LLM is a master degree that is specially focussed to provide and train students in the field of legal studies by mastering in different specializations such as Human Rights, International Law, Environmental law, etc.
As much as the LLM degree is popular in India because of bright career prospects, it is also one of the highly pursued degrees in foreign countries because of higher credibility and job market.
Some of the famous countries that are highly considered for LLM education are the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The average LLM fees in these countries can go upto INR 40-60 Lakhs, including health insurance and other cost of attendance charges.
The table below shows the top 10 law schools in the world offering LLM course according to the QS Rankings:
QS Ranking |
College Name |
Country |
Average Fees (tuition) |
Average Annual Salary |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
United States |
INR 52,00,000 |
INR 1,07,97,000 |
|
2 |
United Kingdom |
INR 22,00,000 |
INR 1,29,11,098 |
|
3 |
United Kingdom |
INR 29,00,000 |
INR 55,00,000 |
|
4 |
United States |
INR 50,00,000 |
INR 1,35,89,640 |
|
5 |
United States |
INR 46,00,000 |
INR 1,10,98,206 |
|
6 |
United Kingdom |
INR 23,00,000 |
INR 90,50,000 |
|
7 |
United States |
INR 48,00,000 |
INR 1,50,00,000 |
|
8 |
United States |
INR 53,00,000 |
INR 1,15,00,000 |
|
9 |
United States |
INR 50,00,000 |
INR 1,22,00,000 |
|
10 |
Australia |
INR 23,00,000 |
INR 1,24,00,000 |
According to the table above, we can see that the course is highly popular in the US and UK. Hence, a number of Indian students prefer to pursue this advanced degree of 1-2 years duration in these countries.
Most of the colleges provide Fall Admissions, Winter Admissions and Summer Admissions for LLM course, but students usually go for the Fall semester because of higher acceptance rate and various scholarships opportunities for international students.
Students who are aiming to get admission in the top 100 universities need to have exceptional scores, impressive academic background and a credible work or research experience in the field of law.
Source: Official College and Program Websites
The Admission Process varies from country to country, but usually requires the following documents:
- A minimum of GPA of 3 and above.
- Official College Transcripts
- English Translation of the Official Transcripts (if not in English)
- English Proficiency certificate (TOEFL/IELTS, etc.)
- A maximum of 3 Recommendation letters
- A Statement of Purpose or Motivation Letter
- A Valid Passport
All the applications are usually made online with a minimal application fee of around INR 5,000-15,000. Many colleges, esp. in Europe, do not charge an application fee and the tuition fee is also less as compared to the US and UK, making it one of the feasible options for LLM education.
Source: Glassdoor
LLM in United States
Every year around 50,000 students from India go to the United States to study law because of its extensive program structure, better career prospects and higher credibility of the universities all over the world.
The following are the top reasons why you should pursue LLM in US:
-
High Quality Education:
The course curriculum is very interactive with so many group discussions, research work and group projects that helps students to increase their proficiency in the field of law. There are many ongoing activities such as law review, Moot Court, etc. that are helpful in gaining the required skills to become successful as an Attorney or Lawyer in the US.
Also, their colleges have a higher credibility compared to India, which can be the main reason why so many Indians aspire to study in the US.
-
Higher Payscale:
Law is one of the highest paying jobs sectors in the United States. After finishing their course, students can easily earn around INR 1,20,00,000 annually if associated with the top legal firms in the country. The chances of employment rate is higher if graduated from a known college or a university, such as Columbia or Harvard. Otherwise, students can expect a minimum pay of around INR 70,00,00-90,00,000 per annum as a legal professional.
-
Better Career Prospects:
LLM is one of the advanced degrees in the US and is highly appreciated by law professionals. It helps to get better job prospects within the country and even overseas. One can choose a specialization in diplomacy, sconomics, human rights, technology, or others.
LLM Eligibility in USA
The basic eligibility criteria for LLM Admission in United States (USA) is as follows:
- Bachelor of Law, or LLB degree with a minimum GPA of 3 out of 4.
- A TOEFL or IELTS score of 80 and 6.5, and above, respectively.
- Other than this, many colleges ask for Work or Research Experience.
The GPA and the English Proficiency scores requirement may be higher or lower depending upon the college selected by the students. Hence, we suggest that you check all it’s requirements on the official program website before starting your online application.
LLM Admission Procedure in USA
Students are required to follow the following steps in order to secure admission in LLM college in the US:
- Apply online with your personal, academic and professional details, well before the application deadline. There is a separate application deadline for international students. Hence start and work on your application 1-2 months before the application deadline.
- Send TOEFL/IELTS scores to the university or college on time through ETS website.
