TOEFL/IELTS Requirements for LL.M. Application: How to Request a Waiver

What are the TOEFL/IELTS requirements for an lL.M. application?

If you are a non-native English speaker, you’ll typically need to submit an English proficiency test for your LL.M. application, such as TOEFL or IELTS. However, the specific requirements depend on the LL.M. program you’re applying to.

Each LL.M. program sets its own rules, and there is no universal answer. You’ll need to choose your programs first and then check what they accept.

Top U.S. law schools like Harvard usually only accept TOEFL, whereas many other schools around the world accept IELTS as well as alternative tests. Lower-ranked schools tend to be more lenient than higher-ranked ones.

If you do need to submit a test, it can be a serious obstacle. In my experience, academic English tests are not designed for lawyers at all. In my TOEFL exam, I remember getting a passage about archaeology, where I felt like I understood only 20% of it. A recent client of mine joked that at least now she knows the full life cycle of a frog. 🙈 And this is not to mention their cost.

I've written about TOEFL requirements that I had to comply with before here (the definitive guide on how to apply for Harvard LL.M.) and here (the 8-step system I used to secure admission to Harvard LL.M.).

It's a bit of a cliché to say that TOEFL and IELTS are more about mastering the format than testing the actual English language proficiency. I find that to be true to a certain extent. However, it doesn't negate the fact that to pass the test successfully, you do need to have learnt the language at an adequate level.

If the main obstacle you are facing is that your English is not at the required level yet, I suggest finding a language tutor or using self-study to improve. This is something you'll need to factor into your LL.M. application timeline.

In this post, I'll focus on how you can request a waiver if you’re struggling to take the TOEFL or IELTS for your LL.M. application due to financial circumstances, unavailability of testing centers in location, or other limitations and you can provide alternative evidence of your English proficiency.

What If You Don’t Reach the Required TOEFL/IELTS Score on all Sections of your test?

Beforehand, though, I'd like to address a question I often get, especially as a regular contributor on the LLM Guide platform: What happens if you don’t reach the required TOEFL or IELTS score on all sections?

For example, Harvard’s LL.M. instructions openly state that they'll consider your application if you don’t meet the requirements, but you'll be at a competitive disadvantage (see, eg, the Sample 2025 LL.M. Application).

However, this is still vague and doesn’t help you make a decision as to whether to proceed with your application or book another test. Since English tests are one of the most expensive parts of an LL.M. application, this creates additional obstacles for many LL.M. applicants.

When making a decision as to whether to try to meet the official TOEFL/IELTS requirements or submit the score that you got, take into account:

• By how much did you miss the requirement?
• Which section is below the required score?

If it’s writing, it can be more problematic than speaking. The assumption is that once you’re on campus, you’ll interact with your peers and naturally improve your speaking skills. Plus, some schools will conduct interviews to assess how you actually speak and on its basis can disregard the lower score. Writing, however, is harder to develop quickly, so a low writing score is more concerning. I suggest approaching the admissions office of your target school directly and inquiring about their practices.

Requesting a TOEFL/IELTS Waiver for your LL.M. application

As mentioned, English proficiency tests are expensive and require a serious time commitment. Many are, frankly, not very non-native speaker-friendly.

If you’re struggling to afford the test, check first whether you can submit your application without it and provide the results later. Some universities, like Oxford, will allow this:

It is not essential to provide evidence [of your level of English] at the time of applying, but you may need to demonstrate that you meet the language requirement for your course in order to take up a place at Oxford.

Even if you don't know if your circumstances change by the time of admission, you'll at least be able to focus more on other parts of the LL.M. application such as essays, and deal with the English test later.

If requesting a waiver, you'll need to match the specific LL.M. program requirements. Always check in with the LL.M. program you're applying for to see what their TOEFL/IELTS requirements are.

