL.B. or J.D. Please also submit transcripts for any other subjects in which you have earned an undergraduate or graduate degree. Transcripts should include all courses taken and grades received for university work, and must be translated into English. If your school is unable to provide an English translation of your transcripts, please obtain one from a translation service.

    Transcripts must be submitted directly to LSAC by the issuing institution and may not be mailed to UCLA School of Law. Click here for detailed instructions on submitting your transcripts to LSAC. Applicants need only arrange to have one copy of each transcript sent to LSAC, and LSAC will transmit copies to each law school to which you apply.

    If your transcript does not indicate your relative class standing or rank, and such information is available, please have a school official issue a letter or certificate indicating your class standing or rank, and include this notification with the transcripts that are submitted to LSAC.

  • 4. Two to Four Letters of Recommendation

    Applicants must arrange to have two (2) to four (4) letters of recommendation submitted to LSAC from knowledgeable persons who can tell the Graduate Studies Committee about the applicant’s academic qualifications and career interests. The letters are most helpful when the writer can provide the committee with specific firsthand information on your academic and (if applicable) professional capacity and performance. If possible, please include at least one academic reference. While employer references are acceptable, letters from academic sources are viewed more favorably.

    You may submit a minimum of two and a maximum of four recommendation letters. Letters must be submitted to LSAC and may not be mailed to UCLA School of Law. Click here for detailed instructions on submitting your recommendation letters to LSAC. UCLA does not require a separate recommendation letter form.

  • 5. Official TOEFL (or IELTS) Score

    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 96 on the Internet-based TOEFL, or 600 on the paper-based exam. (There are no score requirements for specific sections of the exam.) Applicants with lower scores are 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.

Confirming Your Application Status

After you submit your online application through the LSAC website, and your complete LL.M. Credential Assembly Service report is available on the LSAC website, our staff will download these materials and assemble your application file. Due to the large volume of applications received, this process generally takes 1-2 weeks. After that time, our staff will email you to confirm that your application is complete.

After their application is complete, some applicants may receive an invitation to complete a recorded interview through the Kira Talent platform. Whether or not one receives an interview invitation should not be viewed as an indication of the likelihood of admission.

 

Receiving Your Admission Result

The Graduate Studies Committee will begin reviewing an application after all of its corresponding supporting documentation has been received. Admission results will be announced on a rolling basis from February through April. (Due to the large volume of applications received, it is difficult to predict when a decision regarding a specific application will be reached.) Applicants will receive an email from Vic Telesino, Senior Director of Graduate Admissions, informing them of the Committee's decision as soon as it is made.

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Taking Legal Education to the Next Level

UCLA Law's LL.M. program offers students the opportunity to learn from top legal scholars and teachers in the beautiful, bustling city of Los Angeles. Students can pursue nine different specializations, including Business Law, International Law, and many others.

The Specialization in Media, Entertainment, Technology, & Sports Law LL.M. curriculum involves completion of four courses arranged in two tiers. While the tiers are roughly progressive (in that, for example, basic copyright and entertainment law are helpful for the more advanced courses), generally the courses below may be taken concurrently (subject to a given instructor’s prerequisite requirements in specific instances).

Curriculum

A minimum average GPA not lower than a B- will be required in specialization courses for final transcript certification of satisfactory specialization completion. Students who have completed the specialization requirements may elect, at their option, to have the certification noted on their transcript. That election cannot be changed after the student has been graduated. Note also that specific course offerings vary from year to year.

To be awarded the specialization in Law and Philosophy, a student must obtain a B (3.0) grade average in courses taken for this specialization.

Detailed course descriptions are linked in the listings below. Prospective students should bear in mind that, due to curriculum scheduling and faculty availability, not every class listed is taught each year. This is most often true in the case of seminar courses. A sufficient number of courses will be available to enable those students who choose to specialize to satisfy the specialization requirements.

Curriculum

To be awarded the specialization in the Epstein Program in Public Interest Law and Policy, students must obtain a B- (2.7) grade average in courses taken for this specialization. A minimum of four courses is required to earn the specialization. Detailed course descriptions are linked in the listings below. Prospective students should bear in mind that, due to curriculum scheduling and faculty availability, not every listed class is offered every year. This is most often true in the case of seminar courses.

Curriculum

For Elective Courses, A Minimum of One Course from Each Category Is Required.

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06 27
9:30 AM - 5:20 PM
Schoenberg Hall, UCLA
49th Annual UCLA Entertainment Symposium Hollywood ’25: Survive or Thrive

The Annual Entertainment Symposium is a flagship event for the entertainment industry.

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