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Harvard Law School : Ranking, Fees, Courses, Requirements

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Harvard University Law
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Harvard Law School offers 1 intake a year in August, i.e., in the Fall Semester. There are 3 rounds of application deadlines. Below are the admission deadlines for Harvard Law School for the year 2026:  

Juris Doctor (J.D.) Program – Fall 2026 Entry 

  • Application Deadline: Feb 15, 2026 
  • Decision Release Timeline: 
  • First Round of Acceptances: Jan 12, 2026 
  • Second Round of Acceptances: Feb 10, 2026 
  • Third Round of Acceptances: Mar 16, 2026 
  • Final Decisions: Late March to Early April 2026 
  • Deadline to Respond to Offer: May 1, 2026 
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About Harvard Law School

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Commonly asked questions
On About Law
Q:   Why is Harvard Law School so famous?
A: 

Harvard Law School is under Harvard University which holds Ivy League status. This Law School is famous for ROI. HLS placement rate is 97.6% with average annual package of USD 215,000 in top Law firms of US.

HLS is near Boston City making it accessible for HLS students to take up internships and clerkships. According to US world and news ranking, Harvard University Law courses are ranked #4 among best 196 Law schools around the world.

Q:   Is it hard to get admission to Harvard Law School?
A: 

Law courses at Harvard University are ranked at #4 by US World and News. Students from all over the world apply to these courses due to high employability, internships & clerkships provided by the school. HLS acceptance rate is 11% for JD program. Low acceptance rate suggests that out 100 applicants, only 11 students are get offer. It is hard to get Harvard Law School.

Q:   How to apply for Harvard Law School as an Indian student?
A: 

Choose a program among various UG and certificate programs.

Fill application form: Now go to official website and apply for programme. Fill required details like academic history, essay, standardized test score, English language score, etc.

Pay application fee: Students must pay application fee of USD 85 (INR 7.5K) for JD and LLM programs.

Wait for response: HLS will review application and reply within few weeks to join program.

Attend Interview: HLS conducts interviews on invitation basis.

Harvard Law School Courses and Fees 2025

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Courses1st Year Tuition FeesDuration & Eligibility
LL.M.(1 course)
Duration1 year
Exam AcceptedTOEFL: 100 & Above, PTE
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Commonly asked questions
On Fees and Eligibility
Q:   What courses does Harvard Law School offer?
A: 

HLS offers various courses such as J.D. S.J.D. LL.M. etc. These courses are known for in-depth curriculum. Harvard Law School offers most Law courses in world. HLS does not offer part-time, distance, online or summer programs.

Harvard Law School Graduate Degree Programs:

·         JD Program

·         LLM Program

·         SJD Program

Some of Harvard Law School Joint Degree Programs: 

·         Joint Degree Program in Law and Business

·         Joint Degree Program in law and Government

·         Coordinated JD/PhD Program

Q:   What is the duration of various courses at Harvard Law School?
A: 

Duration of Law courses at Harvard Law School depend upon program. JD programme at Harvard lasts for 3 years which is full-time program.

LLM by Harvard Law School is another popular program which lasts for one year which includes 180 students from 65 different nations, students start their studies in LLM programme in fall. It is a full-time programme where the students have to devote their time completely.

Q:   Is Harvard Law School expensive?
A: 

Harvard Law School is expensive school because tuition can range between USD 73,400 (INR 65.11 L) - USD 77,100 (INR 68.39 L). Tuition fee excludes other expenses such as accommodation, living expenses etc. The School provides some financial relief to the students by providing them with scholarships.

Below is the table mentioning a standard students budget for most of the Harvard Law courses:

HLS Standard Budget First year tuition fee (2024-25)

Amount

Tuition

USD 77,100 (INR 64 L)   

Health Insurance and Health Services Fees

USD 5,794 (INR 4.8 L)

Activities Fee

USD 400 (INR 33.7 K)

Housing

USD 18,000 (INR 15.1 L)

Food

USD 6,131 (INR 5.16 L)

Personal Expenses

USD 5,650 (INR 4.76 L)

Books and Supplies

USD 1,675 (INR 1.41 L)

Travel

USD 1,750 (INR 1.47 L)

Total Expenses

USD 116,500 (INR 98.2 L)

(USD 1 = INR 84.30)

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Harvard Law School Rankings 2025

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Commonly asked questions
On Rankings
Q:   How prestigious is Harvard Law School?
A: 

HLS is under Harvard University which is among prestigious group of Ivy League.

