EdMIUMLLM (Masters in Law) in Germany is 1-2 year postgraduate program offered at some of the top universities in Germany. Fees for pursuing LLM in Germany range from 1,000 EUR per year to 18,000 EUR per year. Students are required to have an equivalent bachelor’s degree from a recognized university abroad or in Germany.
In this article, let us look at:
- Why Study LLM in Germany?
- Top Universities
- Admission & Eligibility
- Cost of Studying LLM in Germany
- Scholarships for LLM in Germany
- Jobs after LLM in Germany
1. Why Study LLM in Germany?
- The top three universities providing LLM in Germany are among the top 50 universities in the world as per QS Law Rankings, 2020.
- German universities charge low tuition fees as compared to the USA or UK, which makes it a prime location to pursue a master’s degree.
- DAAD and Deutschlandstipendium are the conventional scholarship providers, which awards up to half of the grants on education costs and other allowances.
- More than 300,000 students from all over the world studied in Germany last year.
- Germany is the 4th largest economy with an unemployment rate of only 3.1%.
- The average starting salary for the LLM graduates is around 124,800 EUR per year.
2. Top Universities
According to QS Law Rankings 2020, the top universities offering Masters of Law in Germany are tabulated below:
| University | QS Rankings 2020 | Courses Available | Tuition fees (Yearly in EUR) |
| Humboldt University Berlin | 37 | LLM in European Governance and Administration (1 year) | 3,600 |
| LLM in Intangible Property Rights and Media Law (1 year) | 8,800 | ||
| LLM in The International Dispute Resolution (1 year) | 9,000 | ||
| Ludwig-Maximilians- University of Munich (LMU Munich) | 43 | LLM in German Law (1 year) | NA |
| LLM in European and International Economic Law (1 year) | NA | ||
| University of Freiberg | 51-100 | LLM for Foreign Lawyers (2 years) | 2,886 |
| Goethe University Frankfurt | 51-100 | LLM in Finance (1 year) | 18,000 |
| LLM in International Finance (1 year) | 16,000 | ||
| LLM in Legal Theory (1 year) | 7,200 | ||
| LLM in Foreign Law Graduates (1 year) | NA | ||
| University of Hamburg | 51-100 | LLM in European Legal Studies and International Economic Law (2 years) | 17,500 |
| LLM in Insurance Law (2 years) | 10,700 | ||
| LLM in Foreign Lawyers (1 year) | 2,886 | ||
| Heidelberg University | 51-100 | LLM in German Law (1 year) | 1,000 |
| LLM in Corporate Restructuring (1 year) | 8,000 | ||
| LLM in International law (1 year) | 7,500 | ||
| Freie University Berlin | 51-100 | Masters of Business, Competition and Regularization law (1 year) | 9,500 |
| University of Cologne | 151-200 | LLM for Foreign Lawyers (1 year) | 2,886 |
| Masters of Business Law (1 year) | NA | ||
| LLM in Corporate Tax (1 year) | 9,800 | ||
| University of Bonn | 210-250 | LLM in German Law (1 year) | 1,000 |
| LLM in Corporate Restructuring (1 year) | 8,000 | ||
| LLM in International Law (1 year) | 7,500 |
3. Admission & Eligibility
Students looking to apply for admissions into universities in Germany must apply before the deadline, applications are available for summer and winter semesters.
Admission Requirements
- Equivalent bachelor’s degree in relevant subject with a minimum score of 60% or equivalent.
- English language proficiency requirement: IELTS- 6.5 OR TOEFL- 95+.
- German language proficiency requirement: Most of the law courses are delivered in the German language, which means you need to qualify German Proficiency tests. These include-
- DSH-2 or DSH3
- TestDaf with TON-4
- C2 Certificate from Goethe University with a minimum cut-off of B-2 level.
