International Admissions

Home Admissions International Admissions

To be considered for admission into Vermont Law and Graduate School’s Master’s and JD programs, you must have completed a degree program equivalent to a U.S. bachelor’s degree before enrolling. For the LLM programs, you must have completed a JD degree from an ABA-accredited institution or the international first law degree equivalent before enrolling.

Admission Requirements for International Applicants

Required Documents For JD Programs

Professional Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Required Essays
Official LSAT Score
Official Transcript Evaluation through LSAC
Two Letters of Recommendation
Character and Fitness Information
Official English Language score report (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE)

Required Documents For LLM Programs

Professional Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Required Essay
Official Transcript Evaluation from all schools attended through LSAC
Two letters of Recommendation
Official English Language Score Report (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE)

Required Documents For Masters Programs

Professional Resume or Curriculum Vitae
Required Essays
Official Transcript Evaluation from all schools attended
Character and Fitness Information
Two Letters of Recommendation
Official English Language Score Report (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE)

English Proficiency

English language proficiency is required to ensure success while studying at a U.S. higher education institution. Vermont Law and Graduate School requires a language exam for all students for whom English is not their primary language spoken.

Vermont Law and Graduate School accepts the following language exams to provide sufficient evidence of English language proficiency. When requesting your electronic scores to Vermont Law and Graduate School use the code 3946.

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language

Minimum score required: 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Minimum score required: 6.5

PTE: Pearson Test of English

Minimum score required: 68

Duolingo English Test

Minimum score required: 125

The English language proficiency requirement is not required for applicants who have completed two years of study from a higher education institution where English is the dominant and official language, or their country of citizenship is a country whose official language is English. Vermont Law and Graduate School reserves the right to request proof of English language proficiency for any applicant.

Applicants may request an English language proficiency waiver. The waiver process requires a Skype interview with a member of the admissions team. The granting of a waiver is at the discretion of the Office of Admissions and additional proof of language proficiency may be required.

All official score reports should be mailed in the original sealed envelope to:

Vermont Law and Graduate School Office of Admissions

164 Chelsea Street, PO Box 96

South Royalton, VT 05068

All English Language Proficiency requests should be directed to International Admissions and Services at admiss@vermontlaw.edu.

Official Transcripts Evaluation

An official transcript evaluation is a required part of the admission requirements for international students planning to attend VLGS. Evaluations must include the courses you have completed, the grades you received, and an overall evaluation of your cumulative coursework. Official transcript evaluations should come directly from the evaluation service. Listed below are suggested transcript evaluation services. The evaluation service must be accredited by The National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

All Official Score Reports should be mailed in the original sealed envelope to:

Vermont Law and Graduate School Office of Admissions

164 Chelsea Street PO Box 96

South Royalton, VT 05068

Immigration and Visa Information

Incoming international students who wish to study at Vermont Law and Graduate School should request an F-1 Student Visa. An F-1 Student Visa is a non-immigrant visa status that allows you to study full-time at a SEVIS-approved institution. All incoming international students who wish to study on an F-1 student visa will be issued a Form I-20. The Form I-20 is a non-immigration document that is required to achieve your student visa. To learn more about the F-1 Student Visa process please visit Study in the States.

As an incoming F-1 Student and before your I-20 can be created, it is required of you to provide proof of funds for tuition, fees, and living expenses for the duration of your program of study. Vermont Law and Graduate Schools requires the completion and submission of an International Student Affidavit to document that you have sufficient financial resources to pay for and attend Vermont Law and Graduate School.You can submit your International Student Affidavit before or after acceptance. Complete your International Student Affidavit here.

Along with your International Student Affidavit, the following supporting documents must be included: bank statements and/or a letter from the bank with the total amount of available funds designated for your graduate program at Vermont Law and Graduate School.

Your Student Affidavit and supporting document should be emailed directly to Brenda Caron, Program Coordinator at bcaron@vermontlaw.edu.

How to Apply

To be considered for admission you need to complete the following procedure:

Ensure that your home institution is a partner institution with Vermont Law and Graduate School
Complete home institution’s exchange process
Nomination will be reviewed through the International and Comparative Law Program
If accepted, you will complete VLGS’s Visiting and Exchange Application

Visiting and Exchange Application Required Documents

Please contact your home institution for specific application requirements. Generally VLGS will require:

Current transcript translated in English
Professional Resume
Short essay describing your interest in VLGS
Letter of good standing/permission to attend VLGS
Admission letter from our International and Comparative Law Program

Questions regarding VLGS’s International and Comparative Law Program can be directed to:

International Admissions and Services
admiss@vermontlaw.edu
802-831-1142

Applicants to our JD and LLM programs are required to apply through LSAC.org. For more information on applying through LSAC as an LLM, please visit Application Process for LLM and Other Law Programs. Master’s applicants must use the VLGS Web Application.

