phd in llm

• Engineering and Architecture
• Management and Business Administration
• Medicine and Allied Sciences
• Animation and Design
• Media, Mass Communication and Journalism
• Finance & Accounts
• Computer Application and IT
• Hospitality and Tourism
• Competition
• Study Abroad
• Arts, Commerce & Sciences
• Online Courses and Certifications

LLM PhD Integrated Course, Eligibility, Admission, Syllabus, Subjects, Scope & Career Growth

• What is LLM Ph.D.?

LLM Ph.D. is an integrated dual degree course. It combines postgraduate-level LLM and doctoral Ph.D. programmes. LLM PhD dual degree can be pursued by students who come from different academic backgrounds. It is one of the best ways to develop the right amount of knowledge in the field of law. As people are becoming aware of their legal rights and responsibilities, the demand for law courses has increased among students. There are numerous specialisations offered in law courses such as international business law, patent law, civil law , human rights law, corporate law , and labour law .

What is the LLM PhD Full Form?

Highlights - master of legislative law- doctor of philosophy (llm phd), llm phd fee structure, why choose llm phd, llm phd eligibility, skills required for llm phd degree, llm phd application process, llm phd cutoff, llm phd syllabus, llm phd specialisations, what after llm phd, careers opportunities after llm phd, top recruiters for llm phd, salary after llm phd, llm phd employing areas.

The LLM course can be completed in one year, and from then onwards, you can start your Ph.D . The PhD after LLM duration will be of three to four years. A lot of people consider LLM to be the degree that you need to do if you are looking to teach a student in college or if you want to pursue a Ph.D. You need to keep reading the article to know more about this integrated PhD after LLM programme.

LLM PhD stands for Master of Legislative Law- Doctor of Philosophy. The Ph.D. topic depends on what subjects you have chosen in your LLM. The Ph.D. in legal studies helps students understand the advanced legal system of the country and the different policies that come into play to make juridical decisions. A candidate who is applying for an LLM course must be keen to study law and the various niches that the law offers.

The fee structure of the LLM PhD integrated course is planned by the management authority of the academic institution. It may vary across colleges, depending on the facilities provided and previous academic records. The average LLM PhD fees range from Rs. 2 lakhs to Rs. 6.3 lakhs, based on the college choice.

The LLM PhD joint degree is suitable for all professionals. Whether you are a lawyer or a non-lawyer, it does not matter. LLM PhD dual degree is well recognised internationally and will stand the test of time. The masters of law are not only for lawyers who fight their cases in the courtroom. People in industrial business, academia, marketing, international diplomacy, and administration are some of the different opportunities in which you can kickstart your career with this master’s degree.

Every institute has its own eligibility criteria for the integrated LLM PhD course. we have provided you with the basic LLM PhD eligibility that every law school demands from the students.

• First, a student must have done a bachelor's in law or have some kind of degree in law, which could be either a BA LLB or BBA LLB from a recognised university or college.
• Some colleges may have a higher minimum percentage when it comes to the admission process in LLM. But for most law schools, a minimum of 55 per cent of previous bachelors is required.
• When it comes to the age limit, there is no specified age to take LLM courses in various colleges in the country. You only need to complete your graduation to pursue LLM.

For a person to pursue a PhD in law after LLM , one needs to have a good observational trait to look for even the smallest details. Also, they should be good at interpersonal skills and should be comfortable in running the debate. Below are some LLM PhD skills helpful to the students throughout the course.

Suppose you are interested in doing your LLM course along with a Ph.D. You need to make sure that you apply to all the top law schools that are present in the country. Also, when you are pursuing LLM, you need to take a specialisation in it. Below is the general LLM PhD application process followed at most colleges in India.

• Candidates who want to get admission to the LLM course first need to appear for the national entrance exams. To get admission to the top law schools that the nation has to offer.
• Once you have filled out the application form for the LLM course entrance test, you need to appear in the exam and score good marks. After the result is out, colleges will have their cut-off for the respective entrance exams, and you can apply for those colleges whose cut-off you have cleared.
• After applying to college, you need to visit the campus for the final interview round, where the administration will ask you a general question and test your verbal skills.
• Now, if you are selected for the college, you will start your LLM course and during those 12 months, you can choose the topic for your Ph.D. and submit a draft to the college.
• Also, if you are interested in combining LLM courses along with a Ph.D., the whole admission process is the same. But, candidates also need to provide the working experience certificate, which needs to be off at least three to five years.

A cut-off is the minimum required score that determines the eligibility of candidates to offer enrollment in academic programmes. It is affected by three major factors: the number of candidates participating in the examination, the number of available seats, and the difficulty level of the examination. It is difficult to predict the LLM PhD cutoff, as it changes every year. Candidates are advised to check the college's websites for the publication of the LLM PhD cutoff.

There are several different LLM PhD subjects and specialisations, that you can choose when you are pursuing the course. Depending on your specialisation, the LLM PhD syllabus will be different for each course. Below is the LLM PhD curriculum which is followed at the Auro University, Surat .

