Munich Summer Program Disclosures and FAQ
Before applying to the GW Law Munich IP and Information Law Summer Program, please take note of the following:
1. Acceptance of Credit. Acceptance of any credit or grade for any course taken in the program is subject to determination by your home school. If you are not otherwise a student at the George Washington University Law School, you should check whether your school will accept credits earned in the GW Law Munich IP and Information Law Summer Program, and whether it places any limitations on credits earned in the Program.
2. Acceleration of Graduation. It is unlikely that participation in a foreign summer program may be used to accelerate graduation. If you are interested in acceleration, you should consult your home school.
3. Methods of evaluation. Each professor determines the method he or she will use to evaluate students in his or her course. The method of evaluation for each course is indicated in parentheses at the end of the description of that course on the Session Organization and Schedule page. LL.M. students from the Munich Intellectual Property Law Center may also take the classes offered through the Munich Summer Program. They will be graded separately from students attending the Munich Summer Program.
4. Course enrollment caps. Because of room size limitations, enrollment in each course will be capped at 35 students. If a course ever closes because it has reached its enrollment cap, we will indicate that on the Session Organization and Schedule page. In addition, if you select on your application form a course that has been closed, we will contact you and give you an opportunity either to choose another course or to withdraw your application and obtain a refund of your application fee.
Frequently Asked Questions
In addition to the previous disclosures and the information available elsewhere on this website, you may find the following information helpful:
1. Is the program open to students from other law schools?
Yes, the program is not only open to students from other law schools, but also from other countries. Applicants in countries (such as the United States) in which law is studied at the graduate level must have completed at least one full year of full- or part-time study at an accredited law school at the time the program begins. Applicants in countries (such as Germany) in which law is studied at the university level must have completed at least two years of legal education at an institution recognized as capable of conferring degrees which fulfill a necessary condition for the graduates to practice law in the country of the institution.
However, if an applicant from a foreign country has already completed a bachelor’s degree prior to enrolling in law school in his/her respective jurisdiction, then the applicant need have only completed one year of law school at the time of commencement of this summer program (i.e. May 2020).
2. Is the program open to LLM students?
Yes. Please see above.
3. Is the program open to those not currently attending law school?
Yes, if you have already completed your law degree you may request an exception but you will still be required to take three classes. You will have the option of enrolling for credit/no credit. Applications are also accepted from non-lawyers interested in the relevant topics.
4. How soon after I send in my application can I expect to find out if I have been admitted?
On average, the processing of an application takes about three weeks.
5. Once I have selected classes on the application form, may I change my selection?
Yes, but this is subject to a change fee of $100 to cover administrative costs.
6. How do I find housing?
Please visit the housing and travel page. We have a Facebook page for students participating in the program to use to connect with one another and prior program participants before leaving for Germany.
7. Is there a deadline for applications and is the program still accepting applications?
There is no application deadline; applications are accepted and processed on a rolling basis until the program is full.
8. Is there financial aid available through GW Law for this program?
Unfortunately, the summer program does not have any financial aid of its own to offer. GW Law School students can apply for summer financial aid by contacting the Financial Aid Office of the Law School. Also, note students do not need to submit payment to the Program directly; Student Accounts debits the account balance after the funds are received and refunds the balance to the student.
Non-GW students should contact their financial aid office. If they are receiving financial aid from their home institutions, they may be required to submit a Consortium Agreement from GW Law’s Financial Aid office.
9. What are the estimated total expenses of the 2020 summer program for purposes of financial aid requests?
We estimate that the total cost of attending the program, including tuition, airfare, housing, food, books, and personal expenses, to be $6500 (or more depending on housing cost) for the entire session.
10. Is there any preference given in the admissions process?
Applications are evaluated as they come in. We have not in the past given preferences to any students.
11. Do I need to submit a letter of good standing from my current law school?
Yes. At most schools, the Records or Registrar's Office can provide this letter as a matter of course. If your school does not have the ability to provide such a letter, please so note on your application. You may then provide a letter from a faculty member or other competent person who can testify to the fact that you've been in good and regular attendance at your law school and that you are a good student.
12. Is an official transcript also needed?
If you do not have an official transcript, an unofficial statement of your grades may be submitted.
13. Is this required for GW Law students too?
The program admits students separately from the Law School, so we do require transcripts and letters of good standing even for GW students.
14. If the program becomes oversubscribed, will you accept applications on a wait list?
Yes. If the program becomes oversubscribed, we will place applicants on a wait list in the order in which their application was received. It is usually the case that a few accepted students ultimately decide not to enroll and so free up additional spaces as the summer approaches. For wait-listed applicants, we will hold aside the application fee, and will not process it unless the applicant is admitted.
15. What was the make-up of last year’s class?
International students enrolled in the MILPC LLM program (representing 14 countries in this year’s class), will attend classes with the GW Law Summer program students. In 2017, 23 students participated in the program, 19 from GW, 4 from other schools. In 2018, 16 students participated in the program, 13 from GW, 4 from other schools. In 2019, 12 students participated in the program. Seven from GW; 4 Korean Patent Examiners; and one Italian attorney.
16. How many courses are offered at the program?
Please visit the session page for information.
17. Is it necessary to take the TOEFL?
Students taking courses for academic credit and whose native language is not English, and who have not studied for at least two years at a university in which the principal language of instruction is English, must demonstrate their competency in English by submitting proof of a computer-based TOEFL score of at least 100, a Cambridge CPE score of at least 60, or an IELTS score of at least 6.0.
18. What other documents are required for applying in addition to the Application form?
- A statement of good standing from your current law school and a current transcript (if unavailable, you may provide an unofficial statement of grades)
- An updated copy of your résumé
- Proof of competency in English (required for some non-native speakers)
- A nonrefundable application fee of $50.00, payable by check or money order drawn on a U.S. bank (no cash) to The George Washington University Law School.