International Admissions to WashU Law

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Hello, everyone, and welcome to Navigating Grad Law at WashU — your guide to admissions, academics, and more. Today, sit down with Emma Steckelberg and me, Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine, as we talk about admissions.

Hello, I’m Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine, Assistant Dean of International and Graduate Programs, and I’m here today with Emma Steckelberg, our program coordinator. She’s going to answer some questions for us about the application process. Welcome, Emma.

Emma Steckelberg: Thank you. Great to be here.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Can you tell us — what characteristics does the school look for in a good candidate?

Emma Steckelberg: Thank you for asking. It depends on the program.

For our LLM program, a strong undergraduate or first-degree performance really goes a long way. If English is not your native language, a strong English language proficiency exam score — either the TOEFL, IELTS, or Gateway English exams — will also be taken into consideration during admission. If you do not have a first degree in law, but you are a practicing lawyer, a resume that demonstrates your work experience will also be helpful for the admissions committee when making a decision.

For the MLS program, the admissions committee will also take into consideration a strong undergraduate performance and English language score, but they also want to take a look at your resume that demonstrates your work experience, your volunteer experience, and any other additional information you would like to include. A personal statement that demonstrates why you want to pursue the MLS program will help both you and the admissions committee understand what you would like to do with your degree once you complete the program.

For our JSD program, in addition to your undergraduate transcripts and your English language proficiency exam score (if English is not your native language), we also take into consideration your LLM academic performance — so we’re taking a look at your grades and the courses you were taking. But we also put a big emphasis on the research proposal, so you want to make sure that that is as polished as possible when you submit your application. A great tip would be to have either one other person or multiple other people — especially if they’re faculty members or the writing center at your university — take another look at your research proposal and make sure that there are no [errors or gaps].

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Well, so if I’m interested, where can I apply?

Emma Steckelberg: If you go to the WashU Law website, in the upper right corner there is a button that says “Apply Today.” If you click on LLM, MLS, or JSD programs, it will redirect you to our website where you can click on the “Apply Now” link and begin your application.

We do also accept applications through LSAC, but just as a heads-up: if you apply through LSAC, you will complete a preliminary form in LSAC to begin, and then you will receive an email inviting you to complete the application form on our website. But if you want to send us your CAS report with your transcripts, English language proficiency score, etc., you can begin with LSAC.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: I’m sure many of our listeners are wondering — are there any application fees?

Emma Steckelberg: We do not charge any application fees. However, LSAC may charge fees that we have no control over. For example, I believe there is a fee to send your CAS report. So if you want to avoid fees altogether, we recommend applying directly through our website.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Speaking of that CAS report — what materials do I need to submit with my application?

Emma Steckelberg: I mentioned this earlier, but a good rule of thumb for each of our programs is that we require copies of transcripts from your first degree or undergraduate degree, and an English translation if necessary. We also require an English language proficiency exam score if English is not your native language. This is true for all of our degree programs, including the JSD program.

For the LLM, the transcript and the English proficiency exam score are the only two required documents, but you can also provide supporting documents — including your CV or resume, recommendation letters, personal statement — basically whatever you want to be taken into consideration with your application.

For the MLS program, in addition to your transcript and an English language proficiency exam score, we also require a resume. Something that can really help your MLS application is also including a personal statement that explains why you are interested in the MLS program and what you hope to do with an MLS degree. Having this information in mind will also help you and your academic advisor plan your course schedule.

For the JSD program, in addition to your undergraduate transcripts, we also require that you submit your transcript from your LLM degree in the U.S. A U.S. LLM degree is required in order to be eligible for this program — so while you may have a master’s degree from another country, you will need to graduate from an LLM program in the U.S. to be able to apply. We also require a multi-page dissertation proposal that describes the research topic you plan to explore during your JSD program, and any preliminary research that you have already conducted on the topic.

We get a lot of questions about the formatting requirements for the dissertation proposal, but we leave that language intentionally broad, because we want to give applicants the freedom to prepare their research proposal in a way that they feel will allow them to put their best foot forward. So we don’t have page limits or minimums, as some applicants may need to write more to cover their topic, while others may feel they can convey their planned research in fewer pages. So it’s up to your preference.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Can you elaborate on the deadline and admissions criteria?

Emma Steckelberg: Great question. We do not have a hard deadline for admission, but we do encourage our international applicants to apply by November to begin in the spring semester, which starts in January. This is because it can take some time to apply for and receive your I-20 from the university, as well as schedule your visa interview.

If you are a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, we can really accept applications up until the start of the semester, though it would be best to submit your application at least two weeks prior to give the admissions committee time to review and yourself time to prepare.

If you would like to be considered for the fall semester, we encourage international applicants to submit their applications by May 15. This is a good rule of thumb for really any applicant who plans to start their program in the fall, as we will begin adding you to our new student system in May, and you’ll be able to register for courses in June or July. But again, for domestic applicants — because you would not need to complete the visa process — we can accept applications through mid-August.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: That’s really good news. I’m sure our applicants are going to be happy to hear that. A question I receive from our potential applicants is: will there be an admissions interview process?

