Law as a career choice is gaining prominence among students not only because it pays well, but also because the study of law helps in deepening the understanding of the way society functions and improves critical thinking along with problem-solving ability.
In a time when borders have become merely superficial and globalisation is at its peak, studying abroad is one option that appeals to many. Here is an elaborative guide on how to go about if one aspires to study law abroad.
There are multiple things to take care of, beginning from selecting the right law program, country, and university and further checking whether any scholarships are being offered. Most importantly, since each country has its laws, rules, and regulations, it becomes imperative to check whether the country/university selected has been recognized by the Bar Council of India (BCI). If the university has been recognized, then it implies that after completing the degree, the graduate can take the bar exam in India and start practising. However, if the university is not recognized then the graduate will have to take up additional law courses in India before taking the Bar examination if he/she wishes to practice as a Lawyer in India.
It is also to be noted that the regular 3-year degree in law is the only degree that holds value when it comes to the recognition of foreign universities by the BCI. Any two-year courses in law, diploma courses, or external degrees offered by these recognized foreign universities will not be allowed.
- Law Programmes offered by Foreign Universities:
1. LLB (Bachelor of Law)
It is a law program offered by most universities in the UK, Cambridge, etc. While deciding whether to take up this course, one needs to see if the law program offered covers Indian Law or not.
2. LLM (Master of Law)
This program can only be taken up once graduation/post-graduation is done. It is a specialisation in any one of the fields of law.
3. Juris Doctorate (J.D.)
Unlike India, the USA does not have any 3-year LLB program. J.D. is what is offered by the universities in the USA and the duration of the course is for 3 years.
- Scholarships that can be availed:
- GREAT Scholarship
- Commonwealth Scholarship
- The Chevening Scholarship
Apart from these, the website of the university selected by the student must also be looked at to know whether the university offers any scholarships.
- Admission Process:
Apart from the basic eligibility criteria i.e., passing marks in the qualifying test and appearing for IELTS/TOEFL, generally, foreign universities require letters of recommendation that must be written by persons who are capable of describing the student’s academic trajectory and interest areas.
- Universities recognized by BCI:
Below is a list of some of the popular law universities that offer exciting law courses and great opportunities for students to broaden their horizons. The following universities are also recognized by the Bar Council of India:
- UNITED STATES OF AMERICA:
- Cornell Law School
- University of Michigan
- Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland State University
- UNITED KINGDOM:
- London University
- Oxford University
- Cambridge University
- Kingston University
- Brunel Law School
- SINGAPORE:
- IRELAND:
- UCD Sutherland School of Law
- School of Law, University of Limerick
- CANADA:
- Saskat Chewan University
- University of Windsor
- AUSTRALIA:
- University of Melbourne
- Queensland University of Technology
- University of Monash
- UNSW Law
- University of South Australia
