The Law School’s Office of Registration Services will accept requests for cross-registration only during the application periods. You will be sent an email notifying you whether or not you can be registered for a Law course during the Decision Notification period.
The Cross-Registration Request Form for Fall 2023 will be active once open. The date will be announced in August.
All request forms require the instructor’s approval, but the approval does not guarantee a seat in the course.
- Acceptance into a law course is based on seat availability and eligibility criteria, and priority will be given to Law students.
- Decisions and processing of all cross-registration request forms will be made on a first-come-first-serve basis.
- Final approval is at the discretion of the law school.
Please Note:
- ONLY students enrolled as full-time Columbia University Graduate degree candidates can apply to cross-register.
- REGISTRATION AS AN AUDITOR IS NOT PERMITTED FOR ANY LAW COURSE and INFORMAL AUDITING FOR MORE THAN ONE OR TWO CLASS SESSIONS IS NOT ALLOWED.
- All students are expected to take Law exams as scheduled. Students who have exam conflicts must reschedule the non-Law School exam. Failure to complete an exam will result in an automatic grade of F.
- Only letter grades are available for Law courses: A, B, (both with plus and minus) C, and F; there is no Pass/Fail grading option.
- Enrollment in Law School seminars is capped at 20 or fewer students.
Law courses with eight (8) or more open seats will be listed below.
- Select Law courses from the Columbia Law School Course Guide or the Columbia University Directory of Classes.
- Fill out the Cross-Registration Request Form for Non-Law Students
- Each student will only be able to submit one request form for a maximum of two courses.
- The request form will require you to attach email approval from the instructor. Requests without approval will not be processed.
- Registration Services will email you during the Decision Notification period with the result of your request.
- Approved applicants will be registered for the course at the Law School and will receive proof of their registration. This proof must be submitted to the student's home school to complete the final registration process with the University.
Students who cross-register for Law courses will be given access to LawNet and to the course web page, usually within two (2) business days of their registration.
Who can take a Columbia Law School Course?
Students enrolled as full-time Columbia University Graduate degree candidates.
How many courses can Non-Law students take?
Up to two Law courses per term and not more than four Law courses during their entire Columbia course of study.
What courses can Non-Law students take?
Most Lecture and Seminar courses are available for Cross-Registration, pending instructor approval.
- Non-Law students CANNOT TAKE the following:
- J.D. foundation courses (Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property, Torts)
- LL.M. foundation courses (Introduction to American Law, American Constitutional Law, American Contract Law)
- Clinics and Externships
- Legal writing
- Research
How do I drop a Law School course?
Students wishing to drop a Law class must email the Law School’s Office of Registration Services and notify their home division in order to complete the drop. Drops initiated at the student’s home division or in the University’s Student Services Office will not be honored by the Law School, and in such cases students risk receiving the grade of F (failure) for the Law course.
REGISTRATION AS AN AUDITOR IS NOT PERMITTED FOR ANY LAW COURSE and INFORMAL AUDITING FOR MORE THAN ONE OR TWO CLASS SESSIONS IS NOT ALLOWED.
NOTE: The policies of the host school apply for all cross-registrations, so if you are considering taking a Law course, please check carefully the Law School’s policies, including registration (adding and dropping courses), exams, and submission of written work.