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Information on LLM Eligibility

This is important: Requirements for LLM and other law programs may vary. Always check with the law school about individual program needs.

First Professional Degree in Law by Country/Area

Many LLM CAS–participating schools require that applicants have completed, or be in the process of completing, a first professional degree in law, be licensed to practice law, or have significant experience in legal practice.

The chart below lists the credentials required to be eligible to take the bar in a specific country/area.  If either your degree or your country/area of study is not listed in the chart, please contact the law schools of interest to you to confirm eligibility.

Note that the chart includes only the first professional degree in law. You are expected to present all postsecondary education, including work completed prior to and after the law degree listed. Any omission of required education history could delay the review of your credentials and LSAC’s report to the law schools.

This is important: LSAC makes every effort to keep this chart up to date, but educational systems in a particular country/area can change, and you may be required to submit additional documents. In some countries, the names of these degrees are changing and may not match the chart.
Country/Area Degree Required
AFGHANISTAN Bachelor’s degree in law
ALBANIA Diplome e Integruar e Nivelit te Dyte ne Drejtesi OR Master i Shkencave ne e Drejte OR Diplome with titulli Jurist from prior system
ALGERIA License en Droit OR License d’etudes juridiques
ANGOLA Licenciatura em Direito
ANTIGUA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
ARGENTINA Abogado
ARMENIA Bakalarvi astichan diplom/Diploma of Bachelor in jurisprudence OR masnageti diplom/Diploma of Specialist in jurisprudence from prior system
ARUBA (former Netherlands Antilles) Master
AUSTRALIA LLB (Bachelor of Laws) or Juris Doctor (JD)
AUSTRIA Magister Iuris; Magister der Rechtswissenschaften
AZERBAIJAN Diplom bakalavr huquq
BAHAMAS LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
BAHRAIN LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
BANGLADESH LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
BARBADOS LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
BELARUS Diplom, kvalifikatsiya yurist
BELGIUM Master in de rechten/master en droit; or licenciaat/licencié from prior system
BELIZE LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
BENIN Maitrise en Droit
BERMUDA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
BOLIVIA Licenciatura en Derecho
BOSNIA and HERZEGOVINA Magistar prava or Diplomirani/a pravnik/pravnica from prior system
BOTSWANA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
BRAZIL Bacharelado em Direito
BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
BULGARIA Diploma magistur, kvalifikatsiya yurist
BURKINA FASO Maitrise
BURUNDI Diplome de Licence en Droit
CAMBODIA Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from Royal University of Law and Economics (RULE) or Pannasastra University of Cambodia
CAMEROON Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from University of Buea; Maitrise en droit from Francophone universities
CANADA Bachelor of Laws; Juris Doctor; Licentiate in Law (U. of Ottawa); Bachelor of Civil Law/Bachelor of Laws (McGill University); Bachelière en Droit (U. of Quebec) Baccalauréat en Droit (U. of Montreal)
CAYMAN ISLANDS Bachelor of Laws
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Licence en Droit
CHAD Licence en droit (4 years) from LMD system OR Maitrise en Droit from prior system
CHILE Licenciado en Derecho
CHINA Bachelor of Law (first degree); Master of Law or Juris Master for holders of a bachelor’s degree in another field
COLOMBIA Abogado
COMMONWEALTH CARRIBEAN NATIONS
(Antigua, Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, the Grenadines, Nevis, Saint Helena, Saint Kitts, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Trinidad, Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands)
LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
CONGO, Democratic Republic of the Maitrise en Droit
CONGO, Republic of the Licence en Droit
COSTA RICA Licenciatura en Derecho
COTE D’IVOIRE (IVORY COAST) Master from LMD system OR Maitrise en Droit from prior system
CROATIA magister prava or diplomirani/a pravnik/pravnica from prior system
CUBA Licenciado en Derecho
CURACAO (former Netherlands Antilles) Master
