Flex-LLM
Applications are not evaluated until all required supporting documents have been received. For guaranteed consideration, the applicant is responsible for ensuring that application materials are received by Scalia Law School at George Mason University prior to the appropriate deadline. Items 1 through 6 are required from all LLM applicants:
1. Application and Application Fee (All applicants apply online. There is no application fee.)
| Application Deadline | |
| Spring 2026 | December 1, 2025 |
2. Official Transcripts
Applicants are required to provide official copies of their transcripts before the start of the semester. You can upload your unofficial transcripts when you apply. If you’re admitted to the LLM. program, official transcripts (a WES evaluated credential certificate for universities from outside the U.S.) must be provided before the first day of classes.
Applicants must submit all transcripts from college or university level work and degrees. *
If you completed your education from an institution outside the United States, your application to Scalia Law is considered complete when we have a copy of a Credential Equivalency Report verifying your education and what it means in a US context. You may see other terms used by us or other universities. Here is what each of those terms mean.
When you see a request for Official Transcripts, this is what that means:
- It’s a document sent directly from your institution to George Mason University
- It includes:
- Date degree study began
- Date degree was conferred
- The coursework taken
- Grades received in course work
We do want Official Transcripts, but having that alone is not enough to mark your application as complete if they are coming from outside the United States.
In some cases, your transcripts may not be in English. If that’s the case, we may ask you for a Certified Translation. This requires:
- A copy of the document translated exactly as the translator received it (these can be unofficial transcripts).
- A copy of the translation as written by the translator
- A signed certificate from the translator explaining their translation credentials
- Received directly from the translator (this can be done either by direct email, mail or via a sealed envelope).
If your degree is not in English, we would prefer a translation, but since a Credential Equivalency Report will provide us a translation, this is not required. Having a Certified Translation and Official Transcripts is not enough to mark your application as complete.
We understand that international students can sometimes face difficulty obtaining their official transcripts from their home institution. To support students facing this difficulty, the admissions committee may, on a case-by-case basis, issue a preliminary admissions decision pending receipt of official transcripts. To do this, a student must supply us with Unofficial Transcripts. Unofficial transcripts must meet all of the official transcript requirements except we may receive them directly from the student.
A Credential Equivalency Report is an evaluation done by an approved organization specializing in international degrees that verifies:
- The required information in the student’s transcript
- The student really attended the institution
- How the academic performance relates in a US context
Not only do we require a Credential Equivalency Report, it will also be required to sit for a bar exam. Until this is on file, your application is not complete and it may impact your ability to sit for a bar exam, graduate or register for classes.
Not all Credential Equivalency Reports are acceptable. Here are organizations we accept:
3. Official Law School or Equivalent Transcripts
In addition to transcripts from college or university level work and degrees, applicants must submit ONE of the following:
An official transcript (including grades) showing completion of a law degree in a country other than the U.S.*; or
Other official proof of status as a lawyer in a country other than the U.S.*
4. 500-Word Statement
The applicant is required to submit a 500-word statement of educational and professional goals, double-spaced, that will serve as both a statement of purpose and a writing sample. The thoughts and words of the 500-word statement must be uniquely those of the applicant. Apart from basic proofreading, no other(s) may assist in the creation of this statement.
The personal statement is used to assess your plans for the degree as well as your writing in an academic context. We recommend you use this opportunity to tell us about your career goals.
While there is no word maximum for the personal statement, brevity and editing are prized qualities for US lawyers. We do not recommend going far above the 500-word suggestion.
5. Résumé
The applicant must submit a résumé detailing your educational and professional experience and achievements. There is no page limit.
Application for Virginia In-State Tuition Rates (required only for applicants who believe they qualify for in-state tuition rates). Applicants who have resided in Virginia for 12 months or more and believe they qualify for in-state tuition rates must complete the Application for Virginia In-State Tuition Rates and submit the form with your application.
6. English Proficiency
For applicants whose first language is not English, current TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo scores showing sufficient proficiency in the English language are required. Applicants must have taken the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo within two years of submitting their application
7. Letter of Recommendation (Optional)
Please submit two letters of recommendation addressing the applicant's academic and professional potential.
8. Interview
All applicants must complete an informal interview with the Director of the LLM program in person, by phone, or Skype. The admissions office will contact those candidates who are selected for interviews to schedule a convenient time to talk.