Law LLM
London, Bloomsbury
Join a global community of the brightest and most ambitious graduate students at one of the world’s top law schools by choosing the Master of Laws (LLM) at UCL. Located in the heart of legal London, the 10-month course – which offers a range of specialised pathways – is taught by world-renowned academics whose research informs global practice and policy. Through the stimulating curriculum and exceptional opportunities for intellectual exchange and debate, you will develop the skills and knowledge you need to succeed in legal practice, policy, or academia, in a global legal environment.
Study mode
Overseas tuition fees (2026/27)
Duration
Programme starts
Applications accepted
Applications open
Applications open
Please note that applications may close earlier if all places on the course are filled.
Entry requirements
Entrants to the UCL LLM must have ‘a good 2.1 with evidence of 1st class ability’ (or equivalent in other jurisdictions), and must provide evidence in their application of motivation, reasoning and analytical ability and communication skills.
'A good 2.1’ shall normally mean an average of at least 65% (or equivalent in other jurisdictions) across all years of study, and ‘evidence of 1st class ability’ shall normally mean at least one 1st class mark (or equivalent in other jurisdictions) over the entire degree.
We may be willing to consider applicants who are close to, but do not meet these quantitative criteria, where space on the programme allows. Such applicants must demonstrate that they excel in motivation, analytical and reasoning ability and communication skills. This needs to be demonstrated across the personal statement and the written work. Applicants with less than an average of 62% (or equivalent in other jurisdictions) across all years of study, will not normally be considered under these criteria.
You need a law qualification to be considered for the LLM, i.e. Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Juris Doctor (JD), Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). In exceptional circumstances, graduates without a law qualification but with work experience will be considered, however, experience must be relevant and a minimum of five years. This is a very uncommon route onto the programme.
Graduates whose first degree is not in law will be considered for admission if they have an average of 65% across all years of undergraduate study, plus an average of at least 65% plus at least one mark over 70% in the Graduate Diploma in Law recognised by UK professional bodies (achieved or in progress). Alternatively, graduates whose first degree is not in law will be considered if they have an average of 65% across all years of undergraduate study, plus have successfully completed studies on a Solicitors Qualifying Examination full time programme of at least 12 months duration, usually resulting in a Masters qualification equivalent to a Merit classification, with an average of 65% in all assessments including a pass in the SQE on first attempt.
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The English language level for this course is: Level 4
Please check the Faculty of Laws website to see which tests we accept.UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.
Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.
Equivalent qualifications
Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website.
International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.
About this degree
UCL’s Master of Laws (LLM) is a research-led 10-month course designed to advance your legal knowledge and skills while accelerating your professional development on an international scale. It provides an ideal opportunity for you to acquire or develop your expertise in specialist legal subject areas and engage critically with complex legal challenges of our time.
The course offers an extensive range of modules taught by leading experts – including those actively practising in the areas in which they teach. This will provide you with rich insights, connecting your learning to the realities of the legal world today. This combination of practical legal insight and rigorous academic research is a distinct feature of the UCL Laws LLM.
You can choose to build a broad foundation across multiple legal disciplines or specialise in a particular field. Whether your interests lie in commercial and corporate law, human rights law, global health governance, environmental law, intellectual property, or international law, you can tailor your degree to suit your academic and professional ambitions. If you have a clear area of focus, you may apply directly to a specialism route, aligning your studies closely with your goals. Alternatively, the general LLM route offers the flexibility to explore a wider range of legal areas.
The 10-month study period enables you to fast-track your career, giving you a head start in industry and a competitive edge in the job market. For those already in practice, or with other responsibilities, there is the option to study part-time over two years (10 month each), or a modular/flexible option in which students will have up to five years (10 months each) to complete their degree.
By joining a diverse global community of legal professionals and scholars, you will broaden your intellectual horizons and strengthen your international network.
For more information, please visit the UCL Faculty of Laws website.
Who this course is for
This course is ideal for law graduates and legal professionals seeking advanced knowledge to enhance their practice, pursue specialist roles, or prepare for doctoral research. We attract new graduates and legal practitioners from around the world, fostering a diverse and intellectually vibrant community with exceptional opportunities for intellectual exchange and critical legal debate.
What this course will give you
UCL Laws offers a world-class legal education, ranked 1st in the UK (Times Good University Guide 2025) and 10th globally (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2025). You will learn from leading academics whose research shapes national and international law and policy.
Throughout the programme, you will develop key skills in:
- Complex legal analysis
- Crafting persuasive, well-structured arguments
- Critical thinking
- Communication
- In-depth legal research
- Addressing intricate legal issues across various jurisdictions and international contexts
Alongside developing a broadened global perspective on legal systems and practices, you will also undertake an independent research project – preparing you for leadership roles in law, policy, or academia.
Studying in London — the UK’s legal and political capital — offers unrivalled proximity to key institutions, including the Royal Courts of Justice, the UK Supreme Court, Parliament, and leading law firms. This setting provides exceptional opportunities for networking, and direct engagement with legal practice and policymaking.
You will also benefit from UCL Laws’ outstanding facilities, including the dedicated Laws Library, access to extensive digital legal resources, and access to the renowned Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS).
