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Best LLM Colleges in the World 2025–2026: Fees, Scholarship , Eligibility & Deadlines

MG
Manu Garg • 11 Mins read • 19 Jul 25
Best LLM Colleges in the WorldBest LLM Colleges in the World

Dreaming of pursuing law from the best LLM colleges in the world? The best LLM colleges in the world include top institutes like Harvard University, Stanford University, the University of Cambridge, and Columbia University. The top 15 LLM colleges in the world include LLM universities in the USA, UK, Australia, and Singapore. 

The top LLM universities in the world cost around $27,661 - $81,888. The most expensive universities to study LLM abroad include Georgetown University, Columbia University, NYU, and the University of Chicago and Harvard University, while some of the cheapest LLM universities in the world include the National University of Singapore, the University of Melbourne, and the University of Edinburgh, with fees ranging between $27,661 and $38,806. The top LLM university in the world application deadline generally lies in December and January. 

Continue reading this expert guide to get insights into the best LLM colleges in the world, their fees, eligibility, scholarships, and more.


Best LLM Colleges in the World: Highlights

The table below shows a quick overview of the key features of the best LLM colleges in the world.

Particulars

Details

Cost of Studying in Best LLM Colleges in World

$27,661 - $81,888

Popular Specializations

Legal studies, Law in Criminology, Administrative Law and Policy, Intellectual Property and Information Technology Law, Corporate & Financial Law, Masters in Comparative Law

Eligibility

Bachelor's Degree + English Language Exam + LOR + SOP 

Top Colleges

Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Cambridge and Columbia University


Top 10 LLM Colleges in the World

The table below shows the top 10 LLM colleges in the world with their QS World ranking.

College Name 

QS World Ranking by Subject 2025: Law and Legal Studies

Annual Tuition Fees

Harvard University

1

$77,100

University of Oxford

2

$67,924

University of Cambridge

3

$71,996

Yale University

4

$74,044

Stanford University

5

$74,475

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

6

$48,349

University of California, Berkeley (UCB)

7

$75,550

Columbia University

8

$81,888

New York University (NYU)

9

$79,954

National University of Singapore (NUS)

10

$27,661


Top 10 Places in the World to Study Law

The table below shows the places in the world to pursue LLM.

Country 

Ranking

LLM in United States of America 

1

LLM in United Kingdom 

2

LLM in Australia 

3

LLM in Singapore 

4

LLM in Netherlands 

5


LLM in Harvard University

Harvard University has topped the list of best LLM colleges in the world. With a 1-year LLM degree through Harvard Law School, around 180 students come to study LLM at Harvard University. The Harvard Law School acceptance rate is around 11.25%. The Harvard Law School LLM students can expect an average salary of $172,916.


LLM in Harvard University: Highlights 

The table below shows quick highlights for the Harvard Law School.

Particulars

Details

Annual Tuition Fee

$77,100

Application Fees

$85

Eligibility Criteria 

  • JD Degree
  • 2 Years Work Experience
  • TOEFL score of 100

Documents Required 

  • CV/Resume
  • Personal Statement
  • 2 LORs (Letter of Recommendation)
  • Financial Aid Application (if applicable)

Intake

December, 2025 (Tentative)

Total Number of Students 

187 with 97% international students

Acceptance Rate 

11.25%


LLM in University of Oxford

The University of Oxford has been ranked in 2nd place globally by the QS World Ranking and in 2nd place in the UK by THE Law Ranking. The University of Oxford LLM course duration is around 10 months. The admission intake for the University of Oxford generally takes place in January of every year.


LLM in University of Oxford: Highlights 

The table below shows quick highlights for the University of Oxford.

Particulars 

Details

Annual Tuition Fee

£53,340

Application Fees

£75

Eligibility Criteria 

  • First Class Undergraduate degree or 4 year bachelor’s degree with 65-70% 

or

  • 3 year bachelor’s degree with 70-75%
  • IELTS-7.5 or TOEFL IBT-110

Documents Required 

  • CV/Resume
  • 3 LORs (Letter of Recommendation)
  • SOP/Personal Statement in 300 words
  • 2,000 Words Essay

Intake 

January, 2026 (Tentative)

Acceptance Rate

13.5%


LLM in University of Cambridge

University of Cambridge LLM courses are ranked in 3rd place among the best LLM colleges in the world. The university offers a 9-month full-time degree for its LLM courses. The LLM admissions at the University of Cambridge generally begin in early October each year and end by the following June.


LLM in University of Cambridge: Highlights 

The table below shows the quick highlights of LLM courses at University of Cambridge.

Particulars 

Details

Annual Tuition Fee

£56,586

Application Fees

N/A

Eligibility Criteria 

  • 3 year bachelor’s degree in laws with 75%
  • Must among 10% of the bachelors degree class
  • IELTS- 7.0 or TOEFL IBT- 110

Documents Required 

  • CV/Resume
  • 2 academic LORs
  • Personal Statement (5000 characters)
  • Gates Cambridge Reference (if applicable)

Intake 

October, 2025 (Tentative)

Number of Students 

190-210 

Acceptance Rate 

13.57-15%


LLM in Yale University

Yale University has been reported to be the best law school in the USA by World Reports Ranking. Yale University hosts approximately 3,500 students worldwide. The average salary of LLM graduates from Yale University is around $115,160.


