which llm is best in canada?

Do you want to study law in Canada? Are you looking for the best colleges in Canada to pursue your master’s in law? Then look no further because, in this article, you’ll find the best 5 colleges for masters in law in Canada.

Every year, more and more people are choosing Canada as their study destination to pursue their masters in law. But why Canada? The reason why most people are choosing Canada as their study location isn’t difficult to see. First of all, Canada is a country of stunning natural beauty and friendly people. Institutions in Canada offer students state-of-the-art residential and educational services—major colleges and universities in Canada offer world-class law courses covering different specializations with tremendous exposure and global networking opportunities. What’s more, compared to their counterparts in the US or UK pursuing masters (LLM) in Canada is affordable.

If you have made up your mind to further your law studies in Canada then in this guide, you’ll find a list of the best 5 colleges for masters in law in Canada.

Master of law or LLM (Latin Legum Magister) is a postgraduate course (usually considered as a direct successive course to an LLB) that is made for individuals seeking expertise in a particular field of law such as International Law, Corporate Law, Criminal Law, Business Law, Environmental Law, etc.

The LLM is mostly offered as a two-year course that prepares lawyers to become courthouse lawyers or for legal practice with organisations. Just like every other law program or course, it’s a skilled-oriented program and students pursuing the course ought to have basic knowledge of the law of the land as well as various corporate nuances and legal instances.

Before you’ll be able to further your studies in law in Canada, there are a few requirements you’d have to meet. In this section, you’ll find some of the requirements that are required in order to pursue your masters in law in Canada.

Why study in Canada? What makes them a popular study location? It can’t only be the quality education, right? Of course, it isn’t just the quality education they offer. In this section, I’ll be revealing the top reasons why Canada has become and remained a popular study location for international students pursuing LLM.

When filling out the online application form for your chosen university’s portal or website, you’ll be required to attach the following documents to your application.

Now you have an understanding of what the LLM program in Canada entails, its benefits and its requirements, let’s look at the best 5 colleges for masters in law in Canada.

The University of Toronto (also known as, I UToronto or U of T) is a public research university located on the grounds that surround Queen’s Park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The University of Toronto is a collegiate university and as such, it comprises eleven colleges, each college has substantial autonomy on financial and institutional affairs and significant differences in history and character.

The University of Toronto offers more than 700 undergraduate and 200 graduate programs (of which LLM is one of them). The University of Toronto ranks #16 in the world according to the World University Rankings 2022 while ranking as the top university in Canada.

The university offers LLM programs to international students covering several topics such as Business Law, Legal Theory, Criminal Law, and many others.

McGill University (also known as McGill) is another public research university situated in Canada precisely in Montreal, Quebec. Interestingly, McGill University is one of the two members of the Association of American Universities situated outside the US; the other being the University of Toronto. In addition to that, the university is the only Canadian member of the Global University Leaders Forum (GULF) within the World Economic Forum.

McGill has the highest average entering grades of any Canadian university and offers diplomas and degrees in more than 300 fields of study. The university is also ranked among the world’s top universities by major publications around the world. Due to its strong reputation, the university is sometimes referred to as being the “Harvard of the North”.

McGill University is one of the only three English-language universities in Québec. However, law undergraduates in the school are required to be at least passively bilingual in both English and French but you don’t have to worry about that since LLMs in the university are exempted from that rule.

The University of British Columbia (also known as UBC) is a public research university with campuses in Kelowna and near Vancouver, British Columbia. The institute of learning was established in 1908 and is currently one of the universities in British Columbia.

The University of British Columbia ranks among the top three universities in Canada and has an annual research budget of $759 million, the university funds over 8,000 projects annually. What’s more? The university is home to TRIUMF. TRIUMF is Canada’s national laboratory for particle and nuclear physics—the laboratory houses the world’s largest cyclotron.

If you are interested in furthering your studies in Common Law then UBC is the place for you. In addition to offering students quality and foundational training in common, the university also helps students work through coursework requirements to practice law in the country. Asides from Common Law, the university also offers LLM in Taxation.

The University of Montreal (in French, it’s known as Université de Montréal) is a French-language public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The institution of learning comprises thirteen faculties with over sixty departments and two affiliated schools (the Polytechnique Montréal and the HEC Montréal).

