Program Overview

Introduction to the Law PhD/LLM (Research) Program

The Law PhD/LLM (Research) program is supervised by experts from across all areas of law, catering to top-calibre international research students. The program offers two tracks: a PhD, which can be completed in 3 years full-time or 5 years part-time, requiring a thesis of up to 100,000 words; and an LLM (Research), which can be completed in 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, requiring a thesis of 30,000 words.

Overview of the School of Law

The School of Law is one of the leading centers for legal research in the United Kingdom and internationally. The academic staff are renowned for their expertise and ground-breaking research across all areas of law. Over 87% of the published research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent by the UK's funding councils in the Research Assessment Framework (REF) 2021.

Research Themes

The School of Law offers research opportunities in the following areas:

• Competition law
• Corporate and financial law
• Criminal law & criminal justice
• Empirical and socio-legal studies
• Family law
• Intellectual property
• International law
• International private law
• Just transitions
• Labour law
• Legal theory
• Private law
• Public law

Student Experience

The program offers a rich student experience, with students having the opportunity to work with renowned academics and contribute to the vibrant research community.

Entry Requirements

To be eligible for the PhD program, applicants must have:

• An undergraduate degree with at least a 2:1 result (or international equivalent)
• A good Masters degree (normally, at least with merit or equivalent) Alternatively, applicants without a Masters degree can be considered for admission to the PhD program if they achieved a first-class honours result (or international equivalent) at the undergraduate level. Applicants to the PhD program must also submit:
  • A research proposal
  • A CV
  • References
  • A sample piece of written work For the LLM by Research, applicants generally require a good 2.1 degree or equivalent. Students must also submit:
  • A research proposal
  • A CV
  • References

English Language Requirements

For applicants from non-English speaking countries, the University sets a minimum English Language proficiency level. The accepted English language tests are:

• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic and Academic Online: 7.0 overall with no subtest less than 6.5
• IELTS One Skill Retake: Accepted
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of the start date
• Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test
• Common equivalent English language qualifications accepted for entry to this program include:
  • TOEFL (ibt, my best or at home): 96 overall with Reading 23; Listening 23; Speaking 23; Writing 24
  • Pearsons PTE Academic: 66 overall with no subtest less than Reading 60; Listening 59; Speaking 59; Writing 74
  • Cambridge Proficiency in English (CPE) and Cambridge Advanced English (CAE): 185 overall, no subtest less than 176
  • Oxford English Test: 8 overall with Reading and Listening no less than 7 and Writing and Speaking no less than 8
  • LanguageCert Academic SELT: 75 overall with two subtests at 75 and no subtest less than 70
  • Password Skills Plus: 7.0 overall with no subtest less than 6.5
  • Trinity College Tests Integrated Skills in English II & III & IV: ISEIII Pass with Pass in all sub-tests
• Tests must have been taken within 2 years 5 months of the start date
• Applicants must meet the overall and subtest requirements using a single test Alternatives to English Language qualification include:
  • Degree from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English): students must have studied for a minimum of 2 years at Undergraduate level, or 9 months at Master's level, and must have completed their degree in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years
  • Undergraduate 2+2 degrees from majority-English speaking country (as defined by the UKVI including Canada if taught in English): students must have completed their final two years study in that majority-English speaking country within the last 6 years

Fees and Funding

The fees for the 2026/27 academic year are:

• UK: To be confirmed (the 2025/26 fee was ｣5,006)
• International & EU: ｣27,720 Fees are based on the annual fee for full-time study. Tuition fees for part-time study will be charged at half the full-time annual fee. Irish nationals who are living in the Common Travel Area of the UK, EU nationals with settled or pre-settled status, and Internationals with Indefinite Leave to remain status can also qualify for home fee status. A 20% discount is offered to the University's alumni on all Postgraduate Research and full Postgraduate Taught Masters programs. Possible additional fees include:
  • Re-submission by a research student: ｣540
  • Submission for a higher degree by published work: ｣1,355
  • Submission of thesis after deadline lapsed: ｣350
  • Submission by staff in receipt of staff scholarship: ｣790 Depending on the nature of the research project, some students will be expected to pay a bench fee (also known as research support costs) to cover additional costs.

Support and Resources

The College of Social Sciences Graduate School draws together internationally recognized scholars and respected practitioners to offer a range of research programs. The programs are based on thorough training in research methods, and students are encouraged to take part in numerous exciting seminars, conferences, and events. The University offers modern library, IT services, and a wide range of support services. The Graduate School Researcher Development Programme will support students to plan their professional development over the course of their PhD and ensure their employability.

Application Deadlines

The School of Law considers applications to the PhD and LLM by Research programs at three different rounds every year, with deadlines in the Autumn, Winter, and Spring. The deadlines are:

• Autumn Application Deadline: 31 October 2025 at 17:00
• Winter Application Deadline: 30 January 2026 at 17:00
• Spring Application Deadline: 11 May 2026 at 17:00 Successful applicants will normally begin their postgraduate studies in October.