Online Paralegal Professional Certificate Program

Paralegals play a critical role in the legal process and enhance and elevate the legal community. They partake in some of the most important legal proceedings such as interviewing clients and witnesses, conducting research, and preparing documents.

A Paralegal Certificate from FIU College of Law’s Legal Studies Institute prepares individuals for the job market with career-focused courses to enable students to master the necessary skills to compete and succeed in this high growth career. The fully online program’s curriculum is based on the National Association of Legal Assistants (NALA) and the American Association for Paralegal Education (AAfPE) curricula for paralegal education.

Taught by highly credentialed and experienced faculty, the online Paralegal Certificate program is fully online and can be completed in just one year.

The program is designed to be completed in three trimesters consisting of four units. Trimesters begin in January, May, and August. Each course is one month in duration and must be successfully completed before the beginning of the next trimester unit.

First Trimester

• Introduction to the Legal System
• Legal Writing
• Legal Research
• Civil Procedure

Second Trimester

• Torts
• Criminal Law/Evidence
• Family Law
• Estates and Trusts

Third Trimester

• Business Organizations
• Contracts
• Real Estate
• Constitutional Law

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The tuition fee is $2,300 per trimester, which must be paid at time of registration.

All paralegal students are required to pay a Technology Access fee in order to conduct research for their online courses. A $195 fee will be added to the first trimester. It is valid for one calendar year from date of activation.

Payment Policy

• Payments for tuition and fees are payable online. 
• All payments must be made in full on or before the Friday prior to the day the semester begins.
• The $25 Application Fee is nonrefundable and nontransferable.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid Loans are available to students who qualify through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Eligibility Rules for FAFSA:

• Enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program (LSI)
  AND
• US Citizen (males registered with Selective Service)
  OR
• Eligible Non-Citizen (US permanent resident with a Permanent Resident Card; Conditional permanent resident, I-551C; Other eligible noncitizen with an Arrival-Departure Record, I-94, from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: “Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Indefinite Parole,” “Humanitarian Parole,” or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant”
• A citizen of the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or the Federated States of Micronesia

LSI Students who are ineligible for aid through FAFSA may consider applying for private educational Loans through various lenders. Click here for information on Private/Alternative Loans and commonly used lenders.

Refund Policy

A student may request a refund of the Course Fee only as provided below:

• A full Course Fee refund (100 percent) may be granted for a course if written request has been submitted to the LSI registrar via e-mail to: legal@fiu.edu provided such written request is submitted on or before the DROP/ADD date which usually takes place during the second week after classes begin. (See the LSI Academic Calendar for the exact date of your particular program).
• No refund will be granted for a refund request received by the LSI registrar after the DROP/ADD deadline.
• Note: Failure to submit a timely request to the LSI registrar stipulates your personal financial liability for the course(s).