- Prepare a solid Statement of Purpose (SOP) and/or Personal Statement which should brief your journey, your achievements and why you are interested in studying in this college or country, etc.
- Scan your passport and all the official marksheets, college transcripts, course degree, etc. and upload on the application portal as mentioned.
- Around 3 Recommendation Letters from Faculties or Professors or Employers is required who can vouch for your academic and professionals experience and achievements.
- Make sure all the information is correct and updated.
- Pay an application fee of around USD 60-150 depending upon the college through Credit Card and other viable options available.
Check here the USA Admission Cycle Details and Admission Process.
LLM Top Colleges in USA
Harvard and Stanford are some of the Ivy League colleges of the USA that are considered to be the top most options of many students interested in making a career in law and legal studies.
The course curriculum is highly indicative and based on research and professional working experience, which makes it attractive in nature.
The table below shows some of the best LLM colleges in the USA according to US News 2021 Ranking:
Ranking |
College Name |
Location |
Application Deadline |
Average Tuition Fees |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 |
New Haven, Connecitect |
To be Announced |
INR 50,00,000 |
|
3 |
Cambridge, Massacheshets |
To be Announced |
INR 52,00,000 |
|
5 |
Chicago, Illinois |
To be Announced |
INR 50,00,000 |
|
7 |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
To be Announced |
INR 49,00,000 |
|
8 |
Charlottesville, Virginia |
To be Announced |
INR 52,00,000 |
Other prominent US universities offering this course are Northwestern University, Cornell University, among others with the average LLM fees of around INR 45,00,000.
Financial Aid is provided by many colleges to the deserving students. Check USA Master degree Scholarships to check your eligibility as an international student financial aid.
In terms of salary, LLM students get a median salary of around INR 1,10,00,000 in the US. Being an Advocate, Lawyer or a Legal Professional, law students earn one of the highest salary compensation in the world.
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LLM from United Kingdom (UK)
The United Kingdom is the second best option to study law in the world. There are many reputed law colleges and universities that offer 1 year LLM courses in the UK such as LSE, University of Oxford, among others.
Students should consider to pursue LLM from UK because of the following points:
-
International Exposure:
Every year thousands of students from different continents consider coming to the UK to study because of its in -depth curriculum and prominent career prospects, and various international opportunities in every field, including law.
-
Less Fees:
The United Kingdom is one of the feasible options to study law and get a high quality education. The average LLM fees in the UK can be around INR 20-25,00,000 excluding the cost of attendance, health insurance and other nominal charges by the university. This fee is much less than as compared to the US. Therefore, UK is a popular abroad option among students from developing countries like India to pursue LLM and other master degree courses.
-
Salary:
After the US, UK is considered to pay the highest to their legal attorneys and professionals with the average LLM salary of around INR 70-90 LPA. Within years of experience, the salary may go upto INR 1,10,00,000.
-
High ROI:
When investing in the future, ROI (Return on Investment) is a highly dependent factor in determining so. ROI of UK colleges are much more than as compared to any other country. Hence, many students aspire to get into top UK colleges such as LSE, Oxford, Queen’s College London, etc. for better education and career.
LLM in UK Eligibility
The following is the basic LLM eligibility criteria that is followed by almost all the UK colleges:
- Bachelor of Law or LLB degree from UK or from a foreign country with the same qualification.
- Students should have secured First Class division in their Bachelor’s degree to get admission in one of the best Law universities in UK.
- A minimum of 80 in TOEFL or 6.5 in IELTS to show English Language proficiency.
Please note that the requirements for English proficiency may vary from college to college, hence we suggest you to go through the program and course requirements before starting the online application process.
LLM in UK Admission Process
The following are the major steps that are required to follow in order to secure admission into LLM course in the UK:
- Applications to the college are filled online on their application portal. It is highly advised that international students complete their application well before the application deadline in order to be considered for scholarship opportunities.
- The necessary documents required are College Marksheets, College Transcripts and College degree.
- Also, international students are required to have a copy of a valid Passport.
- Around 1-2 Recommendation Letters
- TOEFL or IELTS scores to be sent to the university or college after completing the application through ETS website.
- A megare fee might be there which must be paid in order to complete the application.
- Just like in the US, The UK universities also ask for a Personal Statement that either has to be sent to individually or is a part of the online application. It should usually include the candidate's background, experiences, journey and reasons to pursue this course in the UK, etc.
Check here the UK Admission Criteria, Visa & Scholarship information for international students.