The university offers over 650 undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as 71 doctoral programmes. Since the University of Montreal is a French-speaking university, its LLM courses favour French-speaking applicants more. However, the university offers LLM in Business Law for English-speaking applicants who’d love to study in the school.

Queen’s University at Kingston, popularly known or regarded as Queen’s University or in some cases Queen’s, is a public research university situated in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The institute of learning is made of eight faculties and schools.

Queen’s University is a co-educational institute with over 131,000 alumni living worldwide and 23,000 students. The university has been running the law program since 1861. Students who are studying LLM programs at this university can complete their programs between nine and twelve months. Interestingly, LLM students in the university may be opportune to complete some courses at a castle in England.

Asides from the general LLM program, Queen’s offers LLM in Political and Legal Thought for students who are interested in legal theory and legal philosophy.

This article has been published by Diganth Raj Sehgal.

Do you want to boost your employability? Do you want to have a handsome salary? Interested in specializing in a particular area of law? If your answer to all these questions is Yes then you are in the right place. One of the perfect ways to achieve all these things is to pursue LLM.

Imagine a situation where you saved up 1 Lakh rupees to invest. What is the first question that comes to your head? Do you invest it in cryptocurrency, share market, or mutual funds? Now, before deciding where to invest you need to research where to put your money to get the best returns. The best place to invest would be where you know that there will be guaranteed long-term benefits of your investment.

Likewise pursuing a Masters’s degree in law is an investment in yourself and your future. Before choosing a particular college, you need to gather all the information and analyze it, eventually picking the best option which will make you a person that possesses a plethora of skills.

Wondering where to pursue your LLM from? Confused between various countries with the best colleges? I have a suggestion in mind for you. Why not pick Canada?

Let me tell you an interesting fact. Canada is one of the countries where 3 in 4 Indian students have been approved for a study permit. Did you know that just this year, 67,000 Indian students were approved to study in Canada? There are multiple surveys showing that Canada has the best policies for international students and post-study work opportunities. This makes it one of the best countries to pursue your Masters’ degree from!

If I have your attention, then I urge you to continue reading this article till the end and find out all you need to know about top universities in Canada from where you can pursue your LLM.

At this University you can either opt for Course-based LLM or Thesis-based LLM. For the latter, not only will you have to present your thesis but also produce three major research papers.

It takes a minimum of 12 months to complete this course. The cost of doing Course-based LLM is INR 5.7 Lakhs while the cost of doing thesis-based LLM is INR 5.3 Lakhs.

The duration of this course is between 16-24 months. There are 4 semesters in every course. The cost of pursuing LLM from this University is INR 5.7 Lakhs.

Research LLM takes a minimum of 12 months for completion whereas the other three courses require completion of 36-credit hours on the basis of which their duration is calculated. The cost for pursuing Research LLM is INR 12 Lakhs whereas the other three courses cost INR 26 Lakhs.

The LLM programme is Thesis-based.

The duration of this course is 12-16 months with a cost of INR 4.5 Lakhs per year. Scholarships and travel grants are available to deserving students.

The duration for both the courses is 12 months and the fee for pursuing the same is INR 8 Lakhs.

This University offers thesis-based LLM.

The minimum duration for the completion of this course is 12 months, however, you can take as long as 5 years to complete the course. The cost of pursuing this course is INR 3 Lakhs per 2 semesters.

The University offers a full-time LLM course that includes legal theory, a graduate seminar and teaching of research methods. There are two types of LLMs offered:

The duration of the courses is 12 and 24 months respectively. Per year, the cost of the course is INR 14 lakhs.

The LLM program can be undertaken with a strong emphasis on a thesis (long or short, in combination with some coursework), or coursework-only (with a course-based writing requirement).

The thesis-intensive format allows students to elect to write a thesis of between 4 and 16 credits, written in combination with some coursework. The top courses offered are:

The duration of the course is 12 months and the cost for pursuing the same is INR 26 Lakhs.

The duration for completion of the course is 12 months and the fees is INR 5.5 Lakhs.

The University offers both Course-based and Thesis-based LLM programmes.

The University expects students pursuing Course-based LLM to complete their degree in 3 academic terms, i.e., 12 months whereas Thesis-based LLM students are expected to complete their course within 16-24 months. The cost of pursuing Course-based LLM is INR 15 Lakhs whereas the cost of pursuing Thesis-based LLM is INR 10 Lakhs.