LLM PhD dual degree course allows students to learn new different core subjects, which can help in building a good law career. Given below are some of the law specialisations which you should be looking for when you apply for the LLM PhD integrated course.

• Business Law
• Criminal Law
• Human Rights
• Taxation Law

There are a number of opportunities open up for you once you complete your LLM Ph.D. LLM courses will bring both respect and money into your life. There are a lot of public areas where the government needs an LLM course candidate to help them out. Graduates can work for the government as well as private organisations. Moreover, they can also open up their own consultancy or legal aid firm and become an entrepreneur. Pursuing a career as an academician is another choice you can opt for.

Given below, we have named some career options that you can choose after completing your LLM with an integrated Ph.D. Here is the list of LLM PhD career options that you can choose that can easily provide both social respect and a respectable annual salary.

Advocate :- You can have a great career both in India and abroad when it comes to becoming an advocate. You will be able to showcase your knowledge of Indian law. To succeed in this line, you need to have an astute for human behaviour and psychology.

Lawyer : A lawyer is a professional who practices law. He or she provided advice to clients on legal matters. He or she may advocate and represent clients in the courts. A lawyer interprets the legal terms to clients and interprets laws, rulings, and regulations for individuals and businesses. He or she conducts case studies and prepares legal documents.

Legal Advisor :- A legal consultant or legal advisor helps the company sign a legal contract with the new companies or with the new client. It requires you to have legitimate research, drafting, and research related to your company's projects.

Judge :- One of the highly reputed jobs in India can be taken up if you have completed your LLM PhD course. Surely you need to take an exam for that, but this course will help you prepare for it, and during the interview stage the postgraduate degree with a Ph.D. is going to help you pass the process with flying colours.

Several recruiters hire individuals with legal expertise directly through campus placements. These recruiters visit the campuses of premier law colleges like ICFAI Law School, Hyderabad , Saveetha University, Chennai , and RNB Global University, Bikaner . Some of the notable recruiters for LLM PhD courses are provided in the table below.

We have provided below the salary details based on the law career job profiles. The salary offered to LLM PhD graduates may vary depending on their job profile and area of law specialisation and the structure of the employing organisation.

Source: Payscale

An LLM PhD is a higher level of qualification in the field of legal studies. Successful LLM PhD graduates can become law professors and start teaching in law colleges and universities. They can either start working with NGOs, media houses, NPOs, legal firms, or in the court of law. Note that, specific employment areas depend on the individual's specialisation, preference, and experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

To get admission in LLM, you need to have a bachelor's in the same field, which is a legal study. You can get admission to LLM course postgraduate courses in some colleges. Still, top law schools require you to have previous experience in the field or a graduate degree.

Yes, when you enrol in an LLM course you have to choose a specialisation for your postgraduate. During this decision-making, you can choose criminal law, or family law as your specialisation. These will help you learn the core concepts of Indian law which will be beneficial for you in the long term when you need to represent your client in court. 

You need to have work experience in this field and your bachelors have to be related to legal studies in one way or the other. 

There are certain exceptions that can go beyond one year of the time period but mostly LLM course full-time programmes take one year to complete. Some schools do offer part-time and distance learning to their students so that LLM course can be done in two to three years depending on the law school. 

Yes. You will need three or more years to complete LLM Ph.D. In this programme, a student needs to choose a topic for the research and come up with the solution and thesis along with the published paper at the end of the final year to complete the programme. LLM course is a postgraduate degree in law. 

• Latest Articles

Certifications By Top Providers

• Most Viewed
• Specializations

Explore Top Universities Across Globe

• Universities
• Popular Articles

Popular Courses and Specializations

Popular branches.

• Criminology and Forensic law
• Constitutional and Administrative Law

Popular Courses

• M.Sc Mathematics Course, Admissions, Eligibility, Syllabus, Fees, Career
• Diploma in Taxation Course, Admissions, Eligibility, Syllabus, Fees, Career
• M.Sc. in Botany Course, Admissions, Eligibility, Syllabus, Fees, Career
• M.Sc Biochemistry Course, Admissions, Eligibility, Syllabus, Fees, Career
• M.Sc Chemistry - Course, Admissions, Colleges, Eligibility, Syllabus, Fees, Career

List of LLM Ph.D colleges

• Courses & Fees
• Ques. & Ans

Related E-books & Sample Papers

Gate 2025 syllabus for textile engineering and fibre science (tf).

562 + Downloads

GATE 2025 Syllabus Thermodynamics (XE-E)

694 + Downloads

GATE Syllabus for Zoology (XL-T)

204 + Downloads

GATE 2025 Syllabus for Microbiology (XL-S)

169 + Downloads

GATE 2025 Syllabus for Botany (XL-R)

103 + Downloads

GATE 2025 Syllabus for Food Technology (XL-U)

135 + Downloads

GATE 2025 Syllabus for Biochemistry (XL-Q)

122 + Downloads

GATE 2025 Syllabus for Sociology (XH-C6)

77 + Downloads

GATE 2025 Syllabus for Psychology (XH-C5)

129 + Downloads

GATE 2025 Syllabus for Philosophy (XH-C4)

30 + Downloads

GATE 2025 Syllabus for Linguistics (XH-C3)

40 + Downloads

GATE 2025 Syllabus for English (XH-C2)

97 + Downloads

Download Careers360 App

All this at the convenience of your phone.

