Students interested in applying for admission to the S.J.D. Program must submit a Preliminary Application Inquiry Form. This form will be available between October 15 and January 15. The form will request the following information:

1. What is your proposed dissertation title?
2. What is your proposed area of research?
3. Is there a UCLA School of Law faculty member with whom you are particularly interested in working?
4. From which school did you receive your first law degree (i.e., J.D. or LL.B.)?
5. What was your grade point average and/or class rank during your J.D./LL.B. studies?
6. From which school did you receive your LL.M. degree?
7. What was your grade point average and/or class rank during your LL.M. studies?
8. Have you published any academic writing in print (i.e. in a law review, journal, or book)?

After you submit the form, the Graduate Studies Committee will review your responses and determine whether our small, competitive program is a good fit for you. We will inform you of the Committee's decision within 2-3 weeks.

If the Committee invites you to formally apply for admission to the S.J.D. Program, we will work with you to locate a UCLA faculty member who is willing to supervise your research. (Please do not contact faculty members without first being granted permission to do so.) Please feel free to review our list of UCLA Law faculty members, which can be sorted by Areas of Focus, to learn more about them. Bear in mind that only a tenure-track faculty member with a title such as "Professor" or "Acting Professor" may serve as an S.J.D. dissertation supervisor. Those with titles such as "Lecturer," "Adjunct Faculty," or "Director" are not eligible to supervise.

Students who are invited to apply for admission will receive instructions for submitting the application form and supporting documentation (résumé, personal statement, academic transcripts, recommendation letters, and TOEFL score (if necessary)).

UCLA School of Law will admit no more than two students in its S.J.D. class each year. As this suggests, the admissions process is highly competitive. The Graduate Studies Committee will admit only the most highly qualified applicants who complete all elements of the application for admission, provide clear evidence of academic excellence, and demonstrate high potential for completing a scholarly dissertation that constitutes a substantial contribution to knowledge.

Students in the S.J.D. program must enter with an LL.M. degree, remain in residence for two semesters, and take a minimum of ten units of graded coursework each semester, which must be approved by the supervising faculty member and Graduate Studies Committee. The choice of courses will be from among those generally offered at the Law School and will depend on the particular subject matter and course of study approved for each S.J.D. student.

Applicants should bear in mind that, due to curriculum scheduling and faculty availability, not every class listed is taught each year. This is most often true in the case of specialized seminars. The final schedule of law classes will be available shortly before the enrollment process begins in July. The law school academic year begins in the middle of August with a fall semester of 15 weeks. After examinations and vacation in December, classes resume early in January for another 15-week semester that ends in mid-May.

Upon successful completion of the residency requirement and performance in courses at a level substantially above the quality expected of J.D. candidates, the Graduate Studies Committee, following its favorable review of the candidate's course work and of the developed research proposal, shall constitute a doctoral committee. It shall consist of three faculty members, including the student's supervisor and a member from a department outside the Law School. Upon the successful oral defense of the research proposal before the doctoral committee, the Graduate Studies Committee shall admit the student to full candidacy for the S.J.D. degree.

Within two years of the completion of the residency period, unless for exceptional circumstances an extension is granted by the Graduate Studies Committee, a candidate shall submit, and successfully defend in an oral examination, a dissertation in the form of a monograph or series of closely related essays suitable for publication and constituting a substantial contribution to knowledge in its field.

2025-2026 tuition fees for S.J.D. students who are not California residents and have not advanced to doctoral candidacy (typically during the first two years of attendance in the program) are $37,791.08. See below for an itemized breakdown of these fees and estimated living expense budget.

2025-2026 tuition fees for S.J.D. students who are California residents and/or who have advanced to doctoral candidacy (after satisfying the residency requirement and completing the initial oral defense of their dissertation, typically after two years of attendance in the program) are $22,689.08. See below for an itemized breakdown of these fees and estimated living expense budget.

These figures include health insurance fees, which are $6,882.00.*

*Health insurance coverage is mandatory. Students who have health insurance coverage may apply for a waiver of the UCSHIP health insurance fees. The annual waiver application is available in early July and due in early August. Before purchasing alternative insurance coverage, students should carefully review the university's waiver criteria.

Fee Disclaimer: The tuition, fees, and charges posted to the student billing statement are estimates based on existing amounts. These figures may not be final. Actual tuition, fees, and charges are subject to change by the Regents of the University of California and could be affected by state funding reductions. Accordingly, final approved tuition and fee levels (and thus a student’s final balance due) may differ from the amounts shown.

2025-2026 S.J.D. fee breakdown for non-California residents who have not advanced to candidacy:

*Students can choose to pay the UC Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC) Fee​ for the purpose of funding the University of California Graduate and Professional Council. It is a nonmandatory, university-wide fee from which a student may elect to opt out for the duration of their degree program. To change an opt-in/opt-out selection, students can submit an online request from the first day a new term is active to the published deadline.