Want to pursue your dreams but financial constraints are holding you back? Don’t worry! If you want to pursue LLM from Canada and are not wanting to spend a fortune, check out the following scholarships!

Your LLM will cost you, but I can assure you that this Bootcamp will not! You are one simple click away from registering for our 3-day free Bootcamp and taking the first step towards investing in your future.

Here, you will gather enough information that will clear any confusion you have regarding which country is best for you to pursue LLM from, which course is the best, and which is the right way for you to go about achieving your dreams.

So mark the date, LawSikho is offering a free Bootcamp on “LLM from abroad and its importance in boosting your career”, from 18th December to 20th December at 6 PM.

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Also Read: Masters in Canada

There are numerous specialisations offered by LLM in Canada by top law schools and universities at affordable course fees. To help you find the best course per your interests, we have enlisted the top 20 LLM programs in Canada:

LLM or Master of Laws is a postgraduate course and is considered directly a successive course to an LLB, increasing in the specialization which goes into specific legal domains like International Law, Business Law, Corporate Law, Environmental Law, Criminal Law and others. It is mainly offered as a two-year course, preparing students for legal practice with organisations, as well as for becoming a courthouse lawyer. Like all Law courses, it is a skill-oriented program and needs learners to have a basic knowledge of the Law of the land as well as various legal instances and corporate nuances.

How to get admission to LLM in Canada? Here are the key eligibility requirements for LLM in Canada:

The subjects for LLM courses in Canada vary across colleges depending on their curriculum and syllabus. However, here are the major subjects taught under LLM.

Studying in developed countries like Canada is generally considered expensive as compared to developing nations, especially for foreign students. However, proper money management and being aware of the best and most affordable accommodations can make a huge difference in a student’s overall expenses. Here are some major cost areas which students should pay heed to while going for an LLM in Canada:

Note: The aforementioned cost of studying in Canada is only for indicative purposes and corresponds to rough estimates and average costs. Students are advised to check the official website of the university for course fees. You can also calculate the living costs in Canada through our Cost of Living Calculator.

There are numerous law scholarships offered for LLM in Canada and are majorly university-based scholarships. Here is the complete list of LLM scholarships in Canada:

Apart from these, you can also check out the following top law universities in Canada which offer financial aid and scholarships for LLM:

The NCA (National Committee on Accreditation) is an exam one needs to pass before sitting for the Bar Examination in Canada. It is held around four times a year and covers the five major subject areas in the exam:

You can only move on to working on the provincial Bar Admissions Course once you pass this exam and then choose the Canadian province you wish to work and live in.

Canada is fast emerging as a favourite study destination amongst international students planning to pursue higher education abroad. It constantly ranks among the top countries in the world for education, as well as known for its cultural acceptance. When going for a master’s degree in Law, you must definitely consider Canada. Here are some of the major reasons why many internationals consider preferring pursuing LLM in Canada:

Related Read: Life in Canada for Indians

Check out our next section to know more about the top-ranked universities in Canada for LLM courses!

There are many world-leading universities in Canada offering globally acclaimed law degrees at various academic levels. They also have adequate resources for students to go into research and developmental work. Here is a list of the top Universities offering LLM in Canada as per the QS and THE World Universities Rankings 2020 for Law:

Completing an LLM in Canada has a very diverse career scope. As opposed to the popular opinion of lawyers being limited to the courthouse, nowadays every major organisation requires their own legal representative. Students can look for jobs in a range of industries, which includes Consultancy firms, Corporate firms, International Organisations, Law Firms and NGOs. These representatives maintain the organisation’s legal reputation and disputes. However, other than a traditional Advocacy job, students can have job profiles such as:

Here are some of the benefits of studying LLM in Canada:

The subjects you learn in your LLM course can differ based on your specialisation. Here is a list of a few of the LLM subjects you will be learning:

We have compiled a list of some of the top universities and the LLM courses that they offer  in the table below:

Graduating with an LLM from a Canadian institution provides vast opportunities for your career. Today, every major organisation needs legal representation. You can therefore look for jobs in a variety of sectors, including consultancy firms, corporate firms, global companies, law firms, and NGOs.

Using law school rankings to help you decide which LLM course to choose in Canada to apply for is a good starting point, however be careful as it can be rather complicated and challenging!

