What is LLM: Full Form, Course Duration, Admission 2025, Colleges, Salary & Scope

LLM is a full-time course of 2 years spread across four semesters. Students need to complete the required number of credit courses and also submit dissertations at the end of the final semester. LLM is also offered in Executive mode, which is generally offered only to working professionals. The LLM course fees in Government universities or National Law Universities range from INR 6000- 2.5 Lacs per annum whereas in private universities,  it can range from INR 1 Lacs to INR 2.5 Lacs per annum. 

• Moreover, candidates who have completed a Master of Law degree and wish to make a career in the field of litigation can appear for AIBE which is also known as All India Bar Examination. After clearing this examination, candidates will be awarded the "Certificate of Practice" rendering one eligible to practice in any court of law in India.
• To appear for AIBE, candidates must also be registered with their respective State Bar Councils as an Advocate. The pattern of AIBE Exam generally consists of questions based on the various legislations and regulations studied at the undergraduate level.
• Professionals can pursue this course to cater to the market demands of specialised legal consultancy services. 

Candidates who have completed an LLM course may further their studies in which they either complete MPhil or PhD in Law, also known as LLD. However, if candidates want to make a career in the field of law then they can go through the below-mentioned job profiles. LLM is opted by those candidates who wants to join any of the specialised fields like Investment Law, Maritime Law, Corporate Laws etc. and candidates can join these fields for successful career.

No, you cannot take LLM without pursuing LLB, as the primary requirement for LLM course is Bachelors degree in Law. Apart from that, approximately 50 percent marks are also required in their LLB duration to enroll in LLM. 

First, analyze all the specialisations in LLM like Civil Law, Cyber Law, Corporate Law, Criminal Law, etc., and think what matches with your interest and also your career goals in long terms. 

Next, research for the scope and demand for your choosen Law field, and prior to that you should also evaluate the universities offering your desired course, along with their faculty, curriculum amd placement options as well. 

The main requirement for an LLM course is a completed LLB degree with a minimum qualifying score (50 percentage or equivalent CGPA). Some universities may have additional requirements like entrance exams or work experience.

CLAT, AILET, ISAT, and NEST are some common exams for admission to the LLM programme. The application forms for this course are available in the month of April-May every year. The entrance test paper contains around 150 questions which can be both objective and subjective in nature. The duration of the exam is 2 hours which includes negative marking for objective type questions. The marks deducted are usually 1/4th of the marks allocated to the question. The marking scheme is not fixed for all the universities, it may vary accordingly.

Yes, University of Delhi conducts LLM Entrance Test to shortlist candidates for LLM programme. Below are the details of LLM Entrance Exam:

The TS LAWCET LLM exam is called the TS PGLCET. The TS PGLCET eligibility criteria are mentioned below:

No, the university do not accept CLAT score for admission to the LLM course. It accepts AIAT score for admission to LLM course. AIAT is conducted by SIU for admission to LLM programme. Aspirants who have passed AIAT have to further qualify the Personal Interaction round for final admission.

The LLM specialisations that will best suit you when you want to work in large corporations are:

• Corporate Law
• Labor Law
• Tax Law
• Intellectual Property Law
• Labor and Employement Law

For startups:

• Cyber Law
• Tax8 Law
• Information Technology Law

Moreover, Big firms always require legal professionals who are experts in regulatory compliance and established legal frameworks, while startups need lawyers who can dynamic and often unpredictable legal challenges of early0stage businesses. 

Due to global legal developments and changing market demands, many specialisations are offered which are:

• Civil Law
• Tax Law
• Labour5 Law
• Corporate Law
• Commercial Law
• International Trade Law
• Labour Law
• Labour5 Law

Candidates can also pursue various online courses in undergraduate, postgraduate or certificate levels such as Online LLM or Online certifications. Some of these courses offered by Shiksha Online are given in the table below:

• Online LLM by Golden Gate University
• Post Graduate Certificate in Finance and Taxation Laws by Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning
• Diploma in Taxation by Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning
• PGD in Labour Laws and Employee Relations by Symbiosis Centre for Distance Learning
• Intellectual Property by Swayam

Some of the top law colleges of India which offer LLM courses includes:

• NLU Visakhapatnam
• GITAM School of Law
• NLSIU Bangalore - National Law School of India University
• BHU - Banaras Hindu University
• Symbiosis International, Pune

For LLM admission offered at NLUs in India, candidates have to appear for the CLAT exam and meet the cut-off marks criteria for admission to 22 NLUs in India.

