Fewer LLM Students are expected by Law Schools due to COVID-19
UPDATE: APRIL 16, 2020
The coronavirus pandemic has forced many LL.M. students to continue their programs online; and it will likely stay that way until the end of the school year. Many law schools now wonder: will foreign students still enroll if in-person classes don’t resume in the fall? Will they be able to obtain a student visa if campuses remain closed?
Given the uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, it’s understandable for international students who applied to U.S. law schools to worry that the crisis might interfere with their LLM programs. Last month, the U.S. State Department stopped providing routine visa services in many parts of the world , and it is unclear when the suspension will end.
LL.M. students have become an increasingly important component of student bodies and budgets at U.S. law schools.
The pandemic has already cost universities millions of dollars. In fact, the advanced law degree programs bring in about $350 million annually to the more than 100 U.S. law schools that offer them, with around 10,000 foreign students coming here each year to pursue an LL.M.
Schools initially added LL.M. programs in the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis when the number of domestic students plummeted dramatically. In some way, the tuition of foreign students helped to fill the financial gap caused by smaller J.D. classes.
As law school are now considering the possibility of remote classes into the fall, they’re worried about losing students, too.
Many uncertainties
Many international students want the experience of living and studying in the U.S.; but they may be reluctant to sign up for online programs if university remain closed in the fall. Moreover, travel restrictions could prevent many foreign students from obtaining visas in time for the fall. Finally, questions remain about the ability of LL.M. students to sit for the New York bar exam if classes remain online, as the state’s rules require in-person instruction.
New York Law School- William Farrington
“The pandemic is striking during the height of the admissions process,” administrators say. “University leaders are fully expecting significant, potentially unparalleled, declines in enrollment, both from students who do not come back, and those who will never start.”
The main uncertainty is whether classes will be held in-person or online- a fact that will surely influence the decisions of many LLM students. For the majority, being on campus is a big factor, it is part of the American Experience. That being said, many law school should be able to shift their LL.M. programs online if need be, that is the case for Fordham University School of Law where Dean Diller admit it would dissuade some applicants, but could also be a selling point for others who don’t want to uproot their lives for a year.
Are you a current LL.M student? A future one; or simply a prospective student? Let us know your thoughts! We want to know about your experience.
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