Regular Exam Updates

Best College Recommendations

College & Rank predictors

Detailed Books and Sample Papers

Question and Answers

Scan and download the app

Ph.D. Program

The ph.d. in law degree.

The Ph.D. in Law degree program is designed to prepare J.D. graduates for careers as legal scholars and teachers through a doctoral program aimed at the production of a substantial body of academic research and writing under the close supervision of a three-member faculty dissertation committee. Unlike programs designed for students who wish to learn about law from the disciplinary perspectives of the social sciences or the humanities, the Ph.D. in Law is directed at students who wish to pursue advanced studies in law from the perspective of the law. This program offers emerging scholars an opportunity to contribute to the development of law as an academic field, and it provides an alternate pathway into law teaching alongside existing routes such as fellowships, advanced degrees in cognate fields, legal practice, and clerkships.

Because our entering Ph.D. students will have already completed their J.D. degrees, the anticipated course of study toward the Ph.D. in Law degree is three academic years and two summers in residence. In their first two semesters, Ph.D. students will enroll in courses designed to help them acquire the background and research skills needed to complete a dissertation in their field of interest and to prepare them for qualifying examinations that test the depth and breadth of the literacies and skills they have acquired. During their second year, students will prepare a dissertation prospectus and begin work on a dissertation. The dissertation may take the form of either three law review articles or a book-length manuscript and will make up a portfolio of writing that will be essential for success in the job market. Ph.D. students will also gain experience in the classroom, and receive the full support of Yale Law School’s Law Teaching Program , which has had remarkable success in placing graduates in tenure-track positions at leading law schools.

Ph.D. students receive a full-tuition waiver, a health award for health insurance coverage, and a stipend to cover their year-round living expenses, as well as support for participation in national and international conferences.

Applications for admission to the Ph.D. in Law program are available starting on August 15. The deadline for submission of all materials is December 15. Applicants to the Ph.D. in Law program must complete a J.D. degree at a U.S. law school before they matriculate and begin the Ph.D. program. Any questions about the program may be directed to Gordon Silverstein, Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs, at [email protected] .

Watch Gordon Silverstein, Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs, describe the Ph.D. program at Yale Law School.

Section Menu

Student Profile Videos

Alexander Komarov LLM

A student perspective on criminal law, financial aid, and getting an LL.M. at Yale Law School.

Akriti Gaur ’22 LLM

A student perspective on the LL.M. program, and how Yale Law School offered theoretical foundations to previous experience as a tech lawyer.

Adriana Edmeades Jones LLM

A student perspective on getting an LL.M. at Yale Law School and the benefits of faculty interactions.

Graduate Student Life

August 2024 Welcome Dinner at the home of Professor Brilmayer

Graduate Programs students and staff at 2024 Orientation.

Students on a snowtubing trip in February 2024.

Orientation welcome dinner, August 2023

2020 and 2021 Graduate Programs alumni celebrate in the YLS Courtyard with Assistant Dean Gordon Silverstein before their in-person ceremony in May 2022

The point I keep making to folks that ask me what the best part was of being a Yale Law student, it’s community. And it really is the community I found there. That community stays with you for your whole life.”

Osgoode’s PhD in law is a full-time advanced degree requiring research-intensive study and in principally aimed at students pursuing an academic career. It is designed to be completed in three to four years.

Prerequisites

An LLM is generally a precondition of admission to the PhD. Students without an LLM should apply initially to the Research LLM; after their first year of study they can apply to advance to the PhD.

Degree Requirements

Graduate seminar i: legal research (gs law 6610), graduate seminar ii: advanced legal research methodologies (gs law 6611).

• Study groups
• One elective course
• Extended dissertation proposal

Dissertation

• Final oral examination

The Graduate Seminar is the core course for the Graduate Program in Law. Designed to complement other courses, the seminar provides a venue for developing critical assessments of the law and facilitating students’ progress on their own research, papers and dissertation proposals. The seminar also creates an intellectual community and introduces students to Osgoode research resources.

This seminar offers a review of quantitative and qualitative methods employed in legal research. Specific sessions focus on interviewing, ethnographic methods, surveys and other quantitative methods, data collection and analysis, archival and document collection and analysis. The seminar is designed for PhD students and is completed in the winter term.

Study Groups

Students participating in study groups read and discuss a number of articles with their groups each week. The groups are not structured as courses but as venues for reflection and discourse. For doctoral students, study groups are equivalent to the comprehensive examinations required by other graduate programs.

