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LLM in UK: All You Need to Know About Pursuing Masters of Law in the UK

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Tumul Buch
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Done with your undergraduate law degree? Keen on pursuing a Master of Laws (LLM) degree? Then you should set your sights on the UK. Britain has some of the best colleges in the world that offer an LLM degree. If you are looking for world-class grooming and some envious career opportunities, then certainly keep LLM in UK in mind.

Of the top 5 best universities in the world for LLM, UK Law schools secure two spots. While you may have to pay between 19,5000 GBP to 44,000 GBP a year for the courses, you can expect to make double that amount once you graduate. Read on to find out about top universities for masters in law UK, the programs they offer,eligibility criteria, career opportunities post completion of the course and more.

Table Of Contents

Masters in Law in the UK: A Glance

Before we delve into why you should pursue a Masters in Law course in Great Britain, let’s look at the LLM course duration in UK and other important attributes.

Programs Offered

LLM, MSc Law

Mode

Full time degree

Duration

1-2.5 years

Cost

£19,5000 to £44,000 a year

Requirements

  • A first-class undergraduate honours degree in law
  • Good score in English language proficiency exams, such as TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, etc.

Top Universities

 

  • University of Oxford
  • University of Cambridge
  • The London School of Economics and Political Science
  • King's College London
  • The University of Edinburgh

Top Specializations offered

  • Corporate Law
  • Public Law
  • Gender Studies
  • International Law
  • Environmental Law
  • Criminology and Criminal Justice
  • Innovation, Technology and the Law

Job Roles

Lawyer, solicitor, arbitrator, legal executive,legal writer

Now that you are aware of the basics of the LLM program in UK, let us understand why is it a good option:

Why Study LLM in UK?

LLM in UK for Indian students is a great option since Britain is known for its quality education — many of the top law schools are housed there. The country has had a pioneering role as far as establishing modern law goes. So, it only makes sense to direct yourself to a Masters in Law in the UK.

Here are other reasons to pursue LLM in UK:

  1. There are over 75 universities that offer this program in the UK and Wales, each offering several interesting courses.

  2. The four countries that make up the UK have different jurisdictions, which makes law interesting, considering it covers such a large base.

  3. Top universities that offer Masters in Law UK are spread across the country, so you can either choose to study in a cosmopolitan or choose a quieter town.

  4. All courses are taught in English, so you do not need to learn any additional language.’

  5. While studying law in the UK, you will have access to practical methods of teaching and an opportunity to network with people from your field of study.

  6. You get to choose from an endless list of specialisations including Gender Studies, European Law, International Law, Environmental Law, Human Rights Law, Criminology and Criminal Justice, etc.

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Having understood the benefits, it's time to take a look at the different types of LLM Courses in UK:

Different LLM Courses in UK

Looking to return to India after completing the degree? Aspiring students can pick from a range of LLM courses in UK. This makes LLM in UK for Indian students a good option, since it allows them to practice law abroad.

Pick from several different courses that help you become among the topmost lawyers in India and abroad.

Listed below are some of the top courses on offer for LLM in UK:

  1. Corporate Law
  2. Commercial Law
  3. Public Law
  4. Gender Studies
  5. International Law
  6. European Law
  7. Environmental Law
  8. Human Rights Law
  9. Law and Finance
  10. Media Law and Ethics
  11. Dispute Resolution
  12. Medical Law
  13. Criminology and Criminal Justice
  14. Law and Finance
  15. Innovation, Technology and the Law
  16. Intellectual Property Law

Now that you have made up your mind to do LLM from UK,  it’s important to look at the eligibility for LLM in UK for Indian students and other International students:

Eligibility Criteria and Admission Requirements for LLM in UK

The eligibility may vary slightly for each university, but the overall requirements are the same:

Let’s look at the LLM in UK requirements:

  • A Bachelor’s degree in Law, with a 65%-75% score. So, you can do LLM in UK after LLB in India
  • Good score in English language proficiency exams (TOEFL, IELTS, PTE etc.)
    • TOEFL: 110 minimum overall score
    • IELTS: 6.5 minimum overall score
    • PTE: 58
    • C1 Advanced: 191 minimum overall score
    • C2 Proficiency: 191 minimum overall score
  • Although the LSAT exam is not mandatory in all the universities offering LLM in UK, some may require you to qualify the exam.
  • While having work experience isn’t necessary, it does look good in an application.

