Law (LLB) Degrees Abroad: Costs, Countries, and Qualifying to Practise at Home

Where you can study it

Every country below has verified programmes listed on Global Admissions. Figures are the cheapest-to-median sourced tuition per country, not a currency conversion — tap through to the sample programmes below for individual, linkable listings.

Figures are the fee as recorded on Global Admissions from each programme's own listing — basis (per year, per semester, or per credit) can vary by programme; verify the exact figure directly on the university's own page before budgeting.

Sample programmes

A cheapest-first sample of individual, sourced programmes — each one links to its own page on Global Admissions.

Fees as recorded from each programme's own listing; verify on the university's page before budgeting.

The famous names

These law schools come up constantly once you start researching — here's what each one actually is, so you can look past the name recognition and check the qualifying route for yourself.

What law programmes actually cost

LSE lists an overseas student fee of £37,500 a year for its LLB in 2027/28 — near the top end of what Global Admissions sources for this subject. Germany sits at the other extreme: its cheapest sourced law programmes, including part-time and blended-learning master's routes, start around $150 a year, though the qualifying path and language of instruction differ sharply from a UK LLB.

There are also field-specific costs to plan for beyond tuition: Cambridge states the LNAT admissions test costs £75 at UK or EU test centres and £120 elsewhere in the world.

Getting in

King's College London lists A*AA at A level for its Law LLB, and requires every applicant to take the LNAT by 31 December for equal consideration — the same admissions test LSE requires, which must be sat within a defined autumn window for the following year's entry. UCL's Law LLB is explicit that no previous knowledge of law is assumed or required, which is typical across UK law degrees.

The LNAT is a distinct cost and scheduling commitment on top of your regular application — check the exact deadline and fee for your target intake before you assume grades alone decide admission.

Where you study and where you qualify are two separate decisions

Non-official law-abroad guides usually compare countries and degree labels, but that flattens qualification models that are genuinely very different from each other. Search demand backs this up — a lot of it is portability questions like "UK LLB, but I want to be a US attorney" or "US student wanting to practise in the UK." The honest answer in almost every case is that your first degree is a starting point, not a finish line.

In England and Wales, the SRA's SQE route requires a degree or equivalent level 6 qualification, passing SQE1 and SQE2, two years of qualifying work experience, and character checks — while the Bar route runs through an academic component, a vocational component, and pupillage, with membership of an Inn required before vocational training starts. In the US, the ABA says there's no single required undergraduate major, but the NCBE's MPRE is required for admission to the bar in every state except Wisconsin and Puerto Rico. In Canada, the National Committee on Accreditation runs a separate assessment and certification process for anyone trained outside the country before you can apply to a provincial bar.

Before you shortlist a law programme

A few checks specific to law admissions and qualifying to practise, worth running through before you apply.

1. 1

   Book your admissions test early and separately from your application

   The LNAT has its own deadline (commonly 31 December for the following year's entry) and its own fee — treat it as a separate task, not something you'll sort out alongside your personal statement.

2. 2

   Map the qualifying route in the jurisdiction where you actually want to practise

   A law degree doesn't automatically qualify you to practise anywhere else. Research the SQE route in England and Wales, state-specific bar admission in the US, or the NCA's assessment process in Canada — before you pick a school.

3. 3

   Check whether the degree needs to be a qualifying law degree for your target route

   Some routes (like the Bar in England and Wales) accept a non-law degree plus a conversion course; others expect a specific law qualification. Confirm which applies to your plan.

4. 4

   Budget for post-degree qualifying work experience, not just tuition

   England and Wales' SQE route requires two years of qualifying work experience on top of passing both exam stages — factor that time and the likely need to find a training role into your overall plan.

Qualifying to practise, by jurisdiction

A law degree is the starting point everywhere. Qualifying to practise is a separate, jurisdiction-specific process — and the chain looks nothing alike across England and Wales, the US, and Canada.

Licensing and registration rules change; verify directly with the named regulator before relying on this table.

Scholarship and funding routes worth checking

None of these are law-specific schemes — they're broad government, EU, or bilateral routes that may cover a law-related master's if the individual programme and your nationality qualify. Verify the current call before treating any of them as a plan.

Each route name links to its official source. Verify the current call and eligibility before applying — cycles and seat counts change annually.

Frequently asked questions