Application Instructions
Master of Studies in Law (MSL) Degree - On Campus

Eligibility

To be eligible to apply, you must have earned or plan to receive a bachelor's degree with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 (based on a 4.0 grading scale) before enrolling at USC Gould School of Law. We seek applicants whose academic background, professional aspirations, personal commitment, and communication skills meet the demands of a rigorous legal master's degree program.

Dates and Deadlines

We offer two starts throughout the year in fall and spring. Below are the upcoming start dates and application deadlines:

Program Start Date	First Day of Classes	Applications Open	Priority Application Deadline	Application Deadline
Fall 2020	August 24, 2020	October 1, 2019	March 1, 2020	June 1, 2020
Spring 2021	January 11, 2021	June 1, 2020	October 14, 2020	November 11, 2020

Note: Apply early to increase your scholarship eligibility. International students who will enter on student visas are permitted to enroll in the fall semester only on a full-time basis.

Application Process

To apply for admission, submit the following documents before 5 p.m. (Pacific Time) on the application deadlines listed above:

1. Online Application
   

   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. Personal Statement
   

   Provide a two or three-page document that includes:

   • Your personal, academic, and professional background
   • Your reasons for pursuing a master's degree
   • How this graduate degree will be used to advance your career
   • Your strategies to be a successful graduate student

Email your personal statement to msl@law.usc.edu.

3. Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
   

   Provide a record of your employment history and list of any distinctions, publications, and licenses/credentials by emailing 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. Print-outs from student portals are not accepted.

   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.

   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 submit use the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC)'s 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 of 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 DAS and ITAES is $85 and $135, respectively. LASC will charge an additional $30 to send your Law School 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) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). TOEFL/IELTS waiver requests will only be considered if (1) your native language is English, or (2) you possess an undergraduate degree from an institution in which English is the primary language of instruction.

   • USC Gould does not have a minimum TOEFL or IELTS score; however, we recommend a 90 TOEFL iBT and a 7.0 IELTS or above.
   • Official scores must be sent directly to LSAC. LSAC's institutional code is 8395.
   • Test scores are valid for two years from the date taken.
   • USC does NOT accept MyBest TOEFL scores of applicants as valid proof of language proficiency. We will consider the single best total TOEFL or IELTS score you submit along with the sub-scores from that test.

   Admission to the on-campus MSL does not require letters of recommendation, nor any LSAT or GRE exam scores. Additional application materials may be requested by the Admissions Committee. Prior exposure to or experience in law is not required.

Decisions

The Admissions Committee will only review an application once all transcripts and supporting documents are received by the times listed. You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been complete. Admissions decisions are normally released within two to four weeks of application confirmation.