Study LLM in Singapore: Top Universities, Admissions, Fees, Scholarships, Jobs

Cosmopolitan international and financial hub of Asia, Singapore is gaining popularity among international students who wish to pursue education abroad. Home to Asia’s highest-ranking law school, NUS (National University of Singapore) as per QS rankings 2021. An LLM in Singapore can take around a year to complete and students get to specialize with an advanced legal qualification in a certain subject area. A limited number of universities offer LLM degrees in Singapore, there is an option of pursuing a double degree program with NYU. This provides an opportunity of receiving two degrees, one from NUS as well as one from NYU. It also offers the opportunity to take part in the course in New York if desired. This program, however, is more competitive with higher entry requirements.

Pursuing LLM in Singapore is comparatively easy as the applicant needs to have only a bachelor's degree in law with language proficiency scores (IELTS, TOEFL, PTE accepted). Applicants may need LORs or SOP/Personal Statement as supplementary documents with the application package. The course costs 27,000 to 51,000 SGD for international students. There are plenty of multinational firms, banks, insurance companies, and law firms in Singapore. Some of the top recruiters to pursue a career with are Allen and Overy, Clifford Chance, Baker and McKenzie, Ashurst, DLA Piper, etc. the opportunities after your LLM in Singapore are ample and lucrative. You can make up to 180,000 SGD a year

LLM in Singapore Top Universities

To choose from a handful of universities offering LLM in Singapore can be tricky. Discussed below are the basic course details for these universities to help you make an informed decision:

There are 4-types of specializations offered in LLM at NUS. These are Corporate & Financial Services Law, International & Comparative Law, and Intellectual Property & Technology Law

Similar Courses for LLM Applicants in Singapore

Some of the other courses to look for are discussed below:

Why LLM in Singapore

Asia’s highest-ranked law school is the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 13th place as per QS world ranking 2021.

• Roles in demand in the legal profession in Singapore are Legal counsel, contracts manager, corporate secretarial manager, counsel.
• Private legal practice at an international firm in Singapore will reward you with an average salary of 193,000 SGD annually while that at a local firm will be 110,000 SGD.
• As per reports by Micheal page, there is a 10-20% average salary increase when switching jobs within the legal profession.
• Trending skills required by graduates from Law colleges of Singapore are regional exposure especially that of APAC/Asia, knowledge in technology, media, and communication.
• International students aiming to practice law in Singapore should keep up with their Mandarin proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing skills as law firms in Singapore have an important market in China.

LLM in Singapore: Course Highlights

LLM in Singapore Specializations

Though there are only a handful of universities offering LLM degrees in Singapore, the options available for specializations are numerous. Some of the popular specializations are listed below:

LLM in Singapore Admissions

Admissions deadlines of top universities in Singapore are on a rolling basis. Shortlisted applicants will be required to undergo an interview and sit for a short written test. Discussed in sections below is the complete detail an international applicant needs to apply for LLM courses in Singapore.

LLM in Singapore Admission Deadlines

Though applications are invited on a rolling basis, for international applicants it is suggested to send in their applications by following deadlines:

It is often suggested to send in applications before deadlines to ensure that Singapore student pass is received in time to pursue education on-campus. In the light of the ongoing pandemic, many universities are offering online/hybrid education. Applicants must hence, look into the details via the university/college website and apply for the student pass only if off-campus education is offered.

LLM in Singapore Eligibility

To pursue LLM in Singapore you will need a bachelors in law from a recognized university with competitive scores. Other specific requirements for different universities are discussed below:

LLM from NUS: NUS offers only one admission exercise each academic year and course commences in August. However, if any applicant is required to attend an English language course, they may be required to enrol in July. To pursue LLM from NUS with or without a specialization, apart from having a good bachelor’s degree in Law, you will need:

• TOEFL- 92 to 99
• IELTS- 7.0

LLM from NTU: One of the major things to note when planning to pursue LLM at NTU is that the course requires Chinese proficiency. International applicants are required to present scores of tests to prove their proficiency in Mandarin by taking the Chinese performance assessment exam. Additionally, you will need a bachelor’s in law degree with basic English language proficiency.