LLM in Yale University: Highlights 

The table below shows the quick highlights of Yale University LLM courses.

Particulars

Details

Annual Tuition Fee

$74,044

Application Fees

$75

Eligibility Criteria 

  • LLB degree with a strong academic background
  • TOEFL IBT-100

Documents Required 

  • 2 Letters of Recommendation
  • 2 Essay Questions 

Intake 

December, 2025(Tentative)

Total Enrollments

26


LLM in Stanford University

LLM programs at Stanford University have been ranked in 2nd place by THE Law Rankings 2024. Stanford University offers a 1-year full-time LLM program in various specialisations. The annual intake at Stanford University for its LLM courses is around 81 students. The admission to the Stanford Law School is highly competitive with an acceptance rate of 7.26%. The LLM graduates from Stanford University can expect an average annual salary of $225,000.


LLM in Stanford University: Highlights 

The table below shows the quick highlights of LLM courses at Stanford University.

Particulars

Details

Annual Tuition Fee

$74,475

Application Fees

$85

Eligibility Criteria 

  • JD Degree
  • 2 Years Work Experience
  • TOEFL score of 100

Documents Required 

  • Resume/CV
  • Personal Statement
  • 2 LORs

Number of Students 

81

Intake 

December, 2025(Tentative)

Acceptance Rate 

7.26%


LLM in London School of Economics and Political Science

LLM courses at LSE are ranked among the best LLM colleges in the world. The college offers part-time LLM courses with a small class size of around 30 students. As per the official website, the LSE LLM law intake will begin on 29th September 2025.


LLM in London School of Economics and Political Science: Highlights 

The table below shows the quick highlights of LLM courses at London School of Economics and Political Science.

Particulars

Details

Annual Tuition Fee

£38,000

Application Fees

£75

Eligibility Criteria 

  • A good first degree of at least at 2.1 or a GPA of 3.5 or above from an accredited university. 
  • At least 2 years of professional experience but preferably 8

Documents Required 

  • CV
  • Statement of Purpose
  • Research Proposal

Number of Students 

Around 30 Students 

Intake 

29th September 2025


LLM in University of California, Berkeley

The University of California, Berkeley (UCB) has been ranked 5th place in the USA and 6th globally by THE Law Rankings. The university comes under the Best Law Colleges in the World. The acceptance rate of UC Berkeley is around 10-15%, and presently there are 274 students enrolled in the LLM programs at the university. An LLM graduate from UCB can expect an annual salary around $161,040 in various roles.


LLM in University of California, Berkeley: Highlights 

The table below shows the quick highlights of LLM courses at UC Berkeley.

Particulars 

Details

Annual Tuition Fee

$75,550

Application Fees

$80

Eligibility Criteria 

  • 3 year bachelor's + Bachelor of law degree or 5 year integrated degree
  • TOEFL IBT- 100 or IELTS-7.0

Documents Required 

  • CV/Resume
  • Personal Statement
  • 2 LORs

Intake 

December 2025(Tentative)

Total Enrollments 2024 

274

Acceptance Rate 

10-15%


LLM in Columbia University

Columbia University offers LLM courses through the Columbia Law School, which is ranked in 4th place in the THE Law Ranking 2024 and in 8th place in the QS World Rankings 2025. Currently 312 students are enrolled in the Columbia University LLM courses. The average salary of an LLM graduate from Columbia Law School is around $190,539.


LLM in Columbia University: Highlights 

The table below shows the quick highlights of the LLM programs at Columbia Law School.

Particulars 

Details

Annual Tuition Fee

$81,888

Application Fees

$85

Eligibility Criteria 

  • LLB or JD from a recognized institution
  • TOEFL IBT- 105 or IELTS- 8.0

Documents Required 

  • Resume
  • Personal Statement
  • Merit Aid Statement (if applicable)
  • 2 LORs

Intake 

December 2025 (Tentative)

Total Number of Students 

312

Acceptance Rate 

12% (appx.)


LLM in New York University

However, New York University offers one of the most expensive LLM degrees in the world but still turns out to be one of the best LLM colleges in the world because of its decent curricula. The NYU LLM admission acceptance rate is around 16.07%. The LLM graduates at New York University earn an average of $264,000 annually through various job roles within and outside the country.


LLM in New York University: Highlights 

The table below shows the quick highlights of LLM courses at New York University.

