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LLM in International Economic Law

The LLM in International Economic Law is designed to provide you with an advanced knowledge and understanding of the international institutions, rules and principles which underpin the contemporary international economic order.

The LLM is suitable not only for students who seek to pursue a legal career in this area, but also those whose interests are intellectual or policy-oriented. The programme will provide you with a sound technical knowledge, and also equip you to think critically about the most pressing legal and policy issues arising from the globalisation of the world economy.

Students in a seminar

Why study International Economic Law?

During your studies you will be introduced to one of the most significant bodies of rules and institutions involved in constructing and shaping the contemporary international economic order, its boundaries, its relationships with other orders, and its effects.

International economic law is significant not only because it has played a central role facilitating the integration of world markets, but also because it is part of what determines how the gains, risks and losses from integration are distributed, from economic profit to environmental degradation.

International economic law helps to bring developing countries into the global economy – and also to set the terms on which they compete with more established economies. You will learn about why this body of law attracts such strength of both praise and criticism, and why controversies around globalisation, trade, investment and development seem right now to fill the daily newspapers.

Professionally, a sound knowledge of international economic law is increasingly valued by law firms, looking for those with the expertise to provide both technical and strategic advice to international clients with export-oriented businesses, or businesses in more than one country. Those who choose to practice in the specialised areas of trade and investment law will find them both vibrant, interesting and rewarding fields.

Beyond, expertise in the international rules governing the global economy is also valued in careers in the private sector and policy making, at the national and international levels. , where an understanding of international economic law is central to developing effective responses to contemporary business and public challenges

This programme is designed to provide graduates with a range of employment opportunities including:

  • legal practice
  • government legal service
  • legal advisor to non-governmental organisations and private companies
  • international civil servants
  • specialised researchers in academic and think-tank institutions
  • independent consultants

Three pillars: trade, investment and development

The wide range of courses available will enable you to tailor the programme to your areas of professional and personal interest. You will take foundational courses in at least two of the three pillars: international trade law; international investment law, and international development. You will also have the opportunity to select additional subjects from a range of other specialised courses, varying from year to year, and covering topics such as:

  • law and sustainable development
  • international monetary and financial law
  • theoretical aspects of global economic governance
  • investment arbitration procedure
  • international dispute settlement
  • advanced aspects of both trade and investment law.

You will also be able to choose from the specialised courses in others areas of public international law as part of your LLM in International Economic Law.

Across these courses, the goal is to provide you with both a theoretical and practical understanding of the core branches of international economic law, including their underpinning institutional and policy frameworks, as well as a deep knowledge of the contemporary challenges facing this dynamic field. You will develop the critical skills required for independent analysis of international economic legal and policy issues, and of its interactions with other areas of international law. You will also acquire the academic skills required to analyse the activities of international governmental and non-governmental organisations and private actors in the field of international economic law.

Caroline, LLM in International Economic Law, 2019
The LLM was not only an academically thought-provoking course, but was contemporary and relevant. There was never a dull moment. I credit it for giving me a competitive advantage in my career, and for inspiring me to explore issues of International Law I didn't know about before.
Caroline
LLM in International Economic Law, 2019

Edinburgh Law School is Scotland’s leading legal research institution, and is host to a large, vibrant and research-active community in international law. We take a research-led approach to teaching and academic staff teaching on our programmes are all experts in their field and involved in cutting-edge research.

Find out more about our research in international law

 

The established Edinburgh Centre for International and Global Law hosts workshops, conferences, and guest speakers, throughout the year. Students are actively encouraged to attend these events, and to take advantage of the many opportunities for engagement with leading professionals and intellectuals that they provide.

A number of the courses on the programme also provide opportunities for interaction with outside experts as guest seminar leaders, which in the past have included a number from the World Trade Organization, the European Commission, investment arbitrators, international law firms and global universities.