You can also benefit from the active Graduate Law Society, which delivers an outstanding programme of activities and events each term, along with opportunities to make friends and professional connections.
The foundation of your career
Our LLM graduates are highly sought after and possess a distinct competitive advantage, well equipped to pursue rewarding career opportunities. Many graduates pursue a career in law, academia, public policy or industry and some choose to pursue a professional qualification in order to qualify as a solicitor or barrister.
Our graduates go on to work in a range of specialist legal areas, including major law firms, investment banks, academia, charities and local, national and international government. Recent employers include:
- Linklaters LLP
- Clifford Chance
- Dentons
- Clyde & Co.
- Zhong Lun Law Firm
- KPMG LLP
- PwC
- Deloitte LLP
- EY
- Ministry of Justice
(Graduate Outcomes survey 2018-22).
Employability
An LLM degree from UCL Laws provides a strong platform for a wide range of careers in legal practice, international business, government, and beyond. You will develop advanced legal knowledge alongside highly transferable skills in critical thinking, communication, and advocacy - valued by employers across sectors.
You will also have the opportunity to hone practical skills and strengthen your professional profile through extracurricular activities such as mooting and debating competitions and pro bono work at UCL’s award-winning Centre for Access to Justice, where you can gain experience in providing legal advice and support local communities.
UCL Laws has a dedicated in-house Laws Careers Consultant who can offer personalised support throughout your time at UCL, including CV and application guidance, practice interviews, skills workshops, and targeted careers events.
Networking
UCL Laws offers a vibrant programme of events, including seminars, lectures, debates and conferences, where leading academics and practitioners share insights on cutting-edge legal issues. These events provide excellent opportunities to engage with experts and expand your professional network.
Throughout the year, the Faculty hosts careers fairs, employer workshops, and panel discussions to support your career development. The award-winning Centre for Access to Justice organises events focused on social justice careers. UCL Law Societies also run networking and skills-building events. Located in London, you benefit from proximity to key legal institutions, enriching your practical experience and professional connections.
Teaching and learning
The LLM programme combines lectures, seminars, and tutorials to develop critical legal knowledge and skills. Students engage in active class discussions and are encouraged to collaborate through group work and presentations. Each module includes online resources such as reading lists and academic articles. Assessment methods vary, including in-person exams, essays, and oral presentations. A substantial Research Essay, supported by academic supervision, is completed during the course. This interactive approach ensures students build analytical, communication, and research skills essential for legal practice and scholarship.
Assessment in taught modules is usually by in person examination, but may also include a coursework essay, or other methods of assessment, such as an oral presentations. Most assessments take place in term 3.
During the course, you will research and write a 45-credit Research Essay which counts towards your final grade. You will be expected to select a research topic within your area of legal interest, or that relates to your specialism (if applicable). You will receive guidance and support through lectures and from academic supervisors. The Research Essay is due at the end of term 3.
For full-time students, typical contact hours will vary between 6 – 10 hours per week, depending on your chosen modules. Outside of lectures, seminars and any tutorials, full-time students typically study the equivalent of a full-time job, using their remaining time, between 32-36 hours, for self-directed study and completing coursework assignments, researching and writing a Research Essay.
Part-time students follow the same programme as full-time students with the degree being completed over two years (10 months each). There is also the option of modular/flexible study where students have up to five years (10 months each) to complete their studies.
Modules
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Full-time students will study 180 credits to complete the LLM over 10 months, comprising 135 taught module credits and a 45-credit Research Essay.
If you apply to a specialism, you must select a minimum of 60 credits from the modules within that specialism and the Research Esay must also be connected to that specialism. The remaining credits can be chosen from any other available taught modules.
Module selection takes place before the programme begins. Places may be limited and subject to availability if demand is high.
Your programme of studies
During the first week of Term 1, you will attend the LLM Induction Programme, which includes events to welcome you to UCL Laws and complete your formal registration.
In the second week of Term 1, your taught module classes commence.
Term 1 and Term 2 each consist of ten weeks of teaching, with a reading week break after week five.
You will choose your Research Essay topic early in the programme and receive ongoing support until submission at the end of Term 3.
Assessments — including exams and coursework — are normally scheduled during Term 3, with the timetable published at the end of Term 2.
You will work on your Research Essay throughout the academic year, submitting it at the end of Term 3.
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Part-time students will follow the same programme as full-time students, with the following differences:
- Your degree will be completed over two academic years (10 months each)
- In your first year, you will take 90 credits of taught modules
- In your second year, you will take the remaining 45 credits of taught modules and the 45 credit Research Essay
- You will complete module selection twice: once at the start of your course and again in the summer before you return to your second and final year.
You will be invited to attend induction with full-time students at the start of your first year.
Please note that you will be attending classes with full-time and modular/ flexible LLM students. Module teaching can be scheduled between 9am-8pm on weekdays. You will be able to reference the timetable when making your module selections each year. Module places may be limited and will be subject to availability where there is a high demand.
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Modular/flexible students follow the same programme as full-time students, except for the following:
- You have up to five academic years (10 months each) to complete your degree.
