Law degrees abroad
Law degrees are sought after by many international students with a legal career in mind. The completion of a law degree abroad doesn’t certify you to work in the legal profession, however it’s a great first step towards it.
If you want to qualify as a lawyer in a specific country, it is important to research the exact steps you need to take as the process varies.
Law program structure
In the US and Canada you must hold a bachelor’s degree before going on to study a postgraduate degree specifically in law, at Juris Doctor (J.D) degree level.
A bachelor’s degree in law will take you around three years to complete, which is the same as a liberal arts degree in the US.
A law master’s will then take an additional year to complete following a bachelor’s. However to study for a J.D in the USA will take as long as three years.
Types of law degrees
Across Europe, master’s (LLM) and bachelor’s (LLB) focusing on European Law are available at many universities. This focus on law is then relevant in member states of the EU.
Why study law abroad
A law degree shows a student’s ability to think critically, research, debate, and analyze. It also enables students to study a wide range of social science and humanity issues in one degree.
There are some added reasons to study law that come from the decision to study abroad:
- Undergraduate law degrees
Not all countries offer law degrees at a bachelor’s level
- Shorter degrees
Some countries, such as the UK, offer a bachelor’s of law (LLB) in as little as three years
- Improve your English
widen your career opportunities by improving your skills in one of the most widely spoken languages
Where to study law abroad
For many overseas students, the decision of where to study is led in part by their career goals. If you want to study for a degree in law simply because it interests you, then an undergraduate level may be all you want. However, if you are more career led you’ll have to consider the exact steps for achieving your goals.
Best countries to study law
Many English speaking countries are considered the best to study law in, because they have a long history based around UK ‘common law’. It provides an internationally renowned basis for a career in law relevant to many countries and areas.
Best universities to study law
There are particular universities around the world that are highly regarded for their law teaching. These universities usually have higher entry requirements and can be difficult to get into.
For Canada and the USA, law schools are the best option for studying for your J.D. The schools may be independent, or part of a larger university. They will often be accredited by an official law body, with specialist teaching staff and researchers.
How to study law abroad
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Law study abroad programs
Undergraduate and postgraduate level law degrees can be studied as a country-specific program, or many universities now offer international law programs. At all levels of study you can specialize in certain areas or types of law.
Common types of law to study include:
- Environmental law
- Business law
- Criminal law
- Family law
Law undergraduate programs
Bachelor's in law
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Public Service and Public Policy (Law and Policy) - BSc Arizona State University, USA
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 29,834 USD
- Start date
- January, May, August
-
Law with French Law - LLB University of Birmingham, UK
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 18,700 GBP
- Start date
- September
-
Criminology Law and Justice - BA University of Illinois at Chicago, USA
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 29,800 USD
- Start date
- January, May, August
-
Fisheries and Wildlife: Law Enforcement - BSc University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 27,000 USD
- Start date
- January, June, August
-
Law and Society - BA University of Kansas, USA
- Program type
- Bachelor's
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 26,960 USD
- Start date
- January, June, August
Pathway in law
-
Law with International Business (Foundation) - FD Leeds Beckett University, UK
- Program type
- Undergraduate pathway
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 10,900 GBP
- Start date
- January, September
Diploma in law
-
Law Clerk - UGDip Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning, Canada
- Program type
- Undergraduate diploma
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 15,412 CAD
- Start date
- January
-
Law Clerk Advanced - OCADip Durham College, Canada
- Program type
- Undergraduate diploma
- Duration
- 3 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 14,945 CAD
- Start date
- September
-
Justice Studies: Law Enforcement - Dip Bow Valley College, Canada
- Program type
- Undergraduate diploma
- Duration
- 16 months
- Tuition fees per year
- 24,900 CAD
- Start date
- September
Associate in law
-
Conservation Law Enforcement - ASc Mount Aloysius College, USA
- Program type
- Associate
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 21,870 USD
- Start date
- January, September
-
Law Enforcement - AASc St. Charles Community College, USA
- Program type
- Associate
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 5,520 USD
- Start date
- January, August
-
Law, Public Policy, and Society (for Transfer) - AA San Jose City College, USA