Visit the Edinburgh Centre for International and Global Law website

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in International Economic Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

This programme can be taken full-time over one year, or part-time over two years subject to visa restrictions.  It offers a wide range of subjects on economic law and commercial law with an international perspective, enabling you to tailor the LLM to meet your specific interests.

The programme consists of 180 credits, comprising taught courses worth 120 credits (60 credits per semester) and a 10,000 word dissertation worth 60 credits. Full programme details for the 2023-24 academic year are available on the University Degree Programme Tables website.

View 2023-24 programme information for the LLM in International Economic Law

Courses listed below are scheduled for the 2023-24 academic year.

Depending on demand, space on specific courses may be limited.

You must take these courses:

  • WTO Law 1 (20 credits)

    The aim of the course is to provide students with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the multilateral trading system. The course will cover the institutional and the substantive law of the World Trade Organization (WTO), which since its establishment in 1995 has played a central role in, among other things, promoting the two underlying principles of non-discrimination and trade liberalisation. After analysing theoretical and practical arguments for and against free trade and the role of institutions in international trade, the course will then focus on the institutional structure and decision-making process of the WTO, including its unique system of the settlement of trade disputes. Students will then explore the key legal disciplines relating to international trade in goods (GATT) and services (GATS), particularly the principle of non-discrimination and market-access rules. In addition, the course will address the central issue of technical barriers to trade.

  • International Investment Law (20 credits)

    This course will give an introduction to the major themes and issues of international investment law. The focus of study is the rules contained in the network of more than 3000 bilateral and multilateral treaties on investment protection, as well as the growing number of decisions by arbitral tribunals in this field. Students will analyse the substantive principles of investment law, such as most-favoured nation treatment, fair and equitable treatment, and the rules relating to expropriation. They will also study mechanisms for dispute settlement in the context of investment disputes, particularly investor-state arbitration. Throughout the course, students will consider the extent to which international investment law draws an appropriate balance between investment protection on the one hand and the ability of states to regulate on key public policy issues on the other hand. Students will also look at the challenges of developing a coherent regime of investment rules.

You must select between 20 and 40 credits from the following courses:

  • Advanced Issues in International Economic Law (20 credits)
    This course is tailored for students who seek to acquire a thorough knowledge and critical understanding of contemporary issues in international trade and investment law. Each year, the lecturers will pick a range of topics from contemporary issues that have received heightened attention in the scholarship, the practice and the agenda of policy-makers. Because this course builds on previous knowledge, it will not cover the basic elements of WTO and international investment law. It will instead centre upon pending cases, reform proposals, sensitive policy matters and unresolved legal issues.
  • Law and Development (20 credits)

    What, if anything, is development, and what role does law play in its theories and practices?

    To answer these questions, the course will consider the history and evolution of some of the major economic theories of development; their translation into diverse political and social policies; and the traces and legacies they have left behind in today¿s development thinking. It will also consider the ideas about law embedded in these theories and the way they have been put into practice. In particular, the course will explore the role of law and institutions in the creation of markets and the allocation of capital and power.

You must select between 20 and 60 credits from the following courses:

  • Fundamental Issues in International Law (full-year course, 40 credits)

    This is a course aimed at introducing students to fundamental debates about the nature of international law and the international legal order today, and its relationship to states, markets, conflict, justice and human rights. The course is historical, conceptual, theoretical and legal. It introduces students to key ideas and arguments about where the international legal order is coming from and where it is going, what its building blocks are, and how those components are changing. A theme uniting the course is the extent to which the international legal order is shifting from a classical jus inter gentes to something else: a law of global governance, a global administrative law, a law of rights and regulation, or some combination.