Emma Steckelberg: We do not require an interview prior to admission or as part of our admissions criteria. If you are admitted, you will need to schedule an appointment with our director of international programs, Juan Del Valle — who is very nice and warm and inviting — to talk about our programs and answer any questions you may have. But again, this meeting will have no impact on your admission. It’s really to help you get prepared for your program.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: What if I’m still in school? Can I apply?

Emma Steckelberg: If you will complete your undergraduate degree prior to matriculation — when your semester of entry will begin — then yes, you are more than welcome to apply. There are also some exceptions for partner universities, where we may have a special agreement. If you are not sure whether you might be enrolled in one of these partner schools, you can ask your current university, or send us an email at gradlaw@wustl.edu, and we can take a look and confirm.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Emma, you talked about some of the documents that are needed to apply. Does a student need an official transcript to apply?

Emma Steckelberg: We do not require official transcripts for admission, so you can submit unofficial copies with your application. If you are admitted, we do require that you have your official transcript sent to us from your previous university — or you can bring it with you in a sealed envelope directly from your university when you arrive on campus for your program. You would just need to do so prior to the start of the semester.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Many schools require a letter of recommendation. Does WashU Law?

Emma Steckelberg: We do not require recommendation letters, but they can only help your application. A good recommendation letter will come from a professor, supervisor, or someone who can attest to your academic or work performance.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Emma, can an applicant schedule a visit to the campus?

Emma Steckelberg: Yes — send us an email at gradlaw@wustl.edu if you would like to visit campus or meet with someone from our office.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: The WashU Law application has character and fitness questions. Do they need to be answered?

Emma Steckelberg: Great question. We do require that you answer all of the character and fitness questions. They are required for admission. If you need to answer yes to any of the character and fitness questions in the application, you will also need to submit an explanation for why the answer is yes, so just keep this in mind as you are filling out your application.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Can students apply to multiple programs?

Emma Steckelberg: We have had applicants ask this question in the past. We would prefer for you to pick one program to apply for. If you are unsure of which program you might be interested in, the general Master of Laws program is a great place to start.

You can also pursue specializations. So if you think you might be interested in intellectual property and technology law, but you don’t know if you would like to pursue it as a degree, you can apply to the general LLM program and complete a specialization. If you want to learn more about this, listen to our podcast with Dean Heil-Chapdelaine, where she talks about our programs and specializations for a more in-depth discussion.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: So how are previous academic grades evaluated?

Emma Steckelberg: At WashU Law, we recognize that different countries and universities have different grading systems. So the best way to ensure that we are reviewing your transcripts as accurately as possible is to include a grading scale with the copy of your transcript. But if the scale is not the same as a typical U.S. university scale, we understand, and of course we’ll take this into consideration when reviewing your application.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: So, Emma, we’ve talked, I think, a lot about the specifics of our application — the criteria and what a student needs to do to apply. Once a student has applied, how long after they apply should they expect to receive a response?

Emma Steckelberg: The Graduate and International Programs Office at WashU Law works to issue admissions decisions within two to three weeks of submission. But this can vary depending on the application. Some applications require more time to review, or we may come back and say, “Thank you for applying, but we need supplemental material to complete or review your application.” Or there might be an issue with a document that would require resubmission of that material. So our internal goal is two to three weeks, but because every applicant is different, that timeline may vary.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: So, do you have any great admissions tips for our prospective students?

Emma Steckelberg: I’ll go ahead and break it down by our degree programs.

For the MLS, or Master of Legal Studies, like I mentioned, including a personal statement that explains why you want to complete the MLS degree, or what your focus will be during your program, can only help.

For the LLM program, if you didn’t love your English language proficiency exam score for whatever reason — or you think you could do better — you are more than welcome to take the exam again and send us a copy of your new score report. We will consider your highest overall score on any individual test during the application process.

For the JSD application, your dissertation proposal will probably have the biggest impact on your admission. So making sure that you have a strong, polished research proposal will really help your application. We will pair admitted applicants with research advisors, so not only is your proposal going to be reviewed by the admissions committee, but also by members of our faculty. So a rigorous editing process will be very beneficial in the long run.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Who can a student contact at WashU Law if they have further questions about the application process?

Emma Steckelberg: Students can send WashU Law an email at gradlaw@wustl.edu. You are also welcome to send me an email at s.emma@wustl.edu, and I would be happy to help in any way I can. If you go to our website and follow the process I mentioned earlier — by clicking on “Apply Today” in the upper right corner — there are also links to schedule a virtual meeting with a member of our admissions committee to help answer any questions you might have.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Thank you so much for being here today to answer these questions about the application process. I know that you’ve given some great information, and our students will find it extremely helpful as they navigate grad law.

Emma Steckelberg: Thank you.

Jeanne Heil-Chapdelaine: Thank you. Adiós. Au revoir. La revedere. Güle güle. Auf Wiedersehen. Godaafad. Annyeonghi gaseyo. Dakwon. Sayonara.