Best LLM Colleges in the World for International Students in 2025

1. Harvard University

Harvard University offers a 1 year LLM degree through Harvard Law School. Around 180 students come to study LLM in Harvard University from 65 countries worldwide. The Harvard Law School is highly competitive with an acceptance rate of 11.25% as per the recent admissions. Post completion of a LLM from Harvard, one can expect an average salary of $172,916 (₹1.46 crores).

2. Stanford University

The LLM at Stanford University is delivered through the Stanford Law School. It is a 1 year full-time program which admits around 81 students every year. The admissions are extremely competitive at Stanford Law School with only 7.26% students securing a place. With Stanford LLM, the graduates can typically earn an average salary of $225,000 (₹1.9 crores).

3. University of Cambridge

University of Cambridge LLM is a 9 months full-time degree unlike a traditional 1 year masters degree in most UK universities. Currently, there are 190-210 students enrolled in the University of Cambridge LLM program from 40-50 countries worldwide. The program is offered through the faculty law which typically admits 13.57-15%.

4. Columbia University

The LLM at Columbia University is offered through Columbia Law School which #4th in THE Law Rankings 2024, 8th in both QS Law & Legal Studies Rankings and U.S Best Law Schools in 2024. As of 2025, there were 312 students enrolled in the LLM program at Columbia Law School representing 63 countries. The average salary of graduates of Columbia LLM program is $190,539 (₹1.62 crores).

5. New York University

New York University offers one of the most expensive LLM degree globally with an annual tuition fee of $79,954 (₹67.72 lakhs). It is delivered at NYU Law School which admits around 16.07% students due to highly competitive admissions. The graduates of NYU LLM earn the highest salary among all the LLM colleges in the world with annual pay being $264,000 (₹2.23 crores)

6. University of California, Berkeley

The University of California Berkeley ranks #5th in USA and #6th globally in THE Law Rankings 2024. There 274 students enrolled in the UC Berkeley LLM from 40 countries all over the world. It is yet another highly selective law school with a 10-15% acceptance rate. The average salary of UC Berkeley LLM is $161,040 (₹1.36 crores) per annum.

7. University of Oxford

University of Oxford ranks #2 in UK by THE Law Rankings 2024 and #2nd globally in the QS Law and Legal Studies Rankings 2024. The University offers MSc In Law & Finance which is a 10 months full-time degree. January 25, 2025 marks the upcoming deadline to apply for MSc In Law & Finance at University of Oxford.

8. University of Melbourne

The University of Melbourne ranks #1st in Australia and #8th globally in THE Law Rankings 2024. It offers a 1 year full-time LLM degree program with two intakes annually: March and July. January 15, 2025 is the upcoming deadline to apply for LLM at University of Melbourne.

9. The University of Chicago

The University of Chicago ranks #3rd among the Best Law Schools by U.S. News and World Report Rankings 2024. The admissions are seen to be highly competitive in Chicago Law School with 22% students getting admitted. Every year, around 70-80 students secure admissions in the Chicago LLM program from 25 countries. One can expect to earn an average salary of $171,164 (₹1.44 crores) after completing an LLM from University of Chicago.

10. Yale University

Yale University occupies #1st in USA among the Best Law Schools by U.S. News and World Report Rankings 2024. The University is consistently ranked #1 in the U.S. News since it was first published in 1991. Yale Law School also ranks #4 in QS World University Law and Legal Studies Rankings 2024. Being one of choice among international students, the university hosts over 3,500 international students from 100 countries. The average salary of Yale Law graduates is $115,160 (₹97.51 lakhs).

Pursuing an LLM from one of the top LLM colleges in the world will surely give you fruitful results in terms of ROI and global exposure. However, secure admissions in top law schools can be difficult due selective admissions, high GPA and test requirements. Hence, you are advised to maintain a good academic record and prepare well in advance to meet the competitive edge for admission in top LLM colleges globally. Before choosing the university to pursue LLM broad, you can compare the top LLM colleges in the world on the basis of cost, requirements, scholarships and other funding options, career options and ROI.