  • The Law of International Trade (20 credits)

    This course examines the legal aspects of international trade in a broad context. The legal framework of the course is English law as well as the relevant international conventions and standard terms. The course examines international sale of goods which are transported by ship/road/air with emphasis on sea transport. It investigates the trade terms used in international sale contracts (in the context of English common law and Incoterms in particular) and analyses the resulting obligations of the parties regarding payment methods (with emphasis on letters of credit and bills of exchange), transportation of the goods (focusing on bills of lading and waybills) and marine cargo insurance in the manner in which these relate to one another. Due to the international nature of each of these transactions the relevant aspects of international private law and dispute resolution are examined.

  • EU External Economic Relations Law (20 credits)

    The objective of the course is to provide students with a thorough knowledge of the legal and institutional framework governing the external economic relations of the European Union (EU), an area of EU law that has increasingly captured scholarly attention over the past two decades. Students will also gain a critical understanding of the growing and complex role of the EU as an actor in global economic affairs, including through the analysis of specific policy measures.
    The course is broadly divided into two parts. The first group of seminars will address the constitutional foundations of the EU as an actor in international economic relations, examining both the EU treaties and the relevant case law of the European Court of Justice. The topics that will be covered include: the EU as an international actor with attributed powers; the EU and its Member States on the international scene; and the legal status and effect of international agreements in the EU’s legal order. The second group of seminars will instead look at the legal framework and instruments of the EU external economic policies, starting with the common commercial policy as the oldest and most developed EU external policy, followed by the EU development and economic cooperation policies as well as the external dimension of other EU economic policies (e.g. the economic and monetary union). Students will also explore how the EU’s external economic policies interact with, and are used to promote the objectives of other EU policies (such as the common foreign and security policy or environmental policy).

  • International Investment Arbitration: Theory and Practice (20 credits)
    This module is tailored for students seeking to further develop their knowledge of international investment law, and improve both their written and oral advocacy skills in investment arbitration. In so doing, students will have the opportunity to substantiate the most important stages of investor-state arbitration proceedings and present written and oral submissions. This practical component of the course will be accompanied by further theoretical analysis of the legitimacy of the investment arbitration regime.
  • International Political Economy (20 credits)
    This option introduces the main schools of thinking about International Political Economy by focusing upon the patterns of evolution in the global political economy since the Second World War. The course considers the main theoretical approaches to understanding IPE, before considering the subject areas of trade, transnational corporations, international finance, development, globalisation and regionalisation. It is designed for students with no prior experience of the subject or of economics.
  • WTO Law 2 (20 credits)

    This course will focus on more specialised - but highly significant - issues of WTO law such as subsidies, trade remedies and anti-dumping. It will also cover the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) and the principle of special and differential treatment of developing countries. In addition, however, there is a much greater emphasis in this course (as compared to WTO Law 1) on addressing cross-cutting and contemporary issues of contemporary trade governance.
    Students must also take WTO Law 1.

You will have the option to take between 0 and 40 credits of courses from different subject areas offered by the Law School, depending on availability and with the express permission of the Programme Director. Depending on demand, space on courses outside the core courses may be limited.

Full programme details, including core and optional courses is available on the University Degree Programme Tables website.

View 2023-24 programme information for the LLM in International Economic Law

 

Having successfully completed 120 credit points of courses within the LLM, you will be ready to move onto a single piece of independent and in-depth research. The 10,000 word dissertation allows you to focus on a preferred topic from within the field of international economic law, normally based on a subject you have studied in one of your courses during the programme.

You will be assigned an academic dissertation supervisor who will provide you with support and guidance while you prepare and write your dissertation.

The dissertation is a challenging but rewarding endeavour, asking you to demonstrate a comprehensive grasp of the relevant literature and an ability to engage critically with a range of sources, drawing on the skills and knowledge you have developed during the course of the programme. Students are encouraged to show originality and evidence of independent thinking, whether in terms of the material used, or the manner in which it is presented.

The dissertation is written in the summer months (April to August) after the taught courses are successfully completed.

Please note that due to unforeseen circumstances or lack of demand for particular courses, we may not be able to run all courses as advertised come the start of the academic year.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in International Economic Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Staff teaching on the core courses of the LLM in International Economic Law for 2023-24 are experts in their field and are actively involved in cutting-edge research in the fields of international and economic law.