• For instance, Harvard only accepts TOEFL waivers based on academic credentials. They may grant one to 'applicants with near-native English fluency and at least two consecutive years of full-time university education conducted entirely in English'.
• Oxford, on the other hand, takes a different approach. They allow either academic or professional waivers. You can qualify for one if you undertook a full-time degree-level course in English for 9+ months. Alternatively, you can apply for a waiver based on professional experience if used English in professional setting for at least 2 years, meaning that if you didn’t study in English but worked in it, you may qualify.
• London School of Economics (LSE) practices yet another approach. They accept alternative tests such as Duolingo and can offer a pre-sessional English if you are admitted to the LL.M. program so that you could satisfy the requirements.

How to Structure Your TOEFL/IELTS Waiver Request

If you have extenuating circumstances that prevent you from taking the TOEFL or IELTS, such as financial need or unavailability of testing centers in your home country, your request should ideally have two parts:

1. Why you are unable to take the required TOEFL or IELTS test.
2. What other evidence of your English proficiency you can provide.

TOEFL/IELTS Waiver: Explain Your Circumstances Clearly

When describing your personal circumstances on the LL.M. application, remember that what’s obvious to you, is obvious to you. This means that you shouldn't assume too much knowledge on the side of the admissions committee.

It doesn’t matter how much something has been covered in the media —admissions committees don’t live in your world. They don’t know your world. You do. It's your responsibility to explain it to them. I talk about proving financial need in more detail in this post on applying for Harvard's financial aid and my Ultimate Guide to Funding Your Master's Degree.

Be as specific and clear as you can.

As multiple-time member of the admissions committees, I’ve seen very weak waiver requests — sometimes just a single paragraph with no structure, no header or introduction, no concluding sentence, and only a vague reference to what it is that's actually keeping an LL.M. applicant from taking TOEFL or IELTS.

Your waiver request has to explain your situation, but it's more than that. It also shows your attitude, your writing and persuasion skills, and your understanding of the LL.M. application process. If the admissions committee receives a waiver request with one short paragraph and no proper introduction or ending, they might interpret it as meaning that you are a weak candidate or don't care as much about your LL.M. application to begin with.

TOEFL/IELTS Waiver: Provide Alternative Proof of Your English Proficiency

The TOEFL or IELTS requirements are not a just formality. The admissions committees ask for the test not because they have a shortage of papers. They want to see a proof of your ability to handle rigorous academic work in English and succeed in the LL.M. program. If you ask for a TOEFL or IELTS waiver due to extenuating circumstances but don't demonstrate your English proficiency, the committee will likely decline your request due to a lack of evidence because you didn't show how you meet their needs.

Alternative evidence can include:

✔ The courses you took in English.

• If possible, attach certificates. If not, have them ready in case they ask and offer to provide them upon request

• Be specific — mention how rigorous the courses were and how much academic work in English you had to do.
• Show that you’ve developed all four components of the English proficiency: writing, speaking, listening, and reading.

✔ If you have concrete plans to improve your English before starting your LL.M., mention them.

• For example, are you planning to take additional language courses or participate in an English-speaking program? Are you involved in any rigorous academic or professional activity in English right now?

✔ If requesting a waiver based on professional experience, explain clearly how you used English in your job.

• Similarly to the above, demonstrate how you developed the four core skills that are considered to comprise the English proficiency.

✔ Ask the school what they require for an alternative proof of proficiency.

• You can offer to take the TOEFL/ IELTS test later if your circumstances change.
• Alternatively, you can demonstrate your readiness to submit recommendations from professors or employers confirming your English level.

Keep in mind that an LL.M. application is a process of making claims and providing evidence to support those claims. TOEFL or IELTS waiver is no exception. Here, the claim you are making is that you don’t have the resources to take the test and you satisfy the English proficiency requirements in another way. Your evidence needs to provide empirical basis for it.

Concluding remarks

If you’d like help with your waiver letter, please read about my process here and fill out a short form to work with me one-on-one.

Hope this helps, and good luck! ☺️