STEPS TO APPLY TO A MASTER OF LAWS ABROAD

If you're someone who wants to push on their legal career, pursuing a master's degree abroad must be on your mind. There are countless reasons why you should prefer a master's in law from a foreign university. If you're still sceptical about it, we have listed down below a few solid reasons for you. 

• Practical job-oriented LLM programmes are easily available in foreign universities. 
• Top international law firms and many organizations like the United Nations prefer only those graduates for a job who has an LLM degree from a leading international university. 
• Universities abroad have a better ranking than any Indian law University. 
• The quality of learning and the overall academic experience is far better abroad, leading to intellectual enrichment.
• The experience of living in a different country for a year or more is itself an adventure. 
• Being a part of an international network of alumni opens the door to many opportunities available to others. 

Now that we know how exciting and valuable studying abroad is let's dive into steps to apply to a master's program in law abroad. 

Step 1- Choose The Right University 

Firstly, you need to look for a university that is best for you to take up a master's programme in law abroad. While you do that, there are a few things you must consider. The country, the city, the university's reputation, the academic fee and the law programmes the university offers. 

To make it easier for you, we have listed down the most popular universities for master's in law in 2022

• Stanford Law School, United States
• University of Cambridge, England
• New York University, New York
• University of Oxford, England
• University of Melbourne, Australia

If you'd instead go for distance learning, here are a few universities for an online master's law course.

• University of California, Berkeley CA
• Florida State University, Tallahassee FL
• University of Central Florida, Orlando FL
• Georgetown University, Washington DC
• Cornell University, Ithaca NY

Step 2 - Know General Admission Requirements

Holding a relevant bachelor's degree and good communication skills are general requirements for admission for a master's in law. 

Some universities specifically need a law bachelor's degree, while some are more flexible and accept other undergraduate degrees. These degrees could be humanities or social science, including law courses!

It is also essential to pay attention to the documents as well. We have mentioned below the recurrent documents for law programs on admission pages. However, it may vary depending on the programme and university. We suggest you always check the universities admission page carefully and start organizing them in advance. 

• University Diploma or recognized Access/Foundation course
• Transcripts (from all the Universities previously attended)
• Copy of passport and national ID
• Recent photographs
• GRE Score/GPA Scores
• Language certificates
• CV showing a relevant professional qualification
• Personal Statement
• One academic reference
• A research proposal

Step 3 -  Know the Exam Requirements

English Language Exams

Good communication skills in English is a must while considering masters abroad, and it is also essential to go over your legal slang for a law degree. Listed below are some language exams and their minimum scores accepted in most universities abroad. If you don't think you match up there, we suggest you join an English course and reappear for the exam. 

• TOEFL iBT ®: 88
• TOEFL®PBT: 570
• IELTS: 6.5 – 7.0
• C1 Advanced: 180

GPA Scores

GPA is Grade Point Average from your previous studies. Most law programmes need a minimum score of B+ that, is 3.33/4.33, especially if you have a bachelor's degree in law. 

CGPA is another official exam score, and it is Cumulative Grade Point Average and is calculated differently than GPA. The minimum score that is required to fit in is usually 2.50/4.00. 

Step 4 - Learn about other Special Requirements

Experience

International Universities give a lot of importance to work experience or volunteering in respective fields. One should preferably have 2 years of professional work experience, including research projects. 

Preparation Courses or Diplomas

Some universities might need you to take up a preparation course if you don't have a bachelor's degree in law. It is to ensure you are on the same level as other students of your batch. 

After a bachelor's in law, you can also take post-graduation courses specialising in a specific law area to impress your admission department. It also adds up to your educational background. 

Interviews

Interviews are a standard part of the admission process. During the interview, you might be required to talk about your practical knowledge, experience in the field, professional plans and reason to apply for that particular programme. If you have worked on research projects earlier, you might also be asked about your findings and how it fits the programme you've applied for. 

Rest The Case hopes we were successful in helping you with your application for your dream university. We wish you all the best for the admission process and your future endeavours!