The Master of Law in Canada enables law students, lawyers and academics from related disciplines to hone legal expertise and conduct advanced research.
By studying this course in Canada, law students will be able to articulate and defend a thesis, demonstrating proficiency with relevant scholarship and an ability to make an original research contribution to their field of study.
Master of Law or LLM is from 1 year to 2 years long. This course costs from CAD 8,000 to CAD 50,000 for international students.
Canada also offers options for postgraduate diploma courses in law, which are comparatively more affordable with lesser stringent admission requirements.
Read this blog to know everything you need about the Master of Law in Canada, from universities to fees to scholarships to scope upon graduation.
Why study for a Master of Law in Canada?
- The University for Master of Law in Canada Has excellent teaching faculty, supervision, thesis-based and course-based programs, interdisciplinarity, intellectual activities such as workshops, lecture series, seminars and roundtables, and internship opportunities for law students.
- Canada has universities like the University of Toronto, McGill University and the University of British Columbia, which fall under the top 50 best law universities in the world.
- Deserving students can get plenty of scholarships to pursue LLM in Canada
- The thesis-based Master of Law Program in Canada comes with ample financial aid options from professors.
- Even if some universities and some programs ask for GRE, GRE is not mandatory to study Master of Law in Canada.
- Master of Law in Canada is quite affordable, and the tuition fees for some universities are as low as CAD 8,000 per year for international students.
Top Universities for Master of Law in Canada
Considering factors like academic reputation, employer reputation, international student ratio, citations per faculty, faculty/ student ratio, and international faculty ratio, these are the best Law Universities in Canada to pursue a Master of Law.
Ranking in Canada | University Name | QS world university ranking | Location |
1 | University of Toronto | 20 | Toronto, Canada |
2 | McGill University | 28 | Montreal, Canada |
3 | University of British Columbia | 40 | Vancouver, Canada |
4 | University of Montreal | 101- 150 | Montreal, Canada |
5 | York University | 101- 150 | Toronto, Canada |
6 | Queen’s University at Kingston | 151- 200 | Kingston, Canada |
7 | University of Alberta | 151- 200 | Edmonton, Canada |
8 | University of Ottawa | 151- 200 | Ottawa, Canada |
9 | Western University | 151- 200 | Ontario, Canada |
10 | Dalhousie University | 251- 200 | Halifax, Canada |
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Eligibility for LLM in Canada
- Students must pass the bachelor's level in a law-related degree with a minimum of 70% in general or an equivalent grade and GPA score. Note that, depending on the university, the minimum score can be higher.
- International students from an English Non-speaking country must demonstrate English eligibility via accepted tests like TOEFL, IELTS, and PTE. The most basic score asked by some universities for the Master of Law Program is 6.5, with no band less than 6.0. Mind that most Canadian Public universities have a cut-off score of 7.0 with no band less than 6.5 and a TOEFL cut-off score of a minimum of 100.
- Some thesis-based programs, for instance, Master of Law- thesis-based courses of Western universities, also demand GRE scores from the students.
Eligibility Criteria of Canadian Universities for LLM
University of Manitoba
- LLM program: Master of Law (LLM)
- Program duration: 1 year
- IELTS/ TOEFL/ PTE Requirement: A minimum overall 6.5, / minimum of 86, 20 minimum on each skill area (internet)/ minimum overall score of 61
- Academic Requirement: Applicants must have a minimum of a Juris Doctor, Bachelor of Laws or equivalent degree in law with a first or high upper second B+
University of Victoria
- LLM program: Master of Law (LLM)
- Program duration: 1 year to 2 years
- IELTS/ TOEFL: A minimum overall 7.0, minimum 7.0 on each band/ minimum 100, 20 minimum on each skill area.
- Academic Requirement: An average of B (a minimum of 5.0/9.0 GPA) in the final two years of that law degree program. In practice, however, most successful applicants offered admission have a higher GPA of at least a B+ average (a minimum 6.0/9.0 GPA), high Upper 2nd class standing, or equivalent.
University of Alberta
- LLM program: Master of Law
- Program duration: 1 year
- IELTS/ TOEFL/ PTE Requirement: A minimum overall 7.0, minimum of 6.0 on each band/ minimum of 100, 25 minimum on each skill area (internet) or 600 (paper-based)/ minimum overall score of 68
- Academic Requirement: A minimum of 3.0 GPA for an undergraduate law degree
University of Windsor
- LLM program: Master of Law (LLM)
- Program duration: 1 year
- IELTS/ TOEFL/ PTE Requirement: A minimum of 7.0 in IELTS with no band less than 6.5/ A minimum of 100 in TOEFL and 120 in Duolingo
- Academic Requirement: Successful applicants will typically have received high academic standing in law school studies and must have a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 or a grade equivalent of at least a North American 70%.
