Application Instructions

Our online application takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. Please be aware that your work will not be saved automatically.

Note: If you earned a degree outside of the United States of America, you may be directed to submit your application through the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) via the link above.

2. Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose is your primary opportunity to discuss who you are beyond the application basics. We are particularly interested in how your academic and professional background has led to your decision to study law. This is not the place to repeat items on your resume/curriculum vitae (CV). Please address the following questions in your statement of purpose:

• Why do you want to pursue the MSL degree at USC Gould?
• How do you plan to use this degree to advance your career?
• What strategies will you put into place to be a successful graduate student?

The statement of purpose should be two to three pages, double-spaced and in at least 12-point font. We value essays that are clear, concise, and compelling.

Email your statement of purpose as a PDF to msl@law.usc.edu.

3. Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Provide a record of your employment history, volunteer commitments, extracurricular activities, and any awards and/or honors by emailing a PDF version of your resume/CV to msl@law.usc.edu.

4. Transcripts

Domestic Applicants: To expediate the processing of your application, you can submit unofficial transcripts via email with the rest of your application materials and request official transcripts to be sent to us from your undergraduate and graduate institution(s) after receiving an admissions decision.

(Optional) Step 1: Submit unofficial transcripts by scanning and emailing transcripts from your undergraduate institution (and graduate institution, if applicable) to msl@law.usc.edu.

Unofficial transcripts must be printed on university letterhead or include a university seal/registrar signature. Print-outs from student portals are not accepted. If admitted, you will be required to submit official transcripts from all academic institutions.

Step 2: Request official, sealed transcripts from your undergraduate and/or graduate institution(s) and provide them with our address. For transcripts to be considered official, they must be emailed or mailed directly from the issuing institution to USC Gould. Any transcripts sent from the applicant, even if in a sealed envelope, are considered unofficial transcripts.

Official electronic transcripts should be sent by the institution or through a secure site formally linked to the sending institution, such as eTranscript California, Parchment Exchange, eSCRIP-SAFE, and National Student Clearinghouse to msl@law.usc.edu. Please make sure to select “Other Organization” or “Other Individual” to include msl@law.usc.edu as the recipient.

Official hard copy transcripts should be mailed by the institution to:

Master of Studies in Law (MSL)
USC Gould School of Law
699 Exposition Blvd, Room 336
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0071

International Applicants:

If you hold any degree from outside the U.S, you must use the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC)'s Electronic Application Service (EAPS), Document Assembly Service (DAS) and International Transcript and Authentication and Evaluation Service (ITAES) to submit your transcripts. Credential evaluation takes 2-3 weeks to complete once LSAC has received all your documents; there may be further delay during LSAC's peak processing periods or if LSAC determines that additional information is required to complete its review. Therefore, we suggest you apply as early as possible so that there is no consequential delay in LSAC transmitting its evaluation report to us.

Note: The fee for EAPS, DAS and ITAES is $42, $59 and $150, respectively. LSAC will charge an additional $36 to send your Credential Assembly Service (CAS) Report to USC Gould. Fees charged by LSAC for utilizing its services are payable to LSAC. Please visit LSAC's website for more information about fees charged by LSAC, including its refund policy.

5. English Proficiency - International Applicants

If you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, you must take the Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL), International English Language Testing System (IELTS), Cambridge English C1 Advanced Exam, or Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic.

English proficiency waiver requests will only be considered if (1) your native language is English, (2) you hold a bachelor’s degree completed in its entirety in the United States or U.S. bachelor’s-equivalent in a qualifying Anglophone country, and (3), you have completed a master’s or doctoral degree from a country in which English is both the language of instruction and the only official language prior to applying.

• USC Gould does not have a minimum TOEFL, IELTS, C1 Advanced, or PTE score. Here are the recommended scores to achieve:
  • TOEFL iBT Home, iBT Paper Edition, or the standard in-person TOEFL iBT: 90 or above, with 20 or above in each section. We do not accept MyBest TOEFL score.
  • IELTS Academic or IELTS Indicator (Online version): 6.5 or above, with 6 or above on each band.
  • Cambridge English C1 Advanced Exam: 176 or above, with 169 or above on each skill.
  • PTE Academic and PTE Academic Online: 61 or above, with 53 or above on each band.
• Official TOEFL and IELTS scores must be sent directly to LSAC. LSAC's institutional code is 8395. Cambridge C1 Advanced Exam and PTE Academic must be sent to directly to USC Gould School of Law.
• English-proficiency scores must be dated within two years (24 months) of the date you submit your application.
• USC does not waive the English-proficiency requirement based on any other consideration, such as work experience, ESL enrollment, amount of time spent in the United States, etc.  It also cannot be waived based on programs taught in English in non-Anglophone countries.

Note: Admission to the MSL does not require letters of recommendation, nor any LSAT or GRE exam scores. Additional application materials or an interview may be requested by the Admissions Committee.