The State Bar of California includes attorneys who have been educated abroad. There's no need to provide your foreign credentials or complete any additional U.S. law study.Yes, you don't need LL.M. to sit for California bar exam. You will need one for NYS bar exam. 1. Confirm your eligibility 2. Apply for the bar exam 3. The short answer is that a graduate of a foreign law school cannot take the California Bar Exam unless other steps are taken first. The admissions process takes a minimum of 1 year, but often takes longer. To minimize wait times, start studying for the bar exam ASAP. There are some states which do allow foreign law graduates to sit for the bar exam, including New York, California, New Hampshire, Alabama, and Virginia.