Immigration Law

FROM THE MEXICAN BORDER TO THE HALLS OF CONGRESS, the controversy over immigration law has intensified and become more critical to U.S. policymakers. Virginia's Immigration Law Program allows students to explore the key legal and public policy issues affecting this debate, including whom the United States should admit, who should qualify for political asylum, what should be done about the undocumented, the impact of immigration on the economy or on national security, the role of the states and the challenges of building an effective immigration management system. Building on the strengths of an experienced faculty, Virginia's program benefits students preparing for careers in the immigration field, as well as those pursuing careers in criminal law, business law, family law, administrative law or public policy, or who simply have an interest in immigration issues. The Law School provides an ideal setting for considering philosophical and theoretical issues posed by immigration, including the meaning of national membership and cultural identity, the ethics of international relations, or the link between policy and international human rights. Students also build practical skills through an immigration clinic and several pro bono programs offering aid to clients. The program also brings in expert speakers on immigration law, including leading attorneys and policy advocates, immigration judges and government officials.

In addition to the core Immigration Law course that is taught every year, the program frequently offers advanced courses, including Refugee Law and Policy, Citizenship and Group Identity, and other related seminars. Students who want hands-on experience in working with immigrant clients can take the Immigration Law Clinic, which is also offered annually.

The following is a list of courses offered during the current and two previous academic years. Numbers in parentheses indicate which academic year(s) the courses were offered, i.e., 2013-14 is coded (14), 2014-15 is coded (15) and 2015-16 is coded (16).

CORE COURSES

• Immigration Enforcement (14) 
• Immigration Law (14,15,16)

RELATED COURSES

• Administrative Law (14,15,16)
• Antiterrorism, Law and the Role of Intelligence (14,15,16)
• Foreign Relations Law (14,15,16)
• International Human Rights Law (14,15)
• International Human Rights Law Clinic (14,16)
• International Human Rights Litigation (16) 
• International Law (14,15,16)
• International Law and International Relations (14,15)
• Labor Law (15,16)
• Legislation (14,15,16)
• National Security Law (14,15,16)
• Presidential Powers (14,15)
• Race and Law (14,15,16)

• LL.M. application, completed and submitted electronically through LSAC along with required attachments and optional forms;
• U.S. $80 application fee paid directly to LSAC;
• Official, school-certified transcripts of grades or marks from all colleges, universities, exchange programs and professional/graduate schools you have attended, even if you did not graduate. These should be submitted directly to LSAC in envelopes sealed by the appropriate school official, who then signs or stamps across the seal. Do not send documents certified by people other than school officials.
• Official, school-certified proof of degree document, if proof of degree does not appear on transcript. This document should be sent directly to LSAC in an envelope sealed by the appropriate school official, who then signs or stamps across the seal. Please do not send documents certified by people other than school officials.
• An official statement of class rank from the institution at which you earned or will earn your first degree in law. These should be submitted directly to LSAC in envelopes sealed by the appropriate school official who then signs or stamps across the seal. If such rankings are not provided by your school, provide a statement to this effect along with a detailed explanation of the grading system employed and a self-evaluation of your performance within that system. 
• An official TOEFL, or IELTS score report submitted to LSAC or to UVA.
• At least two, but no more than four, letters of recommendation, sent to LSAC for processing.  Please follow the instructions provided in your LSAC.org account.

Scholarships

If you receive a financial aid grant, it will not cover your tuition and living expenses. Generally, our financial aid grants, when given, cover less than one-third of the cost of tuition. University regulations do not permit “waivers” of tuition. We cannot provide assistance for all deserving applicants, and funds must be allocated on the basis of comparative merit and financial need. Most students must therefore expect to meet their expenses from other sources. Applicants from abroad are encouraged to contact the educational attaché at the U.S. Embassy or consulate in their home country for assistance that may be available under the Fulbright or similar programs.

The Law School does not offer financial aid to S.J.D. students.

Applicants requesting financial aid should provide detailed and accurate information regarding their finances and, where applicable, the finances of their spouses or parents. In calculating the amount of financial aid to be requested, it is important to distinguish “wants” from “needs” and to apply only for that amount of aid that is actually needed to attend the Law School. Requests for full or nearly full funding cannot be met and will disadvantage the applicant relative to others in determining the allocation of scholarship funds.

Any award of financial aid from the School of Law is tentative. If you receive an outside award, you are required to notify the Graduate Program of any changes in your financial situation. Any award from the University of Virginia may be reduced or withdrawn completely due to a change in your financial situation.

The employment status of foreign students is closely regulated by U.S. immigration laws. Students with F-1 status may seek limited employment on campus under certain conditions and with the approval of the chair of the Graduate Program Committee. In any case, Law School policy prohibits employment of more than 20 hours per week. The Law School does not have teaching fellowships. Some students may be able to receive limited compensation as research assistants for individual faculty members or from working in the law library. These positions are not available through the Graduate Studies Office but must be individually arranged after the student has completed registration at the Law School.

Admissions decisions are made without regard to requests for financial assistance. Awards are generally made only after an applicant has responded with interest to an offer of admission.