Letters of Recommendation
Financing Your LLM Education
A completed graduate application to Penn Law must include two letters of
Information on the student budget, including tuition and fees, the Summer
recommendation, ideally from law professors or others who have personal
Program Fee, room and board, books, and miscellaneous budget items can
experience instructing and evaluating the candidate. We appreciate
be found on our website at http://www.law.upenn.edu/admissions/grad.
the burden this requirement places on recommenders. Such subjective evaluations from knowledgeable references, however, are important factors
As is evident from these figures, attending law school in the United
in weighing the relative merits of international candidates whose objective
States is a very expensive endeavor. At Penn Law, we are a tuition-driven
credentials necessarily reflect many distinct grading systems and national
institution, meaning that every dollar of tuition revenue is required to
standards for legal education.
support the academic program. Accordingly, the resources available to provide tuition assistance to LLM and LLCM students are extremely limited.
An applicant may, alternatively, submit letters from academic instructors
A limited number of merit grants are awarded to LLM applicants each
outside of the field of law, from employers, or from others with a personal
year; all students are considered for these grants. In addition, Penn Law
knowledge of the candidate’s intellectual and other strengths. The
now offers financial assistance to a small number of outstanding LLM
Graduate Programs Admissions Committee strongly advises that all letters
candidates with a demonstrated commitment to human rights law. As part
be submitted in conjunction with either the Professional or Academic
of this prestigious scholarship, selected students participate in a human
Recommender Form, available on LSAC’s site, but it will review letters
rights pro bono activity and serve as a research assistant for a member of
submitted without the form attached.
Penn Law’s faculty during the academic year. Interested applicants should check the appropriate box in the application materials and set forth in their
Although we accept up to four letters of recommendation, your application
application why they are appropriate candidates for this award. We will
will be considered complete and will be reviewed after we receive the
notify all students selected to receive these awards during the month of
first two letters. Please note that many successful applicants submit two
March or April each year.
letters of recommendation and additional letters of recommendation do not necessarily strengthen your application.
Because our ability to award assistance is very limited, we encourage you to seek other funding sources to support your education. You may wish to seek sponsorship from your employer or your government, or from foundations, fellowships, and organizations sponsoring fellowships. Some students arrange private loans; U.S. government lending programs may be available to students with U.S. citizenship or permanent residence status. You can learn about some of these opportunities from the resources we have collected and placed on our website, www.law.upenn.edu/ admissions/grad.