However, for admission to NLU Delhi, candidates have to appear and qualify AILET exam. Therefore, candidates need to score top ranks in CLAT PG in the range of 1-1000 to get admission in the top NLUs. LLM through CLAT PG is highly competitive, keeping in view the increasing number of candidates appearing for the exam and difficulty of the paper. 

Given below are some of the best LLM colleges in India that provide distance learning:

Yes, NLSIU Bangalore offers a one year LLM course. The admission to NLSIU Bangalore LLM programme is based on the CLAT score of candidates. The admmissions are held through CLAT counseling process. The table below presents the eligibility and selection criteria for popular courses offered at NLSIU:

Given below are the best LLM colleges in India that provides the highest placement package to their students in India:

Disclaimer: This information is sourced from official website/ media reports/ NIRF website and may vary.

Note: Above statistics are based on the latest available data.

No, one who has completed an LLB degree either three-year duration after graduation or five-year duration,  after class 12th makes them eligible enough to pursue law as a profession. An LLM degree is pursued by those who want to learn more in a specialisation. However, in both cases, they have to appear for AIBE conducted by BCI to be able to get a 'Certificate of Practice'. 

Those who complete LLM have multiple options to explore and can establish a promising career in legal field. Some of the top job profiles include:

Some of the top universities abroad for LLM courses are:

Law is required in almost every section of the society including government, corporates, and private practices. So in comparison to other sectors LLM and other Law professions will always be in demand, as the complexities are increasing. 

Please refer to the table below for some of the best private LLM colleges in India:

It is therefore recommended that one selects a specialisation that they want to practice as well as focus on the area they have passion for:

University Reputation: It is therefore advisable to join a programme from a reputable university which has a good law school and teachers that have a good expertise in your chosen area of specialization.
Course Structure & Syllabus: Review the course syllabus, instructional delivery and learning achievement standards in relation to your learning preference and objectives.
Placement Opportunities: One should look at the type of jobs which previous LLM graduates of the university have been secirimg;ing upon their completion of the course.
Fees & Scholarships: Check on the costs of the research programs and look for scholarships to help in funding for the LLM programs.

Generally, there is no one right LLB subject that prepares you for an LLM. If someone wants to study a particular area of LLM then the ideal choice would fall towards that specific area. Here's why:

LLM Specializations: A Master of Laws is more specific in the areas of law that students pursue when in the course.
Alignment with Specialization: While switching from an LLB programme to an LLM programme might be relatively easy, the choice of courses that you took in your LLB that relates with your preferred LLM specialisation can serve as a foundation and thus make the switch easier.
For example if one’s LLM specialisation is in Corporate Law then Company Law, Contract Law and Business Law are relevant courses in the LLB.

Thus, the only strategy that makes sense is to choose the LLM specialisation one is interested in first and then search for the corresponding LLB subjects.

No, Delhi University offers a full-time LLM programme of two to three years duration at the PG level. This course is offered by Faculty of Law under DU. University of Delhi LLM admission is conducted in online mode and for final selection, candidates are required to appear for the entrance exam conducted by the university. CUET PG exam is conducted by NTA and considered by DU for admission to LLM course. Candidates after completing graduation can apply for DU LLM programme.

LLM is a two-year self-financed programme spread across four semesters. CCSU offers LLM through Institute of Legal Studies at the PG level. The university also offers LLM through affiliated colleges like:

• Dewan VS Group of Institutions India
• Kamkus College of Law
• Ishan Institute of Law 
• D.A.V. College Muzaffarnagar

For LLM admissions abroad, you need to take english proficiency test such as IELTS or TOEFL, if english is not your native language. However, you don't need to take GRE or GMAT, unless the course specifically requires it. 

Based on the various sources, countries such as USA, UK, Germany, Australia, Canada, and Singapore are widely known for their renowned law schools and diverse specialisations. These countries also offers various job opportunities to Law graduates. 

