Fordham Law Summer Institute

Core Classes

The Summer Institute typically offers classes in Bankruptcy Law, Civil Procedure and Litigation, Constitutional Law, Contract Drafting and Negotiation, Contract Law, Corporate Reorganization in Bankruptcy, Corporations, Corporate Compliance, Evidence and Trial Practice, Information Technology Law, Intellectual Property Law, International Arbitration, Introduction to the U.S. Legal System, Labor and Employment Law, Mergers & Acquisitions, Product Liability Law, and U.S. Tax Law and Policy.

Legal English: Drafting and Research & Special Workshops

The Summer Institute has offered optional workshops to strengthen participants' legal English skills. These have included sessions on Memorandum Drafting, Legal Research, and Litigation Documents. Students may also attend workshops on Applying to LLM Programs and Preparing for the LLM Program – a specially-designed seminar for students who will begin an LLM program at Fordham or elsewhere upon completion of the Summer Institute.

Social Events

Past Summer Institutes have included happy hour at a local bar, a Major League Baseball game, and a closing celebration.

Unless otherwise noted:

• Morning: 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Room 3-04
• Lunch: 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Fordham Community Dining Hall, First Floor, 1-05
• Afternoon: 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Room 3-04

A paper copy of the updated schedule will be distributed to participants on the first day of the program.

Who Can Register

The Summer 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 will be conducted in English, but we do not require any language assessment scores.

Many students who are coming to the United States for an LLM degree find this program helpful as an introduction to U.S. law prior to their Master studies. Each year we also welcome many other international law students, graduates, and practitioners who are interested in U.S. law.

When to Register

The deadline for registration and full payment is approximately one month before the program's start. Participants seeking on-campus housing must submit a registration and non-refundable deposit (or full payment) by May 31, 2023 in order to be eligible. However, space in the program is limited and early registration is encouraged. We expect this program to fill before the registration deadline. Participants are accepted to the program in the order in which complete registrations, including the deposit, are received.

Register now

Dormitory

Participants may apply to reside in student-style dormitory housing on Fordham Law School's campus at Lincoln Center in Manhattan, or securing accommodations independently.* For the 2023 program, students will move in July 9, 2023 and check out by noon on July 29, 2023.  We regret that we cannot accommodate early arrivals or late departures.

Fordham housing provides each occupant with the following:  

• Twin bed
• Dresser
• Closet
• Sheets, blankets, pillows, and towel.
• Two double rooms will share the following:   
• Bathroom†
• Living room
• Kitchen supplied with a refrigerator, cabinets and stove.
• Please note that kitchens do not come equipped with cooking equipment, dishes, or utensils.

†Some units may contain three double rooms. These units will share two bathrooms.

Residents will share a room and a suite with a person of the same gender, but male suites and female suites will share floors of the residence hall.

There are a limited number of single rooms available. Four single rooms share a kitchen, living room, and bathroom.

Additional amenities provided with Fordham housing include:   

• 24 hour security
• Laundry facilities
• Gym
• Recreation room
• Wireless internet access
• Air Conditioning
• Linens changed weekly

*Students who intend to secure accommodations independently are reminded to exercise caution when making arrangements.  International students trying to secure housing while abroad are particularly prone to fraud.  Avoid any arrangement that requires a wire transfer before arrival.

Accommodations for Incoming LLM Students

Students who will attend the Summer Institute prior to attending the LLM at Fordham will be able to apply for early student housing in McMahon Hall.  Therefore, these students will not need to arrange off-campus housing between the end of the Summer Institute and start of the LLM program.  Instructions for applying for early housing will be available at the beginning of the summer.

Immunization Requirement

Pursuant to New York State Public Health Law Section 2165, all participants living in Fordham accommodations born on or after January 1, 1957, must have on file proof of immunity from measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccinations, including the updated bivalent booster, are strongly recommended. 

Any queries regarding immunization should be addressed to Maureen Keown, Director of the Fordham Health Center, at [email protected].

Choosing a Visa

The University's Office for International Services (OIS) will process all visa paperwork for Summer Institute participants.

Fordham does not require any specific visa type to attend the Summer Institute, but we do offer 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 Summer 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 Summer Institute is your secondary purpose. It is "incidental and avocational" to your primary tourist purpose.

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

Obtaining an F-1 Visa

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

• AFCOE form according to housing type (this form will available online closer to the start of the program);
• Financial supporting statement, such as an official bank statement, bank or employer letter showing sufficient funds, or copies of award letters, loans, etc.;
• A statement indicating whether the participant intends to pursue an academic program in the U.S. before or after the Summer Institute; and
• A copy of the name and picture pages of the passport clearly showing the participant's full name and photograph.

For additional information and fees, please click here.

Special Instructions for Incoming Fordham Law LLM Students

If you will attend the Summer Institute program prior to the LLM program, you will need to submit AFCOE forms for BOTH programs. LLM program AFCOE forms are available via the OIS website.

In order to expedite your I-20 processing, please submit the AFCOE forms for both programs together, if possible.

Visa Check-In at Arrival

Federal regulations require all non-immigrants to provide documentation to the Office for International Services (OIS). Participants who are here on visas sponsored by Fordham should bring a copy of their I-94 to the first day of the program and complete the check-in form that will be provided with their welcome materials. A member of the Summer Institute program staff will collect these materials to provide to the OIS.

For participants who will continue on to the LLM program in the fall, please indicate that you are incoming LLM student when you communicate with the OIS. OIS will email contact you when your LLM I-20 is issued.

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

Health Insurance

Fordham Law strongly recommends that all Summer 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. Rates and coverage for 2023 have not yet been finalized. Information will be made available as soon as possible. Please direct any inquiries regarding participant medical insurance to [email protected].

The schedule of fees for the in-person 2023 Fordham Law Summer Institute is below:

Program: $3,000
Program with double-occupancy housing on Fordham's campus: $5,000
Program with single-occupancy housing on Fordham's campus: $6,000

Fee includes tuition and course materials.

Make a payment

The Thiago Barbarisi Moraes Memorial Scholarship is established in memory of Thiago, a participant in the First Annual Fordham Law Summer Institute in NYC. Thiago, a much beloved member of the Fordham Law family, died tragically on June 7, 2008, in Sao Paolo.

What we will always remember and treasure about Thiago was his wonderful, warm, and loving nature. He was unfailingly friendly, he was kind to all, he was gentle and sensitive, and he was a natural leader. Thiago enriched forever the lives of those who knew him, and he left us far too soon.

The scholarship that has been created in Thiago’s memory is awarded to the law student or young lawyer from Brazil who best exemplifies the qualities that we loved about and admired in Thiago. The scholarship covers the full cost of the Summer Institute.

Application Instructions

To apply for this opportunity, please submit a personal statement indicating why you think that you would make a good candidate for this scholarship to [email protected]. This statement should be sent only after submitting the Summer Institute registration form. Please note that scholarship applicants are not required to submit the deposit.

The deadline to apply is April 13. The recipient of the scholarship will be announced after the deadline and before May 1. Applicants not chosen for this opportunity will be invited to pay the deposit and join the program at the standard rate.

In addition to the Thiago Barbarisi Moraes Memorial Scholarship (for more information, refer to the relevant tab), the Summer Institute offers limited partial scholarships. The admissions committee will make a determination based on need and merit. To be considered for financial aid, please send your resume and a statement of no more than one page explaining why you should be considered for aid to [email protected]. Decisions will be made in the order in which requests are received.  Because the amount of available funds is limited, the deadline to receive requests for partial financial aid is May 1, 2023.