Step-by-Step Guide to the LL.M. Application Timeline: How to Plan and Submit Your Applications on Time, Stress-Free
Master of laws (LL.M.) applications are hard.
One of the difficulties of preparing a high-quality application is identifying its timeline. There is so much planning to do: You have to develop your profile, request documents, prepare documents, send documents, take tests (and get their results on time!), and do it all in a way that conveys the quality of your candidacy to the admissions committee. That's a lot of work.
I've written in detail about the core components of an LL.M. application before, in this post and this downloadable guide.
Here, I'd like to focus on how to plan and organize your LL.M. applications so that you could prepare everything on time and submit your applications without any unnecessary stress.
You are also welcome to check out the downloadable Step-by-Step Guide to the LL.M. Application Timeline that I've created. It's an extended and more detailed version of this post.
Let's dive in.
the governing principles
There are two principles I go by when preparing the applications.
The first principle is:
Count backwards
Preferably, you should start your applications process about a year in advance.
Start by determining your deadlines. After you decide on programs you will be applying to, create a separate file with the relevant application information. Include the deadlines and the application materials. Save the deadlines in your calendar to make sure that you get reminders every few weeks or so about the time remaining until submission.
Once you determine the deadlines, count backwards to determine the time you need for preparing each part of the application. This is where the second principle comes in.
The second principle is:
Use different timelines for different parts of your application
Master's applications usually contain many parts, and the preparation of each of them requires different actions and different planning.
To determine the timeline for each part, count backwards from the timeline + account for some buffer time to guarantee that you get everything done on time.
the key components of the application
Planning your timeline will to a large extent depend on the program you are applying to, as the documents you will be required to submit will vary depending on your field of study and the type of program. For instance, some programs will require you to submit a GRE or GMAT test. Others will ask for a writing sample. Yet others will ask for additional essays, or creative work, or something else.
This will affect your timeline. Below, I will address the most common types of documents. These are my suggestions based on experience, and by no means are they hard rules. Please feel free to adjust based on your individual circumstances.
1. Language Test
Most programs will ask you to submit a language test, unless you are a native speaker or studied in the required language for a few years (if you are/you did, please feel free to skip over to the next section).
The amount of time you'll need to set aside for preparing for and taking the test will depend on your proficiency level. If you are not sure about your proficiency level, I suggest you take a trial test about a year in advance. The test will determine whether and where you need to improve your language skills. Plan your preparation accordingly. I would say that if you level is B1 - B2, then start preparing about a year in advance. In that case, you may consider postponing applications until you reach the needed level of proficiency. If your level is upper B2 - C1, you will need less time - probably, 4 - 5 months will be enough. You may need to sharpen your skills here and there (for instance, speaking, if that's your weak spot), but will not need a comprehensive upgrade. Either way, it's better to learn it earlier in the process, so that it doesn't interfere with working on other, more important parts of your application in the future.
About 5 to 6 months before submission deadline, take a practice test in an exam-like environment.
I suggest taking the real test - the results of which you'll submit along with your application - about 4-5 months in advance, to make sure you:
1) account for the waiting time, as you often need to wait for the results for up to 6 weeks;
2) have time to retake the test if you are not happy with the results.
Note: This might not apply during COVID but if you are taking the test offline, check the capacities of the testing center beforehand. Sometimes, there are too many applicants registering, and you don't want to wait for weeks until a spot opens up.
2. Academic transcripts
After you arrange for a language test, I suggest taking care of academic transcripts next.
The procedure for obtaining them will be different depending on your country and university. In some countries, like Russia, getting your academic transcripts is truly an ordeal. There are never transparent rules on what office or person are responsible for issuing them, and you have to overcome enormous bureaucratic hurdles.
However, even if in your country the procedure is smoother, I suggest not to wait until the application process is well under way. Rather, take care of the academic transcripts as soon as possible. For some LL.M. programs, you'll have to submit applications through a dedicated platform. For instance, most, but not all, LL.M. applications in the US have to go through LSAC. Such platforms often conduct their own evaluation of foreign diplomas and transcripts which requires some time.