Yes, there are scholarships available for international students pursuing an LLM course, including merit-based scholarships from universities, government-funded courses like Chevening Scholarships, and foundation grants, which can cover partial or full tuition fees and sometimes living expenses as well. 

There is only an overall cutoff, which means you need not to achieve specific scores section-wise. You need to achieve minimum mentioned scores for the overall exam. 

LSAT India is a standardised test with a uniform pattern and a single question paper. The exam aims to provide candidates with admissions to five-year integrated LL.B. Courses, three-year LL.B. LL. M. or Ph.D. courses in law. Candidates can take the exam for admissions to more than 85 private law colleges in India. However, CLAT and AILET have separate question papers for UG and PG courses. Based on CLAT scores, admissions are done at 24 NLUs and accepting colleges. Through AILET, only NLU Delhi and a few private law colleges in India offer admissions.

The LLB and LLM full forms are Bachelor of Legislative Laws and Master of Laws respectively. LLB is an undergraduate degree, while the LLM is a master's degree course. LLB is a 3-year-long UG degree program and LLM is a 1-2 year-long PG degree program in the field of Law.

The Maharashtra Common Entrance Test Cell is likely to conduct the MH CET Law 3-year LLB & 5-year LLB exam in April 2026.  The exam will be held in Maharashtra state and nearby cities. The MH CET Law 2025 exam for admission to 5-year LLB & 3-year LLB courses will held in computer-based mode at test centres allotted to applicants. 

The MH CET Law 2026 exam dates will be released on the official website of CET Cell Maharashtra with the title "CET Cell Maharashtra". These dates are subject to revision by the exam authority.

Law graduates from India who want to do LLM in International Law, can pursue their career in International organisation such as United Nations agencies, International Court of Justice, World Trade Organization, and International Monetary Fund. 

Yes, CLAT is required for LLM. The candidates seeking admission to a one-year LLM course at ILI need to fulfill the eligibility criteria:

• The candidate should have cleared graduation with 50% marks in aggregate from any recognized university.
• As per the relaxation granted for these reserved categories, applicants who fall under the SC, ST, or Physically Handicapped categories must receive at least 45 percent of the total possible points.
• Individuals who fall under the category of Kashmiri migrants are required to have obtained a minimum of 40% of the possible points in the qualifying degree exam.

The total number of seats available for LLM in BHU is 92. For details around seat reservation policy, candidates can check the university official website or reach out to the admission office. Candidates can check below the seat count bifurcation for the programme:

• BHU: 20
• Faculty of Law, BHU: 72

Graduation is the minimum qualification required for DU LLM programme. Below is detailed eligibility for LLM:

• Aspirants need to complete a three or five-year LLB degree from the University of Delhi or any other Indian or Foreign University recognised as equivalent by DU with at least 50% aggregate (45% aggregate for OBC-NCL/ PwD/ CW and 40% aggregate for SC/ ST) or equivalent can apply for LLM course.
• Candidates securing the marks prescribed above or appearing in the qualifying degree examination or awaiting the results of any such examination are eligible to appear in the LLM Entrance Test but the admission will depend on their securing the minimum eligibility marks prescribed above.

The eligible candidates can visit the CLAT official website to apply. Aspirants should fill out details correctly in the application. The details mentioned in the application form are verified by the authorities. Candidates will be allotted a seat in DSNLU as per their CLAT score during counselling.

The step-wise process to apply for CLAT is as follows:

1. Registration: Visit the official website and fill out the registration form to create login credentials.
2. Login: Enter ID and password to access the application form.
3. Select Course: Choose LLM programme.
4. Fill out and submit the Application: Enter details, upload documents, and pay the application fee.

CLAT is more difficult than LSAT India because of the time constraint. Candidates have only two hours to solve 150 questions in the exam. However, the time limit to solve 92 questions in the LSAT India exam is 2 hours and 20 minutes. Thus, it is difficult for candidates to complete all questions in the CLAT exam within such a short time limit. Moreover, the CLAT question paper includes questions from Current Affairs and General Knowledge. However, the LSAT India question paper does not include questions on Current Affairs and General Knowledge. Consequently, the LSAT India is comparatively easy because of its question paper pattern.

