Master of Laws (LLM)
The LLM programme is dynamic in meeting the society and the world’s needs. It provides students with the opportunities to learn the professional skills and legal knowledge necessary to serve the needs of modern society. The programme design allows students to choose stream focus and tailor their course selection for their own career goals. The streams that CityU School of Law offers include International Economic Law Stream, Corporate and Financial Law Stream, Intellectual Property and Technology Law Stream, Common Law Stream, Chinese and Comparative Law Stream, and General Stream.
APPLY NOWGraduate legal education forms a crucial pillar of our Law School here at City University of Hong Kong. Every year, we welcome a global cohort of students, drawn to the opportunity to gain an Asian perspective on law while immersing themselves in the vibrancy of Hong Kong, one of the world's most dynamic and cosmopolitan cities. I earnestly invite you to consider joining us for a rewarding year of master's study at CityU Law.
Prof He Tianxiang
LLM Programme Director
Programme brochure | |
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Streams |
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Joint master's programme and co-operation with overseas universities |
CityU School of Law operates collaborative programmes with Aix-Marseille University, University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne and Université de Fribourg. Selected students will study at these partner universities and obtain one postgraduate degree from CityU and one from the partner university, where the designated study-loads at the institutions are successfully discharged. Aix-Marseille University (AMU) |
LLM Chinese judges | CityU School of Law also collaborates with the National Judges College and the Supreme People’s Court of the PRC to provide advanced legal education to Chinese judges. A number of Chinese judges are selected to study in the LLM programme at CityU. |
Medium of instruction | English |
Mode of programme | The programme can normally be completed in 1 year for full-time study mode and 2 years for part-time study mode. The maximum study period for full-time students is 2.5 years and 5 years for part-time students. Classes are held during daytime. Classes may be offered in weekday evenings / on Saturdays in special cases. CityU School of Law does not guarantee to offer weekday evening or weekend classes to LLM students enrolled in the combined mode or part-time mode. |
Bridging course | All students with their LLB obtained from non-common law jurisdictions admitted to any of the above streams are required to attend an intensive course, LW6102E Introduction to Common Law System and Methodology, in the latter half of August. Students have to apply for their student visa and exit permit, if applicable, in advance so that they will be able to attend the course at CityU. LLM students who are not undertaking a full year of study at CityU can be exempted from taking the course subject to approval by CityU School of Law. Those who cannot attend the course due to exceptional circumstances will need to take a replacement course subject to approval by CityU School of Law. |
Residence Requirement |
In order to uphold the quality of students’ LLM experience, a residence requirement will be imposed on all LLM students starting from 2022/2023 academic year. Students are required to live in Hong Kong throughout the year of full-time LLM study, apart from short breaks taken between semesters. Under special circumstances, the LLM Programme can exercise discretion on students’ obligation to fulfill the residence requirement with justifications. |
Award requirements | Students who complete the respective stream requirement of four required courses/electives, obtain a total of 24 credit units, and achieve a CGPA of 2.85 or above will receive the degree of Master of Laws (LLM). |
LLM Programme Promotion Video | |
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Application deadlines for 2024 entry |
30 April 2024 (for non-local applications) |
Entrance requirements | We will consider applicants with an LLB degree or those who have a legal professional qualification to practise. To be eligible for admission, applicants must also meet the minimum English language proficiency requirement (for applicants whose entrance qualification is obtained from an institution where the medium of instruction is not English only) as follows: The LLM Programme do not accept the scores of English tests of 'TOEFL iBT Home Edition' and 'IELTS Indicator' for admission. |
Courses on offer in 2023/24 | Please click here to view the LLM courses currently on offer in 2023/24. |
Tuition fees | The tuition fee for 2024 intake is HK$6,900 per credit. The minimum number of credits required to complete the programme is 24. |
Scholarships for 2024/25 | LLM Admission Scholarships A maximum of 3 scholarships, each to the value of HK$30,000 are available. The number of scholarships and the allocation of scholarships each year are left entirely at the discretion of the Law School. Applications are considered alongside with the LLM applications on a rolling basis. Applicants do not have to apply separately. UGC Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships Scheme The Master of Laws in Corporate and Financial Law and Intellectual Property and Technology Law have successfully obtained fellowships from the UGC Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships Scheme (Fifth Cohort) for 2024/25 intake. The fellowship recipients are required to pay a minimum tuition fee of HK$42,100 and the differences will be subsidised by the fellowships subject to a cap of HK$120,000 for each student regardless of the actual study period of their programme. Three fellowship awards are available for local students admitted to this programme under the Fellowship Scheme supported by the HKSAR Government. Local students admitted to the programme in full-time, part-time, or combined study mode will be invited to submit applications for the fellowships. |
Financial assistance | The Non-means-tested Loan Scheme (NLS) provides financial assistance to the LLM students who meet the eligibility requirements of the scheme. For details of other eligibility requirements of NLS, please visit http://www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/sfo/en/postsecondary/enls/overviewhtm. Meanwhile, the LLM course LW6126E Dispute Resolution in Theory and Practice is included in the list of reimbursable courses for Continuing Education Fund (CEF) purposes. Details of CEF are available from https://www.wfsfaa.gov.hk/cef/tc/index.htm. |
The programme has numerous experts in different areas of law. Teachers here are enthusiastic about teaching, which helped me enrich my academic knowledge and develop my legal mindset. I feel so grateful and honoured to study here and what I gained here will benefit my future career as well as my life.
ZHOU Yifan
Corporate and Financial Law Stream Graduate 2023
Being a graduate of CityU LLB and PCLL, I chose to return to this beautiful and cosy campus to attend the LLM programme with committed professors and caring School of Law staff members. I now feel much more prepared to enter the legal workfield where the competition is keener than ever.