If you have to submit paper transcripts, you'll have to account for potential delays.
Whatever your situation is, take care of your transcripts first. By getting administrative tasks out of the way you will make room for more creative work, like preparing your personal statements.
3. Letters of Recommendation
After taking care of your transcripts I suggest you approach your recommenders and talk them about letters of recommendation.
Make sure that you ask your recommenders well in advance of the submission deadline - preferably several months in advance. Never, never approach them last minute.
The reason I suggest approaching them so early is that sometimes, they may ask you to provide a draft of the letter. If they do this, it's going to add a lot of work on your plate, and you'll need to plan for it.
That's why I suggest doing it before writing your personal statements/motivation letters: This way, you'll get a more realistic picture of whether you need to do something and how much time you'll have to reserve for each.
4. CV or résumé
Drafting CV is one of my favorite parts. It has a therapeutic effect on me, as it reminds me of the (supposedly meaningful) things that I've done with my life. I hope it'll have the same effect on you well.
I suggest to make drafting your CV one of the first documents you prepare. It's shorter than other documents, and you'll finish it faster, but getting it done will give you a boost of confidence that you need to work on other, more complex parts of your application.
Another reason to do your CV before the rest of the documents, especially before your personal statement, is that a CV is a representation of your professional background. Writing a CV first will:
- help you crystallize your thinking regarding what are the most important things that you want the admissions committee to know about; and
- help you understand what things you want to talk about in your personal statement - which, as a rule, should NOT repeat your CV.
Drafting your CV will help you resurface important, formative moments in your life and career and generally increase your self-awareness, which is a key to developing a successful master's application.
5. Personal Statement or Motivation Letter
Personal statement is one of the most difficult parts of your application. I suggest reserving for it at least 3 months. 2 months if it's not your first time applying. 1 month if you are really fluent in English, it's not your first time applying, and you are going to work on your personal statement every single day.
With personal statement, you need to let ideas develop. When you begin working on your personal statement, you sort of plant the seeds. Over time, they grow. And so the timeline above accounts not only for periods of intensive writing, but also for the time you'll need to incubate your ideas.
Usually, we say 'writing' a personal statement or motivation letter. But it's actually quite misleading, as only the last steps in the process include actual writing. The rest are preparation. And you can't do all of them in one sitting. Or two. Or three. The essay writing is not a single-step process. In fact, it consists of multiple steps, such as brainstorming, choosing and organizing your stories and ideas, outlining the essay, writing your first draft, and editing and revising. You need to work on your essay consistently, over a prolonged period of time. You need to surface the ideas, let them grow and develop. I would call it developing personal statement, not writing.
You will also need to allocate some time for asking for feedback, making sure that you:
1) give people time to give you feedback and
2) have time to reflect on it and update your personal statement.
Finally, you'll also have to account for your language proficiency. If you not a native speaker of English and your native language is Russian, or Chinese, or Korean and you don't have years of working with tutors behind your belt, then it's going to be difficult. Take that into account, and be kind to yourself.
Other considerations to keep in mind
Some other documents you have have to submit include a writing sample, additional essays, GRE or GMAT tests, funding applications, and usually the application form itself.
If you depend on external funding to realize your dream to study abroad, I suggest that you plan your scholarship and financial applications first thing. Be aware of the deadlines, as quite often scholarship applications need to be submitted simultaneously or even earlier that admissions.
For writing sample, either submit something you already have or write something new. If you are writing something new, I suggest first writing your personal statement (and in that case, do it even earlier - about 5 to 6 months in advance) and then working on your writing sample. Just make sure you plan for both - those are not easy tasks.
For GMAT or GRE, I suggest starting your preparation about a year in advance and aiming to take the test about 8-9 months before the submission deadline. Just like with the language test, it's going to give you time to
1) prepare and be in a rush
2) get the results and
3) retake the test, if you are not happy with the results.
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Hope this helps. You are also welcome to check out the downloadable Step-by-Step Guide to the LL.M. Application Timeline that I've created.
Good luck!