Top 10 UK Universities for Law 2026: Fees, Programs, Requirements
Home to various top law schools in the world, this year, the UK has over 43 of its universities in the QS Subject Rankings 2026 for law and legal studies. This article presents details on the top 10 best law schools in the UK in 2026-27.
- Best Law Colleges in UK 2026-27
- Why Study Law from UK Universities?
- Law Courses Offered at Top UK Universities
- Admission Requirements for Law Courses in UK
- Popular Job Roles after Law from UK
Best Law Colleges in UK 2026-27
Following UK universities offer law courses at various levels of study.
| Top 10 Law Universities in UK 2026-27 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Top Law Universities in UK |
QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026: Law & Legal Studies |
THE World University Rankings 2026 by Subject: Law |
| University of Oxford |
2 |
5 |
| 3 |
3 |
|
| The London School of Economics & Political Science (LSE) |
9 |
13 |
| University College London (UCL) |
=13 |
11 |
| University of Edinburgh |
15 |
17 |
| King’s College London |
16 |
26 |
| 33 |
44 |
|
| =49 |
=52 |
|
| =54 |
54 |
|
| University of Glasgow |
=63 |
=63 |
Learn more about top law schools in UK in the Video below.
Why Study Law from UK Universities?
There are various reasons why Indian students should consider studying law courses in the UK and they are as follows -
- Four law schools in the UK have been ranked by the Russell Group in 2023, namely the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, the University of Manchester and Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh Campus).
- The UK has some of the oldest universities that have been offering law courses dating back to the 1880s; thus they are reputed and globally recognised.
- Apart from this, law courses in the UK are shorter in comparison to other countries - including India; i.e. three years for an LLB and one to two years for LLM degree.
- Indian students can study law courses in the UK and either practice there or come back to India and then practice.
- Law graduates can avail the benefit of pursuing coursework-based law courses in the UK and get hands-on experience as well.
- The UK's post-study work visas are easily available for law graduates in the UK, which are two years and three years if the applicant holds a PhD degree.
Plus, applicants can work part-time in the UK for 20 hours a week and earn up to £25 per hour. Also, there are many lucrative work options after graduating with a law degree from the UK as an international student.
Law Courses Offered at Top UK Universities
Following law courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels are offered across top UK universities for international students.
| Courses offered at Top 10 Law Universities in UK | ||
|---|---|---|
| Top UK Universities for Law |
Law Courses Offered at Bachelor’s Level |
Law Courses Offered at Master’s Level |
| University of Oxford |
|
|
| University of Cambridge |
BA Law |
LLM |
|
There are 11 more distinct courses to choose from, such as - Intellectual Property Law LLM, International Law LLM, Jurisprudence and Legal Theory LLM and Litigation and Dispute Resolution LLM |
|
| LLB (hons) |
|
|
| Durham University |
|
|
|
|
|
| University of Glasgow (University of Glasgow offers several more law programs than listed; check the following link to access the full list - www.gla.ac.uk/coursecatalogue/courselist/?code=LAW&name=Law) |
Common Law LLB (Hons) |
|
| University of Manchester |
|
There are over 10+ more master's law courses at University of Manchester; check the complete list on www.humanities.manchester.ac.uk/law/study/courses/ |
|
To check the complete list of master's law courses at University of Edinburgh, visit the link www.law.ed.ac.uk/study/masters-degrees
|
|
| Queen Mary University of London |
|
The above ones were some of the courses available at the London campus. For accessing the complete list of available courses at the London campus and elsewhere, visit the link www.qmul.ac.uk/law/postgraduate/programmes/ |
Law courses offered may vary based on the sessions; thus, it is advised that students check the course availability before applying for it at the UK university.
Admission Requirements for Law Courses in UK
There are separate admission requirements for law courses at UK universities, based on level of study. The following are the admission requirements for law courses at UG and PG levels.
LLB Admission Requirements in UK Universities
For LLB admissions in the UK the following admission requirements need to be fulfilled.
- Class XII scores
- English Language Proficiency scores
- Applicants should have studied - Law; Accounting; Economics; Finance; Business Studies; Development Studies; Government and Politics; Economic and Social History; Mathematics; Anthropology; Sociology; Philosophy; Religious Studies; English Language; English Literature; Geography; Psychology; Classical Civilisation; History; Archaeology; Communication Studies; Environmental Studies; World Development; Biology; Chemistry; Physics; Modern Languages - any one of these subjects.
LLM Admission Requirements in UK Universities
The following are the admission requirements for those pursuing a course in LLM at UK universities for international students.
- A related bachelor’s degree with at least 60-65% or an LLB degree with first-class standing. This can vary with each university, so check before applying.
- Academic resume
- Transcripts
- Statement of purpose (SOP)
- Letter of recommendation (LOR)
- Test scores of either TOEFL, PTE or IELTS
Please note that these are just common admission criteria which can vary per UK university; hence applicants must check all details specific to their courses before applying.
Popular Job Roles after Law from UK
After pursuing a course in law in the UK - applicants can go for the following job options.
- Barrister, solicitor and judge appointments
- Academia
- Finance
- Media and communications
- Healthcare
- Police and probation services
- Housing and property management
- Central and local government
- Human resources
The average annual starting salary earned by law graduates in the UK is £25,000 and students can take up jobs within 15 months after graduating. Want to apply to UK universities for law courses? Sign up for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling or write to us in the comments below.
Commonly asked questions
If you wish to apply for more than one university in the United Kingdom for PG education, you will have to apply for all the universities separately. Most universities offer the facility to apply online for a nominal fee. Once the application form is filled appropriate supporting documents would have to be sent to the university. Although universities do not have a deadline it is recommended that you apply early to enhance your chances of being made an offer.
For the UK January intake, you need strong academics (transcripts, degrees), English proof (IELTS/PTE), Letters of Recommendation (LORs), Statement of Purpose, CV, and a valid passport, plus financial proof (CAS/funds) for your Student Visa; deadlines usually run May-November.
Yes, January intake in UK is good, especially if you missed the September intake. This intake has less competition, more time to prepare applications, more scholarship access, and a smoother start with quieter campuses and shorter, focused courses, though course/university options are fewer than September
FCDO expects Chevening scholars to prioritise their studies. However it also recognises the value of gaining work experience in the UK to enhance your career and overall experience. For this reason, ensure that any work you do complies with your visa conditions and does not interfere with your academic studies and performance.
If you are unsure about your visa permissions for work, contact the welfare and immigration team of the Chevening Scholarship with a copy of your visa and passport for clarification.
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Priya Garg is an Assistant Manager in the Editorial Team of Shiksha Study Abroad (Shiksha.com, InfoEdge India Ltd), where she has served as the primary content owner on studying in the UK, Ireland, France, Spai
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