NLSIU Bangalore LLM curriculum is a structured with a blend of core and elective courses lasting for one year. The curriculum mainly revolves around the four concentrations Public Law,  Criminal Law,  Commercial Laws, and Law and Technology. The course curriculum deepen students expertise in their preferred areas of interest and thrive in diverse fields such as academia, research, legal practice, policy making and judicial services. 

Yes, you can get NLSIU Bangalore with a cutoff rank of 140 if you belong to the General AI category. NLSIU Bangalore accepts CLAT scores for admission to various UG and PG courses. As per the NLSIU CLAT cutoff 2024, the cutoff range fell between 130 and 193, according to the first and fourth rounds. Candidates can refer to the table below to view the LLM round-wise CLAT cutoff 2024 for General and OBC categories. 

Yes, Mumbai University offers LLM course at the Postgraduate - PG level. The University offers an LLM programme for a duration of 2 years. Admission to LLM is given on the entrance examination basis. Interested students can appear for the MU LLM CET Examination, which is an online examination conducted by the university. However, candidates are required to be eligible for the programme.

Eligibility Criteria: LL.B. degree of this University or a degree recognised as equivalent thereto.

Selection Criteria: MU LLM CET Exam, Interview. 

The answer to this depends upon the qualification of candidates. To get admission to LLM course the candidates must fulfill the following eligibility criteria: 

• Candidate should have obtained a five-year of three-year LLB degree from any recognised university 
• They should have obtained a minimum of 45% marks in their law degree
• Those belonging to SC/ ST category should have obtained 40% marks to be eligible
• Candidates awaiting results for the final year LLB degree examination are also eligible to apply, however, they should be able to submit their marksheet at the time of counselling

No, an LLM degree cannot be pursued in distance mode or online mode. However, listed below are some law courses offered by NLSIU Bangalore that candidates can study in distance education mode: 

• Master of Business Law (MBL)
• Post-Graduate Diploma in Human Rights Law (PGDHRL)
• Post-Graduate Diploma in Medical Law & Ethics (PGDMLE)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Law (PGDEL)
• Post-Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights Law (PGDIPRL)
• Post Graduate Diploma in Child Rights Law (PGDCRL)
• Post-Graduate Diploma in Consumer Law & Practice (PGDCLP)
• Post-Graduate Diploma in Cyber Law & Cyber Forensics (PGDCLCF)

The LSAT India has been discontinued by LSAC.

The registrations for LSAT India 2025 will be started anytime soon in August 2025 on the official exam website of LSAT India - lsatindia.in. This year LSAT India will be conducted in two sessions, namely, LSAT India January session and LSAT India May session. The registration or application process for LSAT India 2025 January session will be made available from August 2024 to January 2025. The registration or application form LSAT India 2025 May session will remain open from August 2024 to May 2025. Candidates need to note that the LSAT India 2025 application / registration form could be only be filled out online on the website mentioned here. They cannot fill out the application form offline. The LSAT India registration fee 2025 for each session of the test was INR 3,999. 

The NLSIU Bangalore offers LLM course for the duration one year. When it comes to placements, NLU Bangalore offers decent placements annually. The placement details of the LLM batch 2024 are yet to be released on the official website. Once it is released, it will be updated here. However, the placement details of PG 1-year (LLM, PG Diploma) batch 2023 is disclosed in the NIRF report 2024. Let’s take a look at the key highlights of NLU Bangalore placements for the PG 1-year batch 2022 and 2023 in the table below:

Political Science can be considered as a pre-law course, due to it political nature that discuss about the functioning of government. It discuss about the policy making process, laws making process and its impact on society, and how both the systems interact with legal system of the government. 

These are the qualities recruiters want to see in graduates from Law:

• Recruiters want to see that you have a solid grasp of fundamental legal principles as good grades signal that you've learned how to use those knowledge and skills effectively.
• The ability to express yourself clearly, concisely, and convincingly, whether you're writing an email or arguing a case.
• You need to be able to look at a situation, break it down into smaller pieces, figure out what's important, and then build a strong case based on your analysis.