UC San Francisco LL.M. Partnership Programme
On the initiative of Professor Dr Michael Heese, the University of Regensburg and the Faculty of Law signed a cooperation agreement in October 2019 with the University of California, College of the Law, San Francisco (external link, opens in a new window), which, in addition to academic exchange at faculty level, also provides students, PhD candidates and postdocs with specially supported study and research programmes. Since October 2023, the cooperation has been overseen on behalf of the University of Regensburg by Professor Dr Alexander Tischbirek.
The UC College of the Law is situated in the heart of San Francisco – undeniably one of the most diverse and impressive cities in the world. A study visit to the Californian metropolis and the stunning Bay Area is therefore a very special ‘treat’, not only from an academic but also from a personal perspective.
Contact person
Even whilst still undergraduates, selected and particularly well-qualified students from Regensburg can combine their main area ofstudy at the university with the Master of Laws postgraduate programme at the UC College of the Law – and on particularly attractive terms. This opportunity to combine the two programmes is highly attractive, as it involves completing a German specialisation programme and a US master’s degree abroad simultaneously, and is virtually unique amongst German law faculties!
Graduates from Regensburg who have passed the first state law examination may also enrol on the LL.M. programme at the UC College of the Law on preferential terms, provided they meet the entry requirements. Finally, PhD students and postdocs from the Regensburg Faculty can make use of the UC College of the Law’s Visiting Researcher Programme for research stays in the USA, tailored to their needs and without any bureaucratic hurdles. You’ll be hard-pressed to find such an opportunity at most other German law faculties!
LL.M. as a specialisation programme
Programme for Regensburg students
Are you studying at the Faculty of Law at the University of Regensburg and would like to focus on US law as part of your specialist degree programme? If so, provided you meet the general entry requirements, you can complete an LL.M. programme at UC Law San Francisco (external link, opens in a new window) whilst still studying at Regensburg, under specially favourable conditions.
Under the cooperation agreement concluded between UC Law San Francisco and the Regensburg Faculty in 2019 and renewed in 2024, particularly qualified Regensburg students can apply for the ‘Leary Scholarship’ offered by UC Law, which includes a 75 per cent tuition fee waiver. This currently amounts to approximately 41,000 US dollars.
Unfortunately, additional funding through scholarship programmes in Germany is currently limited, as most German scholarship programmes for the LL.M. only come into effect once the German state examination has been passed. Currently available funding opportunities include:
- the PROMOS programme, which aims to increase the mobility of students from German universities (external link, opens in a new window). For studies at UC Law San Francisco, the commission awards either a grant towards living costs or a lump-sum travel allowance.
- the Fulbright Germany travel grant (external link, opens in a new window). The grant includes a lump sum for travel and living expenses.
Upon successful completion of the LL.M. programme at UC Law San Francisco, students will also have completed their specialisation at the University of Regensburg. This is because the Faculty of Law at the University of Regensburg recognises the LL.M. programme as an equivalent qualification. The only requirement is that students choose to write a seminar paper as part of their LL.M. programme. The results achieved in the USA are then converted into the German grading system. No further specialisation examination is required at the University of Regensburg. Nor is it necessary to complete the preparatory seminar. However, the University of California only awards the LL.M. degree retrospectively, once the first law examination in Germany has also been successfully completed. Notwithstanding this particular arrangement, Regensburg students can, through this procedure, complete both the LL.M. programme and the university specialisation simultaneously – a combination that is virtually unique in Germany!
In order to apply for the LL.M. programme at UC Law San Francisco under the partnership scheme, Regensburg graduates must be nominated for the programme by the Faculty and go through the standard application process there. Based on the results of the intermediate examinations, the Faculty makes its own shortlist of students suitable for the programme. The application deadline at the Faculty of Law is 15 December each year for a start date in August of the same year.
Please note that you must ensure you obtain the required proof of sufficient English language proficiency in good time. UC Law San Francisco accepts both the TOEFL (a minimum score of 90 on the internet-based test [iBT]) and the IELTS (a minimum score of 7).
Are you interested in combining your specialisation with an LL.M. programme at UC San Francisco School of Law? The Faculty will support and guide you through the application process. Your contact at the Faculty is Professor Dr Alexander Tischbirek.
LL.M. for postgraduate students
Programme for Regensburg graduates
Have you specialised in your chosen field at the Faculty of Law at the University of Regensburg and passed your first law examination? If so, provided you meet the general entry requirements, you can enrol on an LL.M. programme at the University of California, San Francisco School of Law (external link, opens in a new window) under preferential terms.
Under the terms of the cooperation agreement concluded between UC Law San Francisco and the Regensburg Faculty in 2019, Regensburg graduates are awarded the ‘Riesenfeld Scholarship’ by UC Law San Francisco , which includes a 50 per cent tuition fee waiver. This currently amounts to approximately 25,000 US dollars. The Riesenfeld Scholarship can usually be combined with other scholarship programmes, in particular the German LL.M. scholarship programmes, meaning that particularly qualified Regensburg graduates have the opportunity, through this cooperation agreement, to undertake an LL.M. programme in the USA that is practically fully funded!
To apply for the LL.M. programme at UC San Francisco Law School under this cooperation scheme, Regensburg graduates must be nominated for the programme by the Faculty and go through the standard application process there. However, the Faculty may still nominate its graduates at a relatively late stage, up until 1 April of the relevant academic year.
It should be noted, however, that the application deadlines for German scholarship programmes usually end much earlier. Please take note of the – widely varying – application deadlines and check these directly with the funding organisation.
Please also bear in mind that you must ensure you obtain the required proof of sufficient English language proficiency in good time. UC Law San Francisco accepts both the TOEFL (a minimum score of 90 on the internet-based test [iBT]) and the IELTS (a minimum score of 7).
Are you interested in studying for an LL.M. at UC Law San Francisco and gaining an international study experience in San Francisco, one of the most beautiful cities in the world? The Faculty will support and guide you through the application process. Your contact at the Faculty is Professor Dr Alexander Tischbirek.
Programme for PhD students and postdocs in Regensburg
Are you a PhD student or postdoctoral researcher at the Faculty of Law at the University of Regensburg, conducting research on a topic related to US law? If so, you can take advantage of the Visiting Researcher Programme at the University of California, San Francisco School of Law (external link, opens in a new window) under significantly simplified and flexible conditions.
Are you interested in this programme? The Faculty will support and guide you through the application process. Your point of contact at the Faculty is Professor Dr Alexander Tischbirek.
Transcript of Records
When applying for an LL.M. place in the USA, you will generally need a certificate of your German academic achievements in English (Transcript of Records).
The law degree programme is not organised into modules, meaning there is neither a module catalogue nor a fixed allocation of ECTS credits. Consequently, it is not possible to generate such a Transcript of Records automatically; it must be produced manually. In this case, our Law Examination Office is your first point of contact. There, you will receive a complete overview of all your academic achievements. You must then apply for the Transcript of Records at the UR’s International Office. There, you should submit the academic record together with your examination certificate, degree certificate and SP examination certificate (if already available). A small fee of €20 is charged for the initial issue (as of January 2019).