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Winter Institute

2021 Dates TBA

The Fordham Law Winter Institute in New York City is an intensive week spent learning about the U.S. Legal System in Fordham Law School’s state-of-the-art building in the heart of Manhattan. Program participants study side-by-side with master's students from around the world.

Topics typically include an Overview of the U.S. Legal System; Reading, Briefing, and Analyzing Case Law; the U.S. Constitution: Articles and Amendments; Constitutional Interpretation; U.S. Judicial Systems: The Federal and State Courts; Sources of Law; Precedent and Stare Decisis. There are optional sessions on applying to LL.M. programs and on preparing a U.S. style resume and cover letter.

This program is open to law graduates and students from around the world.

View the schedule for the 2020 Winter Institute.

Registration

Who Can Register

The Winter Institute is open to international law students and graduates with an interest in U.S. law. There are no specific academic requirements in order to register for this program. All courses are conducted in English, but we do not require any language assessment scores.

Register for the Winter Institute.

Cost and Payment

Program Cost: $1,500

This tuition includes instruction, electronic course materials, and a welcome luncheon. 

Make a secure payment.

Visas and Health Insurance

Choosing a Visa

The Office of International and Non-JD Programs does not handle visa paperwork or processing. The University's Office for International Services (OIS) will process all visa paperwork for Winter Institute participants.

Fordham does NOT require any specific visa type to attend the Winter Institute. We offer only guidance to enable you to make a prudent choice customized for your personal case.

Most program participants enter the U.S. as a B-1, B-2, or WT visitor. This is appropriate for those who are "coming to the United States primarily for tourism," and "also incidentally will engage in a short course of study during their visit." It cannot be used by participants who will be staying in the U.S. to pursue a degree-granting program after the Winter Institute. Therefore, if you choose the B-2/WT visa, you are entering the U.S. with "tourist" intentions, which is your primary purpose. Your "study" at Fordham in the Winter Institute is your secondary purpose. It is "incidental and avocational" to your primary tourist purpose.

Fordham University issues I-20s to support F-1 visa applications for our Winter Institute. If you wish to pursue the F-1 option, you should follow all instructions on this webpage.

Obtaining an F-1 Visa

The Winter Institute satisfies the F-1 visa/status requirements. Upon submission of the required documentation (see below), Fordham University will issue an I-20 which will enable participants to obtain an F-1 visa to enter the United States for the purpose of participating in our Winter Institute. If a participant wishes to obtain an F-1 visa, the below documents must be submitted directly to Mr. Sal Longarino in the Office for International Services by email at [email protected].

Do not submit any information to OIS until you have paid the $500 program deposit.

  1. The AFCOE form;
  2. Financial supporting statement, such as an official bank statement, bank or employer letter showing sufficient funds, or copies of award letters, loans, etc.;
  3. A statement indicating whether the participant intends to pursue an academic program in the U.S. before or after the Winter Institute; and
  4. A copy of the name page of the passport clearly showing the participant's full name.

Additional information and fees.

Visa Check-In at Arrival

Winter Institute Participants who travel to the U.S. under an F-1 visa issued using documentation provided by Fordham University must check in with the Office for International Services, bringing with them their original form I-20, passport, and I-94 card. This check-in procedure is required by U.S. law, and failure to check in with the Office for International Services is a violation of your F-1 status and could cause serious implications with the U.S. government. Participants can either complete the check in process online or stop by the OIS office. For more information on online check in process, may be found in the OIS portal.

Further questions regarding visa issues should be directed to [email protected].

Health Insurance

Fordham Law strongly recommends that all Winter Institute participants arrange for health insurance coverage for their time in the United States. Participants are encouraged to check with their current provider to see if coverage extends to their stay in New York.

Participants who are not covered are strongly urged to purchase insurance. Please note that participants are not automatically covered by Fordham University's health insurance, and may be held liable for any emergency medical expenses they incur during their time in the United States.

Accommodations

There are no accommodations available at Fordham University for this program. Participants may consult an incomplete list of local accommodations online.  Fordham does not recommend or endorse any accommodations.

Participants are reminded to exercise caution when securing accommodations independently. International students trying to secure housing while abroad are particularly prone to fraud. Avoid arrangements that require a wire transfer to an individual before arrival.

Program Credit

Certificates of Attendance will be awarded to all participants who attend at least 80% of the required classes.  Fordham Law does not award academic credit for the program. However, we are happy to coordinate with participants in order to help them receive academic credit from their home institutions. 

Please note that we are not able to provide an official University transcript.

Contact Us

Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 212-636-7702

Fordham Law School
Office of International and Non-JD Programs
150 West 62 Street, Suite 8-131
New York, NY 10023

Please note that New York City is subject to severe weather in January. We cannot guarantee that all canceled classes will be rescheduled, and refunds will not be issued for canceled classes.

The Office of International & Non-J.D. Programs at Fordham Law School reserves the right to cancel any program at any time.  If a program is canceled, Fordham Law & the Office of International Programs' liability is limited to a full refund of the program fee already paid.