{"id":33448,"date":"2024-07-16T10:00:58","date_gmt":"2024-07-16T10:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/interstride.com\/?p=33448"},"modified":"2025-03-10T20:19:04","modified_gmt":"2025-03-10T20:19:04","slug":"Pre-law-requirements-at-US-universities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/interstride.com\/blog\/Pre-law-requirements-at-US-universities\/","title":{"rendered":"Pre-law requirements at US universities"},"content":{"rendered":"

Prospective international students who want to study law in the US need to understand that they cannot study law at the undergraduate level in the US. Instead, one must do undergrad first to earn a bachelor’s degree, and then apply for law school to earn a J.D. degree. This differs from some countries including China, Australia, and the UK where you can start studying law in undergraduate school and earn a <\/span>Bachelor of Laws<\/span><\/a> (LL.B).<\/span><\/p>\n

How to become a lawyer in the US<\/b><\/h2>\n

There are two types of law degrees in the US. A Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree is needed to practice law, but some students who are interested in working in the legal field in another way such as consulting or compliance may earn a Master of Law (LL.M.). Generally though, when someone says they are studying law in the US, they are working on their J.D. Earning a J.D. typically takes three years of full-time law school. Law school tuition in the US is about <\/span>$49,000 per year<\/span><\/a> on average. You must have a bachelor’s degree and have passed the LSAT,\u00a0 the US’s law school admissions test, to apply for law school in the US.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

After law school, you will need to pass the bar exam to become a practicing lawyer in the US. International students can also use their US law degree to practice law in another country. Many countries allow graduates with an LL.M. to practice law, and you can earn an LL.M. in the US in as little as one year.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is \u201cpre-law\u201d?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Students in the US who know they want to go to law school after undergraduate school may say they are \u201cpre-law\u201d. Pre-law is not a major, a field of study, an academic department, or a college you apply to. In the US, pre-law is more of an intention. Pre-law students can choose any field of study that prepares them for applying to law school and for the LSAT.<\/span><\/p>\n

What are the best undergraduate majors for law school?<\/b><\/h4>\n

There is no specific pre-law major. Some common choices of pre-law programs for undergraduates are:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n