The table below shows some of the best LLM Colleges in the UK according to QS World Ranking :
Ranking |
College Name |
Location |
Application Deadline |
Average Tuition Fees |
---|---|---|---|---|
2 |
Oxford, England |
To be Announced |
INR 22,00,000 |
|
6 |
London, England |
To be Announced |
INR 23,00,000 |
|
15 |
London, England |
To be Announced |
INR 26,00,000 |
|
22 |
Edinburg, Scotland |
To be Announced |
INR 22,00,000 |
|
30 |
London, England |
To be Announced |
INR 23,00,000 |
|
43 |
Durhan, England |
Not Specified |
INR 20,00,000 |
Check UK Master degree Scholarships and Financial Aid for international students.
After the course completion, candidates get the opportunity to earn around INR 60-90 LPA as Attorneys and Lawyers. After the USA, the United Kingdom is considered to be the best option for law studies considering quality education, fees and career opportunities.
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LLM from Canada
Every year around 140,000 students go to Canada with the dream of making big in the country. With their high quality education methods and less fees, Canada is considered one of the economical options to study LLM course.
There are various opportunities of tuition fee waiver and scholarship opportunities that international students can avail. Click on Canada Master degree Scholarships for more details.
The following are the reasons depicting why you should consider to pursue LLM in Canada:
-
High Quality Education:
Canada offers one of the finest education programs to the students that helps them to learn all the necessary theoretical and practical aspects of a particular subject. In the case of law studies, the Canadian LLM programs are more practical than theoretical, providing industry experience to all the students.
-
Less Tuition Fees:
As seen by the statistics, the eligibility criteria for admission into any Master degree in Canada is way higher than in the USA. Hence, the fee of many Master degree programs, including LLM is much lesser than the United States and United Kingdom. The average LLM tuition fees can be around INR 10,00,000 or so.
-
Higher Salary and Better Career Prospects:
Canada offers a higher payscale to their lawyers and legal professionals, which is usually in the range of INR 50,00,000-80,00,000 per annum. If graduated from a reputed university whose law program is highly popular like MCGill, UCB, etc. then there are chances of higher salary compensation in the range of INR 80,00,000-1,20,00,000 annually.
-
Can Move to US easily:
There are ample opportunities that make it easier for an individual to move to the US for their career after enough experience as legal Attorneys or Law Professionals. There are fewer formalities for a personal wh has finished their studies in Canada to move to US for work and other reasons.
LLM in Canada Eligibility
The following is the basic eligibility for LLM in Canada that is required for admissions:
- At Least 70% or a First Class degree in LLB or similar course that is valid in Canada.
- A valid IELTS or TOEFL score of at least 7 and 100 respectively. It could be less or more depending upon the college admission requirements.
- Relevant work experience may be required in some colleges.
- Research Skills and Experience are really important when considering admission in Canada for any course, including law.
LLM in Canada Admission
The following is the basic admission requirements that is required for LLM admissions in Canada:
- Apply Online with all the necessary Personal, Academic and Professional information well within the deadline.
- Send the TOEFL or IELTS scores directly to the universities or colleges online through ETS website.
- A minimum of 3 Recommendation letters stating their experience with you in terms of academic or professional achievements.
- A compulsory Statement of Purpose or Personal statement is required as a part of your application.
- After filling all the information, an application fee of around CAD 80-150 is there, which can be paid through Credit Cards.
The table below shows some of the top law colleges in Canada offering LLM course according to QS World Rankings :
QS Ranking |
College Name |
Location |
Application Deadline |
Average Tuition Fees |
20 |
Toronto, Ontario |
To be Announced |
INR 10,00,000 |
|
28 |
Montreal, Quebec |
To be Announced |
INR 9,00,000 |
|
40 |
Kelowna, British Columnia |
To be Announced |
INR 5,00,000 |
|
101-150 |
Toronto, Ontario |
To be Announced |
INR 15,00,000 |
In Canada, students can expect an average LLM fees of around INR 60-80,00,000 annually which may increase with your experience and skills.
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LLM in Germany
Germany is one of the best options of study abroad locations because of their free education programs that it offers. LLM, being a master degree can be pursued for free with a small university fee of around INR 3000-5000 from government universities.
In case of private universities, the tuition fees may be around INR 10,00,000 or so, excluding health insurance and other university required fees.
Although the law program is not as popular as it is in the USA, UK and Canada, it still is highly considered by the Indian students because of so reputed educational programs and international career opportunities.
The following are the main reasons to pursue LLM from Germany:
-
Free Education:
Germany is synonymous with free education for even international students. Therefore, many Indian students apply in Germany for this sole reason. There may be minimal charges that are required by the university but it is almost equivalent to none as compared to foreigh tuition fees.
