International Applicants
The University at Buffalo is committed to international students, with more than 5,000 students from more than 100 countries represented on our beautiful campus located in a welcoming and safe community.
The School of Law shares this commitment, and we welcome students from wide-ranging backgrounds into a vibrant community of modern legal education. We are dedicated to having a diverse student body, which makes the School of Law stronger and better able to view a changing world through a multicultural lens.
UB is among the most internationalized universities in the United States, and it provides numerous programs and services to support our diverse student body.
How to Apply
Three-Year J.D. applicants must apply through the Law School Admission Council's J.D. Credential Assembly Service.
LL.M. and Advanced Standing Two-Year J.D. applicants must apply through the Law School Admission Council's LL.M. Credential Assembly Service.
All supporting documents, including transcripts, recommendation letters and language proficiency test scores, are mailed or transmitted to LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS).
NEED TO KNOW
Applicants with non-U.S. academic documents must have them evaluated and, if necessary, translated by LSAC’s International Transcript Authentication and Evaluation Service (ITAES).
English Language Proficiency
Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate English language proficiency by taking the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS). A minimum TOEFL score of 90 is required. The IELTS overall score band must be at least 7.0. However, preference for applicants to the three-year and two-year JD programs will be given to candidates with scores at or above 100 on the TOEFL and 7.5 on IELTS. Test scores must be dated within two years of prospective enrollment at the School of Law.
Note
An exemption for this requirement is automatically granted to students who are citizens of, and who were educated in the English medium from Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Canada, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Guam, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritius, Monaco, Namibia, New Zealand, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Solomon Islands, South Africa, eSwatini (Swaziland), Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, the United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Waivers are submitted to the University’s Office of International Admissions. There is no guarantee that waiver requests will be approved. Please contact the Office of Admissions at law-admissions@buffalo.edu for more information about English proficiency waiver.