CYPRUS, Republic of Ptychio nomikis/Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
CYPRUS, Turkish Republic of Northern Lisans diplomasi/Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
CZECH REPUBLIC Magistr práv
DENMARK Candidatus Juris/kandidatgraden i jura
DJIBOUTI M1 or M2 en Droit
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Licenciado en Derecho
ECUADOR Abogado (or Doctor en Jurisprudencia if earned prior to 2005)
EGYPT Bachelor (bakalorus) of Law
EL SALVADOR Licenciado en Derecho
ERITREA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
ESTONIA Õigusteaduse bakalaureusekraad; Õigusteaduse magister
ETHIOPIA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
FIJI Bachelor of Law
FINLAND Juris Kandidaati or Oikeustieteen Maisteri
FRANCE Maitrise in law, Master 1 in law or other recognized 'Bac + 4' degree in law; or proof of passing the French bar examination based on an admissible 'Bac + 4' degree
GABON Maitrise/Master 1 in law
GAMBIA, THE Bachelor’s degree (LLB)
GEORGIA Bakalavris Diplomi or Specialistis Diplomi from prior system
GERMANY Erste Juristische Staatsprufung or Erste Prufung
GHANA LLB (Bachelor of Laws) or BA + BL (Professional Law Course Certificate)
GREECE Ptychio (university degree in law)
GRENADINES, The LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
GUADELOUPE Licence en Droit
GUATEMALA Licenciado en Derecho
GUINEA Licence en Droit
GUYANA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
HAITI Licence en Droit
HONDURAS Licenciado en Derecho
HONG KONG Bachelor of Laws OR bachelor's degree plus Juris Doctor (JD)
HUNGARY Doktori bizonyitvany, “dr. jur.”; egyetemi oklevel, jogasznak
ICELAND Candidatus Juris; Meistaraprof logfraedi
INDIA 3 year Bachelor’s + Bachelor of Laws; integrated five year Bachelor of Laws. Bachelor of Laws is considered first professional exam.
INDONESIA Sarjana Hukum
IRAN LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
IRAQ Bachelor of Law
IRELAND Law Society of Ireland Professional Practice Course I & II or FE-1 Exam, or Admission to the Roll of Solicitors, or the Barrister-at-Law degree from the Honorable Society of King’s Inns, or a four-year bachelor’s degree in law.
ISRAEL LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
ITALY Laurea in Giurisprudenza; Laurea Specialistica/Magistrale in Giurisprudenza
JAMAICA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
JAPAN LLB (Bachelor of Laws) through 2010. Starting 2011: Bachelor degree (any major) PLUS Legal Training and Research Institute diploma, OR Bachelor degree PLUS Juris Doctor
JORDAN LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
KAZAKHSTAN Diplom, kvalifikatsiya yurist; Bakalavr yurisprudentsii
KENYA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
KOREA, Democratic Republic of (North)  LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
KOREA, Republic of (South) Bachelor's degree through 2017 plus diploma from the Judicial Research and Training Institute (JRTI) OR bachelor's degree plus Juris Doctor (JD)
KOSOVO Jurist i Diplomuar-Bachelor (240 ECTS) or Bacelor i Drejtesise (180 ECTS) from prior system
KUWAIT LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
KYRGYZSTAN Diplom, kvalifikatsiya yurist; Yurisprudentsiya bakalavry
LAO PEOPLE’S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC Bachelor’s degree in law
LATVIA Jurista kvalifikaciju; Magistra diploms in jurisprudence
LEBANON Licence libanaise en droit
LESOTHO LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
LIBERIA LLB from University of Liberia, Cuttington College or African Methodist Episcopal University
LIBYA LLB (Bachelor of Laws) or Licence en Droit
LITHUANIA Magistro Diplomas in law
LUXEMBOURG Master en droit (LL.M.) or Master in Law (LL.M.) from the Universite du Luxembourg
MACAO (MACAU) Licenciatura em Direito
MACEDONIA (the former Yugoslav Republic of)  Magistar po pravo or Diplomirani/a pravnik/pravnica from prior system
MADAGASCAR Maitrise
MALAWI Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
MALAYSIA 4 year LLB (Bachelor of Laws/Hons); 3 year Bachelor of Legal Studies + 1 year Bachelor of Laws Hons. The 4 year LLB/Hons and the 3+1 Bachelor of Laws Hons are considered the first professional degrees in law in Malaysia.
MALI Maitrise en Sciences Juridiques
MALTA Master of Advocacy (starting 2016) or Doctor of Laws (LLD) from prior system
MARTINIQUE Licence en Droit
MAURITANIA Licence en Droit
MAURITIUS Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
MEXICO Licenciado en Derecho
