Master of Laws (LL.M.) (2024)

Overview

Programme structure

Admissions for 2024-2025 are open.
Deadline for submitting yourapplication is 1 June 2024, both for EEA and non-EEA students.

Late submissions might be considered on a case-to-case basis.

Master of Laws (LL.M.)

  • Educational level: Advanced master's programme*
  • Language instruction: English
  • Duration: 1 year (fulltime), 60 ECTS
  • Type: day time education
  • Location: in-person programme in Leuven
  • Academic Calendar:
    • 1st semester: 3rd week of September - end of January (exams in January)
    • 2nd semester: 2nd week of February - end of June (exams in June)
    • Re-takes (if any): 3rd week of August - 1st week of September
  • Study programme: The programme structure provides an overview of all components of the LL.M. programme.Specific course descriptionscan be found in the programme guide. Thisguide relates to the current academic year until three months prior to the start of the following academic year.

  • Academic teaching staff: LL.M. Professors

The KU Leuven LL.M. Programme is possible to combine with:

Brochure Video

*The LL.M.provides legal professionals anadvanced education to further specialize in the field of international and european law. In most cases, you will need to have finalized an (initial) master programme in order to meet the LL.M. eligibility criteria.

Why Select the KU Leuven LL.M. Programme?

  • QUALITY High quality education at one of the oldest, most well-respected universities in the world. The programme is aimed at students who’ve already graduated in law and law professionals.
  • STAFF Strong academic tradition, leading position in legal research and close links with legal practice and EU institutions: including the President of the Court of Justice of the EU (Prof. Dr. K. Lenaerts), one of the judges at the General Court of the EU (Prof. Dr. G. De Baere), and the Belgian judge at the European Court of Human Rights (Prof. Dr. P. Lemmens)
  • INNOVATIVE COURSESThe programme proposes two distinct tracks: International and European Business Law and International or European Public Law.
  • DOUBLE DEGREE McGILL UNIVERSITY, CANADAThe possibility to apply for, or transfer into, the McGill Double Degree Programme. An unprecedented trans-Atlantic experience at two world-leading law faculties. You will receive over two years, two degrees and write only one thesis. Select one of the four specialisations.

  • LL.M. MASTERCLASSES Clinics that bring the "law in action" in the classroom: meet prominent practitioners and establish a network.
  • LOCATION Beautiful campus situated in the historic student city of Leuven, at only 20 minutes by train from EU Capital Brussels.
  • AFFORDABILITY In comparison to the rest of the world, Belgium offers affordable higher education fees.
  • SUMMER SCHOOL All future LL.M. students can participate free of chargein our LL.M. Summer School, which takes place the week preceeding the start of the academic year.

Duration

1 year, full time, 60 ECTS

The programme does not include part-time, evening or weekend courses. It is also an in-person programme, meaning no online or hybrid teaching.

Academic Calendar 2024-2025

Study programme

The programme proposestwo areas of specialisation: International and European Business Law or International and European Public Law.

Each of these specialisations includes compulsory courses, a broad range of electives and an LL.M. Master Paper based on individual research.

Discover the programme structure

Study trips

*The LL.M. programme includes:

  • attending hearings* at the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg
  • attending hearings* at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
  • discussing current issues in international affairs with the staff of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

*Court hearings are subject to change.

Every year, the staff of the LL.M. programme organises a welcome session at the start of the academic yearand a Christmas dinnerwith the LL.M. Director and professors.

Summer School

The Faculty of Law organizes the 4-day LL.M. Summer School on European andInternational Law. We want to introduce you to the greatest experts in International andEU Law, and offer an interesting foreign experience. This programme is an excellent refresher on your core EU and Internationallaw subjects.The programme is included in the tuition fee of the students enrolled in the LL.M. programme.

Read more

Application instructions and deadlines

  • *EEA citizens: 1 June 2023
  • *Non-EEA citizens: 1 June 2023
  • Non-EEA citizens living in Belgium with a valid residence permit: 1 June 2023

*We review applications on a rolling basis andstrongly recommend you to apply as soon as possible to ensure enough time to find housing andforvisa applications, if applicable.

Apply here:

non-Flemish universityDegree holders

Flemish universitydegree holders

Eligibility & Admissions

The LL.M. is a competitive programme with strict eligibility criteria and rigorous admissions process. Each application is studied carefully by the LL.M. admissions committee. Meeting the admission criteria does not result in automatic acceptance.

Read more

Tuition fees, scholarships and funding opportunities

The tuition fee is €7,518.60for all students (60 ECTS) enrolling for 2024-2025. An additional fee is applicable if you choose more than 60 ECTS (approximately €100 per ECTS).

Tuition fees may be subject to change. Check the most up to date tuition feeshere.

Are you lookingfor means to finance your studies? Look at thescholarships and funding opportunities.

Excellent students in financial needmay be eligible for a one-time partial tuition fee waiver, also called the 'Germaine Cox scholarship'.

UPDATE Germaine Cox Scholarship:Dueto the volume of applications before the first deadline, there isnoreserve list for applications received after 20 April 2024. All scholarships have been awardednow. If recipients reject the scholarship ona later date, those on the reserve list will be contacted. We cannot communicate if applicants are on the reserve list(edit: 31 May 2024).

Master of Laws (LL.M.) (1)

Why choose the LL.M. programme?

