Frequently Asked Questions

No. The MSL degree is designed for non-lawyers. All applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree. Neither an LSAT nor GRE score is required to apply.

Please see our admissions page for details.

Please see our admissions page for details.

Oftentimes, the letter of recommendation comes from a current or former employer, professor, or colleague. In any case, the most helpful letters come from individuals who know the applicant well and can attest to their interest in animal law and ability to thrive in our program. Letters should be written to help the Admissions Committee evaluate a student’s academic capacity, ethical character, writing and research skills, and professional ability. Letters for international applicants should discuss their ability to study in a U.S. law school and facility with English, if known.

No. Students may submit scanned copies of their transcripts. However, all students who have been offered admission to the program must submit official transcripts before they are eligible to begin classes.

In order to be successful in our program, students must have excellent English comprehension and writing skills. Like most U.S. law schools, our program requires extensive reading and writing on a daily basis. Applicants can meet the English proficiency in one of the following ways:

1) if English was the primary language of their university education and the official language of the country in which the university is located;

2) if English was the primary language of their university education and if their university is accredited by a U.S. regional accrediting agency;

3) a minimum IELTS score of 8; or

4) a minimum internet-based TOEFL score of 100.

Yes, this is possible. The admissions committee will still review applications without proof of English proficiency. However, applicants must send in their satisfactory IELTS or TOEFL score within 2 weeks of the application deadline.

Interviews are generally not conducted but may be requested by the Program Director to gather more information about an applicant, or to assess English proficiency. Applicants are encouraged to visit the campus at any time to meet with faculty and staff. Please contact us if you are interested in visiting. For those who cannot visit, our Admissions Office has created a virtual tour to give you a feel for the campus.

The program is intentionally kept small (approximately 10-15 students per year) to give students the opportunity to work closely with animal law faculty and staff.

The Admissions Committee reviews all applications and will contact applicants regarding their decisions. For efficiency and environmental reasons, email is used to communicate with candidates on the status of their application and admissions decisions. Admissions decisions are typically made within 1-2 months after the application deadline has closed.

Due to the considerable need for scholarship support to make the LLM Program feasible for many of our applicants and the time needed to process visa applications for international students, admitted students who have been offered a scholarship will be given approximately two weeks to accept or decline an offer of admission. The letter of admission will state how long the applicant has. 

Deferrals are rarely granted and only on a case-by-case basis. In no case is a deferral granted for more than a year. In these cases, a non-refundable deposit may be required. If an applicant is awarded a scholarship and chooses to defer, the scholarship will not transfer. Rather, the applicant will be reconsidered for a scholarship the following year.

Up-to-date tuition & additional cost information can be found on the Law School Tuition and Fees page. Please note that tuition increases every academic year by approximately 4%. New rates go into effect at the start of each Summer.

The Center for Animal Law Studies (CALS) strives to minimize the cost of the Animal Law MSL Program to make this unique, high-quality legal education a possibility for all accepted students. CALS is pleased to be able to offer scholarship support to well-qualified applicants. Depending on availability of funds, these scholarships may take the form of a full or partial award. Candidates who submit their applications by the deadline are automatically considered for all scholarship support we offer. There is no separate application for scholarship consideration.

U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible for financial aid awards provided through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

All eligible students should submit the FAFSA any time after October 1 of the year before they intend to start law school. Having a FAFSA on file ensures eligible students access to low interest federal loans and the federal work-study program. Loan amounts are determined by the Office of Financial Aid using the information you provide in the FAFSA form.

Although no financial aid award will be made until after a student is admitted, we strongly recommend filing a FAFSA at the same time as you apply for admission.

To learn more about the FAFSA and how to file, visit our Tuition & Financial Aid department page here.

Please refer to the Law Student Living Expenses page for a general idea of living expenses in Portland. Applicants may also refer to the Campus Housing page for the costs of living on campus. All students in the in-person program are required to show proof of adequate health insurance, either through obtaining Lewis & Clark’s Student Health Insurance plan or through a separate provider.

Whether or not they have been awarded a scholarship, all international candidates must demonstrate they have sufficient personal funds to study in the U.S. under an F-1 student visa. The exact amount that needs to be demonstrated increases slightly each year as tuition and other costs rise.

In recent years, applicants paying full tuition have needed to demonstrate that they had approximately $47,000 for tuition expenses and $31,000 for non-tuition expenses, for a total of $78,000. The amount that applicants who have received a partial scholarship have had to show can be determined by deducting the amount of their award from this approximate total.

CALS regrets that it is unable to assist candidates in procuring funding beyond what is awarded in a scholarship.

All full scholarships cover the number of credits needed to complete the program (26). Students may be awarded an additional credit in their scholarships to provide for additional flexibility in course selections.

All in-person students are required to show proof of adequate health insurance. This can be met through obtaining Lewis & Clark’s Student Health Insurance plan or through a separate provider. Additionally, all students are required by law to provide immunization records, with specific vaccines required to be listed. Students may not attend classes without providing proof of the required vaccines. More information on immunization requirements can be found here. Accepted students who have not had the required vaccines should do so as soon as possible, as required vaccinations must be taken before coming to the Lewis & Clark campus.

Some international students bring their families with them during their study in the U.S. While CALS helps admitted students procure their student F-1 visas, those who wish to bring others with them should reach out to Lewis & Clark’s International Students and Scholars Office to make arrangements.