According to US World and News rankings in 2025, HLS is ranked #6 in best 196 Law schools around world. It has tied with Duke Law School. 

The HLS Placement rate for the class 2024 stands at 97.6% (within 10 months of graduation) with the average median salary of USD 215,000 (INR 1.81 Cr.) at Law firms.

Q:   What is Harvard Law School ranked?
A: 

According to US World and News rankings in 2024, HLS is ranked at #4 in best 196 Law schools around world. 

According to  QS World ranking 2024, Law courses offered by Harvard University are ranked #1 with overall score of 96.8 out of 100 based on factors like academic reputation, citations per faculty, employment outcomes, employer reputation, faculty student ratio etc.

THE 2024 gave Law Courses of Harvard University ranking of #1. 

Harvard Law School Speciality Rankings

Rank

Business/Corporate Law

2

Clinical Training

16

Constitutional Law

1

Contracts/Commercial Law

2

Criminal Law

2

Dispute Resolution

3

Environmental Law

10

Health Care Law

7

Intellectual Property Law

12

International Law

2

Legal Writing

132

Tax Law

10

Trial Advocacy

36

Q:   Should I go to Yale Law School or Harvard Law School?
A: 

While both the universities are considered two of the best in the entire world, Harvard enjoys the location of Cambridge, Massachusetts which has close proximity to Boston where the Law students have better access to internships and clerkships, on the other hand Yale Law School is situated at New Haven which makes it a bit isolated Law School, away from a lot of important Law universities.

Criteria

Harvard Law School 

Yale Law School

Location

Cambridge, Massachusetts

New Haven

Average Starting Salary

USD 215,000 (INR 1.47 Cr)

USD 210,000 (1.47 Cr)

Acceptance Rate (Class 2026)

8.07%

11.8%

First-Year Tuition (MBA)

USD 77,100 (INR 74.6 L)

USD 71,540 (INR 71.6 L)

Top Job Sectors Hiring

65% of all Yale Law graduates 2023 started their careers at Law firms

55% of all Yale Law graduates 2023 started their careers at Law firms

Ranking (US World and News 2024)

#4

#1

Placement Rate (2023) within 10 months after graduation

97.3%

98%

(USD 1 = INR 84.30)

Harvard Law School Admission Dates 2025

Harvard Law School Admissions Requirements 2025

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Commonly asked questions
On Admission Requirements
Q:   Can Indians apply for admission to Harvard Law School?
A: 

Students from all over world apply to HLS. Harvard Law School applications are open for Indian students, but Indian student has to meet some requirements.

Below mentioned are documents and exam requirements an Indian student has to meet to apply to HLS Law programs:

Harvard Law School JD Requirements as International student:

·         4 years Bachelor's Degree

·         Scanned copies of all Academic Records

·         Online application done through Law School Admissions Council

·         LOR

·         Essay

·         LSAT/GRE

Q:   What GPA do I need for admission to Harvard Law School?
A: 

Harvard Law School follows strict approach in selecting best candidates. To stay competitive and relevant till the end of HLS application process can be tough for many. Students are required to show great academic scores and extra-curricular activities and such. JD Class 2027, 50% of the students had GPA of 3.95.

Other than GPA, table below shows average scores for other requirements:

HLS Requirements

HLS JD class 2027 Average scores

Average LSAT Score (Class 2027)

174

Average GRE Quant Score (Class 2027)

167

Average GRE Verbal Score (Class 2027)

165

Average GPA (J.D. Class 2027)

3.95 on a scale of 4.0

Q:   What is the entrance exam for Harvard Law School?
A: 

Out of many applications, Harvard Law School tries to select best candidates for Law programs. To apply for Harvard Law School, international students have to take entrance exam. Students can either take GRE or LSAT.

Both the previously mentioned exams are valid, and the school says, that it does make it an advantage if the students take both the exams.

The table below shows the average scores for other requirements:

HLS Requirements

HLS JD class 2027 Average scores

Average LSAT Score (Class 2027)

174

Average GRE Quant Score (Class 2027)

167

Average GRE Verbal Score (Class 2027)

165

Average GPA (J.D. Class 2027)

3.95 on a scale of 4.0

 

Harvard Law School Placements

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Commonly asked questions
On Placements
Q:   What is the highest package offered at Harvard Law School?
A: 

According to the employment data 2024 published by Harvard Law School, the top industry where the HLS graduates are getting the highest package is Law firms job sector which is USD 215,000 (INR 1.81 Cr).

