J.S.D. Admissions

The Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.) degree program at Cornell Law School is designed for students who hold a first degree in law as well as an LL.M. (or its equivalent) and want to pursue an academic career. While earning a J.S.D., students conduct original research into specific legal topics of individual interest.

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Application Requirements

• General Requirements

Applications to the J.S.D. program are welcomed from applicants who have completed LL.M.-level work. Except in unusual circumstances, however, students are admitted to the J.S.D. program only after earning an LL.M. degree at Cornell Law School, in which they must have received all honor and high honor grades. Out of an average of 40 applicants, only one to three J.S.D. students are admitted per year. Admission is based on a holistic review of the entire application including prior academic performance, recommendations, special academic honors received, publications authored or coauthored, and work experience.

• is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, or a citizen of the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand or Canada (except Quebec).
• at the time you enroll at Cornell, you will have studied in full-time status for at least two academic years within the last five years in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, or New Zealand, or with English language instruction in Canada or South Africa. Even if English was the language of instruction at your school, if you did not study in one of these countries you are not exempt from the requirement. You must submit a transcript that shows you attended college in one of the designated locations, and that your academic program was at least two years in length.

If you meet this criteria, you may request to waive the English language proficiency requirement. You may submit an ESL waiver request as an attachment to your online application along with required supporting documentation (e.g., proof of citizenship or permanent residence in a designated location, or an academic transcript showing study in a designated location for at least two years within the last five years). Waiver requests are reviewed with complete applications only and are approved on a case-by-case basis in the discretion of the Committee. Applicants who do not meet the stated waiver criteria are advised to take the TOEFL or IELTS.

Note: If you are a current Cornell Law LL.M. student, you do not need to submit additional proof of your English proficiency.

All applications must be submitted through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) . LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service simplifies the application process by centralizing the collection of application materials and distributing them in an electronic report to all law schools to which you apply. This means that if you are applying to multiple law schools, you will only have to submit application materials once. And because Cornell receives all required materials electronically from LSAC, we can process all applications faster and more efficiently. Unexpected delays do happen. We strongly advise that you register with LSAC six weeks before the May 1 application deadline, and ensure that application materials are received by LSAC at least four weeks before the application deadline.

Application Checklist

• Résumé/C.V.: All applicants are required to submit a resume or c.v. detailing any applicable work history, educational achievements, community and/or service work.
• Statement of interest: A detailed personal statement of interest (approximately 750 words) is an essential part of the application. The statement should include a discussion of your purpose in obtaining the degree, as well as an explanation of your research and study interests in relation to your previous education and professional goals. Please include your full name on the top of each page of the statement of interest.
• Research proposal: A detailed and footnoted research proposal of no more than 3,000 words.
• Transcripts/degree certifications: Complete official transcripts of all previous college, university, and graduate/professional school study, including work done at Cornell. All applicants must register with LSAC’s Credential Assembly Service and utilize both the Document Assembly and International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Services.
• Letters of recommendation: The committee requires two letters of recommendation but will review a maximum of four letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation must be submitted from faculty members or employers acquainted with your work in the major area of study. If you’ve graduated from school several years ago (two years of more), we would expect you to ask a current or recent employer who can comment on your work ethic and character. The committee is primarily interested in the recommender’s judgment about your academic abilities and professional capabilities.
• Demonstration of English proficiency: Proficiency in English is required for admission and your level of proficiency, as demonstrated by all aspects of the application, is a significant factor in our decision-making process. International applicants must submit an official TOEFL or IELTS score.
• Application fee: Payment of the nonrefundable $80 (USD) application fee.

Documents must be submitted in their original language; documents in languages other than English must be accompanied by a certified translation. Only complete applications will be reviewed by our committee.

Cornell Law School typically provides J.S.D. candidates a full tuition waiver, health insurance coverage, and stipend for three years, contingent on satisfactory academic progress.

The J.S.D. program at Cornell Law is an exceptional opportunity for students to deepen their understanding of American domestic law, international law, and comparative law, particularly in areas in which Cornell's faculty is world-renowned.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CURRENT J.S.D. CANDIDATES

Santiago García-Jaramillo joined the J.S.D. Program at Cornell Law School in August 2022. Santiago is from Colombia and his research interests include constitutional theory, philosophy of law, moral philosophy, and political theory.

Ayesha Umana-Dajud is a Colombian J.S.D. candidate focusing on international criminal law and the democratization of international human rights law.

Kai Wang joined the J.S.D. Program at Cornell Law School in August 2020. Kai is from China and his research interests include anti-money laundering law, data privacy law, tort law, international criminal law, and comparative law.