About

The European Union (EU) is one of the most significant legal, political, and economic actors in the world today, making expertise in European law an invaluable asset for lawyers, businesses, and policymakers within and beyond its borders. As the world’s largest trading bloc and partner to 80 non-Member States, the EU exerts a global influence on issues ranging from trade and international security to transnational police cooperation and human rights.

In recent years, the EU has also had to respond to an unprecedented set of challenges, including Brexit, the rule of law crisis, migration, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and the rise of artificial intelligence and related digital technologies.

Against this backdrop, the LLM in European Law at the University of Edinburgh provides an unrivalled opportunity to gain advanced knowledge of this dynamic field of law.

As a world-leading centre for the study of EU law located in a former Member State, we are uniquely positioned to critically assess the Union’s past, present, and future. Our programme exposes students to a wide array of cutting-edge perspectives, with a teaching team comprised not only of leading scholars, but also legal practitioners and policymakers.

The LLM in European Law is designed to cover the full breadth and depth of the field, with courses ranging from competition law to criminal law, and from data protection and information privacy to citizenship, immigration, and asylum. You will also have the chance to participate in the European Law Moot Court, one of the most prestigious mooting competitions in the world.

Requirements

Entry Requirements

These entry requirements are for the 2025/26 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2026/27 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2025.

A UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in law or European Studies. We may also consider a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a social science subject.

In evaluating your application for postgraduate study, greater emphasis may be placed upon results of prior learning in subjects relevant to the intended degree programme. Prior study of EU law or European institutions is desirable.

Entry to this programme is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements for consideration does not guarantee an offer of study.

Supporting your application

Relevant work experience is not required but may increase your chances of acceptance.

Relevant professional qualifications will be considered.

Preference will be given to those with grades above the minimum requirements due to strong competition for places on this programme.

Students from China

This degree is Band A.

Postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

Entry requirements by country

English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency which will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 7.0 in writing and 6.5 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 25 in writing and 23 in all other components.
C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 185 in writing and 176 in all other components.
Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
PTE Academic: total 73 with at least 73 in writing and 65 in all other components. We do not accept PTE Academic Online.
Oxford ELLT: 8 overall with at least 8 in writing and 7 in all other components.

Unless you are a national of a majority English speaking country, your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start of the month in which the programme you are applying to study begins. If you are using an IELTS, PTE Academic, TOEFL, Trinity ISE, or Oxford ELLT test, it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the programme begins, regardless of your nationality. (Revised 14 January 2025 to include Oxford ELLT.)

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

Find out more about our language requirements:

English language requirements

Career

The LLM in European Law is not only for law graduates who plan to develop a career in the field of EU law, but also for law students or practising lawyers looking to gain a competitive edge in the employment market more generally within law, business or policymaking. Many graduates develop dynamic careers working in Brussels, home of the European Commission.

Fee Information

Tuition Fee

41,016 / year(s)

European Law LLM