Academic excellence.

Situated on a historic Ivy League campus, the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School provides unrivaled access to cross-disciplinary opportunities and to a diverse and collegial intellectual community.

The Penn Carey Law LLM degree program is a rigorous, full-time academic program for lawyers trained outside the United States. Our customizable curriculum, extensive course offerings, and renowned faculty allow you to focus on a specific legal area or to explore new interests. You can also choose from two concentrations: Intellectual Property and Technology Law or Global Security, Sustainability, and Human Rights.

Wharton Business and Law Certificate (WBLC)

The WBLC is an exclusive program for Penn Carey Law LLM students. It prepares internationally trained lawyers for success in today’s complex legal and business environments. It is taught by leading Wharton faculty, runs concurrently with the LLM program, and does not require a separate application.

Penn Carey Law Students sitting at a table outside

Accelerate Your Success

Your Penn Carey Law LLM experience begins with a five-week, five-credit summer program. This innovative pre-term program provides a strong foundation in the U.S. legal system, professional development opportunities, and community-building programming. By September, you are prepared to excel academically, integrated into our community, and familiarized with Philadelphia.

Enrich Your Education

Penn Carey Law is known for its vibrant community and supports numerous student groups and organizations, from athletic clubs to academic and professional organizations to student-run journals. Past LLMs have joined the Journal of International Law, Journal of Constitutional Law, Asian Law Review, and Journal of Law & Social Change.

Carolina Brandāo LLM

Yu-Po (Paul) Chang LLM

Mengjiao (Maggie) Fang LLM

Pro Bono and Experiential Opportunities

We consider pro bono an integral, galvanizing aspect of your Penn Carey Law LLM experience. You can also select from a broad array of practice-focused courses, including clinics and bootcamps, to hone your lawyering skills.

Office of Career Strategy (OCS)

Our dedicated LLM Career Counselor will support your professional development as you explore career opportunities. OCS also develops LLM-specific programs, including resume and cover letter drafting, networking, and interview skill-building to help you connect with employers.

Penn Carey Law LLM Program students mingle together for team building chemistry

Admission and Financing Your Education

All applications and supporting materials must be submitted through LSAC.org by November 15 (early deadline) or December 15 (regular deadline).

We offer merit scholarships to select students. Most students use a combination of loans, savings, and scholarships to fund their LLM. Explore outside funding as soon as possible.

Application and scholarship information

Thriving in Philadelphia

Birthplace of the United States, Philadelphia is an international city with convenient train and bus access to New York City and Washington, D.C.

LLM students choose from a wide range of affordable off-campus housing, from historic houses to modern high-rise apartments, just a short walk or transit ride from the Law School.

Award-winning restaurants, a rich arts community, designer boutiques, and cultural diversity make Philadelphia worth exploring; you can enjoy outdoor recreation in every season thanks to the city’s mild winters, park system 10 times the size of Central Park, and over 120 miles of riverside trails.

Philadelphia is a place you can make your own.

A landscape photograph of a group of Penn Carey Law LLM Program students posing together for a picture