U.S Law Schools See Drop in International Student Applications - Articles

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U.S Law Schools See Drop in International Student Applications

Posted by: Azya Thornton on Jun 12, 2026

U.S. law schools are seeing a sharp drop in international applications for their in-person ​Master of Laws (LL.M) programs, with the overall pool down 14% from last year, according to Reuters. Applications from China and India — which produce the biggest cohorts of LL.M. students in the U.S. — fell 21% and 23%, respectively. Admission officers and professors suggest the federal administration’s immigration crackdown, visa uncertainty and growing competition from cheaper LL.M. programs abroad as key factors driving the decline. The shrinking LL.M. ​figures reflect a broader decline in foreign students pursuing graduate degrees in the U.S., data shows. International graduate student enrollment was down 12% nationwide in the fall of 2025, amid a 1% reduction in international students overall.