Participation in a study group is required (for credit) in the first or second year of PhD studies, and then one year thereafter (non-credit) provided PhD students are registered full-time. Students can choose among five options, depending on their research interests and course availability:

• Regulation and Governance
• Law and Economic Relations
• Theoretical Perspectives in Legal Research
• Law and Social Justice
• Law in a Global Context

Elective Courses

PhD students can fulfil their elective course requirement through:

• a variety of graduate courses in law
• integrated courses with the JD program
• independent study
• courses in other programs

Research Outline, Ethical Review and University Guidelines

In the second term of their first year, each student must submit to the Program office a brief outline of their proposed research that has been reviewed and approved by the members of their supervisory committee. The work must be original, containing a new argument supported by research carried out by the student.

A declaration of the ethical issues around the underlying research must be made early in the student’s first year. Projects involving interactions of any kind (for example, through interviews, questionnaires, consultations or observations) require an ethics review.

Dissertations must be prepared in accordance with the Faculty of Graduate Studies thesis and dissertation guidelines .

Extended Dissertation Proposal

PhD students must submit an extended dissertation proposal (50 –70 pages) by the end of their sixth term. Students must defend their proposal in an oral exam before an examining committee (which must be done by the end seventh term).

The dissertation is a piece of original research that reflects a substantial contribution to existing legal literature. Expected to be between 300-350 pages, it should have the usual scholarly apparatus, footnotes and a bibliography prepared in accordance with the McGill Guide to Legal Citations. The dissertation should be of sufficiently high quality to warrant publication by an academic publisher or through a comparable venue.

With the permission of their supervisor and in consultation with the Graduate Program Director, PhD candidates may submit a Portfolio Dissertation in lieu of a conventional thesis. The Portfolio Dissertation must be composed of three to five articles (depending on the length and ambition of the articles) developed during the candidate’s graduate studies, published or accepted for publication, and combined with an introduction and conclusion.

Final Oral Examination

Students must succeed in an oral defence of their dissertation before an examination committee.

Time to Completion

PhD students are expected to complete all requirements within 18 terms (six years).

Residency Requirement

Students must be located such that they are able to progress on all program requirements requiring geographical availability on campus.

More Detail:

Faculty research advisors, related topics:, funding and fees, intellectual life, meet our current doctoral students, meet our phds.

Jake Okechukwu Effoduh

“This school propelled me to unearth the power of legal research in ways that have helped me uncover new insights, challenge existing paradigms and contribute to this ever-evolving landscape of scholarship.”

Deanne Sowter

“Attending Osgoode Hall Law School for my JD and PhD were two of the best decisions of my life, giving me the opportunities and skills to engage in important research supported by a thriving academic community.”

• Skip to Content
• Skip to Main Navigation
• Skip to Search

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington IU Bloomington

• Bias Incident Reporting Form
• Paying it forward
• Our commitment
• Leadership and support
• Initiatives
• Student recruiting
• Faculty and staff diversity
• Trailblazing alumni
• University resources
• Adjunct faculty
• Other IU faculty
• Promotion and tenure guidelines
• Faculty intranet
• Strategic planning

Consumer information (ABA required disclosures)

• Commencement
• Academic calendar 2024-25
• Degree requirements
• Legal research and writing
• JD/MBA programs
• Experiential learning
• Tuition and financial aid

How to apply

• More information
• Cybersecurity
• Information and Library Science
• Media Arts and Sciences
• Outside Minor
• Public Health
• Earning a joint degree
• Visiting students
• Your first year
• Scholarship partners
• Global and IU partners
• JD learning outcomes
• Master of Laws (LLM)
• LLM with English for Law Two-Year Program
• LLM Learning and Working (LAW) Program
• Master of Comparative Law (MCL)
• Doctor of Juridical Science
• Graduate certificate in legal studies
• American law
• Business and commercial Law
• Financial regulation
• Information privacy
• Comparative law
• Intellectual property
• Why Indiana Law?
• Graduate Legal Studies brochure
• Paths to a JD degree
• Meet our current SJD candidates
• Administrative Law
• Business Law
• Civil Rights
• Constitutional Design
• Constitutional Law
• Criminal Law
• Environmental Law
• General practice
• Information and Communications Law
• International Law
• Property Law
• Stewart Fellows global partners
• Summer study abroad
• Exchange programs
• Dual degrees
• Postgraduate Snyder Visiting Scholarship
• Public interest
• Conservation Law Clinic
• Cybersecurity Clinic
• Elmore Entrepreneurship Law Clinic
• Intellectual Property Law Clinic
• Domestic Relations Course (currently offered) and Viola J. Taliaferro Family and Children Mediation Clinic (not currently offered)
• The Reentry Clinic
• Civil Protection Order Clinic
• Criminal law
• Judicial externships
• Private practice
• Public Interest
• Rural Justice Initiative
• Washington, DC semester
• Intellectual property externship
• Access to Justice
• Incarcerated Individuals Legal Assistance
• Indiana Laws
• Protective Orders
• Will Preparation
• Habeas litigation
• Independent film production
• Student Legal Services
• Child representation practicum
• Legal systems in Indiana
• Family office program
• Cybersecurity certificate
• Information privacy certificate
• Center for Constitutional Democracy
• Faculty and staff
• Center for Intellectual Property Research
• PatentConnect
• About the Center
• Workshops and colloquia
• Jerome Hall Fellows
• Scholars-in-Residence
• Bradley Fellows
• Environmental
• Student experience
• Collaboration
• Program faculty and research
• Your 1L year
• Upper-division opportunities
• Co-curricular opportunities
• Theory into practice
• JD admission
• Summer Institute for International Lawyers and Law Students