YU Wai Yan Ryan
General Stream Graduate 2023
The CityU LLM experience expanded my understanding of law and society, improved my research skills and introduced me to two important aspects of legal study: the comparative method and the social scientific method. It is this LLM experience that enlightened me to pursue an academic career.
LI Zeming
General Stream Graduate 2023
Whether you are here to learn something different from your home jurisdiction, or you just want to experience legal education in Hong Kong, you should not miss this programme. With CityU LLM, you can be yourself and learn anything you want to know about common law practice in Hong Kong. Professors are always willing to share practical knowledge and help us analyze common law cases.
ZHENG Yudi
Common Law Stream Graduate 2023
This LLM programme offers a highly interactive learning environment, where enthusiastic and detail-oriented professors would provide real life events as examples, allowing me to not only understand law in its practical context, but also develop skills as a professional.
LAM Sum Yee Samantha
LLM Corporate and Commercial Law Stream Graduate 2022
The experience of studying at City University of Hong Kong was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, where teachers do not just impart knowledge, but explore the unknown boundaries of humanity with students.
GAO Ge
LLM Common Law Stream Graduate 2022
I am so grateful to have the selfless support from every individual at the School of Law, which provides me with a new destination and an inspiring point of departure for my future path.
GUO Ai
LLM General Stream Graduate 2022
I appreciate the course leaders for always encouraging us to think critically and to express ourselves boldly. I am grateful for sharing this wonderful year with all the lovely teachers, staff and friends at CityU.
LIAO Wenting
LLM Common Law Stream Graduate 2022
Despite the pandemic, all the teachers and faculties embraced us with great patience, care, knowledge and conscientiousness. Whether we were online or on campus, professors were well prepared for the course and tried their best to explain every concept and answer our questions.
XIA Yunxin
LLM Corporate and Commercial Law Stream Graduate 2022
It feels very nice to explore a new field in law. IP law is my interest and during my studies I was exposed to multiple perspectives. Professors are responsible and we participated in classes actively. Thanks to CityU for this experience!
CHEN Yongqin
LLM Intellectual Property and Technology Law Stream Graduate 2022
- a minimum total score of 88 (internet-based test) in TOEFL; or
- an overall band score of 6.5 in IELTS; or
- a score of 520 in Chinese mainland’s College English Test (CET) Band 6; or
- other equivalent qualifications.
We will consider other English test results. However, applicants must provide proof to show the result is equivalent to the above English tests.
There is no specific requirement for the content of the reference letter as long as the referee is giving a faithful illustration of the applicant's strengths.
The LLM Admission Scholarships
Applications are considered alongside with their LLM applications on a rolling basis. Applicants do not have to apply separately.
UGC Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships Scheme
The Master of Laws in Corporate and Financial Law and Intellectual Property and Technology Law have successfully obtained fellowships from the UGC Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships Scheme (Fourth Cohort) for 2023/24 intake. The fellowship recipients are required to pay a minimum tuition fee of HK$42,100 and the differences will be subsidised by the fellowships subject to a cap of HK$120,000 for each student regardless of the actual study period of their programme. Three fellowship awards are available for local students admitted to this programme under the Fellowship Scheme supported by the HKSAR Government. Local students admitted to the programme in full-time, part-time or combined study mode will be invited to submit applications for the fellowships.
Students can apply for credit transfer for their academic work completed. At least 70% of the credit units required for an award of the University must be earned by the successful completion of courses required by the LLM programme. Students should not take the courses for which transfer credits have been granted. For further details on credit transfer, please visit http://www.sgs.cityu.edu.hk/student/TPg/record/credittransfer
The JD degree is recognised for the purpose of applying for entry into the PCLL programme, provided the student has completed all courses required for PCLL admission. The LLM programme is not recognised for this purpose.
Please note the permission of undertaking internship is subject to approval by the Immigration Department. If you find an internship (which should be study/curriculum-related), we shall issue a support letter for you. Please let us have the following information:
- a copy of your No Objection Letter (NOL) from the Immigration Department;
- a copy of your internship agreement, which should include the duration of internship, working hours, allowance (if any);
- contact person and telephone of the company; and
- a written statement stating that you would take full responsibility to manage your full-time study.
- The ceiling on the number of JD and/or LLMArbDR credit units that students are allowed to earn is 9.
- Common Law Stream students are not allowed to take G-LEAP courses (namely LW5641 and LW5664).
- If the contents of a JD and/or LLMArbDR course and an LLM course are similar, students will be allowed to take the LLM course only.
- LLM students will not receive credit or be allowed to enrol in co-taught JD/ LLB courses under any circumstances (for 2020 cohort and thereafter).
- If a student requests to take a course under the JD and/or LLMArbDR programmes and he/she has previously completed a similar course in a common law jurisdiction, he/she will not be allowed to take the course.
- A list of JD and/or LLMArbDR courses that are open to LLM students will be announced at the beginning of a semester.
- The grades obtained in the approved JD and/or LLMArbDR courses will be counted in determining students’ LLM award classifications.
Chow Yei Ching School of Graduate Studies
4/F, Fong Yun Wah Building
83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 3442 5588
Fax: (852) 3442 0187
E-mail: tpadmit@cityu.edu.hk
For General Enquiries:
LLM Programme
School of Law
City University of Hong Kong
83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon Tong
Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 3442 8008
Fax: (852) 3442 0190
E-mail: lwllm@cityu.edu.hk
Website: http://www.cityu.edu.hk/slw/