Documents Required for LLM Admission in UK

Before applying to any university for LLM, ensure that you have the following documents ready:

  1. Completed application forms
  2. Updated CV
  3. Statement of Purpose
  4. Transcripts
  5. Letters of Recommendation
  6. Score cards of the exams
  7. Work experience certificates
  8. Prrof of funds

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Another factor to consider apart from eligibility and requirements is the cost of education. Let’s take a look at the cost of studying Masters of Law in UK -

Cost of studying LLM in UK

The overall cost of studying Law in UK depends upon fees that your university charges and the lifestyle you choose. Therefore, the LLM in UK for Indian students fees may thus be divided into two parts: Tuition fees and cost of living.

Tuition Fees

The tuition fees of LLM in UK can be 19,5000 GBP to 44,000 GBP a year. Convert that into INR, and the cost of LLM in UK for Indian students can be around INR 43 lakh a year.

REMEMBER:

While the LLM in UK fees seems steep, consider this: once you complete a degree from any of the top universities in the UK, you can find a job as a barrister or solicitor in UK and earn as much as 83,000 GBP (78,23,447 INR) a year. This is nearly double of what you spend a year.

Considering that the LLM duration in UK is between 1 and 2 years, the ROI for an Indian student is quite high.

Cost of Living

The cost of living in UK depends upon your lifestyle and preferences. An estimated cost for international students is 1,215 GBP (114,577 INR) - 1,715 GBP (161,728 INR) per month. It covers all amenities like housing, food, travel, stationery, recreational activities, etc.

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Scholarship for LLM in UK 

There are several scholarships that one can apply to for UK universities. Securing one will greatly reduce the LLM in UK fees and up your ROI even further. So let us have a look at the popular scholarship for LLM in UK for Indian students:

Now that we have covered all the prerequisites, costs and scholarships, let us know about the best universities in UK for LLM:

Scholarship Name 

Awarded to

UCL Laws Academic Excellence Scholarships 2022-23

Students with outstanding academic achievements to study UCL’s LLM. 

Amount/ Benefit: 10,000 GBP

Leonard Sainer Scholarship 2022-23

Final year law students or students who graduated (with an LLB or and LLM) in the previous year (2021) from UCL.  The selected students must intend to practise law in England and Wales on a permanent basis - preferably one as a Solicitor, the other as a Barrister.

Amount/ Benefit: Each scholarship will be used towards the cost of full-time courses leading to final professional examinations, LPC or BPTC.

University of Bristol Think Big Scholarship

Undergraduate and Postgraduate international students at University of Bristol. Prospective international students can apply for funding towards the cost of tuition fees.

Amount/ Benefit: 5,000 GBP to 20,000 GBP

Tercentenary Awards for Excellence

All students apply at  Edinburgh Law School taught LLM or MSc programme starting in the 2022-23 academic year are eligible.

Amount/ Benefit: 5,000 GBP to be used towards tuition fees

Suggested: UK Scholarships for International Students

Top 5 Universities offering LLM in the UK

The UK is home to some of the best-ranking universities that offer LLM degrees. Online searches will throw up several results for LLM UK universities. But fret not, as we list some of the best universities for LLM in UK.

Here’s a quick look at the top universities in the UK for LLM:

  1. University of Oxford
  2. University of Cambridge
  3. The London School of Economics and Political Science
  4. King's College London
  5. University of Edinburgh

Let us go into details of each university one by one:

1. University of Oxford (Oxford) 

University of Oxford is one of the best universities to pursue LLM from UK. It offers the Magister Juris, or MJur program, and several MSc programs. It is among the best for Finance, International Tax Law and Banking, and Securities Law.

QS Law & Legal Studies Ranking  2022

2

Average Tuition Fee

15,165 GBP to 42,120 GBP/ year

14,29,428 INR to 3,980,071 INR/ year

Programs Offered

  • MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice
  • MSt International Human Rights Law
  • MPhil Law
  • MSc Law and Finance
  • MJur Magister Juris
  • MPhil Socio-Legal Research

2. University of Cambridge (Cambridge)

University of Cambridge is the second-oldest English-language university in the world, and one of the top LLM universities in UK. It’s law school is one of the oldest worldwide. No wonder that it often comes up at the top in several rankings. The school offers an LLM, as well as a Masters in Corporate Law.