Dr Ana Maria Daza Vargas - Programme Director 2023-24

Dr Ana María Daza Vargas joined the Law School as a teaching fellow in 2013. Ana María’s research interests cover International Investment Law, International Law, Water Law and Water Management, WTO Law and Economic Regulation.Ana María has been and continuous to be an independent consultant for AACNI International Law Firm. She is also the editor of the online newsletter Arbitration Watch.

Find out more

Dr Filippo Fontanelli joined the Law School in 2015. Before joining the School he lectured law at the School of Law of the University of Surrey (2012-2014), where he taught public international law, law of the World Trade Organisation, EU law I and II, international law of foreign investment protection and international law of human rights protection.

He is a member of the Centre for Judicial Cooperation of the European University Institute of Fiesole (Italy) and routinely provides training sessions to judges and practitioners on matters of EU law and human rights protection in Europe.  He is also admitted to the bar in Italy (Rome).

Find out more

Dr Simone Lamont-Black (née Schnitzer) qualified as civil lawyer in Germany where she practised law as Rechtsanwältin for several years.  She specialises and researches in the (private) law of international trade and carriage of goods and has a keen interest in international commercial dispute resolution. Simone also established the Edinburgh Willem Vis Moot Team and the annual Edinburgh Willem Vis Pre-Moot.

Simone is on sabbatical in semester 1 of the 2022-23 academic year.

Find out more 

Prof Andrew Lang joined the University of Edinburgh in 2017 as Chair in Public International Law and Global Governance. He was formerly Professor of Law at the London School of Economics, where he taught from 2006-2017.

His current research thematically focusses on a number of themes around global economic governance, including the relationship between law and expert knowledge, theoretical international law and economics, and sociological approaches to the study of international economic law. He is co-authoring a commentary on the WTO’s Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, and has ongoing projects relating to the treatment of subsidies in WTO law, the WTO implications of Brexit, and the SPS agreement.

Find out more

Deval joined Edinburgh Law School in 2020 as Lecturer in International Economic Law. He previously held research positions at Harvard Law School and the Graduate Institute, Geneva; and taught on international law and development at the Graduate Institute, Harvard, Manchester, SOAS, and Universidad de los Andes. Deval also has a decade of experience working for the World Bank on rule of law and governance in Nigeria, Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Uganda; as well as advising the UN on rule of law issues. Trained in history and French literature (M.A., Oxford), and law and social theory (LL.M. and S.J.D., Harvard Law School), he is a member of the Bar of England and Wales.

His current research spans law and development, expertise, (de)colonial patterns of knowledge and authority, and theories of the state in the Global South. His ongoing projects focus on the administrative structures of social welfare provision in the South; the effects of decentralization on mining governance in the South; the nature and function of legal expertise in development projects; and the politics of social scientific comparative methods as they are applied in Southern contexts.

Find out more

The staff teaching on this programme are subject to change for 2023-24. Staff listed as on sabbatical will not be available to teach for the duration of their sabbatical.

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in International Economic Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Find out what it's like to study for an LLM in International Economic Law at Edinburgh Law School from our current and former students.

Maxron, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

"My time at Edinburgh Law School was enriching. I attended Edinburgh to broaden my understanding of international economic law. When I decided to pursue an LLM, I embarked on a thorough search for the right law school. Edinburgh stood out for several reasons. Of course, its reputation for academic excellence made it an attractive choice. However, the LLM the Law School offered had a comprehensive curriculum that allowed me to explore various aspects of international economic law.

LLM in International Economic Law Graduate, Maxron, 2023

The variety of courses available and the expertise of the academic staff made it clear that this was the ideal place for me to learn and grow as an international lawyer.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated academic staff. Their classes did not only provide me with the solid foundation in international legal principles but also encouraged critical thinking and lively classroom discussion with colleagues on current international economic issues.