Here is the table showing top Salaries of Full-time Employed Graduates by Job Sector:

Harvard Law School MBA Graduates’ Top Placements(Class 2024)

No. of HLS Graduates

Average Median Salary of HLS MBA graduate (2024)

Law Firm

374

USD 215,000 (INR 1.81 Cr)

Judicial Clerkship

133

USD 70,005 (INR 59 L)

Business & Industry

17

USD 191,000 (INR (INR 1.61 Cr)

Government

21

USD 74,975 (INR 63.2 L)

Public Interest

47

USD 65,000 (INR 54.8 L))

Education

9

USD 66,500 (INR 56 L)

(USD 1 = INR 84.30)

Q:   How much do Harvard lawyers earn?
A: 

Harvard Law School is known for state-of-the-art learning infrastructure, high quality graduates and faculty to students' ratio. HLS graduates are able to secure placement at Law firms as Lawyers with a median basic salary of USD 215,000 (INR 1.81 Cr).

According to Glass door, the lawyers who graduated from Harvard are able to get USD 100,000 (INR 84 L) a year to USD 200,000 (INR 1.68 Cr) a year.

Q:   Where do most Harvard Law School graduates work?
A: 

The Harvard Law School graduates go on to take up diverse roles and positions over the span of their careers. According to the Harvard Law School employment report 2024, 374 graduates got placed at Law firms followed by 133 students going into Judicial Clerkships.

SectorNo. of Graduates
Law Firm374
Judicial Clerkship133 (Federal: 112, State: 19, International: 2)
Business & Industry17
Government21
Public Interest47
Education9

Below is the table mentioning the HLS graduates with various locations:

LocationNo. of Graduates Employed
New York197
District of Columbia107
California75
Foreign Countries12

 

Harvard Law School or Yale Law School: Which is better?

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Commonly asked questions
On Comparisons
Q:   How do Yale Law School and Harvard Law School compare in global and national rankings?
A: 

Both Yale Law School and HLS are known best Law schools in US as well as globally. According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025, Harvard Law School is ranked #1, while Yale Law School is ranked #4.  

The table below mentions the ranking comparison of both the universities: 

Ranking Bodies 

Harvard Law School Ranking 

Yale Law School Ranking 

QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025 

#1 

#4 

Shiksha Popularity Ranking in the USA   

#1   

#2 

THE World University Rankings  

#2 

#9 

U.S. News & World Report Law School Rankings 2025 

#6 

#1 

Q:   What are the leading companies and sectors that hire graduates from Yale Law School versus Harvard Law School?
A: 

Law schools of Harvard University and Yale University are considered among world’s best universities in graduate employability as world’s top companies desire to hire these graduates. The graduates of these universities engage in the most demanding industries, which further attracts the top universities. 

The table below mentions the top companies of both the universities: 

Harvard Law Graduates in Top Companies  

Yale Law Graduates in Top Companies 

Harvard University (51.55%) 

Yale University (51.50%) 

Harvard Law School (13.49%) 

Yale Law School (15.56%) 

Google (12.52%) 

U.S. Department of Justice (12.94%) 

United Nations (12.04%) 

Latham & Watkins (11.37%) 

Amazon (10.40%) 

Google (8.63%) 

Harvard Law School Campus Life

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Commonly asked questions
On Campus Life
Q:   How is the life at Harvard Law School?
A: 

Harvard University has 200+ student led organisations, 17 student journals, libraries, museums and theatres, communities, enriching extracurricular activities.

There are on-campus and off-campus housing options available for Harvard Law students.

67% of HLS student body lives off campus

86% of HLS students living off campus live in private off campus housing

14% of HLS students living off campus live in Harvard University Housing

Average monthly rent paid by HLS student in 2015 was USD 1,500

 

Q:   Is Harvard Law School stressful?
A: 

Yes Law schools are considered tough as currilculum is generally rigorous and schedules are quite hectic, but students of HLS say that it is less stressful than others. 

Students are provided with all kinds of resources such as accommodation, city guides, students' organisations, supportive communities on HLS website

One-third of the students live on-campus, although off-campus housing is also available within walking distance to Harvard Law School.

Q:   Is Harvard Law on the main campus?
A: 

Yes, the main Harvard Law School campus has 19 buildings and it is located northwest corner of Harvard Yard, bordered by Massachusetts Avenue and Everett Street in Cambridge. This school is located at Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA. The nearest landmarks to HLS are Harvard Yard, Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard Divinity School. 

The main buildings include Wasserstein Hall, Langdell Hall (main library), Austin Hall, and Pound Hall. 

