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International Semester and Dual Degree Programs

  1. Academics
  2. International Programs
  3. International Semester and Dual Degree Programs

Enroll in one of more than two dozen overseas academic programs and enrich your understanding of law, language, culture, and governance in a global context.

The Law School offers international study opportunities at some of the world’s leading centers of legal scholarship, divided into three categories: semester abroad, Global Alliance, and international dual degree programs.

The online application for these programs is open each year from February 1 to March 1. Information sessions about international study and some specific programs are held at the beginning of each semester. Details about these sessions are listed in the Law School events calendar and emailed to all 1Ls and 2Ls.

For more information, sign up for an appointment with representatives of the Office of International Programs (OIP). 

Regular Office Hours 
Director of International Programs
(WJW 605)		Monday to Thursday
2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. 
Assistant Director of International Programs
(WJW 606)		Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday
10 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Our offices are located on the sixth floor of William and June Warren Hall (Big Warren).

Both outgoing and incoming students can find answers to their questions by visiting the International Study FAQs page.

Related Links

Advising Appointments (10:00am to noon) Advising Appointments (2:30pm to 4:30pm) International Study FAQs Info Session Slides Apply for International Study

When deciding which program is right for you, reflect on these considerations:

  • Do you speak any foreign languages?
  • When would you like to go abroad (spring or fall, 2L year or 3L year, etc.)?
  • Is there a particular field of law you are interested in?
  • Is there a region or country you are interested in?
  • What are your career plans?
  • Do you have the ability to delay degree conferral or the bar?
  • Would you prefer to study with other Law School students?
  • Do you hold an F-1 student visa?
  • How do you plan to stay on track for standard graduation requirements (e.g. experiential learning, professional responsibility, Major and Minor Writing, pro bono, etc.)?

Global Alliance Programs are held in Amsterdam, Oxford, and Paris.

The Global Alliance Programs, created in partnership with four of the world’s preeminent law schools, are unique to Columbia Law School. These English-language programs focus on international criminal law, law and finance, or global business law and governance.

Students who have been admitted into the Global Alliance Programs follow specialized curricula from those four schools, periodically revised by Columbia Law School faculty and partner schools. The result is an intellectually and culturally integrated experience, offering a deeper understanding of a particular field as well as the basis for a global professional network.

Amsterdam

LL.M. in International Criminal Law—University of Amsterdam

  • Study in Amsterdam during the fall of your 2L or 3L year, returning to CLS in the spring.
  • Receive your LL.M. in international criminal law from Amsterdam Law School.

Paris

Certificate in Global Business Law and Governance—Columbia Law, Paris I, and Sciences Po

  • Study at Columbia during the fall of your 2L or 3L year and go abroad in the spring.
  • In Paris, study at both the University of Paris I and Sciences Po.
  • Return in time for Columbia Law School graduation in May.

 Oxford

Study Law and Finance—University of Oxford

  • For 3Ls only; apply during your 2L year.
  • Attend Master in Law and Finance program courses, taught jointly with the Saïd Business School at Oxford.
  • Return in time for Columbia Law School graduation in May.

Columbia Law School offers dual degree programs in Paris, London and Frankfurt. 

Distinguish yourself after enrolling in the J.D. degree program at Columbia Law School by earning a separate graduate law degree at one of the world’s leading law faculties. You will earn two law degrees—one from the U.S. and one from a foreign jurisdiction—in approximately the same amount of time and at no additional tuition cost.

International dual degree students spend their entire 3L year abroad and, after completing their studies, receive both a J.D. from Columbia and an M1, LL.M. or master’s degree from the partner school.

Note: J.D. students who are in the U.S. on F-1 student visas must assume that, if they participate in a full-year dual degree program (i.e. a dual degree other than the Amsterdam Global Alliance), they may not be eligible for Optional Practical Training upon their return to the U.S. For further information, please contact the International Scholars and Students Office (ISSO) before departing the U.S.


 

Paris

J.D./M1 (formerly Maîtrise) in French Law

  • Four-year program, taught in French
  • Two years at Columbia Law School (1L and 2L), two years at Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne
  • After arriving in Paris, you may petition to leave after only one year and receive an LL.M. instead of an M1

J.D./Master in Economic Law—Global Studies Specialization (Sciences Po)

  • Three-year program, taught in French and English
  • Two years at Columbia Law School (1L and 2L), one year at Sciences Po (3L year)

J.D./LL.M. in Transnational Arbitration and Dispute Settlement (Sciences Po, pending)

  • Three-year program, taught in English
  • Two years at Columbia Law School (1L and 2L), one year at Sciences Po (3L year)

 

Frankfurt

J.D./LL.M.

  • Three-year program taught in English
  • Two years at Columbia Law School (1L and 2L), one year at the Institute for Law and Finance (3L year)

 

London

J.D./LL.M.

J.D./LL.B.

  • Only available to students already enrolled at and selected by Kings College London, London School of Economics (LSE), School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), or University College London
  • Four-year program (two years in London, two years at Columbia Law School)

Columbia Law School offers approximately 20 different single semester abroad opportunities, located in more than a dozen different countries across Europe, Latin America, and Asia. (The exact number of programs may change from year to year.) Each single-semester study abroad program has its own characteristics and advantages. 

Fast Facts:

  • The majority of these programs are conducted in English, but many offer instruction in the local language. 
  • Most are open to both 2L and 3L students, although preference is given to the latter. 
  • Some programs have a curriculum focused on the law of a specific country or region, while others concentrate on a particular academic specialization within the law. 
  • Some include programmatic elements such as certificates of study or associated internships.

Current study abroad programs:

You may propose your own single-semester program of study at a non-partner foreign school and earn up to 13 credits towards your J.D. degree.

Approval of this independent program is contingent on a number of factors, including:

  • An assessment of the foreign school’s academic standing and administrative capacity.
  • The availability of places in comparable programs already offered by the Law School.
  • A compelling argument for the value of the experience within your overall academic trajectory.

Studying abroad on an independent basis requires significant additional administrative legwork on your part. You must meet various criteria, submit an “Independent Program Addendum” by February 1, and be approved by the Office of International Programs. Planning for this option should begin as early as possible, as students assume much more of the responsibility than is customary for the successful design and completion of their program of study.

Select study abroad programs offer students additional degrees, certificates, and internship opportunities:

Additional Degrees

 Certificates

 Non-Credit Internship Opportunities