QS Law & Legal Studies Ranking  2022

3

Average Tuition Fee

29,109 GBP to 46,865 GBP/ year

2,750,614 INR to 4,428,443/ year

Programs Offered

  • Master of Law (LLM)
  • Master of Corporate Law

3. The London School of Economics and Political Science (London)

Among the largest departments at London School of Economics and Political Science is its Department of Law. One can explore a number of specialisms at LSE. The school is best known for International Tax Law, Competition Law, and Banking Law. Amongst the LLM colleges in UK, LSE has a distinguished reputation.

QS Law & Legal Studies Ranking  2022

7

Average Tuition Fee

  • 25,224 GBP/ year
  • 2,383,507 INR/ year

Programs Offered

Masters of Law

4. King's College London (London) 

Also ranked among the top 10 law schools in the UK, this college currently offers a range of LLM programs. They include International Finance Law, International Business Law and International Tax Law. King’s College London offers one of the best LLM in UK for international students.

QS Law & Legal Studies Ranking  2022

15

Average Tuition Fee

14,730 GBP to 19,680 GBP/ year

1,391,891 INR to 1,859,634 INR/ year

Programs Offered

  • Masters of Law
  • Law Research

5. University of Edinburgh (Edinburgh) 

The University of Edinburgh offers a diersee both LLM and MSc programs. Given a wide range of legal masters programmes, students get an excellent opportunity to specialise in a particular area of the law, or to pursue a broader perspective at a more advanced level.

QS Law & Legal Studies Ranking  2022

17

Average Tuition Fee

25,300 GBP/ year

2,390,688 INR/ year

Programs Offered

  • LLM Commercial Law
  • LLM Corporate Law
  • LLM Comparative and European Private Law
  • LLM  Human Rights
  • LLM in Medical Law and Ethics

Apart from these, there are other LLM universities in UK that you may opt for. They include:

University Name

QS Legal and Law Studies Ranking 2022

Average Annual Fees

University College London

13

29,000 GBP

Durham University

49

20,000 GBP

University of Nottingham 

88

20,000 GBP

University of Glasgow

66

2,500 GBP

University of Bristol

66

20,000 GBP

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Once you secure an LLM degree in the UK, you can explore your career options in UK or in other countries. Let’s take a look at these possibilities.

Job Opportunities after LLM in UK for Indian Students

There are multiple job opportunities after LLM in UK for Indian students. As a Law graduate, you can apply to work in Britain itself, in other parts of Europe, back in India or anywhere else in the world. This is because most universities that offer the course are well recognised worldwide.

There are many career paths. You could:

  • Find work in commercial law firms
  • Get into government and in-house counsel within companies
  • Go to the bar
  • Get into academia, either by pursuing a PhD or becoming a lecturer

Many choose to pursue their careers in the UK itself. This works out financially for them, considering they are able to pay off their student loans easily.

Below are some career options that you can consider after LLM UK universities and the average yearly income for each:

Job Title

Average Annual salary

Barrister

25,000 GBP to 100,000 GBP

Solicitor

39,375 GBP to 100,000 GBP

Paralegal

55,000 GBP to 70,000 GBP

Arbitrator

65,000 GBP to 100,000 GBP

Lawyer

27,000 GBP to 60,000 GBP

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Pursuing an LLM degree from the UK can set you down a successful career path. You have a plethora of course choices to pick from and can have a lucrative career anywhere in the world. So, go through the information above and make the best choice regarding the specialisation and university. In case you need further assistance, reach out to Yocket Counsellors for expert advice.

This is everything you need to know about pursuing Masters in Law in UK. Before we wrap up, we have answered some of the commonly asked questions below:

 

Frequently Asked Questions About LLM in UK 

Is the UK a good country to pursue an LLM degree?

Can I study LLM in UK without IELTS?

What is the eligibility for Indian students?

How much does it cost to pursue an LLM degree from the UK?

Can Indians work in the UK after completing the LLM course?

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