<p>I don’t know if there is institutional funding for an LL.M. The people I’ve known who did this had their own money or had scholarships from their home country. A US citizen or permanent resident would be eligible for the federal loans that candidates for other graduate degrees qualify for, so they wouldn’t have to pay for the degree completely out-of-pocket.</p>
<p>Some foreign law degrees are “bachelors level” and others are first degrees that are equivalent to a five or six year BS/JD program in the US. The Venezuelan degree requires about five years to complete, and graduates normally use the professional title of “Doctor” when they begin working. Law schools that offer LLM programs are familiar with the types of foreign degrees and know whether or not an applicant is likely to be successful.</p>
<p>Just saw this thread and would like to share a little of what I know… which is very much the same as happymomof1 has stated…
I currently live in a Central America country finishing my bachelor’s degree in Law and Political Science (which is the degree leading to obtaining my law licence). As the previous post states, hispanic countries -I don’t know about other- including South America, Central America and Spain, all grant undergraduate degrees is Law…leading to licence. At least where I’m at not even bar exam is needed, you just register in the Supreme Court and you’re an official lawyer. A small correction, you become a LICENCIADO not a DOCTOR. The UG level degree is a LICENCIATURA.</p>
<p>I’m a US citizen and will also be returning to the States sometime after I graduate, but my fellow classmates (not US citizens) that intend to come back and practice here will get a LLM degree which is a master’s degree that will allow you to gain a specialty in some law branch. I do have friends that are currently following this path and intend to take bar exam in US (2 in Cal and 1 NY), and I personally know a few other lawyers that have done this (reasons unknown, because you don’t need to pass a US bar exam to work here). Anyways… I imagine it should be easier to get accepted for an LLM program than a regular JD program, I’m giving thought to earning a JD myself… for the sake of being better prepared for practice in the US. But I do know applicants to JD seem more competitive (stronger profiles, more experience from what I’ve read online and have read on threads on CC) than those seeking LLM (most of my friends have been accepted into top schools and just out of school, most haven’t done that much…). I might be wrong about this, but it sure looks like that. As for FA… couple of my friends have recieved from 25% to 50% merit based aid (didn’t even apply for it), I’m pretty sure one was for Tulane. And there’s also the great Fulbright, which a friend earned last year to go to Harvard. US citizens can’t apply for this one though. Not all schools will help, most expect you to pay from your pocket. If I hear something different than this I will post.</p>
<p>My advice: research research researchhh!</p>
<p>You are not automatically issued a social security number at birth. You are supposed to apply for it at the same time you put info for the birth certificate. In the last 15 years or so, it has become more automatic and more difficult not to do, but for older kids, you did have to put more effort forth to get the ssn.</p>
<p>As Thumper said, you need to find out exactly what the process is for someone in your situation, so do write the letter. There are times the ssn is not needed and you can fill in zeroes but you need to know precisely what the procedure is and you need to get it directly from the financial aid offices, as things do change.</p>
<p>Christine, you need to call the American Bar Association and find out what you need to do to practice law in the US with the education and certification that you currently have.</p>
<p>But cpt, isn’t it the case that in order to claim your child as a dependent on your tax return, that child MUST have a SSN?</p>
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<p>I believe this is true.</p>
<p>Yes, now you need an SSN for any child reported on your taxes as a dependent, but in the past it was not necessary. Also, international students and certain other international employees working for international organizations in the US who don’t need to file US income tax do have US-born US citizen children. Which of course can result in missing SSNs.</p>