A quick online search will reveal a long list of different rankings all vying for your attention. But are they all important? And are they all useful?

To put it simply, you need to accept that you may find some Canadian law school rankings more useful than others.

Here is a list of the best ranked Canadian law schools according to University Magazine – please note, some universities in Canada use a Grade Point Average (GPA) out of 4 and others use a GPA out of 100.

Source

What Canadian law school rankings you turn to will depend on what you are looking for. Do you want to know how the Canadian law school you are considering sits within a Canadian, North American or Global context? Or do you just want to know what current and past LLM students felt about their education?

If it’s a global picture that you’re after you could try using a worldwide ranking system like QS World University Rankings by Subject will help you narrow down which law schools in Canada have an excellent global reputation. Organisations like QS World Rankings or Times Higher Education publish their results annually, so you know the information you are looking at is current.

If you are more interested in law schools in a strictly Canadian context, then try sources like University Magazine who publish the rankings produced by Academics Major each year.

Questions you need to ask yourself about Canadian law school rankings are issues like what data do they use? Some law school rankings use student questionnaires, others use information from the law school administration, and yet more use a combination of questionnaires and academic publications.

Just because a law school in Canada is highly respected doesn't mean that it is the perfect law school for you. Check what the academic staff specialise in, where have the worked before and what do they advise on or what research have they published recently? This is easily done on the law school's website, for example the McGill University’s website has plenty of useful information about its Faculty of Law.

You should also bear in mind that a higher ranked Canadian law school may demand higher tuition fees.

Again, how you choose to use the rankings depends again on what you are looking for. Do you just want to know about academic results? Are you interested in what the academic staff have published recently and what current students think of the facilities? Or are you more interested in the atmosphere of the campus? In which case there are rankings about all sorts of interesting aspects of Canadian law schools such as student satisfaction or how safe the campus is considered by students?

Alternatively, you might want to look at the current graduate employment figures six months after completing the course or view the expected salaries that graduates gain on average after five years. Once you've found a relevant ranking check to see how it was compiled, and if it was created from student questionnaires, and if so, how many students were actually contacted? A quick look through the methodology should easily tell you if the ranking is of any use to you.

Check your rankings to see if it is only a ranking of JD results, as ideally you will want to see more about the postgraduate or LLM course rankings. Does the law school promote its position in a particular ranking list, like the University of Toronto? If so, then it is probably an academically respected ranking, but have a look and see how it was compiled.

Keep an eye out for a law school that suddenly pops up high on a ranking list, especially if the list is from online student reviews as in some cases these can be tampered with by different groups leading to inaccurate results.

Check to see if the law school you're considering is only well placed in law subject area league tables, or if the wider institution also places well. If it does, then you have probably found a robust academic environment to attend, but that doesn't mean an institution with an outstanding law department only should be avoided. It's all about what is right for you.

Look at how the law school places in other non-academic areas too, perhaps in sporting events or artistic or cultural pursuits. This will give you an idea of the atmosphere of the campus and what else of value is going on.

Make a checklist of what’s important to you then research into the different law schools to choose one that reflects your interests and priorities the best. Different aspects of the law school – such as the number of journals published or the amount of student organisations that you could join may be of importance to you.

Sources: 1 & 2

In Canada, you will want to make sure that you are studying the correct type of law as the province of Quebec uses Civil Law, whereas the rest of Canada uses a Common Law system based on the British legal system and an Aboriginal Law system that governs people such as the Inuit, First Nations and Métis people. Law schools in Canada often offer courses in both systems – but it’s good to double-check.

It's a good idea to find out if the LLM course that you want to study is well respected within its field, and this is best found out by speaking with people working in the field. If you yourself are already working in the right field either in paid employment or as an intern, then this research should be easy to undertake.

Try and speak with lawyers who are where you want to be career-wise in five or ten years, and check that the LLM course you are considering seems like the right career move.

Studying An LLM In Canada

How To Become A Lawyer In Canada

• Master of laws in Legal Studies.
• Master of laws in Administrative Law Studies.
• Master of laws in National Law Studies.
• Master of laws in Economic Law Studies.
• Master of laws in Human Rights Law Studies.
• Master of laws in Jurisprudence.
• Master of laws in Dispute Resolution Studies.