LLM, MCL, SJD, PhD

• Exchange students and visiting scholars
• Certificates
• Financial info
• Scholarships
• Let's get acquainted
• Dean's welcome
• Orientation
• How to prepare for law school
• Summer programs
• Courses and academic advising
• Living in Bloomington
• Office of Graduate Legal Studies & International Programs
• Academic regulations
• Registration materials, policies, and procedures
• Attendance, class cancellation, and campus policies
• Examination policies
• Records, transcripts, and grade tables
• Bar exam information
• IU technology
• Student complaints
• Disruption or protests
• Cost of attendance
• Service opportunities and work-related funding
• Federal student aid
• Private loans
• Summer financial aid
• Paying your bill
• Health Insurance
• Judicial clerkships
• Externships and fellowships
• Contact Career Services
• Planning your event
• Socctoberfest
• Barristers' Ball
• Internal Competitions
• Moot Court judges' information
• External Competitions
• Javier Becerra '17
• Terrance Stroud '03
• Board of Visitors
• Law Alumni Board
• Global Board
• Young alumni steering committee
• Academy of Law Alumni Fellows
• Distinguished Service
• Publications
• Get involved
• Class notes
• The Lauren Robel Scholarships
• You can make a difference
• The Fromm Emergency Fund
• Transformation gifts
• Ways to give
• Faculty legacies
• Partners in Excellence
• Make your gift
• Harmful Language
• Visitor information
• Jerome Hall
• Virtual Tour
• Research Tools
• Scan on Demand
• Interlibrary Loan
• Renew Books
• Recall Request
• Distance Lending
• Report Missing Book
• Study Rooms
• For Faculty
• HeinOnline Alumni Access
• Other Digitized Collections
• Foreign and International Law
• U.S. Government Documents
• Rare Books and Archives
• Audio Visual
• Faculty in the media
• Extraterritoriality in international law
• Featured and endowed lectures
• Spring 2024
• Spring 2023
• Spring 2022
• Spring 2021
• Law School calendar
• Request an event

Maurer School of Law

• News, events & media
• Graduate admission

Apply to a graduate degree program

Application priority dates, start dates, admission requirements, check your application status, how can we help you.

• Priority Date: February 1
• Deadline: April 1, then rolling admissions
• Read our admission requirements
• Apply for the fall semester
• Deadline: March 1
• Apply to the SJD program
• Please visit the Center for Constitutional Democracy website for information on the PhD application priority dates and submission requirements.
• Priority Date: September 1
• Deadline: November 1, then rolling admissions
• Apply for the spring semester

Applicants to the LLM and MCL programs: Though applications will be considered until the class is full, it is recommended that you apply no later than the listed deadline. All applications received by this listed priority date will be automatically be considered for scholarships. Applications received after the priority date will be considered for scholarships if funds are still available.

For each future fall semester, we begin accepting new applications to all graduate programs on October 1.

Applicants to the SJD program: Applications to the SJD are accepted only for the fall semester. Preference will be given to complete SJD applications received by the priority date of February 1. All SJD applications should be received and complete by the final deadline of March 1.

To accommodate your busy schedule or specific needs, Indiana Law offers several start dates for our LLM and MCL programs:

Traditional Fall Start: The traditional fall term, our primary start date, begins in early to mid-August each year.

Spring Start: In addition to our traditional fall semester, Indiana Law offers a spring program that starts in January. Applications for spring start will be accepted July through November. Programs that are available for a spring start include the LLM, MCL and certificate. A spring start is not available for the SJD program.

Summer Start: The summer start program is a specially designed seven-week summer Intensive Legal English program for LLM and MCL students that begins in June and is followed by our intensive Introduction to American Law course.

• Intensive Introduction to American Law: By enrolling in our two-week intensive Introduction to American Law course (two credit hours), which starts in late July, you can complete one of your required law courses early. Arriving by the end of July also gives you time to familiarize yourself with the law school, the university, and the Bloomington community before beginning your full course schedule in August.

Education : LLM and MCL applicants who received their undergraduate education outside the United States are generally required to have completed a degree in law or a strong undergraduate concentration in legal coursework.

Our SJD program is for international law graduates who already hold an LLM degree and who have demonstrated exceptional analytical and research abilities. For all programs, an applicant's educational history should demonstrate exceptional performance, based on factors such as courses completed, GPA, class rank, and other indicators.

English proficiency : An LLM or MCL candidate for whom English is not their first language must demonstrate fluency in English by providing one of the following: IBT TOEFL score of 94, IELTS score of 7.0, Duolingo score of 125, or a TOEIC score of 830. An English proficiency score slightly lower than our minimum requirement is not rejected outright, especially when other factors, such as educational background and work experience, are outstanding.