University of Ottawa
- LLM program: Master of Laws (LLM) Concentration in International Humanitarian and Security Law
- Program duration: 1-year full time
- IELTS/ TOEFL/ PTE Requirement:
- Academic Requirement: Candidates must have completed their undergraduate law degree with an average of at least 70% (B), calculated by graduate studies guidelines.
Master of Law in Canada: Tuition Fees
Besides a non-refundable application fee (CAD 90 to CAD 120), you must pay specific tuition fees to study Master of Law in Canada. Overall, it costs from CAD 8,000 to CAD 50,000 to study Master of Law in Canada.
Master of Law Program in Canada | Annual Tuition fees in CAD per year for international students | Annual Tuition fees in CAD per year for domestic students |
University of Alberta | 9250 | 5570 |
University of Victoria | 7763. 22 | 6154.98 |
University of Manitoba | 18,285.6 | 8,311.56 |
University of Windsor | 23,000 | 10,000 |
University of Toronto | 46,995.99 | 11049.99 |
As you can also see from the table adobe, the University of Alberta and the University of Victoria are among the cheapest Law Universities in Canada.
LLM Courses in Canada
These are some of the law courses available in Canadian Universities and colleges at the graduate level.
- LLM with a concentration in Business law: University of Toronto
- LLM with a concentration in Criminal law: University of Toronto
- LLM with a concentration in Legal Theory: University of Toronto
- LLM with a concentration in Health Law, Ethics and Policy: University of Toronto
- Master of Studies in Law (MSL): University of Toronto
- Global Professional LLM: University of Toronto
- A graduate certificate in Paralegal
- MA in Criminology and Social Justice: Ryerson University
- Graduate Certificate in Crime Analytics (CAGC): Cambrian College
- Post Degree Diploma in Business Law: Douglas College
- Graduate Diploma in Immigration and Citizenship Law
- Graduate Certificate in Victim Justice and Interventions
- LLM Law: University of Saskatchewan
- Juris Doctor of Laws (J.D. )- Thompsons Rivers University
Study LLM in Canada with Scholarships
- Ontario Graduate Scholarships
- Special Merit Scholarship
- Graduate Student Award of Merit (SWAAC)
- Canada US Fulbright program
- G Clarence Elliott Fellowship
- The University of Manitoba Graduate Fellowships (UMGF)
- Mensa Canada Scholarships
Financial support in the form of teaching assistants and research assistants.
How can you apply for a Master of Law in Canada?
To apply for a Master of Law in Canada, first, make a list of admission requirements of the university of college by checking the official university website or asking the education agents you are consulting.
The second step is to prepare these documents:
- Copies of all academic transcripts, characters and provisional certificates from all post-secondary institutions in the official language of instruction, accompanied by a translation (if applicable).
- CV with chronological achievements and academic and professional history.
- 2-3 Letter of Recommendation
- Statement of Purpose/ SOP/ Statement of Motivation (should comprehend reasons to take a law degree, the very university, your plans and other information which will boost your profile)
- A valid English proficiency test result
- Application fees
- Proof of Financial support, if any
- Passport
After this, you can apply for the program by completing the form and submitting documents. Depending upon the university or college, it takes from 10 days to 3 months to receive an offer letter from the university or college.
If you wish to apply for a master of law in a Canadian University, starting the application process almost a year before the intake is wise.
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Master of Law Scope in Canada
After completing a Master of Law in Canada, aspirants can pursue law jobs in private practice, university teaching positions, civil service, and the non-profit sector.
Another option for students is a doctoral degree in philosophy or law-related courses.
These are some of the jobs you can pursue after completion of the master of law in Canada or a post-graduate certificate course in law in Canada.
Master of Law Jobs in Canada | Average Annual Salary (in CAD) |
Legal Assistant | 61,900 |
Research Assistant | 87,700 |
Associate | 114,000 |
Lawyer | 200,000 |
Investigator | 124,000 |
Lawyer cum Paralegal Instructor | 91,800 |
Associate Attorney | 150,000 |
Intellectual Property Specialist | 120,000 |
Legal Writer/ Editor | 111,000 |
Law Professor | 149,000 |
Fraud Examiner | 134,000 |