The Washington College of Law and the English Language and Training Academy (ELTA) at American University offer a unique opportunity for students interested in improving their English skills prior to their LL.M. coursework. The Graduate Gateway Program is a summer program designed to assist international students in gaining the requisite English proficiency to be successful in their LL.M. studies.
Program eligibility and application
Applicants to our LL.M. programs who are otherwise admissible but who do not meet our minimum requirement of English proficiency scores may be evaluated for enrollment in the Graduate Gateway Program. Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- A first degree in law from a foreign law school with equivalent standards to ABA-accredited U.S. law schools
- Sufficient academic and professional rigor for a post-graduate degree, through letters of recommendation and personal statement
- Minimum TOEFL score of 75, IELTS score of 6.0, or score of 100 on Duolingo exam.
- A completed LL.M. program application with supporting documents submitted before the application deadline
Curriculum
The Graduate Gateway Program is a 7-week residential academic pathway program designed specifically to prepare admitted international students to be successful in their academic endeavors at American University. It provides students with advanced instruction in conducting academic research, writing research papers, and giving effective presentations while honing their communication skills during academic discussions and collaborative small group work.
Upon successful completion of GGP, students will matriculate directly into the LL.M. program in the fall. Please refer to the ELTA GGP webpage for further details and information.
Questions regarding the Graduate Gateway Program, please contact the Office of Graduate Admissions at llm@wcl.american.edu