Courses

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take the course part time or on a distance learning basis?

Since the LL.M. is oriented around lectures starting in October and ending in May, it is only possible to begin the course in October. The course cannot be taken by correspondence or on a part-time basis.

Do I have to have a law degree to apply for the LL.M.?

Generally, yes but not always. The LL.M. Admissions Committee does consider applications from those with a non-Law first degree, provided that in addition to their degree they have either substantial relevant professional legal experience or have obtained a professional legal qualification with the equivalent of a First Class result. However, a first degree in Law is the preferred preparation for the Cambridge LL.M.

What grades do I need to have to be offered a place on the LL.M.?

Usually a First class degree at a UK university or its overseas equivalent, but further details are available in the Admissions Critera.

Can I take the LL.M. if I am from a civil law country rather than a common law country?

Yes. Those from a civil law background take the same course as those from a common law background. Civil law students will need to do extra work to familiarize themselves with the case law method and other attributes of the common law system and can attend a series of optional lectures on the common law held just before the LL.M. course begins. Students considering whether the common law method is for them might consider attending the English Legal Methods summer course run by Cambridge’s Institute of Continuing Education.

Can I apply for the LL.M. if I have not yet completed my first degree in law?

Yes. Note, though, that the LL.M Admissions Committee can only consider your application on the basis of grades provided at the time you applied. As a result, if an unsuccessful applicant receives excellent results in their final year, they should apply again in the following year rather than expecting any change in the decision made. It is likely successful applicants will be asked to fulfil academic conditions concerning the completion of their studies.

Can I apply for the LL.M. if English is not my first language?

Yes, but to be admitted you will need to pass a test demonstrating proficiency in English. IELTS (International English Language Testing System) is the university's preferred test. Where the IELTS test is not available you may take the Princeton TOEFL test (Test of English as a Foreign Language). For all law courses, including the LL.M, the IELTS minimum overall score is 7.5 with a minimum of 7.0 in the reading, writing, listening and speaking components. For the TOEFL the minimum score is 637 in the paper-based test, plus 5.5 TWE. The minimum score in the internet based TOEFL test is 110 overall, with a minimum of 25 in each individual component of reading, writing, listening and speaking.

How much will it cost to do the LL.M.?

This depends on whether you are from the UK, another European Union country or elsewhere. The Board of Graduate Studies provides an estimate of costs graduate students incur.

What funding options are available?

See the Board of Graduate Studies ‘fees and funding’ web pages for details of the composition (tuition) fees and college fees, and for estimated living costs in Cambridge. This section of the BGS website also provides detailed information about sources of funding, including the GradFund online database of scholarships, studentships and bursaries. You can use this search facility to find sources of funding for which you are eligible to apply.

How do I get an application form?

Please refer to the How to Apply section.

What is the application deadline?

The closing date for paper applications for the LL.M. course is December 2nd in the year preceding the year in which you wish to start the course, so to apply for 2012-13, your application be submitted by December 2, 2011. Please refer to the Summary of Key Dates.

Once I have applied, when can I expect to find out if I have been offered a place?

You will be notified of decisions by April 15th, subject to unforeseen circumstances.

If I receive an LL.M. offer, can I be sure I will be able to get a place at the college I would like to attend?

Unfortunately, no. But you can express a preference.

If I receive an offer subject to academic or language conditions and fail to meet these conditions, is it possible to obtain a waiver?

It is unlikely. Should you wish to enquire further, please contact the Faculty administrator for the LL.M., Suzanne Wade at llmadmissions@law.cam.ac.uk.

I have received an offer of an LL.M. place and would like to attend Cambridge but cannot take the place up for the year for which I initially applied. Is it possible to defer?

Subject to applying in accordance with the December 2 application deadline and to satisfying the relevant conditions this may be possible. To obtain an application form, please contact llmadmissions@law.cam.ac.uk.

Do I have to write a thesis as part of the LL.M.?

No, you do not have to write a thesis but a thesis option is available. In seminar papers students are examined through a (compulsory) supervised thesis. In addition, in many of the LL.M. courses, there is also the option of writing a thesis in lieu of the examination. A candidate whose topic is approved for a thesis will be entitled to a prescribed amount of individual supervision from a Faculty supervisor. Students can, however, write only one thesis and their chosen topic cannot overlap substantially with material covered in another course.

Can I specialise in a particular area of law on the LL.M.?

Yes, you can. Candidates who offer at least three papers from those listed under international law, commercial law or European law topics (or a thesis in lieu of one of them) will have the letter '(i)', '(c)' or '(e)' respectively placed against their name in the class list to indicate that they specialised in that subject.

How long is the LL.M. course?

It starts in the first week of October and finishes by the end of the following June. The University’s term dates can be found on the central website.

Do you accept applications from students who already have a UK LL.M.?

Generally no, but we do make exceptions in cases where applicants plan to use the Cambridge LL.M. to develop their studies in a different direction to their previous UK LL.M.

Can I apply for the LL.M. and another course at Cambridge for the same year of entry?

Yes. However you must make a separate application for each course, and if offers of admission are made for more than one of these courses, you will have to choose which course place to accept – you cannot study the LL.M. and another course concurrently.

Can I apply for the LL.M. while in my final year of undergraduate study?

Yes, you can. However, you cannot start your LL.M. until you have received your undergraduate results.

As an non native English speaker, do I have to have met the University’s language requirements before I can submit an LL.M. application?

No, you can submit the paperwork after you have made the application but any offer will be made subject to conditions, especially language conditions.

I have checked the website thoroughly, together with supporting documentation, but I have a question I cannot answer. Is there anyone I can contact?

Yes. Please contact llmadmissions@law.cam.ac.uk.