UCLA School of Law: Global Opportunities Through Study Abroad Programs

UCLA School of Law, situated within the expansive UCLA campus in Los Angeles, provides a multitude of opportunities for students to engage with the world through its study abroad programs. These programs are designed to broaden students' understanding of international law, different legal systems, and diverse cultures, preparing them for legal careers in an increasingly interconnected world. UCLA Law offers a rich academic environment, access to leading legal scholars and practitioners, and a diverse and active student community.

UCLA School of Law: An Overview

Founded in 1919, UCLA is a leading research institution and one of the best public universities in the world. The UCLA campus, located in Westwood, offers excellent amenities, including pools, tennis courts, a gym, and running paths. UCLA Law students benefit from the rich and diverse intellectual environment. The school prides itself on its commitment to diversity in legal education, fostering a collegial environment with numerous opportunities for participation and leadership through student organizations and journals.

The first year at UCLA Law includes a week-long orientation program to prepare students for law school life. The Legal Research and Writing course provides guidance on researching and composing legal documents. The first-year class is divided into sections to foster community and mutual support. During the second and third years, J.D. UCLA School of Law professors expand the frontiers of interdisciplinary legal scholarship. Faculty members are dedicated to teaching and show genuine interest in their students. Each year, members of the UCLA Law faculty publish groundbreaking scholarship. UCLA Law offers distinctive areas of specialization that allow students to benefit from the expertise of renowned faculty. UCLA Law is a national leader in experiential education.

The Importance of International Legal Experience

Experience and familiarity with international law and other nations’ legal systems and cultures is increasingly indispensable for lawyers, legal scholars, and law students. Recognizing this, UCLA School of Law has established the Foreign Legal Study and Exchange Program (FLSEP) in partnership with 15 leading academic institutions in Europe, Asia, Israel, Australia, and South America.

Foreign Legal Study and Exchange Program (FLSEP)

The Foreign Legal Study and Exchange Program (FLSEP) offers opportunities for both UCLA Law students and foreign law students to gain insights into the legal systems and policies of other nations. The program is highly selective. Each semester, each partner school may normally nominate only up to two students to attend UCLA Law for a semester, and UCLA Law may normally nominate only up to two students to attend each partner school.

For Foreign Law Students

Highly qualified foreign law students from UCLA Law’s partner schools may apply to attend UCLA Law for one semester. Applicants must be advanced law students in master’s or doctoral degree programs. In rare instances, students in their final year of study toward an initial law degree may be considered. Successful applicants will have superior academic records, an understanding of comparative law (including common law systems), and the necessary English language skills to undertake rigorous legal education offered in English. Non-native speakers of English must demonstrate their English language competence with a minimum TOEFL score. Only students nominated by one of UCLA Law's partner schools may apply.

Once accepted, exchange students can enroll in courses for which they are qualified at UCLA Law, following normal enrollment procedures. It is the responsibility of exchange students to verify that the UCLA law courses in which they enroll are eligible for credit at their respective home schools. Exchange students must fulfill all requirements for courses in which they are registered. Students may elect to receive letter grades or take courses on a pass with credit/no pass-no credit basis. Each partner school approves the coursework and monitors the studies undertaken by its students. UCLA Law will appoint an advisor for each visiting exchange student. Exchange students pay tuition and other related fees to their home school and are exempt from paying such fees to UCLA Law.

For UCLA Law Students

Highly qualified, committed students at UCLA Law may apply to participate in foreign study opportunities at law schools outside the United States. Students wishing to study at Bucerius may normally do so only during the fall. If a UCLA law student wishes to engage in foreign study at a law school with which UCLA Law does not have an exchange agreement, the student must take a leave of absence from UCLA Law during that period.

To be eligible to study law abroad, a student must normally be a J.D. student in good standing, with a minimum GPA of 3.0, who will be in his/her third, fourth, or fifth semester of study at UCLA at the time of the proposed foreign legal study. Exchange students will have obtained at least one full year of credit at UCLA School of Law. The application for foreign study must be submitted no later than March 15 for foreign study in the following Fall Semester or October 15 for study in the following Spring Semester. Applicants must specify an academically challenging and coherent course of study that focuses on a particular sub-field of law and demonstrate a bona fide interest in that sub-field. Applicants must also submit their official UCLA Law transcript and two letters of recommendation, including one from a UCLA School of Law ladder faculty member.

Foreign study will normally be for no more than one semester but may be for as long as two semesters under exceptional circumstances. Except as provided, foreign study will be approved only at foreign law schools with which UCLA School of Law has an exchange agreement in effect during the period in which the foreign study is to take place. During the semester in which foreign study is to take place, the UCLA law student must register at the UCLA School of Law for Law 596 (International Exchange Program). Thirteen (13) units of course credit will be awarded on a pass/unsatisfactory/no credit basis for successful completion of a one-semester program. Courses offered online or via distance learning or the foreign university are not eligible for credit. Students who engage in foreign study are responsible for paying all UCLA School of Law tuition fees for the semester in which foreign study occurs.

After completing the course of study, the student must obtain, in writing and from a voting faculty member of the School of Law, approval of the course of study actually completed. For all semesters of legal study completed prior to enrolling at one of the above schools, the student must have been in good academic standing at the School of Law.

Partner Institutions

UCLA School of Law partners with 15 leading academic institutions in Europe, Asia, Israel, Australia, and South America. One such partnership is with the University of Vienna Faculty of Law in Vienna, Austria. There are usually about five seminars taught in English each semester.

Financial Considerations

Exchange students pay tuition and other related fees to their home school and are exempt from paying such fees to UCLA Law. The home school ensures that its students have registered, paid required fees, and are in good standing. Students must provide for their own personal expenses and housing costs while attending classes in the exchange program. Exchange students are responsible for obtaining the appropriate visa and related documents necessary to pursue studies at UCLA School of Law. UCLA’s Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars will process the visa for a fee, which shall be paid by the visiting student. All incoming students will be automatically enrolled in the university’s mandatory health insurance program, UC SHIP. Exchange students are required to cover the cost of this insurance or provide proof of full health coverage that meets UCLA insurance requirements, in which case they must submit an application to waive UC SHIP.

Support Services

UCLA’s Dashew Center is available to assist exchange students during their stay at UCLA School of Law. FLSEP participants are entitled to any and all services normally available to UCLA students, such as parking permits and access to the UCLA recreation center. Incoming exchange students visiting UCLA Law are subject to the same rules and regulations as regular, full-time students regarding general conduct, academic honesty, and similar matters.

Additional Opportunities

UCLA Law students may also enroll in courses outside the School of Law, with permission from a Vice Dean, to concentrate studies in a special area. Students interested in foreign legal study must first apply to the Graduate Studies Coordinator.

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Career Prospects and Alumni Network

UCLA Law graduates have an excellent record of gaining employment. 96.7 percent of the Class of 2024 attained fulltime, long-term, bar passage required or J.D. advantage jobs by 10 months after graduation. UCLA Law graduates are currently working in 50 states and in 55 foreign nations. Connecting with employers through one-on-one counseling, panel presentations, workshops, recruitment programs and more, the Office of Career Services helps students and alumni create a proactive approach to career development and management. UCLA Law graduates join the largest law firms throughout the country and the world, as well as mid-sized and smaller firms. Graduates also work in business, government, judicial clerkships and public service positions.

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