Living in Edinburgh was an absolute joy. The city is steeped in history and offers a unique blend of tradition and modernity. The stunning architecture, beautiful green spaces, and a vibrant art and culture scene made it an ideal place for study and exploration."

Rebecca, from the United States of America, studied for an LLM in International Economic Law in the 2022/23 academic year, graduating in 2023. In this video she talks about her experience of studying for an LLM at Edinburgh Law School, life in Edinburgh and her plans for the future.

Evelyn, from Malaysia, studied for an LLM in International Economic Law in the 2019/20 academic year, graduating in 2020. In this video she talks about her experience of studying for an LLM at Edinburgh Law School, life in Edinburgh, completing her studies during the Covid-19 pandemic and her plans for the future.

Caroline, a student from Australia, talks about her reasons for studying for an LLM in International Economic Law and her experiences of studying for an LLM at Edinburgh Law School.

Ara Lee studied the LLM in International Economic Law in the academic year 2019-20, graduating in 2020.

When I was in Japan as an exchange student, I was fascinated by a course called International Economic Law. However, unfortunately, I got a job in a completely different field for a living after graduating from university. One day, I decided that if I did not take the step to study what I have a keen interest in, I would live to regret it. Therefore, I quit my job and decided to go back to study.

LLM in International Economic Law Graduate, Ara Lee, 2020

This outstanding LLM programme specialising in International Economic Law caught my eye among numerous programmes and it brought me to the University of Edinburgh. It was no easy option for me but I learned tremendous things in my area of study from fantastic academic staff.

The courses in this programme address not only fundamentals but also contemporary issues in this field such as Advanced Issues in International Economic Law. Moreover, certain courses provide practical applications including International Investment Arbitration: Theory and Practice.

Throughout my whole Edinburgh life, I have felt the full support from academic staff, especially my personal tutor and supervisor. Under the supervision of the faculty, I have developed considerable abilities to conduct research independently and tackle International Economic Law issues.

Apart from the programme itself, students can get involved in extracurricular activities via various events, fairs, or societies. I participated in a team preparing for the WTO Moot Court held by the European Law Students' Association. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, literally.

I hope you also enjoy this marvellous opportunity, both personally and professionally.

Kaoru, a student from Japan, studied the LLM in International Economic Law in the 2018-19 academic year, graduating in 2019. In this video he talks about his experience of studying for an LLM at Edinburgh Law School and his time in Edinburgh.

Ekin, a student from Turkey, studied the LLM in International Economic Law at Edinburgh Law School and graduated in 2019. In this video she talks about her experience on the programme and life in Edinburgh.

Yining, a student from China, talks about her experience of studying the LLM in International Economic Law at Edinburgh Law School.

Prior to the LLM program I successfully achieved a Bachelor in Law degree at Saint-Louis University Brussels as well as a two-year Master in Law degree at the KU Leuven.

As I wished to further specialise in international economic law, WTO and EU trade law in particular, I decided to pursue an LLM degree in this field. As a top-class university in Europe, Edinburgh was amongst the institutions topping my list.

LLM in International Economic Law Graduate, Arnaud, 2019

Overall the programme was of a satisfying level. Some courses I enjoyed more than others, as is to be expected. Without a doubt, the two courses taught by Professor Andrew Lang were my favourites. Not only were those courses (WTO law and Advanced issues in international economic law) those I most wanted to attend given my wish to specialise in that area of law, but also Professor Lang's combination of passion for the topics taught and his very high-level understanding of the law and capacity to question it, made the courses enjoyable with the added-value I was expecting from LLM courses.

As far as the others courses are concerned, I enjoyed them a little less given I had less of a peak-interest in them. That being said, in all courses I enjoyed the challenge of the written assessments.