MOLDOVA Diploma de licenta
MONGOLIA Bakalavryn Diplom (in law)
MONTENEGRO Magistar or Specijaliste pravnih nauka from ECTS system, or Diplomirani/a pravnik/pravnica from prior system
MOROCCO Master from LMD system OR Licence en Droit from prior system
MOZAMBIQUE Licenciatura em Direito
MYANMAR LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
NAMIBIA Bachelor of Laws (Honours)
NEPAL LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
NETHERLANDS Bachelor of Laws + Master in Law both from Dutch universities OR HBO Bachelor in Law + bridge program + Master in law from a Dutch institution OR Doctoraal in law (4 years) from prior system
NEVIS LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
NEW CALEDONIA Maitrise
NEW ZEALAND LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
NICARAGUA Licenciado en Derecho
NIGER Master en droit or Maitrise en droit from prior system
NIGERIA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
NORWAY Candidatus Juris; master i rettsvitenskap
OMAN Bachelor’s degree in law
PAKISTAN Bachelor’s degree in non-law field plus Bachelor of Laws OR integrated five-year Bachelor of Laws
PALESTINE (Occupied Palestinian Territory)  LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
PANAMA Licenciado en Derecho
PAPUA NEW GUINEA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
PARAGUAY Abogado
PERU Abogado
PHILIPPINES LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
POLAND Magister prawa
PORTUGAL Licenciatura em Direito
QATAR LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
REUNION Master en droit or Maitrise en droit from prior system
ROMANIA Diploma de licenta
RUSSIAN FEDERATION Diplom spetsialista or bakalavra, kvalifikatsiya Yurist
RWANDA LLB from University of Rwanda or Licence en droit from Universite nationale du Rwanda
SAINT HELENA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
SAINT KITTS LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
SAINT LUCIA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
SAINT VINCENT LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
SAUDI ARABIA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
SENEGAL Master en droit or Maitrise en droit from prior system
SERBIA Diplomirani/a pravnik/pravnica
SIERRA LEONE LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
SINGAPORE LLB (Bachelor of Laws); JD (Juris Doctor) for students who already have a bachelor’s degree in another field
SLOVAK REPUBLIC Magister
SLOVENIA Univerzitetni/a diplomirani/a pravniki/pravnica
SOMALIA Bachelor's degree in law or Laurea from prior system
SOUTH AFRICA LLB (Bachelor of Laws) or BProc (Baccalaureus Procurationis) plus graduate LLB from prior system
SPAIN Licenciado en Derecho or Grado en Derecho plus Máster Universitario de Acceso a la Abogacía (awarded after 10/31/2011); Licenciado en Derecho/Grado en Derecho (awarded on or before 10/31/2011).
SRI LANKA Bachelor of Laws (LLB); Certificate of Attorney-at-Law from Sri Lanka Law College
SUDAN LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
SWAZILAND LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
SWEDEN Candidatus Juris/Juris kandidatexamen
SWITZERLAND Lizentiat der Rechtswissenschaft/licence en droit; Master of Law/Master der Rechtswissenschaft/Maitrise universitaire en droit
SYRIA Bachelor of Law
TAIWAN LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
TAJIKISTAN Diplom spetsialista, kvalifikatsiya Yurist
TANZANIA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
THAILAND LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
TOBAGO LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
TOGO Maitrise
TRINIDAD LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
TUNISIA Master from LMD system or Maitrise en droit (4 years) from prior system
TURKEY Hukuk Lisans Diplomasi (Bachelor of Laws)
TURKMENISTAN Diploma with qualification of lawyer
TURKS and CAICOS ISLANDS LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
UGANDA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
UKRAINE Diploma magistra OR Diplom spetsialista, kvalifikatsiya yurista
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
UNITED KINGDOM LLB (Bachelor of Laws) or BA Law; or Bachelor degree in a non-law subject plus GDL/CPE
UNITED STATES JD (Juris Doctor)
URUGUAY Licenciado/Abogado
UZBEKISTAN Bakalavr diplomi, yurist
VENEZUELA Abogado
VIETNAM Bachelor of Law and title of luat su (lawyer)
YEMEN LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
ZAMBIA LLB (Bachelor of Laws)
ZIMBABWE LLB (Bachelor of Laws)