Applicants who clearly fall below this level of English proficiency have additional admission options:

• First, we offer fall admission that allows students to arrive early—mid-June of each year—to complete our summer legal English program. This program allows students to improve their English and legal English before starting the regular fall term. Applicants who already have an IBT TOEFL of around 80+, an IELTS of 6.5+, or a Duolingo score of 110+ may qualify for this option.
• Second, for applicants who do not qualify for either option above, we now offer fall admission to our two-year LLM. The new Two-Year LLM with English for Law allows students with lower English proficiency to gain admission to the LLM program through successful completion of our one-year LLM Pathway Program. Similar to conditional admission, applicants who successfully complete the Pathway year continue on to the LLM year. Applicants to this program should have an IBT TOEFL of 74+, an IELTS of 6, or Duolingo of 100. If you are interested in this version of our LLM, you will need to select “LLM Pathway” as your program when applying.
• Finally, if your English level is lower than all options described above, Indiana University has a full-time Intensive English program that students can join prior to applying to Indiana Law.

SJD applicants , even with US LLM degrees, must demonstrate fluency in English via a TOEFL score of 100 IBT, an IELTS score of at least 7.5, or Duolingo score of at least 130.

Prospective LLM, MCL, and SJD students should submit applications by using the LSAC Online Application . If you will apply only to Indiana University Maurer School of Law, you may also use our direct application to apply. If you are applying to our new two-year LLM, which begins with the LLM Pathway year, select "LLM Pathway" as your program of study on either application.

Applying via the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) website is intended to enable the fastest possible processing of your admission file. A majority of the top US law schools are using the LSAC system. If you would like to know more, review the full description of LSAC services .

If you do not yet have an LSAC LLM account : After reading all of the application details on this page, you should register for a new LSAC applicant account in order to start the application process.

If you have an existing LSAC LLM account: Simply log in to your current account in order to apply to the Indiana University-Bloomington Maurer School of Law.

Prospective PhD students should visit the Center for Constitutional Democracy website for more information on the PhD program and application process.

After you have completed your application, you will be able to check the status of your application online.

Maurer School of Law social media channels

Indiana University Maurer School of Law Bloomington

Thanks for clicking. That felt good.

• Media Queries
• Mental Health

National Law School of India University

• About NLSIU
• Vice Chancellor’s Message
• Governing Bodies
• The School Review Commission 2023-24
• Committees & Chairs at NLSIU
• Right to Information
• Rules and Regulations
• Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC)
• Financial Statements
• Course Catalogue
• Academic Records
• 5-Year BA LLB (Hons)
• 3-Year LLB (Hons)
• Master’s Programme in Public Policy
• PhD (Interdisciplinary)
• Online and Hybrid Programmes
• Student Exchange Programme
• Admissions FAQs
• Financial Aid for Students
• FAQs | Admission of Karnataka Students to NLSIU
• Publications
• Scholarship Repository
• Visiting Scholars Programme
• Reaching the Campus
• Campus Life
• Colleges@NLSIU
• Conduct & Safety
• Health & Wellness
• Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being
• Accessibility
• Student Bar Association
• Student Clubs & Activities
• The Writing Centre (TWC)
• Careers & Internships
• Birds on Campus
• Work With Us
• NLS Faculty Seminars
• The NLS Public Lecture Series
• Special Lectures
• Public Policy Series | 50 Years of A Theory to Justice
• Tenders & Quotations
• Alumni Videos
• Newsletters | The NLS Dispatch
• Giving Month
• Blog Submission Guidelines

• B.A. (Hons.)
• 5-Year B.A., LL.B. (Hons.)
• 3-Year LL.B. (Hons.)
• Master’s Programme in Public Policy
• Ph.D (Interdisciplinary)
• Sample Questions

The Ph.D (Law) programme offers candidates an opportunity to contribute to the academic field in their chosen areas of study. ​As a part of the programme, candidates are also provided an opportunity to teach or participate in ongoing research at NLSIU, in areas related to their dissertation, allowing for deeper integration with the NLSIU community and providing diverse feedback opportunities.

Related Videos

Watch videos on the programme here .

Eligibility for Ph.D. (Law)

The following candidates shall be eligible to apply for the Ph.D. (Law) programme:

a) Candidates having a 5-year/ 10-semester/ 15-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law through regular mode from a recognized University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC- NCL/Persons with Disability.)

b) Candidates having a 3-year/ 6-semester/ 9-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law (LL.B.) through regular mode from a recognized University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC-NCL Persons with Disability); and

c) Candidates having a Masters in Law degree (LL.M.) through regular mode from a recognized University having secured an aggregate of at least 55% marks or its equivalent grade (50% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC-NCL)/ Persons with Disability);

d) Candidates having passed the Solicitors Examination conducted by the Bombay Incorporated Law Society and having a completed a bachelor’s in Law (LL.B./LL.B. (Hons.)) degree from a recognized University through regular mode; or

(e) Candidates having a Master of Business Laws (MBL) degree from the National Law School of India University with minimum CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) of 4.00 and having completed a bachelor’s degree from a recognized University through regular mode.

