Straus Institute LLM, MDR, and Certificate Application Requirements

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and need to be submitted prior to the intended start date for domestic students.

Courses start in the Fall (mid-August), Spring (early January), and Summer (late May) terms. Applications can be submitted up to one year in advance. If you are an International Student please see below for more details on application deadlines. 

Scholarships are highly competitive and granted to admitted students on a rolling basis. The majority of partial scholarships are awarded between December and March 1 for the Fall term. All applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

All applicants are required to submit:

• Application through LSAC
• Official transcripts for all degrees earned or in progress, including any available class rankings. Transcripts originating outside the United States must be evaluated before submission to Pepperdine
• One to two page personal statement
• Current resumé or CV
• Two narrative letters of recommendation or completed Personal Evaluation Forms

Application

All applications to Straus will only be accepted through LSAC.

• Once you have your required application documents prepared, you can create an LSAC account and select the program you are interested in applying for
• Applicants will need to subscribe to the following LSAC services:
  Document Assembly Service - $85
  Transcript Evaluation Service - $135
  University Report Fee - $30

Transcripts

Transcripts are required for all applicants for the Certificate, Masters, and LLM programs. We must receive Official Transcripts to consider your application.  Transcripts from US schools must be received directly from the university or in a university sealed envelope from the applicant. Transcripts must be included from all institutions attended. If you are currently a student in another graduate program or undergraduate program, we will need your current transcript to date.

All international applicants are required to have their transcripts evaluated. Please utilize the LSAC Credit Assembly Service to have your transcript evaluated when you apply. More information may be found here. 

Letters of Recommendation

Two letters of recommendation are required. Applicants can have their recommenders complete the Prospective Student Evaluation Form, or have their recommenders write a narrative letter of recommendation. Recommendations should not be from family members. If recommendations are not submitted through LSAC, please email recommendations to StrausAdmissions@pepperdine.edu.

Testing Requirement

Applicants for the LLM, MDR, or Certificate programs are not required to take an entrance exam. (GRE, GMAT, LSAT, etc. not required)

International applicants are required to demonstrate English proficiency via the TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test, in addition to an online interview. International applicants that feel they meet this requirement can submit a written proposal to waive out of the TOEFL or IELTS. This proposal should outline how they meet this requirement with any supporting documentation. Applicants can submit their proposal to strausadmissions@pepperdine.edu and an online interview will be scheduled.

Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law has partnered with UCLA's American Language Center and UC Irvine's Extension Center to allow their international students to qualify for the graduate programs at Straus without the need for a TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test score! Additional details can be found on the English Center Partner Programs website.

International Applicants

More detailed information regarding transcript evaluation, English proficiency requirements, and F-1 Student Visa Status for international applicants can be found here.