LL.M. Alumnus Stefan McClean recently published the findings of his LL.M. Master Thesis in the Journal of Conflict and Security Law. Click below to learn more about his experiencesas an LL.M. student at KU Leuven and about the next steps in his career.

Read about Stefan and others

Recently Graduated

Maria Langiewicz

SWPS University of Social Sciences and Humanities 2021;
LL.M. KU Leuven 2022

Master of Laws (LL.M.) (2)

Read about Maria and others

Recently Graduated

Lucca Bruzzi Porto

Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, 2021, LL.M. Leuven 2022

Master of Laws (LL.M.) (3)

Read about Lucca and others

I have a question

Take a look at our Frequently Asked Questions. If you still have doubts after reading the FAQ, feel free to get intouch with the LL.M. Office.

Frequently Asked Questions

Master of Laws (LL.M.) (4)

Master of Laws (LL.M.) (5)

Master of Laws (LL.M.) (6)

Europe's most innovative university
in Reuters Europe's top 100 innovative universities ranking.

38th in the 2023 QS World University Rankings for Law studies

16th in the 2023Times Higher Education Rankings for Law studies

Master of Laws (LL.M.) (2024)

FAQs

Master of Laws (LL.M.)? ›

An LLM, or Master of Laws, is a graduate qualification in the field of law. The LLM was created for lawyers to expand their knowledge, study a specialized area of law, and gain international qualifications if they have earned a law degree outside the U.S. or Canada.

What is an LLM. degree? ›

A Master of Laws (M.L. or LL. M.; Latin: Magister Legum or Legum Magister) is an advanced postgraduate academic degree, pursued by those either holding an undergraduate academic law degree, a professional law degree, or an undergraduate degree in a related subject.

Is an LLM equivalent to a JD? ›

A J.D. prepares someone to practice law, while an LLM provides advanced training. An LLM will provide you with advanced training in law, but it doesn't qualify you as a licensed lawyer. A JD prepares you for legal practice by teaching you everything you need to pass the bar exam and be an effective lawyer.

What does LLM mean in Masters? ›

'LLM' is the standard abbreviation for the Master of Laws. The abbreviation is derived from the name of the qualification in Latin, 'Legum Magister', with 'legum' as the plural of 'lex', meaning law.

Is Juris Master the same as LLM? ›

A J.M. is solely for students approaching the study of law for the first time, whereas an LL. M. program may accept both law and non-law graduates. A J.M. program begins with an introduction to law, but students are often given a range of electives where they may attend classes with students from other law programs.

Does an LLM make you a doctor? ›

Even though a legal degree is a doctorate, you do not usually address law degree holders as "doctor." Lawyers do not normally put Esq.

Is an LLM degree worth it? ›

However, a lot of employers, the vast majority in fact, simply don't give the degrees much weight. The reason has to do with the practice of law vs. the study of law. In short, an LLM doesn't offer much of anything that you can't just pick up from day-to-day legal practice.

Is JD harder than LLM? ›

An LLM program may offer an opportunity to take more rigorous courses. LLM programs frequently require a thesis, while JD programs usually do not. An LLM can help JD recipients overcome the stigma of a poor GPA or having attended a low-ranked law school.

Do you need LSAT for LLM? ›

Must I take the LSAT or GRE? No, the LSAT and GRE are not required.

Is JD enough to become a lawyer? ›

Earning a J.D. doesn't make someone a lawyer, but it is the first step in the process to begin practicing as one. Graduates of J.D. programs can sit for the bar examination in their state – upon passing the exam, they can then practice law.

Which LLM is most in demand? ›

Top LLM programs
  • Master of laws in Business Law Studies.
  • Master of laws in Administrative Law Studies.
  • Master of laws in National Law Studies.
  • Master of laws in Economic Law Studies.
  • Master of laws in Jurisprudence.
  • Master of laws in Human Rights Law Studies.
  • Master of laws in Technology Law Studies.

How long is LLM in the USA? ›

Ans. Masters in Law or LLM in the USA is typically a 1-2 years course.

What are LLM used for? ›

A large language model (LLM) is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) program that can recognize and generate text, among other tasks. LLMs are trained on huge sets of data — hence the name "large." LLMs are built on machine learning: specifically, a type of neural network called a transformer model.

Is a master of jurisprudence worth it? ›

A master's degree in jurisprudence might communicate to prospective employers that you possess the ability to understand the legality of certain situations better than other candidates. At the end of the day, any graduate degree could increase your overall job effectiveness.

Is a juris doctor higher than a Masters? ›

A JD degree is a terminal degree—or the highest level of degree you can achieve in a given discipline. In order to begin a Juris Doctor program, you will need to have first earned your bachelor's degree, but you do not need a master's degree.

Which law degree is the best? ›

A Doctor of Juridical Science degree is considered the highest level of a law degree and is designed for professionals who are looking to gain an advanced legal education after earning their JD and LLM.

What is an LLM used for? ›

A large language model (LLM) is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) program that can recognize and generate text, among other tasks.

Is a juris doctor the same as a juris doctorate? ›

A Juris Doctorate or Doctor of Jurisprudence degree, also known as a JD Degree, is a professional degree that prepares students for a professional legal career, and it is the most common educational path to qualify for the bar examination in the US. A Juris Doctor degree is technically a professional doctorate.

What is the difference between LLM and MLS? ›

An LL. M. degree is designed for those who hold a J.D. degree. An MLS degree is designed for those who don't want to be a lawyer but need legal knowledge in their work.

References

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