2025-2026 S.J.D. fee breakdown for non-California residents who have advanced to candidacy and for California residents:

*Students can choose to pay the UC Graduate and Professional Council (UCGPC) Fee​ for the purpose of funding the University of California Graduate and Professional Council. It is a nonmandatory, university-wide fee from which a student may elect to opt out for the duration of their degree program. To change an opt-in/opt-out selection, students can submit an online request from the first day a new term is active to the published deadline.

2025-2026 estimated living expense budget (for informational use only):

If you accept UCLA's offer of admission and you are not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, the UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars will email you instructions for applying online for an I-20 form. With your I-20 application, you will be required to submit electronic copies of your passport and financial documentation which demonstrates that you possess the necessary funds to pay for the costs of tuition and living expenses.

After processing these documents, the Dashew Center will issue your I-20 form through their MyBruin International Portal. After receiving the I-20 form, you must apply for an F-1 student visa to obtain authorization to enter the country. Please plan to apply for your visa well in advance of the date you intend to travel to the United States, as appointment availability and processing time varies widely among embassies. 

Dean's Tuition Fellowship Awards

All applicants receive full consideration for our very limited number of Dean's Tuition Fellowship awards. No application is necessary; grantees will be notified by the S.J.D. Program after receiving their offer of admission. Awards are granted on both a need-based and merit-based basis. You are welcome supplement your S.J.D. Program application with any additional information that will assist the Graduate Studies Committee in making a determination regarding a financial aid award.

Law Library Research Assistant-ships

Research Assistants are occasionally hired to help law professors with their research needs. Students typically work 10 hours per week for a rate of approximately $25.00 per hour. Successful candidates must demonstrate academic excellence as well as research proficiency. The number of positions available in a given year is dependent on the needs of the faculty, and thus is highly variable. In some years, there may be no open positions. Openings for Research Assistant positions are posted with the Office of Career Services and/or the Law Library, and applications will be accepted after the start of the academic year in August.

Eugene V. Costa-Robles Fellowship
Four-year fellowship program supporting PhD students interested in a career in college or university teaching and research. Only open to U.S. citizens.

Federal Student Aid
Federal Student Aid provides a useful guide on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Resources include an aid and FAFSA checklist, how to apply, deadlines, other financial aid resources, and more.

FinAid
FinAid provides detailed information about scholarships, grants, loans, military aid, and other funding opportunities and resources for U.S. students seeking financial assistance for graduate study.

NHFA Scholarship
Offers scholarships for US citizens, who are of Hispanic heritage. Must be pursuing entertainment and/or media-related law fields.

Chiang Ching-kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange (CCKF) Dissertation Fellowships for Republic of China (ROC) Students Abroad
Offers fellowships to Chinese citizens to support research on topics related to Chinese culture and society, the development of the Republic of China, or Taiwan Studies.

UC MexUS
The UC MEXUS-CONACYT doctoral fellowships provide up to five years of funding for Mexican students doing their doctoral studies at any one of the ten University of California campuses. Students may pursue doctoral studies in most of the academic disciplines, with the exception of the arts.

Conference, Professional Development, and Off-Campus Research Travel Grants
UCLA doctoral students are eligible to request up to $1,000 to reimburse travel expenses for attending professional conferences, engaging in off-campus fieldwork or collaborative research, or taking advantage of off-campus professional development opportunities. Details are available on page 45 of the Graduate Student Financial Support guide.

Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation - HFG Emerging Scholar Awards
Offers yearlong fellowships to students writing a dissertation surrounding issues of human violence and aggression. Preferred topics of interest to the Foundation include social change, intergroup conflict, war, terrorism, crime, and family relationships, among other subjects. Only appropriate for students approaching their final doctoral year.

Hiroshi Wagatsuma Memorial Fellowships
The UCLA International Institute Asia Pacific Institute Hiroshi Wagatsuma Memorial Fellowship offers awards to UCLA graduate students working on a comparative or cross-cultural dissertation, preferably concerning Japan or another Asian country and North America.

MALDEF Law School Scholarship Program
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund offers scholarships to law students who are committed to advancing Latino civil rights in the U.S. throughout their careers. A merit and need-based scholarship open to any enrolled law student.

Mellon/ACLS Dissertation Completion Fellowships
Offers fellowships for students in their final dissertation year to support research that is original and makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the proposed field of study.

Paula Stone Legal Research Fellowship 
Offers fellowships for promising UCLA law students pursuing research focusing on women and the law, with preference towards topics surrounding women in the criminal/legal justice system.

Social Science Research Council (SSRC) International Dissertation Research Fellowship (IDRF) Program
Funded by the Mellon Foundation, IDRF offers six to twelve months of support to graduate students in the humanities and humanistic social sciences who are enrolled in U.S.-based PhD programs. Dissertation research should cover Native American or non-US topics. Award amounts vary, but average around $23,000 per fellowship.

For further funding opportunities open to Doctoral students, please visit UCLA Graduate Education's Fellowships, Scholarships & Grants for Entering Students and its main funding resources page.