JD PROGRAMS

LLM PROGRAMS

MASTERS PROGRAMS

Application Deadlines

Residential Summer Start (May)

February 15th

Residential Fall Start (August)

April 15th

If you are interested in our online programs, please see the VLGS Deadlines and Calendars page. The online programs offer six start terms each year.

Cost of Attendance and Scholarship Information

Vermont Law and Graduate School offers merit-based, need-based, and opportunity-based scholarships. Scholarships are awarded by the school and made possible through the generous contributions of VLGS alumni and donors. The awards are based on academic abilities, achievements, community service, and other considerations. See what potential scholarships are available here.

Cost of Attendance can be found through the following links:

NOTE: Tuition, fees, and cost of attendance are subject to change each year.

Vermont Law and Graduate School is committed to welcoming all international students from across the globe. We draw strength from our diversity and global reach and our commitment to being agents of change.

J-1 Exchange Visitor Program

The U.S. Department of State has a long tradition of encouraging educational and cultural exchanges between the people of the United States and the people of other countries. The J Exchange Visitor category was developed to implement the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act (Fulbright-Hayes Act) of 1961 and is now part of SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System). The regulations governing J-1 scholars are complex, and only a brief summary is offered here. For specific questions, please contact the Office of Admissions. Sponsoring departments are responsible for assisting visiting scholars with finding housing, mentorship, and office space.

Vermont Law and Graduate School is designated to host the following categories of J-1 Exchange Visitors: Students, Professors, Short-Term Scholars, Research Scholars, and Specialists.

Apply for the Program

Program Details

Students

Requires admission to Vermont Law and Graduate School, enrollment in full-time study, and payment of tuition and fees. Limited to the amount of time needed to complete the program of study, with reasonable extensions allowed.

Research Scholar

The exchange of research scholars promotes the exchange of ideas, research, mutual enrichment and linkages between research and academic institutions in the United States and foreign countries.

Short-Term Scholar

A professor, research scholar, specialist, or a person with similar education or accomplishments (including students enrolled at foreign universities) coming to the U.S. on a short-term basis for the purpose of lecturing, observing, consulting, training, or demonstrating special skills. The maximum duration of stay is 6 months (no extension permitted).

Professor

An individual primarily teaching, lecturing, observing, or consulting (may also conduct research). May be hired in a temporary visiting faculty position or as an adjunct but may not be hired in a tenure-track position. Extension of the program is allowed up to five years (minimum participation period: three weeks). Professors who complete their programs, no matter the duration, are not eligible to return to the U.S. in a Research Scholar or Professor category for two years.

Specialist

An individual who is an expert in a field of specialized knowledge or skills who enters the United States for the purpose of observing, consulting, or demonstrating special knowledge or skills. The maximum duration of stay is 12 months and are not eligible for a permanent position.

English Language Proficiency

Visitors must possess English language proficiency. Sponsors are required to use one of the following objective measurements to determine an applicant’s language proficiency:

A recognized English language test
Signed documentation from an academic institution or English language school
A documented interview conducted by the sponsor either in person or by video, or by telephone if video is not a viable option

This evidence must be submitted with the DS-2019 request form, as the Department of State requires this information be made available upon their request.

Fees

J-1 visiting scholars will pay a Vermont Law and Graduate School one-time program fee of $1,500. An additional semester fee of $2,500 is assessed to non-tuition-paying designations for each semester they are on campus. Partial waiver of fees may be available to eligible scholars.

J-1 Scholars should be prepared to pay these fees upon their arrival to the Vermont Law and Graduate School. These fees must be paid by credit card, no cash or checks will be accepted.

Orientation

Upon your arrival, you must contact Katie Merrill to check in and complete an Arrival Form. Please note that under Department of State regulations, failure to check in within 30 days of arrival will result in the cancellation of your exchange visitor status and may subject you to deportation.

Bring these items when you check-in:

Passport, with visa;
Print out of I-94 card (Arrival/Departure Record). To do this, go to www.cbp.gov/I94.
Form DS-2019

Health Insurance

The United States Department of State requires all J-1 visa holders and any accompanying dependents to obtain health and accident insurance, which includes the following minimum coverage: