Law is a career with high demand and high remuneration, however, being a foreigner, how is it possible to study it in the USA? There are many ways for a university to accept you, but the requirements are not simple, it requires effort, dedication, and a large investment of time. In the following paragraphs we will tell you what you need to know about it.
To study law in the USA you must have a scholarship, pay for your studies at a private university, or enroll in a state educational institution. In any case, the following requirements must be considered:
You need the Bachelor’s Degree
Unlike other countries, you cannot study in the USA this kind of vocations after finishing high school. For what reason? Law is considered a career for graduate students (better known as “graduates”) and not pre-graduate (“undergraduate”, what you are when you finish high school). It is similar when you want to study other vocations, like Medicine, for example.
In this way, it is mandatory that you acquire your Bachelor’s Degree in a career related to Social Sciences or Business:
- pre law
- Business
- Economy
- Finance
Once you spend four years in one of these vocations, you will be able to access the next level to study Law.
You need to pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT)
Do not forget that you must also pass the Law admission test, which corresponds to a standardized test that lasts half a day. In addition, there are six calls a year in the designated assessment centers; the responsible staff will give you the address and the date where you should go. This test is managed by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) in order to choose the best candidates for Law School.
In case you want to get ahead and excel in your exam, remember that they will analyze your logistical competence, your verbal reasoning, and your reading comprehension. In addition, the six total sections of the test are divided as follows: (4) scored multiple opinion, (1) unscored experimental, and (1) unscored writing. Here the scores vary between a maximum of 180 and a minimum of 120. The average scores reach 150 points. That way you’ll know how well you did.
How long do you have to study in the USA to be a lawyer?
Law is one of the longest careers you can take in the American giant, so we recommend that you have a great passion for the subject. Next, we list what are the stages that you must go through and how much time you must invest:
- Bachelor’s Degree. It is the first step to access the Law School. You need to study four years to be a graduate student.
- Juris Doctor Degree (or Law School). Here you will get your law degree, which you have to work for three or four years.
- Master of Laws (specialization). This step is optional, and it lasts about 12 months. However, you have a higher remuneration by having a doctorate.
If we add each stage, it will take you 9 years to have a specialization in one of the branches of Law and 7-8 years to become a lawyer, where you can practice under the authorization of the State.
Scholarships to study Law in the USA: which is the best and why?
There are three types of scholarships that you should consider before venturing out:
- Academic scholarships are provided to students with the best academic record. If you want to apply for one of these, you need to have a student average of 17 points or higher.
- It is the most popular, being focused on foreign students. It doesn’t require you to be brilliant, but you do need to maintain a good conduct record and good grades.
- If you have not studied in the USA, but in a foreign country, you cannot access this scholarship. It is only available for locals. However, it is obtained thanks to a high sporting level.
At this point, you know what you need to know to study Law in the United States. The last question you may have is how much this audacity will cost. Considering that it is more than seven years, you must have your doubts, however, it all depends on the State and the university. The cost ranges from $50,880.00 to $15,000.00 per year.