- 1-2 years of legal experience
- Curriculum Vitae or Resume
- Letter of Motivation
University wise cut-off for English and German Proficiency Tests
| Name of the University | TOEFL Scores | IELTS Scores | German Proficiency |
| Humboldt University Berlin | 100 | 6.5 | DSH-2 or DSH-3 |
| Ludwig-Maximilians- University of Munich (LMU Munich) | – | – | B2 level German proficiency |
| University of Freiberg | – | – | B-2 Level- DSH-2 or DSH-3 |
| Goethe University Frankfurt | 100 | 7 | – |
| University of Hamburg | 100 | 7 | – |
| Heidelberg University | – | – | DSH-2 or TestDaf |
| Freie University Berlin | 100 | 6.5 | – |
| University of Cologne | – | – | DSH-2 or DSH-3 or TestDaf with TON-4 or C 2 Certificate |
| University of Bonn | – | – | DSH-2 or TestDaf Level 4 |
Student Visa to Germany
Students intending to join German establishments for seeking their Masters in Law(LLM) need to have a student visa to Germany, which is arranged into two sections:
- Schengen Visa: Permits you to avail of a course in Germany for 90 days in particular. Visa Fee: 60 EUR
- National Visa: Permits you to remain in Germany for over 90 days, alongside this you need to have a residence permit too. VISA Fee: 75 EUR
Students from EU countries like Norway and Iceland do not need a visa to avail courses in Germany. Also, students from the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea don’t need a student visa to study in Germany, but they need an occupant grant within about 14 days of their arrival to the nation.
Documents Required for German Visa:
- Duly-filled Visa Application Form with your cover letter attached to it.
- Passport along with recent photographs.
- Letter of Motivation
- Transcripts of academic records.
- Financial Proof of bank balance of about 8,700 EUR per year to sustain yourself in Germany.
- Proof of valid health insurance.
- Proof of not having any previous criminal records.
German Student Visa Process:
The processing of German student visas takes around 20-25 days, therefore it is quite necessary that you apply for the visa 3 months before you move to Germany. The overall student visa acceptance rate is about 92%.
4. Cost of Studying LLM in Germany
Below mentioned is a detailed evaluation of the student expenses while studying in Germany that an individual has to spend during his stay in Germany and includes pre-arrival expenses as well as post-arrival expenses:
Pre-Arrival Cost
| Categories | Cost (in EUR) |
| TOEFL Fees | 136 |
| IELTS Fees | 204 |
| German Proficiency Test Fee | 100 |
| Visa Application | Schengen Visa: 60 EURNational Visa: 75 EUR |
Fees
Program fees for availing Masters in Law(LLM) in Germany costs an average amount of 8,000 EUR per year, which varies from 1,000 EUR per year in the University of Freiburg to 18,000 EUR per year in Goethe University Frankfurt depending on the course you choose to study.
Cost of Living
| Categories | Monthly Costs (in EUR) |
| Accommodation (On-Campus) | 300 |
| Accommodation( Off-Campus) | 400-420 |
| Book and Stationery | 30 |
| Food and Drink | 165 |
| Internet and telephone | 35 |
| Transportation | 82 |
| Miscellaneous | 70 |
| Total Monthly Average | 682-782 |
5. Scholarships for LLM in Germany
Mentioned below are some of the scholarships for the international students in Germany studying LLM:
| Scholarship Name | Details | Amount (in EUR) |
| The Heinrich Boll Scholarship | for international students with excellent academic records in their bachelor’s degree. | 10,966 (one time) |
| Mawista Scholarships | provided by Mawista Foundation on a merit basis to international students. | 6,000 |
| Friedrich Ebert Foundation Scholarship | offered to students from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe; selection is based on interviews conducted by the foundation. | 1,000 |
| JN TATA Endowment Scholarship | one time loan scholarship for Indian students only; selections are based on screening tests and interviews. | 12,383(one time) |
| British Council IELTS Awards | awarded to some selected students having a minimum of 6.5 in their IELTS examination. | 10,970 |
6. Jobs after LLM in Germany
Average starting salaries of some of the popular job positions after completing Masters in LLM in Germany are:
| Designation | Annual Salary after LLM in Germany (in EUR) |
| Advocate | 115,800 |
| Barrister | 101,640 |
| Candidate Attorney | 141,600 |
| Corporate Counsel | 146,400 |
| Counsel | 146,400 |
| Court Judicial Assistant | 123,600 |
| Court Liaison Specialist | 129,600 |
| Legal Advisor | 164,400 |
| Legal Officer | 101,760 |
Conclusion
Masters of Law (LLM) in Germany is a course for students who look for quick professional development in the law enforcement and legal sectors. It is necessary for the business or non-business fields . The most important part of going to Germany for Masters in Law is that you get to have various seminars held by well-known lawyers and judges, which teach you a wide practical knowledge. After doing your studies you will have to take a state exam that is given by the German Government and after that you can look for your job as a public judge or a lawyer.
