Overview
The Law programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science offers the opportunity to undertake advanced legal research at one of the world's best law schools. Students in our PhD programme receive excellent training, and work under the supervision of leading scholars with strong international, comparative and interdisciplinary commitments. Our doctoral students become members of a lively academic community which is at the cutting-edge of legal scholarship and which plays a major…
role in the education of lawyers and law teachers from around the world.
Students in our PhD programme work under the supervision of two academics. We also provide specialised training for PhD students, both through our own training course and through courses run by other units of LSE, especially the Department of Methodology and the PhD Academy. PhD students are also welcome to attend any other LSE course, subject to the approval of the lecturer.
Careers
Once completed, the majority of our students undertake academic appointments, whether as lecturers or post-doctoral researchers. The remainder have received tenancies in barristers' chambers or work in law firms, or NGOs and consultancies. Over the last four years, our PhD graduates have been appointed to lectureships at universities that include London School of Economics, City, Cardiff, Durham, King's College London, Birkbeck, Liverpool, Middlesex, Queen Mary, SOAS, Southampton, University College London, Warwick and York, and outside the UK at the Graduate Institute of International Studies (Geneva), University College Dublin, Victoria University (New Zealand), Queen's University (Canada) and St Thomas University (Canada). Other graduates have been selected for post-doctoral fellowships at the London School of Economics. New York University, Humbolt University, the European University Institute and the University of Haifa.
Programme Structure
- In addition to progressing with your research, you are expected to take the listed training and transferable skills courses. You may take courses in addition to those listed, and should discuss this with your supervisor.
- At the end of your first year (full-time), you will need to satisfy certain requirements and if you meet these, you will be retroactively upgraded to PhD status.
Admission requirements
Academic requirements
- GPA Required. Your GPA, or Grade Point Average, is a number that indicates how well or how high you scored in your courses on average. Usually a GPA scales between 1.0 and 4.0, however different countries and universities can have different grading systems.
English requirements
We are not aware of any English requirements for this programme.
Other requirements
General requirements
- Our normal entry requirement is a distinction in an LLM or equivalent qualification. If you do not meet this requirement, you may still be admitted where there is strong, alternative evidence of your suitability for our PhD programme.
- On the other hand, if you do meet this requirement, you should be aware that there is no guarantee of admission. We typically receive many more applications with an LLM average of 70 per cent or over than we have places available.
- With your application you should give the title of a broad general area in which you wish to undertake research, and a detailed outline (three or four pages) of a specific topic within that field, indicating the ways in which you consider that extended scholarly research and analysis in the field will make a significant and original contribution to knowledge.
Fees and funding
Tuition Fees
Tuition fees are shown in AUD and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.
- International (Non-residents): 44,186 AUD / year (approximately 23,500 GBP / year)
- Domestic (Citizens or residents): 9,413 AUD / year (approximately 5,006 GBP / year)
Additional Details
Every graduate student is charged a fee for their programme. Visit the website for more information about the fees.
Living costs
London, United Kingdom: 2,138-4,056 AUD / month. The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.
Funding
The School recognizes that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to home and overseas students. Find out more about financial support.
Scholarships Information
Below you will find PhD's scholarship opportunities for Law.
- John J Kerr Jr Scholarship - Grant, Various benefits. Deadline 23 Apr 2027.
- Alumni and Friends of LSE Scholarship - Grant, 15400 GBP. Deadline 23 Apr 2027.
- Lee Scholarship - Grant, Various benefits. Deadline 23 Apr 2027.
- LSE PhD Studentships - Grant, 23805 GBP. Deadline 27 May 2027.
- LSE Excellence Scholarship - Grant, 20000 GBP. Deadline 23 Apr 2027.
- The John and Amy Phelan Family Foundation General Course Scholarships - Grant, Various benefits. Need-based. Deadline 30 Apr 2027.
- COLFUTURO/LSE Graduate Scholarship Programme - Grant, Various benefits. Need-based. Deadline Not specified.
- Higher Education Scholarships for Palestine (HESPAL) - Grant, Various benefits. Merit-based. Deadline Not specified.