schools-for-law
A legal degree is one of the most popular higher education courses among students. Pool / AFP

Stable. Great pay. Prestige. These are a few reasons that draw many to schools for law in hopes of pursuing a legal career. In India, the honour of becoming a lawyer runs deeper. Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar, the first “untouchable” to study in the US and UK as well as India’s first law minister, still inspires thousands every year to fight for the rights of the most vulnerable.  Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation, studied law and jurisprudence at University College London.

Today, the Indian legal profession consists of 1.2 million registered advocates. India has around 950 law schools and approximately four to five hundred thousand law students across the country, according to the Bar Council of India. From these, the Bar Council estimates about 60,000 to 70,000 make it to become lawyers. Competition is rife and these figures prove it.

One way to stand out is a foreign degree. It may be slightly more expensive, but not completely out of reach — not if you know where to apply to.

As the rupee is likely to depreciate to 82.40 per US dollar, the cheapest law schools abroad could provide affordable yet quality legal education for you. The usual options are the US and UK — but a law degree in these countries can come with high tuition fees, living costs and more. If you want to pursue a legal education abroad, consider these four law schools: 

Here are the four cheapest schools for law:  

schools-for-law

Studying law comes with high tuition fees, living costs and more. Source: Abdelhak Senna / AFP

The University of Law, UK 

Consider the Law (Distance Learning) LLB (Hons) course from Nottingham Trent University. Learn from an institution that provides a clear pathway to pursue the Solicitors Qualifying Examination or Bar Practice Course. Engage in discussion with tutors who are qualified lawyers with experience in practice. 

To save even more rupees, apply for an undergraduate scholarship (worth up to 3,000 pounds) as a three-year online law degree course at ULaw will cost you 6,800 pounds per year.

Taylor’s University, Malaysia 

Want to level up in your legal career? Look no further than Taylor’s University in Malaysia, a country that shares many similarities with the legal systems in India and the UK.

With a Master of Law, you’ll gain in-depth knowledge of the legal development relating to international business and trade, healthcare, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, international corporate government and corporate crime, ASEAN law and policy and current controversies in contempt of court. 

Outside the university, a cost of living of approximately US$714 makes Malaysia the cheapest study  destination in South East Asia. 

 

Free University of Berlin, Germany 

When it comes to affordable tuition fees for international students, Germany is at the top of the list. Most public universities don’t charge tuition, regardless of whether you are a local or international student. 

For Indian students, Germany offers good career prospects. Having a strong hold on significant economic and political influence, the number of job opportunities in the field of law has increased in recent years. 

The Free University of Berlin is a public university in Germany that offers free education to both citizens and international students. The university consistently ranks as one of the best universities in Germany and is ranked 118 in the QS World University Rankings 2023.

National Taiwan University, Taiwan

According to the deputy representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Center (TECC) in India, Indian students are currently ranked in the top 10 groups of international students in Taiwan. 

More still are coming, drawn to its lower cots and increase in the number of English-taught degrees. 

Among its highly-ranked universities is the National Taiwan University (NTU), placing at #77 in the QS World University Rankings. In the QS Higher Education System Strength Rankings, Taiwan ranked 19th among a total of 50 countries. 

The College of Law at NTU consistently ranks among Asia’s top 10law schools. At the point of writing this, the cost of pursuing a law degree at NTU is priced at US$4,908.48 per year