-
International Exposure:
Germany, along with other European countries has some of the highest international students worldwide. Students from Africa, Asia, North America and Australia are prominent in Germany. Hence, the students can get high quality exposure to the international culture and customs.
-
No College Application Fee or Charges:
There are no application fees charged by the college or university, resulting in many applications and a higher competition.
-
High Quality Education:
The course curriculum of Germany is way different from That of the United States. It is considered one of the best so far by many students because of practical and applicable nature.
-
Career Prospects & Salary:
Germany has one of the best economies in the world and hence offers a higher pay scale to their lawyers and attorneys. The average LLM salary in Germany can be around INR 67,00,000 according to Glassdoor.com.
Read: Germany Master degree Scholarship options for International Students
LLM in Germany Eligibility
The eligibility criteria is different for colleges offering LLM course in German and English. Check below:
For German LLM Program:
- Bachelor of Law or LLB or similar degree from Germany or any recognized foreign university.
- Usually a First Class Division at Bachelor’s level.
- An official certificate stating that you have qualified the B2 German level.
For English LLM Program:
- First Class Division in Bachelor of Law, LLB or any similar degree from a recognized university.
- A valid TOEFL or IELTS score
- Work or Research Experience.
- Other than this, colleges may ask for a vaid GRE or GMAT scores. It is not compulsory but increases the chance of getting admission.
LLM in Germany Admissions:
- The application process is almost similar to that of the USA, Canada and UK. The application has to be filled online on the college or university application portal.
- Upload different documents such as Official Markshtees, College rsnscriots and College Degree at the right places.
- A minimum of 2 Recommendation or Reference Letters are generally required. It could be more or less as per the requirements of the college.
- A strong Motivation Letter is required for the college to judge’s students ' interest, capability and acienecements.
- Work and Research Experience (if any) should be well written in the Academic and Professional background section.
The table below shows some of the best LLM colleges in Germany according to QS World Rankings 2019:
Ranking |
College Name |
Location |
Application Deadline |
Average Tuition Fees |
37 |
Berlin |
To be Announced |
INR 3,00,000 |
|
43 |
Munich |
To be Announced |
- |
|
51-100 |
Hamburg |
To be Announced |
INR 12,00,000 |
|
51-100 |
Cologne |
To be Announced |
INR 1,00,000 |
The average LLM salary in Germany is around INR 60-70,00,00 annually as a Lawyer, or a Legal Associate in a reputed law firm. Apart from there, there are many career opportunities as a Practitioner, Researcher and Teacher of Law in Germany.
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LLM in Australia
Australia is another widely pursued option for higher education by Indian students because of its higher acceptance rate, better quality education and international exposure.
The country has a reputation for providing high quality degree and certificate programs which are professionals in nature, resulting in better career and job opportunities.
The average LLM tuition fees is around INR 20,00,000 and it can be less depending upon the college and university. Check Australian Scholarships options that can be availed by Indian students.
LLM in Australia Eligibility
The following is the basic eligibility for LLM in Australia:
- A minimum of 3 GPA out of 4 or a First Class Degree in Bachelor of Laws or similar from a recognized college or university.
- A valid IELTS or TOEFL score of atleast 6.5 and 90 respectively. It could be less or more depending upon the australian college admission requirements.
- Relevant work experience in law and legal studies may be required to show in some colleges.
LLM in Australia Admission Process
The following is the basic admission criteria for LLM admissions in Australia:
- Applications have to be submitted online with all the necessary information like personal details, academic Qualifications and Work experience (if any).
- A minimum of 2 Reference or Recommendation Letter from faculties or employers who are known with your qualifications and work experience are required.
- A strong Motivation letter addressing why do you want to pursue LLM and what are your interests, reasons, etc.
The table below shows some of the best LLM colleges in Australia according to QS World Rankings:
Ranking |
College Name |
Location |
Application Deadline |
Average Tuition Fees |
10 |
Melbourne |
To be Announced |
INR 23,00,000 |
|
13 |
Sydney |
To be Announced |
INR 24,00,000 |
|
14 |
Sydney |
To be Announced |
INR 24,00,000 |
|
17 |
Canberra |
To be Announced |
INR 23,00,000 |
|
35 |
Melbourne |
To be Announced |
INR 23,00,000 |
|
39 |
Brisbane |
To be Announced |
INR 22,00,000 |
In Australia, students have the opportunity to earn around INR 70,00,000-80,00,000 as a Lawyer or an Advocate.
In New Zealand, the only famous college for LLM studies is University of Auckland, whose eligibility and admission criteria is the same as that of many Australian universities, with the average LLM fees of around INT 17,00,000.
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