Law Admissions - Law School - Lewis & Clark

The information below is intended for admitted students who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the U.S., but are planning to travel to the U.S. under an F-1 or J-1 student visa for the purpose of studying at Lewis & Clark Law School.

If you are still considering or are in the process of applying to the JD program at Lewis & Clark and have questions, visit the International Applicant Requirements site.

A student admitted as an International JD largely receives the same services as a U.S. student. More information is available through Inside L&C, a web resource available to all admitted students.  Refer to Inside L&C if have any questions regarding registration, scholarships, orientation, general housing, health insurance, or computer & technology information. The information provided below focuses solely on issues of special concern to international students.

Immigration

Liz Hobbs in the law school Student Affairs office, is the main contact person for immigration processes at the Law School. Liz collaborates closely with the campus-wide International Students & Scholars Office. You can contact her office with questions regarding your immigration process. She is at lhobbs@lclark.edu.

Important:  You will need to provide the following information to Liz, AFTER Liz Hobbs contacts you via email with more specifics. 

1)      Certificate of Financial Responsibility
The U.S. government requires educational institutions to obtain evidence that applicants have adequate funds to pay for their educational and living expenses while studying in the United States. To comply, international students must complete a financial certificate and provide proof of funding as described.  If you have not already received this information, Liz Hobbs will calculate the current minimum costs associated with your program.

2)      Supplement for International Law/Graduate Student Applicants form
You must complete a supplemental form in order for the Law School to issue the documents necessary to obtain a US student visa. Send to Liz Hobbs.

3)      It is up to you to monitor that all requirements are fulfilled within your arrival timeline.  After receiving all necessary information, Liz, at the law school will provide an I-20 form valid for obtaining an F-1 visa.

The I-20 form includes specific instructions regarding entry or departure from the country whilst on this student visa. These instructions include a mandatory meeting in-person with your Designated School Official, Liz Hobbs at the Law School with appropriate documentation.

Visit this site for a comprehensive list of information you will need to prepare for your immigration process here

Contact:

Liz Hobbs                                          
Lewis & Clark Law School
10015 SW Terwilliger Boulevard
Portland, Oregon 97219-7799                                                                      lhobbs@lclark.edu                                                                                            Phone: (503) 768-6648

International Students & Scholars Office

The International Students & Scholars Office serves all three campuses of Lewis & Clark—Undergraduate, Graduate, and Law. Their primary involvement with your experience at Lewis & Clark is limited to your immigration processes relating to practical training after your time as a student expires, or if your immigration needs are particularly complex. They also have a wealth of resources on their website, so be sure to check it out!

Housing

The Law Admissions Office at Lewis & Clark maintains a comprehensive housing resource guide. The Law School reserves a small number of spots in its campus housing described at the above link for the use of international students. 

Information on Employment

To work off-campus, students must have permission from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

International students who are on F-1 visas and who are enrolled full-time may work legally on campus after obtaining approval from International Students and Scholars (ISS). The process takes approximately twenty minutes and requires students to complete several government forms. Students should bring their passports, I-94 and I-20 forms to ISS and complete the On-campus Employment Verification process. Students may interview for positions before completing the forms in the packet, but should complete the forms and turn them in before beginning employment. In order to engage in any type of paid work you will need to obtain a social security card.

Other important links

Academic Support at Lewis & Clark

Information on Banking

Information on Transportation

Information about phone service (scroll down for information about mobile phones)

Introduction to the U.S. Government

Portland Multicultural Resource Guide