LLM from SMU: LLM at SMU is designed for expanding the legal knowledge in classic and novel areas of the law. It also equips you with the skills-sets essential to render on-point advice on cross-border transactions or deliver high-quality adjudication and judicial administration results. With a LLB degree from a recognized university, you will need:

• TOEFL iBT- 100
• IELTS- 7.0

LMU from INSEAD: LLM in International business with INSEAD prepares students and professionals for operations such as large acquisitions or market transactions, complex financing, cross-border mergers, restructuring, financial engineering, LBOs, and industrial projects. To apply with INSEAD, one of the major requirements is to have four years of work experience post your bachelor’s degree. Language proficiency is also required, the scores accepted are:

• IELTS- 7.0
• TOEFL- 90
• PTE- 64

LLM in Singapore Document Requirements

• Identification document: A copy of your passport personal particulars page
• Two Recommendation Forms, occasionally professional LORs are also required.
• A copy of your Bachelor Degree Certificate
• A concise resume that provides chronological information about your educational background, work experiences, and accomplishments.
• A copy of your official transcripts certified by the issuing institution.
• All applicants are required to submit a detailed personal statement
• English proficiency test results (TOEFL or IELTS).
• Payment for the application fee must be done via credit card online.

LLM in Singapore Costs

The tuition fees for LLM in Singapore depend on the institution and the course you have applied for, however as an estimate the program cost from 27,000-51,000 SGD. Further, students must take into account the costs of living in Singapore like accommodation, utilities, food, clothing, transport, books and stationery, health, and personal expenses. The living costs on average can range from 1000 to 2,500 SGD depending on the lifestyle.

Pre-arrival Costs

Some of the expenses you will be making even before your leave your home country are:

LLM in Singapore Fees for Indians

For an Indian applicant the cost of pursuing LLM in Singapore is as follows:

When pursuing LLM from India, the cost varies from 18,000 INR to 1LPA depending on the choice of university.

Cost of Living in Singapore

Pursuing education abroad comes with lifestyle expenses like accommodations, dining, and others. Some of the costs you should consider when planning to study in Singapore are

LLM in Singapore Scholarships

There are certain designated scholarships to study LLM in Singapore that mainly cover the tuition fees of students. Some of them catering international students are provided by universities like the National University of Singapore and Singapore Management University and others by certain external sources:

• Kwa Geok Choo Graduate Scholarship by SMU
• Faculty Graduate Scholarships by NUS
• Lee Kong Chian Masters of Law Scholarship by NUS
• Young Asian Scholarships by NUS
• Singapore International Graduate Award (SINGA): It awards an amount of 2,000 SGD.
• The Financial Sumo Educational Scholarship Program: Amount awarded to international students 1,333 SGD.
• BrokerFish International Student Scholarship: International students are awarded around 1,333 SGDunder this scholarship.

Work-study while LLM in Singapore- Getting an opportunity to work part-time while studying is an additional way of funding your education in Singapore. Part-time work is not available to students studying in private universities. For students studying in Government Universities, 16 hours of part-time work is available for international students in a week.

LLM in Singapore Career Prospects

The progressive development of Singapore's legal systems, aided by the rise of the region’s economies, has fuelled demand for expert legal and judicial services. Law Colleges in Singapore focus on expanding legal knowledge in classic and novel areas of the law, while simultaneously equipping you with the skills-sets essential to render on-point advice on high-quality adjudication.

• The pay scale of a lawyer in Singapore depends on his position in particular law firms or law offices.
• For a Paralegal in a firm, the average pay scale is between 19,000 – 70,000 SGD while for an attorney or lawyer in a law firm is between 37,000 – 279,000 SGD.
• For an independent council doing litigation in the courts of Singapore, the average pay scale is between 54,000 – 203,000 SGD while for an Associate Attorney in a law firm, the pay scale is between 46,000 – 116,000 SGD.

Prominent areas of practice in Singapore include Corporate law, arbitration, intellectual property law, banking law, finance law, maritime law. There are ample post degree work options to gain some internationally recognized and valuable experience while studying at Law Colleges in Singapore.

LLM in Singapore Jobs

LLM in Singapore is one of the most recognized degrees from its top universities and worth investing in. So if you are wondering why study in Singapore here are some insights:

• One of the highest paying degrees at the NUS is LLM, with alumni earning an average salary of 109,000 SGD.
• LLM Graduates from SMU tend to gain an average annual package of 93,000 SGD.
• Business Law graduates from NTU earn approximately 83,000 SGD per month.

Salaries vary drastically between different Legal careers. If you are interested in the salary of a particular job, see below for salaries for specific job titles:

Legal professionals in Singapore are likely to observe a salary increase of approximately 11% every 13 months. The national average annual increment for all professions combined is 9% granted to employees every 15 months.With the lucrative salaries and global education standards, Singapore is an ideal close to home study abroad destination for LLM aspirants.