Application Instructions - On-Campus MSL
USC Gould School of Law

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) from a regionally accredited institution 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. Prior exposure to or experience in law is not required.

Note: Our legal master's degree is not recommended if your goal is to practice law or earn a Juris Doctor (JD). Pursuant to the American Bar Association standards and USC's graduate transfer policies, credits earned in our MSL program are not eligible for transfer credit to a JD program at USC or other universities. If you aspire to become an attorney, please visit USC Gould's JD Program website.

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 2023	August 21, 2023	January 18, 2023	March 29, 2023*	June 21, 2023
Spring 2024	January 8, 2023	June 28, 2023	October 11, 2023*	November 8, 2023

We recommend applying early for scholarship consideration.

*International students must apply no later than the priority deadline to provide sufficient time to process any required documentation, including issuance of I-20 for student visa.

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
   

   Our online application takes approximately 15 minutes to complete. Please be aware that your work will not be saved automatically.

   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. Statement of Purpose
   

   The statement of purpose is your primary opportunity to discuss who you are beyond the application basics. We are particularly interested in how your academic and professional background has led to your decision to study law. This is not the place to repeat items on your resume/curriculum vitae (CV). Please address the following questions in your statement of purpose:

   • Why do you want to pursue the MSL degree at USC Gould?
   • How do you plan to use this degree to advance your career?
   • What strategies will you put into place to be a successful graduate student?

   The statement of purpose should be two to three pages, double-spaced and in at least 12-point font. We value essays that are clear, concise, and compelling.

   Email your statement of purpose as a PDF to msl@law.usc.edu.

3. Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
   

   Provide a record of your employment history, volunteer commitments, extracurricular activities, and any awards and/or honors by emailing a PDF version of 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 or include a university seal/registrar signature. Print-outs from student portals are not accepted. If admitted, you will be required to submit official transcripts from all academic institutions.

   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 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.

   Note: Admission to the MSL does not require letters of recommendation, nor any LSAT or GRE exam scores. Additional application materials or an interview may be requested by the Admissions Committee.

Decisions

The Admissions Committee will only review your application once all transcripts and supporting documents are received by the application deadlines shared above. You will receive a confirmation email when your application has been complete. Admissions decisions are normally released by email within two to four weeks of application confirmation. If you are admitted and decide to enroll, a commitment deposit will be required to reserve your seat.