Harvard Law School Notable Alumni

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Commonly asked questions
On Alumni
Q:   Who are the most popular alumni at Harvard Law School?
A: 

Barack Obama, Summer Redstone, Cass R. Sunstein, and Michelle Obama are some very famous Harvard Law School Graduates. This B-School is very well-renowned for its highly skilled graduates who are contributing significantly to the entire world. The Harvard Law School alumni network is of 40,000 students worldwide.

Q:   Did Barack Obama attend Harvard Law School?
A: 

Yes Barack Obama attended Harvard Law School and graduated in 1991. He enrolled in 1988 and was 1st Black president of Harvard Law ReviewHe earned his Juris Doctor degree magna cum laude. 

Q:   Discuss notable Harvard Law School alumni from India and their contributions?
A: 

There have been many Indians who have studied Law at HLS and are successful in various ways in Indian legal system. These successful alumni have made contributions to India’s legal, political and judicial systems. 

Some successful alumni are mentioned below-

Harvard Law School Notable Alumni   

Professions of the Alumni 

Photos    

Shankar Dayal Sharma 

Indian lawyer and politician 

Former President of India 

 

Laxmi Mall Singhvi 

Indian jurist, parliamentarian 

 

Kapil Sibal 

Indian lawyer and politician 

Member of Parliament   

 

Abhishek Singhvi 

Indian advocate and politician 

Member of the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Parliament of India   

 

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  • 100% students never faced discrimination in this university
Vibe of Campus
Multi-dimensional
Friendly
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Internships5
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Post study jobs4
Quality of faculty5
Student Life5
Value for money5
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4.6
Life of a Harvard student in the US.
Tips: Harvard's rigour demands self-discipline and expects intense course work but unparalleled resources to navigate the same, be it world-class libraries, faculty, grants, alumni network, peer group, etc. The culture thrives on collaboration, and you will meet some of the most brilliant minds in the world, which is highly inspirational. I availed a generous scholarship from Harvard, which covered 80% of my tuition and made this dream possible for me. Overall, this was an incredible learning experience, and I would highly recommend it.
Likes (Quality of faculty): Harvard's faculty brings in unparalleled expertise, accessibility and mentorship. Professors blend cutting edge research with practical and interactive teaching, ranging from case studies to internships to discussions. The departments also bring in global faculty which enriches classroom discussions and projects.
Dislikes (Permanent Immigration): While the US offers strong career opportunities and great mentorship, currently, the country is going through several changes in its immigration rules and that could lead to some uncertainty with settlement options. My chances of settlement rely heavily on an employers sponsoring my H1-b visa and that is always uncertain as its a lottery process so the volatility makes it hard to be certain.
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Harvard University

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chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered a month ago

Law is a very different study . Interdisciplinary study or some other different subject knowledge enhance the level .

 

Harvard is a brand worldwide and also the education is comparatively higher .You need to have some exceptional achievements to get there.Also a good research before applying for Harv

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78589986
Dinesh upadhyay

Scholar-Level 16

Answered a month ago

MIT vs Harvard is one decision that you want to be in the position of making, if you're looking for higher education in the USA. Fierce competitors, academic peers, and neighbours, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University are two of the most elite institutions in the world an

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M

MANPREET KAUR

Beginner-Level 5

Answered 2 months ago

Studying at Harvard can be expensive for Indian students. Located in Cambridge, the cost of living when studying at Harvard is high. Apart from the tuition fee, students also need to pay for housing, food, transportation, insurance, among others on a monthly basis. 
Indian students can check the cost

...Read more

E

Esha Srivastava

Beginner-Level 3

Answered 2 months ago

As per the latest employment data made available by the institute, the median salary earned by Ed.M. graduates at Harvard Education School graduates is USD 70,000 (INR 61.17 L). While Ph.D. graduates earn an even higher median salary of USD 79,500 (INR 69.47 L). 

K

Kanishka Gambhir

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 months ago

Harvard Univ acceptance rate usually stays under 5%. For class of 2029 Harvard received around 53,700 applications from prospective students. Whereas no. of students admitted stood at approximately 1950 suggesing that Harvard acceptance rate 2025 stands at 3.63% meaning that out of every 100 student

...Read more

R

Ridhi

Contributor-Level 10

About the author

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Kanishka Gambhir

Study Abroad Expert

Kanishka Gambhir is a Content Creator and Writer working for Shiksha.com. Her role includes developing and maintaining web pages for international universities at the Shiksha Study Abroad Portal, maintaining precision, thoroughness, and consistency w...Read Full Bio

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