Provided that candidates in their final year of study in the respective degrees in (a), (b) and (c) shall be eligible to apply, subject to the candidate securing the minimum marks or equivalent grade prior to July 2024.

International Students

Candidates can apply for the NLSAT – International Examination for “international student” category, if they fulfil the following conditions:

• They should be a citizen of a country other than India; AND
• They should have completed a minimum of ten years of their education in a school/college/university outside India.

For more details, click here.

Admission Process

Admission to the programme will be through an all-India written admissions test, the National Law School Admissions Test (NLSAT-PhD). Candidates shall submit the application form duly filled up along with a research proposal of about 6-8 pages. The application form is available here.

The research proposal should contain: i. Tentative Title ii. Statement of the problem and the background information on the subject. iii. A brief outline of the research design including a set of research questions, a brief review of the relevant literature on the issue identified for research, a research hypothesis (where applicable) and the proposed methodology. Students who demonstrate a firm grasp of these foundational issues will be awarded higher marks.

The NLSAT-PhD shall have the following scheme: a) Research Aptitude: 50 marks b) Essays/Answers on relevant topics pertaining to law/ other disciplines: 50 marks

Candidates securing not less than 50% marks on the aggregate in the written test will qualify for evaluation of their Research Proposal and making an oral presentation before a Panel of Experts on the date specified by the University.

Selection Process

Candidates will be selected based on the marks obtained by the candidate in the NLSAT- PhD, the research proposal, and the oral presentation. The weightage of each score component shall be as follows:

a) NLSAT-PhD: 50% b) Research Proposal: 35% c) Oral Presentation: 15%

Important Dates

• The National Law School Admissions Test-PhD (NLSAT-PhD) will be held on March 17, 2024 (Sunday), from 10.00 am to 12.30 pm in specified centres across the country. The duration of the test shall be 150 minutes.
• Application deadline has been extended to 11:59 pm IST, on February 28, 2024. View official notification. An application fee of Rs. 3000/- (Rupees Three Thousand Only) shall be payable at the time of submission of the application.
• The dates for the oral presentation shall be announced after the completion of the NLSAT-PhD. They are likely to be held in April – May 2024.
• Classes for coursework component of the Ph.D. programme shall commence in the University in July 2024.

The maximum number of Ph. D seats for the Academic Year 2024-25 are 8 (Eight). This includes 4 in Ph.D (Law) and 4 in Ph.D (Interdisciplinary). The University reserves the right not to fill all the seats where sufficient candidates do not satisfy the admission requirements.

PhD Regulations

Regulations governing the PhD programme are available here.  Candidates should familiarize themselves with the requirements of the programme, before applying.

The admission notification for AY 2024-25 is available here.

For Indian Nationals

For international students.

The total amount payable at the time of admission by foreign students for AY 2024-25 is Rs. 2,55,000/- as provided below:

Registration Fee – one time 90,000/- Course Work Fee – one time 90,000/- Annual Fee 75,000/- Total fee – per annum 2,55,000/-

* Fees mentioned above are provisional and subject to ratification by the University Governing Bodies.

Sample questions for NLSAT 2024 will be released to candidates who have registered through the admissions portal prior to the admissions test.

The University’s PhD programme in the previous year was offered in terms of the Ph.D. Degree Programme Regulations, 2021. The Regulations have been revised since the Academic Year 2023-24. 

The FAQs below reflect the Ph.D. Degree Programme Regulations 2023.  

NLSIU currently offers two Ph.D programmes:

– The Ph.D. (Law) programme allows a candidate to contribute academically in the field of law; – The Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary) involves research across disciplines to arrive at a more comprehensive perspective and solution for a particular problem.

Yes, they may apply for the Ph.D (Law) programme.

a) Candidates having a 5-year/ 10-semester/ 15-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law through regular mode from a recognized University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC- NCL/Persons with Disability.)

b) Candidates having a 3-year/ 6-semester/ 9-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law (LL.B.) through regular mode from a recognized University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC-NCL Persons with Disability); and

Provided that candidates in their final year of study in the respective degrees in (a), (b) and (c) shall be eligible to apply, subject to the candidate securing the minimum marks or equivalent grade prior to the date of the commencement of Ph.D.

No, there is no age limit to apply for the programmes.

Candidates will have to appear for the admission test NLSAT – Ph.D, conducted by the University. To apply, visit admissions.nls.ac.in

Note: While submitting the application for the admission test, candidates should also submit a research proposal of about 6-8 pages. The research proposal should contain: i. Tentative Title ii. Statement of the problem and the background information on the subject. iii. A brief outline of the research design including a set of research questions, a brief review of the relevant literature on the issue identified for research, a research hypothesis (where applicable) and the proposed methodology. Students who demonstrate a firm grasp of these foundational issues will be awarded higher marks.

No. Candidates may apply for either Ph.D (Law) or the Ph.D (Interdisciplinary) programme.