- Program type
- Associate
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 8,138 USD
- Start date
- January, August
Law graduate programs
Master's in law
-
Tribal Policy, Law, and Government - LLM Arizona State University, USA
- Program type
- Master's
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 49,184 USD
- Start date
- August
-
International Business Law - MSc University of Helsinki, Finland
- Program type
- Master's
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 13,000 EUR
- Start date
- September
-
Corporate and Financial Law - MSc Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Belgium
- Program type
- Master's
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 3,850 EUR
- Start date
- September
-
Healthcare Law and Ethics - LLM University of Dundee, UK
- Program type
- Master's
- Duration
- 30 months
- Tuition fees per year
- 7,875 GBP
- Start date
- January, September
-
Law - LLM/MPhil University of Newcastle, Australia
- Program type
- Master's
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 28,895 AUD
- Start date
- February, July, September
Doctorate in law
-
Law - PhD RMIT University, Australia
- Program type
- Doctorate
- Duration
- 4 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 34,560 AUD
- Start date
- February, July
-
Law - JD University of Saskatchewan, Canada
- Program type
- Doctorate
- Duration
- 3 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 44,116 CAD
- Start date
- January, September
-
Law - PhD University of Tasmania, Australia
- Program type
- Doctorate
- Duration
- 3 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 33,208 AUD
- Start date
- February, July
-
Law - PhD University of Portsmouth, UK
- Program type
- Doctorate
- Duration
- 6 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 8,150 GBP
- Start date
- October, February
-
Law - PhD Koç University, Turkey
- Program type
- Doctorate
- Duration
- 3 years
- Tuition fees per year
- -
- Start date
- January, August
Diploma in law
-
Law/CPE - GradDip Bournemouth University, UK
- Program type
- Postgraduate diploma
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 12,000 GBP
- Start date
- September
-
Law - PDip Technological University Dublin, Ireland
- Program type
- Postgraduate diploma
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 9,000 EUR
- Start date
- September
-
Law Clerk - OCDip Centennial College, Canada
- Program type
- Postgraduate diploma
- Duration
- 2 years
- Tuition fees per year
- 16,531 CAD
- Start date
- January, September
-
Law Clerk (Co-op) - OCDip Fanshawe College, Canada
- Program type
- Postgraduate diploma
- Duration
- 14 months
- Tuition fees per year
- 15,922 CAD
- Start date
- January, September
Certificate in law
-
Emerging Technologies and Law - PGCert RMIT University, Australia
- Program type
- Postgraduate certificate
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 15,360 AUD
- Start date
- January, September
-
Advanced Law Enforcement and Investigations - PGCert Durham College, Canada
- Program type
- Postgraduate certificate
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 16,067 CAD
- Start date
- September
Pathway in law
-
Law and Social Sciences, Pre-Master’s - PGP University of Nottingham, UK
- Program type
- Postgraduate pathway
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 18,480 GBP
- Start date
- September
-
Law and Social Sciences, Pre-Master’s - PGP University of Glasgow, UK
- Program type
- Postgraduate pathway
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 18,480 GBP
- Start date
- September
-
Business and Law, Pre-Master's Program - PGP University of Aberdeen, UK
- Program type
- Postgraduate pathway
- Duration
- 3 months
- Tuition fees per year
- 11,500 GBP
- Start date
- June, September
-
Law and Social Sciences, Pre-Master’s - PGP University of Liverpool, UK
- Program type
- Postgraduate pathway
- Duration
- 1 year
- Tuition fees per year
- 16,620 GBP
- Start date
- September
-
Business, Management and Law, Pre-Masters - PGP Liverpool John Moores University, UK
- Program type
- Postgraduate pathway
- Duration
- 6 months
- Tuition fees per year
- 5,506 GBP
- Start date
- -
Entry requirements to study law abroad
In some countries such as the UK, New Zealand and Australia, you can begin studying law straight after the end of secondary education, and this applies for study abroad students too. As it is a popular and demanding subject, academic entry requirements can be high.
The US and Canada don’t offer law programs at an undergraduate level unlike other English speaking countries. In the US and Canada all students are required to hold a bachelor’s degree before entry to law school to gain a J.D. degree. Your bachelor’s or major for applying to law school can usually be in any subject that interests you, but some subjects such a philosophy or history are more closely linked to law than others.
Future law careers
The UK offers one of the shortest paths to becoming a lawyer. Your undergraduate degree in law (LLB) will typically take three years, followed by a one year Legal Practice Course. You can then apply for a training contract with a law firm. This last stage of your training is typically two years.
Other careers that may stem from studying law include:
- Paralegal
- Barrister
- Detective
Having legal knowledge can also benefit a range of other career areas, including:
- Human resources
- Compliance
- Police
- Business
- Property