Particular

Details

Annual Tuition Fee

$79,954

Application Fees

$85

Eligibility Criteria 

  • 3 year bachelor's + 3 year bachelor of law degree or 5 year integrated degree
  • TOEFL IBT- 100 or IELTS-7.0

Documents Required 

  • Resume
  • Personal Statement
  • LORs

Intake

December, 2025 (Tentative)

Total Number of Students 

463 Students

Accepted Rate 

16.07%


LLM in National University of Singapore

The National University of Singapore is considered to be one of the cheapest LLM universities in the world, yet one of the best worldwide. The university offers LLM courses with an annual tuition fee of S$37,100. The NUS LLM admission acceptance rate is very low, around 5-10%, which suggests competitive admissions at the university.


LLM in National University of Singapore: Highlights 

The table below shows the quick highlights of the LLM programs at National University of Singapore.

Particular

Details

Annual Tuition Fee

S$37,100

Application Fees

S$50

Eligibility Criteria 

  • A good Bachelor's degree in Law (LLB/BA/JD) or a Master's degree in Law (LLM/BCL/MJur/MPhil) along with a relevant Bachelor's degree.
  • English language proficiency, typically through a TOEFL iBT score of 100 or an IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0.

Documents Required 

  • LOR
  • Personal Statement 
  • English Proficiency Certificate

Intake

February, 2026 (Tentative)

Acceptance Rate 

5-10%


Best LLM Colleges in the World: Scholarships and Financial Aid

Several top LLM colleges in the world offer a number of financial aid and assistance. These scholarships include merit-based and need-based scholarships. 


Scholarship Offered at Top LLM Colleges in the World 

Some of the key LLM Scholarships offered by the top law colleges in the world are shown in the table below.

Scholarship Type 

Institute 

Eligibility 

Supperstone Law Scholarship

University of Oxford

Candidates who have been accepted on the BCL or MJur programs may be eligible for this one-year scholarship if their special interest is Public Law.

Wright Rogers Law Scholarships

University of Cambridge - Faculty of Law

Candidates for the Scholarships must have a degree in any university or similar institution in the United Kingdom and have spent at least one year in the study of law. 

Appel Fellowship on the Regulation of the Multinational Enterprise

Columbia University - Columbia Law School (CLS)

Scholarship for an incoming LL.M. or J.S.D. student intending to focus on regulatory or policy issues emerging from the trans-boundary operations of multinational or transnational enterprises.

Arnold McNair Scholarships in International Law

University of Cambridge - Faculty of Law

This Scholarship is only open to LL.M. students who have graduated from the Cambridge Law Tripos who will specialize in international law during their LLM year.

Marchant Foundation LLM Scholarship

University of London - The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)

This scholarship is available for use on the full-time LLM (Master of Laws), awarded on the basis of financial need.

Mr and Mrs Kenny Lam's Graduate Scholarship in Law

St Catherine's College, University of Oxford

This scholarship is to enable a student to study for a BCL, MJur, MSt in Legal Research or MPhil in Law at St Catherine’s College.

UCLA Law - Sonke Health & Human Rights Fellowship

University of California

The fellowship offers a full-tuition grant to enroll in UCLA Law’s LL.M. (Master of Laws) Program.

M. Carr Ferguson Scholarship

New York University (NYU) School of Law

This full-tuition scholarship is awarded annually to one full-time candidate for the LLM in Taxation degree.

Tax Law Review Scholarships

New York University (NYU) School of Law

Up to eight half-tuition scholarships are awarded annually to full-time LLM in Taxation candidates who serve as graduate editors of the faculty-edited Tax Law Review.

Public Law Scholarship

University of California (UC), Berkeley

This scholarship was developed to increase diversity of practice in Berkeley Law's LL.M. program by encouraging enrollment of students working as government/public lawyers.


Conclusion

The best LLM colleges in the world, like Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, and Columbia, mean investing comes with world-class faculty, global exposure, and excellent career options. The annual tuition fees of the best LLM colleges in the world range from $27,661 to $81,888. Top LLM universities also offer generous scholarships and financial aid to deserving candidates. Whether you aim to study corporate law, international law, or intellectual property, the USA, UK, Australia, and Singapore remain the most popular destinations for LLM aspirants.


Frequently Asked Questions 


Ques: Which LLM colleges have the highest job placement rates after graduation in 2025?

Ans:Top LLM colleges like Harvard, NYU, and Cambridge rank high in 2025 for job placement rates because of global industry ties and strong alumni networks that help graduates secure positions quickly.


Ques: What are the upcoming innovations in LLM curriculum for 2025?

Ans: LLM programs in 2025 are adding courses in AI ethics, legal tech, sustainability law, and dual‑degree options combining law with data science, business, or policy.


Ques: Which LLM colleges globally have strong industry partnerships?

Ans: Leading LLM colleges such as Stanford, Columbia, and the University of Melbourne have strong industry partnerships, offering internships, research collaborations, and direct hiring pipelines.


Ques: Which LLM colleges offer dual‑degree programs with other disciplines?

Ans: Universities like Harvard, NYU, and the National University of Singapore offer LLM dual‑degree programs paired with business, technology, or international relations for broader career pathways.


Ques: Which country is best for LLM?

Ans: The United States and United Kingdom are often considered best for pursuing LLM degree abroad.