Edinburgh has a lot to offer. This hold true for more cultural and historical aspects with many museums and historical buildings, as well as for more social sides with plenty of pubs and clubs (though they close quite early). Besides the lovely historical side of the city that I much enjoyed going for a walk in, nature and the magnificent Highlands are just a bit outside the city. Scotland's nature is truly breath-taking and definitely one of the many more enjoyable sides of it (especially if enjoyed with a rare ray of sunshine).

I would certainly recommend the programme. As with any other institution, it is not perfect but there is a noticeable commitment to continue to improve. Plus, the building is awesome.

Importantly for me, my choice was not primarily based on academic aspects. Edinburgh Law School stands its ground amongst the top Law Schools in Europe, so I made my decision to come to Edinburgh on those elements surrounding the law school and the program and that made a difference with other law schools. And in this regard, the commitment from the Law School as well as the city itself and nature around it did play an important part.

At the moment I am undertaking an internship in International Trade Law at an international law firm in Brussels, thus continuing on the path of my LLM where I focused on this area of law. Next up is most probably taking the Bar in Brussels. And then, we will see what comes next.

"I really enjoyed being a student on the LLM in International Economic Law as it provided an amazing learning experience during the full year of study.

In addition to practical cases in daily class exercises, leading tutors and special guests in this field imparted knowledge and guided us in humorous and informative approaches which not only taught you how to learn "law on books" but also how to think critically in legal practice.

Haosen Tang, LLM in International Economic Law, 2017
Haosen Tang, LLM in International Economic Law, 2017
Although it was a bit difficult at the beginning of the groups for seminars in two compulsory courses, you will find yourself improving your skills and knowledge, which for sure, is vital and necessary to arm yourself with competitive power in job hunting in the long run."

Contact us

If you have any questions about the LLM in International Economic Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk

Please note that the information provided is for entry in the 2024-25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. 

This programme can be taken full-time over one year, or part-time over two years subject to visa restrictions. 

Due to high demand, the school operates a number of selection deadlines. We will make a small number of offers to the most outstanding candidates on an ongoing basis, but hold the majority of applications until the next published selection deadline when we will offer a proportion of the places available to applicants selected through a competitive process.

We recommend that you apply as early as possible. This is particularly important for applicants who may need to allow sufficient time to take an English language test, for overseas students who may need time to satisfy necessary visa requirements and/or to apply for University accommodation.

Apply now

We require a minimum 2:1 honours degree from a UK university, or its international equivalent, in law. We may also consider a UK 2:1 honours degree, or its international equivalent, in a social science subject. Entry to this programme is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements for consideration does not guarantee an offer of study.

Supporting your application

  • Relevant work experience is not required but may increase your chances of acceptance.
  • Relevant professional qualifications will be considered.
  • Preference will be given to those with grades above the minimum requirements due to strong competition for places on this programme.

International qualifications

You can check whether your degree qualification is equivalent to the minimum standard before applying.

Check your degree

Students from China

This degree is Band A.

Find out more about our postgraduate entry requirements for students from China

Postgraduate study in the field of law requires a thorough, complex and demanding knowledge of English, so we ask that the communication skills of all students are at the same minimum standard.

You must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies, regardless of your nationality or country of residence.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

  • IELTS Academic and IELTS Academic Online: total 7.0 (at least 7.0 in the writing component and 6.5 in each other module)
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Special Home Edition): total 100 (at least 25 in writing and 23 in each other module)
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 (at least 185 in writing and 176 in in all other components)
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components
  • PTE Academic: 70 overall with at least 70 in the writing component and 62 in each other component.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS, TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE, in which case it must be no more than two years old on the first of the month in which the degree begins.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, that was taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country as defined by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). The UK Government's website provides a list of majority English speaking countries.

View the UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or equivalent, that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries.

Approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old at the beginning of your programme of study.

View approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries

Your application may not be successful if you do not currently satisfy any of these requirements; alternatively, you may be offered a place conditional on your reaching the satisfactory standard by the time you start the degree.