To apply for the Ph.D programmes, visit admissions.nls.ac.in

The University shall conduct a written test (NLSAT-Ph.D) along the following scheme:

a) Research Aptitude – 50 marks b) Essays on relevant topics pertaining to law/ other disciplines – 50 marks 

The list of selected candidates as above shall be displayed on the NLSIU website.

Candidates are required to be present at the NLSIU campus for the duration of their coursework spread over three trimesters. Course work is compulsory for all the Ph.D. candidates.

The first component of the course work must be completed during the first trimester upon their admission. The remaining two trimesters of the course work needs to be completed within the first two academic years.  

a) The candidate will have to complete a minimum of three (3) years’ research in their chosen subject, including the mandatory course work as provided in these Regulations.

b) Maximum period: The maximum duration of the Ph.D. programme shall be six (6) years* from the date of admission in the Ph.D. programme, subject to the fulfilment of the requirements per the Regulations.

*- Provided that candidates who are Persons with Disabilities (having more than 40% disability) may be allowed a relaxation of upto two (2) years; however, the total period for completion of a Ph.D. programme in such cases should not exceed eight (8) years from the date of admission in the Ph.D. programme; – Provided further that female Ph.D. candidates may be provided Maternity Leave/ Child Care Leave for up to 240 days in the entire duration of the Ph.D. programme; however, the total period for completion of a Ph.D. programme in such cases should not exceed six (6) years and eight (8) months from the date of admission in the Ph.D. programme.

c) Failure to complete the course within the maximum period set out in point (b) above will automatically result in cancellation of registration.

There are a total of six courses that a doctoral candidate has to complete. Three of these are compulsory taught courses. Each taught course will extend for around 10 weeks and will be held on campus.

The first compulsory taught course is to be completed in the initial trimester on admission to the programme. The second compulsory taught course can be completed in the initial or any subsequent trimester (depending on when the course is offered). These two taught courses have to be completed prior to the first presentation before the Research Advisory Committee. In addition, there are also two course requirements relating to review of literature and fine-tuning of the proposal which need to be completed under the guidance of the Supervisor prior to the first presentation before the Research Advisory Committee.

The third compulsory taught course has to be completed prior to the second presentation before the Research Advisory Committee. In addition, candidates also will also need to complete the course requirement relating to teaching/research assistantships as will be decided by the Supervisor/relevant University body of the University.

There is a Research Advisory Committee for each Ph.D. scholar consisting of a Supervisor and two members (one from within NLSIU and one external member).

Please refer to the fee tab on the respective programme pages for fee details. 

Yes, the University will release sample questions at a later date.

We do not offer rolling admissions to the PhD programme. New students are admitted once a year, to begin studying at the start of the Academic Year in July.

Yes, but only in the next academic year. Candidates will have to appear for the NLSAT after applying for the programme in any given year.  

Yes. The University will notify a ‘Campus Open Day’ for you to visit us and familiarize yourself with the campus before applying for any programme through the NLSAT. Follow our website for further updates.

Apply to the Graduate Program

5005   Wasserstein Hall (WCC) 1585 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge ,  MA 02138

All LL.M., S.J.D., and Visiting Researcher/Visiting Scholar (“VS/VR”) applicants must use the Harvard Law School Graduate Program’s online application available below.

To students and researchers affected by the war in Ukraine

Thanks to a generous donation, we are able to offer financial support to visiting Ukrainian researchers displaced by the conflict.  Get more information about applying to the Graduate Program’s Visiting Researcher/Visiting Scholar program or contact  [email protected] .

Important information regarding the online application for all programs

• The online application works best in Google Chrome (but will work in all other major browsers).
• Please make sure that pop-ups are enabled and do not select any pop-up option to “prevent this page from creating additional dialogs.”  If you do select that option, click “Continue” at the bottom of the application page to save your work and close and  completely exit  your browser.  Dialog boxes should be re-enabled after you restart the browser and reopen the application.
• If you experience any technical problems using the Graduate Program application, you may email  [email protected]  for assistance.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report Availability

The University is required by federal law (The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, 20 U.S.C. 1092(f), known as the “Clery Act”) to publish an Annual Security Report and an Annual Fire Safety Report.

The Harvard University Police Department publishes the Annual Security Report, entitled “Playing it Safe,” which includes information about the HUPD, how to report a crime, HUPD’s crime prevention programs, substance abuse, sensitive crimes, emergency notifications, and other important information about security and HUPD services on campus. It also contains three years of statistics on reported campus or campus-related crimes. A hard copy of “Playing it Safe” may be obtained by contacting the Harvard University Police Department at 1033 Massachusetts Avenue, 6th floor, Cambridge, MA 02138, (617) 495-9225.

The Harvard University Environmental Health and Safety Department publishes the Annual Fire Safety Report, which includes fire safety polices, evacuation procedures, and fire statistics. A hard copy of the Annual Fire Safety Report may be obtained by contacting Environmental Health and Safety Department at 46 Blackstone Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, (617) 496-7168.

• The Annual Security Report, “Playing it Safe”
• The Annual Fire Safety Report

Modal Gallery

Gallery block modal gallery.