This post comes to us from Carrières Juridiques, a leading legal resource website. 

If you are interested in pursuing an LL.M. program, you will need to select the best destination for you. LL.M. programs can be found all around the world: the United States, Canada, the UK, many European countries as well as several countries in Asia and Africa.

Here are some criteria you may take into account:

The language in which you would like to study

It is the first thing you should think about. In which language are you already at ease and would like to improve ? You also need to make your choice according to your career plans: would you like to work for a Spanish law firm? Are you planning to work in America?

Many students who are not native English speakers wish to become fluent in English and therefore go to English-speaking countries such as the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, Canada or even South Africa. However, you can also find many LL.M.s taught in English in others places or you may even decide to take an LL.M. degree in German, Spanish, French, Chinese, Arab…

All LL.M. programs taught in English are listed here.

The universities’ or programs’ quality

It may be important for you to go to a well-known university to strengthen your resume when applying to big law firms. Most LL.M. applicants look to well-known law school rankings when choosing the school they want to apply to. These rankings can be a good indicator of the quality of the university or the law school, however they might not reflect the reputation of the LL.M. program specifically!

The quality of the programs may be much more important than their reputation. It is a good idea to have a look at the faculty staff and at who is actually teaching to figure out the way of thinking of the university lecturers. You can read the New York University (NYU) alumnus’ feedback that may help you in your choice.

You should also think about the specialization: in which area of law are you planning to start your career? Which curriculum or structure seems the most adapted to your way of working? The choice of your LL.M. may also be an element of differentiation: have a look at this article about top fashionable LL.M. destinations or this one about uncommon LL.M. programs.

Fees & cost of living

LL.M. fees can sharply vary according to the country you are applying to.

For instance, they can easily reach $50,000 for an LL.M. in the USA. You may consider scholarships and bursaries available for students. Indeed, most universities offer bursaries: their websites will give you plenty of information.

Don’t forget to look closely at the cost of living in general. As an element of comparison, let’s look at the Big Mac Index as an informal way of measuring purchasing power parity (The Economist). For instance, it is very expensive in Norway and Venezuela whereas it is very affordable in Taiwan and India.

Living cost differences within a country can also be huge. For instance, studying at Moritz College in Columbus, OH, will be 20% cheaper than at NYU in New York City.

For more information, you can visit the following website:  www.coli.org

Environment and cultural differences

An LL.M. is the opportunity to build a great network; however if you cannot adapt to the local culture, it will probably be a bit more difficult for you to benefit from these opportunities.

For example, in the United States, people are generally very open and sociable: people will easily go to speak with you. On the other side, don’t expect one of your university departments to communicate about an event – it is up to you to do some research and get motivated to attend a talk!

Moreover, it is important to know more about the environment: How is the social life? Do students often interact with their teachers? Is the environment very competitive or rather friendly?

Finally, you may consider leisure opportunities and ask yourself questions like where is the university located? in the center of a city, in the countryside, near the sea? Think about what you would like to do during your free time (traveling for instance)!

To find an LL.M. according to criteria that matter for you, you can use the LLM research engine on Carrières-juridiques.com.

 

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