As tuition costs for U.S. law schools rise, it should not be a surprise that more LL.M. students will be looking at tuition discount opportunities, most commonly in the form of scholarships. While I understand why some U.S. law schools are not as eager to openly discuss these opportunities, it is important for prospective students to understand the business model for U.S. legal education and to understand how LL.M. students like you fit into that model as part of the burgeoning Non-J.D. operation. I start with an important opening caveat, and then some tips as you think about U.S. law school tuition costs.

1. Caveat: Rank, Prestige, and Job Outcomes Often Mean Reduced Tuition Discount Opportunities. One of the important discussion points I share with my students is the focus on minimizing costs versus the focus on maximizing prestige and/or job outcomes. A lot of my students applying for LL.M. programs are focused on prestige, and for good reason. They’re planning to return to China to work and are looking at a small group of schools that will best translate to their China career goals. They plan to study in 10-month programs, and are not as worried as J.D. applicants thinking about three-year costs. They also know that their tuition dollars help U.S. law schools and are able to pick a small group of schools they’re likely to be admitted to and want to attend, even without substantial scholarships. If you are looking at a certain category of schools, be aware of the trade-off you will likely face. This is also often true if you’re looking at working in the U.S. post-LL.M., including for well-compensated and H1-B friendly jobs.
2. Understand the Business Model. The truth is that Non-J.D. programs cannot operate with full tuition scholarships (let alone fully funded programs) for most students. When my students and others ask me what’s the easiest way to secure a full scholarship in the U.S., I told them to take the LSAT and study in a J.D. program (though we’ll see how much that changed now). Non-J.D. programs are revenue-generating programs generally, and prospective LL.M. students who understand this can deftly navigate the process by focusing on prestige versus costs (see above). There is a limit to how much of a scholarship schools can give to most LL.M. students, and understanding this can be an important part of expectation management.
3. The Non-J.D. World Has Changed. Non-J.D. is no longer a synonym of LL.M. programs. With so many programs for non-lawyers, coupled with certificates and other programs, U.S. law schools have many options for their Non-J.D. revenue sources. My advice to my students is to look at schools with large Non-J.D. operations that include programs other than LL.M. programs to see if you can use those M.S.L./M.Jur. and other growing programs to seek more discounts. J.D. has to come first under the ABA paradigm, but the Non-J.D. operations may allow for more generous scholarships.
4. Apply broadly. Applying broadly allows you to secure multiple offers and multiple scholarship opportunities. Applying to only one school or a small number of schools reduces your ability to discuss tuition discount opportunities with schools. I tell my students never to use the world dream school or discuss how a school is their #1 choice in their Personal Statement unless they’re fully committed to go there no matter the cost. Schools may have application fee waivers to reduce the costs, but if you’re applying through LSAC, you’ll also need to factor in those costs as you navigate your application strategy.
5. Advocate for Yourself. You are a lawyer or a law school graduate (or soon-to-be graduate). Advocating for yourself is an important skill and one that you should be thinking about as you weigh your options. Again, you may ultimately choose a school without a large scholarship package (or any scholarship) based on other factors: prestige, rank, geographic preference, etc., but thinking about how to best position yourself in your personal statement and communication with schools is an important skill that will serve you well.
6. Be Polite and Tone Check. E-mail, especially in a second language, comes with some risks of context and tone being missed. I urge my students to think about how their e-mails will come off and to draft in a separate document before sending. U.S. law schools are looking to different things as they build their LL.M. classes, and it’s important to think about how your e-mail or phone call is coming off to the school you may actually attend. I tell my students to avoid any ultimatum language and to try to use respectful language as they communicate their inquiries into tuition costs when they are engaging with U.S. law schools.
7. Think About Your Professional Reputation. Once you make a decision, I recommend sticking with it unless circumstances have changed. The LL.M. admissions world is small and you don’t want to develop a reputation for sharing incorrect information. If you say a school offered you $X scholarship, another school may ask to see proof of it. If you say you’ll 100% attend a school if they give you $X scholarship, be prepared for the school to take you at your word. You’ll learn a lot about professional responsibility, character & fitness, and other areas of lawyer integrity. The application process is your first step into this world in the U.S., even if you’re a lawyer abroad already.

Good luck with your applications and decisions!