Find out more about the University's English language requirements

Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes

We also accept satisfactory completion of our English for Academic Purposes programme as meeting our English language requirements. You must complete the programme no more than two years and one month before the start date of the degree you are applying to study.

Find out more about the University's Pre-sessional English for Academic Purposes

English language support

The University runs a series of programmes for English Language Education, including a pre-sessional English Language Programme intended to strengthen your English Language skills before you start your programme of study.

Find out more about English language support offered by the University

Deadlines for applicants applying to study the LLM in International Economic Law in 2024-25 are provided in the table below.

Round Application deadline Decisions by
1 13 November 2023 14 December 2023
2 04 January 2024 20 February 2024
3 04 March 2024 29 April 2024
4 01 May 2024 25 June 2024
5 21 June 2024 17 July 2024

We monitor application numbers carefully to ensure we are able to accommodate all those who receive offers. It may therefore be necessary to close a programme earlier than the published deadline and if this is the case we will place a four-week warning notice on the relevant programme page.

Please note that the deadline for meeting the conditions of an offer is 18 August 2024.

If you receive an offer of admission, either unconditional or conditional, you will be asked to pay a tuition fee deposit of £1,500 (within 28 days of receiving your offer) to secure your place on the programme.

Find out more about tuition fee deposits

Applications are made online via the University Application Service, EUCLID.

Please follow the instructions carefully and make sure that you have included the following documentation with your application:

  • You will need to submit a personal statement of around 500 words, outlining your academic history and relevant experience. Guidance on writing your personal statement.
  • Degree certificates showing award of degree
  • Previous academic transcripts for all past degree programmes (please upload the full transcript showing results from all years of study)
  • A reference in support of your application. The reference should be academic and dated no earlier than one year from the start of study on the LLM programme
  • Evidence of English language proficiency, if required

If you are currently studying for your degree or you are not in a possession of an English test result you may still apply to the programme. Please note that it is your responsibility to submit the necessary documents.

Please be aware that applications must be submitted and complete, i.e. all required documents uploaded, by the relevant application deadline in order to be considered in that round. Your application will still be considered if you have not yet met the English language requirement for the programme.

View full detailed application guidance

Students at this University must not undertake any other concurrent credit bearing studies in this (or in any other) institution, unless the College has granted permission. The College must be satisfied that any additional credit-bearing studies will not restrict the student’s ability to complete their existing programme of study. Students will not be permitted to undertake concurrent degree programmes in any circumstances.

If you are studying at this or another institution just prior to the start of your postgraduate studies you must have finished these studies before the start of the programme to which you have an offer.

After your application has been submitted you will be able to track its progress through the University's applicant hub.

Application processing times will vary, however the admissions team will endeavour to process your application within four to six weeks of submission. Please note that missing documentation will delay the application process.

You will be informed as soon as possible of the decision taken. Three outcomes are possible:

  • You may be offered a place unconditionally
  • You may be offered a conditional place, which means that you must fulfil certain conditions that will be specified in the offer letter. Where a conditional offer is made, it is your responsibility to inform the College Postgraduate Office when you have fulfilled the requirements set out. 
    Please note that the deadline for meeting the conditions of an offer is 18 August 2024.
  • Your application may be unsuccessful. If your application has not been successful, you can request feedback from us or refer to our guidance for unsuccessful applicants, which explains some of the common reasons we why we reach this decision.
    View the University's guidance for unsuccessful applicants

Deferring your offer

We do not normally offer deferrals, however, we may be able to make a very limited number of offers for deferred entry in exceptional circumstances.

View full guidance on deferral requests

The University’s terms and conditions form part of your contract with the University, and you should read them, and our data protection policy, carefully before applying.

University of Edinburgh admissions terms and conditions

Apply now

Contact us

If you have any questions about applying to the LLM in International Economic Law please don't hesitate to contact us.

pg.law.enquiries@ed.ac.uk