- You can plan how to complete your 135 taught module credits over this period based on your personal circumstances—or sooner if you prefer.
- Each year, you will be prompted to select modules. You may also choose to take a year or more without modules, if needed, however you will still need to enrol.
- It is recommended that you complete your Research Essay at the end of your degree, in the same year you finish all taught module credits.
You will be invited to attend induction with full-time students at the start of your first year.
Please note you will attend classes alongside full-time and part-time LLM students. Module teaching is scheduled between 9am and 8pm on weekdays. The timetable will be available to guide your module selections each year. Module places may be limited and are subject to availability when demand is high.
Optional modules
Please note that the list of modules given here is indicative. This information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability are subject to change. Modules that are in use for the current academic year are linked for further information. Where no link is present, further information is not yet available.
You will study 180 credits to receive the LLM. If you choose to study part-time you will spread the credits over 2 years, or with flexible study, over 3-5 academic years. Upon successful completion of 180 credits, you will be awarded a LLM in Law.
Accessibility
The department will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments for students with disabilities, including those with long-term health conditions, neurodivergence, learning differences and mental health conditions. This list is not exhaustive. If you're unsure of your eligibility for reasonable adjustments at UCL, please contact Student Support and Wellbeing Services.
Reasonable adjustments are implemented on a case-by-case basis. With the student's consent, reasonable adjustments are considered by UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services, and where required, in collaboration with the respective department.
Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble. Further information about support available can be obtained from UCL Student Support and Wellbeing Services.
For more information about the department and accessibility arrangements for your course, please contact the department.
Fees and funding
Fees for this course
| Fee description | Full-time | Part-time |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fees (2026/27) | £24,100 | £12,050 |
| Tuition fees (2026/27) | £39,200 | £19,600 |
Programme also available on a modular (flexible) basis.
Postgraduate Taught students benefit from a cohort guarantee, meaning that their tuition fees will not increase during the course of the programme, but UCL reserves the right to increase tuition fees to reflect any sums (including levies, taxes, or similar financial charges) that UCL is required to pay any governmental authority in connection with tuition fees.
The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Where the course is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees.
Additional costs
For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a fee deposit will be charged at 2.5% of the first year fee.
For full-time and part-time offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a fee deposit will be charged at 10% of the first year fee.
For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of UK, a £350 deposit will be charged.
For modular/flexible offer holders with a fee status classification of Overseas, a £500 deposit will be charged.
Further information can be found in the Tuition fee deposits section on this page: Tuition fees.
Most of the core reading materials can be accessed through the library; however, students may be required to purchase specific textbooks or supplementary materials. The cost of these items can vary depending on the modules chosen, but typically ranges from £200 to £400 per academic year. In addition, students may incur printing and photocopying costs, which are estimated at around £20 to £50 per year, depending on individual usage.
For in-person teaching, UCL’s main teaching locations are in zones 1 (Bloomsbury) and zones 2/3 (UCL East). The cost of a monthly 18+ Oyster travel card for zones 1-2 is £119.90. This price was published by TfL in 2025. For more information on additional costs for prospective students and the cost of living in London, please view our estimated cost of essential expenditure at UCL's cost of living guide.
Funding your studies
We have established a variety of scholarships to increase access for UK-based students and those with outstanding academic achievements, in addition to Academic Excellence scholarships that are open to all applicants. For more information on available scholarships for the 2026-27 academic year please see the UCL Laws website.
For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website.
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Commercial Bar Opportunity Scholarship
Deadline: 16 April 2026 at 12pmValue: £25,000 maintenance and full fees (1 year)Criteria Based on academic meritEligibility: UKUCL200 Laws Future Scholars' Award
Deadline: 16 April 2026 at 12pmValue: Full fees and £15,000 living costs (1 year)Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial needEligibility: UKUCL200 Laws LLM Academic Excellence Scholarship
NOW CLOSED FOR 2026/27Value: £10,000 towards tuition fees (1 year)Criteria Based on academic meritEligibility: UK, EU, OverseasUCL200 Laws LLM Opportunity Scholarships
Deadline: 16th April 2026 at 12pmValue: Full fees and £15,000 living costs (1 year)Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial needEligibility: UK
Next steps
Students are advised to apply as early as possible due to competition for places. Those applying for scholarship funding (particularly overseas applicants) should take note of application deadlines.
There is an application processing fee for this course of £90 for online applications. Further information can be found at Application fees.
When we assess your application, we would like to learn:
- Why you want to study Law at graduate level and at UCL
- How your academic and professional background meets the demands of this course
- Where you would like to go professionally with your degree
- The modules you would like to take as part of the LLM and the specialism you would like to follow (if applicable)
- The legal area that you may want to explore for your Research Essay.
Your personal statement should address these topics as it will be used along with your written work to assess your application.
You must also submit a piece of written work of 750 words on a topic of contemporary relevance in your area of legal interest.
You can find out more information on how to apply on the UCL Laws website.
Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate courses (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.
Choose your programme
Please read the Application Guidance before proceeding with your application.
Got questions? Get in touch
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