USA · Master's
Harvard University (Harvard Law School)
Juris Doctor (JD)
Harvard University (Harvard Law School)
Course Overview
The Harvard JD is a three-year professional law degree and the qualifying credential for the US bar. Year 1 covers the standard 1L curriculum — contracts, torts, civil procedure, criminal law, property, constitutional law, plus legal research and writing. Years 2 and 3 are almost entirely elective, with deep specialisations in corporate law, international law, human rights, and tax. Harvard Law students also write a substantial scholarly paper before graduation.
For Sri Lankan applicants, the JD is the route into US BigLaw (Cravath, Sullivan & Cromwell, Skadden) or into international firms with Sri Lanka and South Asia practice groups. Note that a Sri Lankan LLB does not exempt you from the JD — Sri Lankan lawyers often pursue the 1-year LLM instead, which qualifies for the New York Bar.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle Bachelor's degree in any discipline (median admit GPA is ~3.92 / first-class equivalent).
- check_circle LSAT (median ~174) or GRE — must be taken no later than February 1 for the regular February 15 deadline.
- check_circle For Sri Lankan transcripts, LSAC's Credential Assembly Service (CAS) evaluation is mandatory.
- check_circle Two letters of recommendation, a personal statement, resume, and an optional diversity statement.
English Proficiency
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 100+ recommended for international applicants.
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 7.5+ recommended.
- check_circle The LSAT itself serves as a strong English-language assessment — most admits do not submit additional language scores.
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (USD) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Tuition Fee | USD 80,760 | Rs. 25,843,000 |
| Health Insurance & Activity Fees | USD 5,900 | Rs. 1,888,000 |
| Living Expenses (Cambridge, 9 months) | USD 28,000 | Rs. 8,960,000 |
| Total Year 1 Investment | USD 114,660 | Rs. 36,691,000 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
Harvard JD graduates are eligible for 12 months of F-1 OPT — Law is not STEM-designated. ~99% of recent graduates secured employment within 10 months. Median starting salary for BigLaw associates is USD 225,000 (the lockstep Cravath scale). Long-term US practice requires bar admission, then employer-sponsored H-1B and eventually green card.
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