Do you want to study Law at a university in Europe and you don’t know where to start from? How about the best laws schools from European countries, as recommended by the best university rankings in the world.
Thinking about studying Law and wondering where to start? Law is a powerful degree that can open doors to careers in justice, business, politics, and beyond. To help you choose where to study, we’ve looked at three of the most trusted global university rankings that highlight top Master's of Law (LL.M.) programmes across Europe:
- QS World University Rankings by TopUniversities
- Times Higher Education World University Rankings
- Academic Ranking of World Universities by Shanghai University
Each ranking uses different criteria—some focus more on academic reputation, others on research impact or employer perception—so by including more than one top 10, you’ll get a broader, more balanced view of the best Law schools in Europe. Don’t rely on just one list—use them together to find the right fit for your goals.
Best law schools in Europe by QS Rankings 2021
151 universities from Europe are present in the QS law school rankings. The United Kingdom has the most universities present in the rankings – 35 law schools. Here are some of the best universities in the UK to study an LLM:
- University of Oxford, the UK
- University of Cambridge, the UK
- The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), the UK
- UCL, the UK
- King’s College London, the UK
- Université Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne, France
- The University of Edinburgh, the UK
- Leiden University, the Netherlands
- Queen Mary University of London, the UK
- KU Leuven, Belgium
See the full top law school list on the official TopUniversities website.
Best law schools in Europe by Times Higher Education Rankings 2022
The Law rankings from Times Higher Education use a modified methodology of the World Rankings to fit the subject of Law.
The learning environment and research volume, income and reputation weigh the most, followed by industry citations, international environment and industry income. A minimum of 1,000 research publications was required for a university to be included in the rankings.
- University of Cambridge, UK
- University of Oxford, UK
- University College London (UCL), UK
- KU Leuven, Belgium
- The University of Edinburgh, UK
- The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK
- King's College London, UK
- Tilburg University, Netherlands
- Maastricht University, Netherlands
- Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
Check out the full list of best universities of law from Times Higher Education.
Best law schools in Europe by Shanghai Rankings 2021
The Academic Ranking of World Universities or Shanghai Ranking offers the Asian perspective over Law studies in Europe.
These are the top law schools in Europe according to Shanghai University:
- University of Cambridge, UK
- VU University Amsterdam, Netherlands
- University of Oxford, UK
- University College London, UK
- The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), UK
- University of Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Leiden University, Netherlands
- Tilburg University, Netherlands
- University of Oslo, Norway
- University of Portsmouth, UK
Explore the full list of law schools from Shanghai University Rankings.
Here are other European law schools we recommend:
- University of Nicosia, Cypurs
- Hanken School of Economics, Finland
- Utrecht University, the Netherlands
- Catholic University of Portugal, Portugal
- Robert Kennedy College, Switzerland
You can also study an online Master's in Law from the comfort of your home.
Student reviews of the best law schools in Europe
International rankings are a great way to find top universities around the world. They also allow you to sort them by region or discipline, which is very convenient. However, they lack one thing: student reviews.
Allowing current students or past graduates to share their opinion about a university is a great way to provide transparency and help future university applicants decide where they really want to study.
At Studyportals, we encourage students to leave university reviews. You can easily find them on each university page. Here are several reviews from graduates who studied at the top law schools mentioned above:
LSE graduate
"I had a great study experience. I enjoy studying and learning and LSE was perfect for that. Great infrastructure and facilities that helped me throughout the whole year. Also student services was very good and diligent and helping with any issues or problems that may have arisen."
LMU graduate
"Try and join every event you can with international students, but try to interact with locals as well: they may seem a bit closed, but they are in fact really nice, kind and funny. The Munich University is one of the best universities overall in the world. The city itself is full of events everyday and is a mixture of both innovation and tradition."
Lund University graduate
"There is absolutely nothing to complain about. Great overall experience- Lund is absolutely a students town but big cities such as MalmÔÇØ or Copenhagen are not far off either. Great to study and meet new people!"
Tilburg University graduate
"Tilburg University has a beautiful campus with state-of-the-art equipment and a lot of available workspaces with computers. It is a green campus with a nice atmosphere. The professors are much more approachable than at other universities and the living costs are among the lowest within the Netherlands."
University of Nottingham graduate
"It has so much to offer in terms of student satisfaction along with being a Russell Group university. It has a beautiful campus along with excellent facilities for both academia and sports. There are so many clubs and societies that you can join and it is an incredibly sociable university with an amazing nightlife."
Studyportals recommends:
We recommend you also explore degrees offered by the University of Law (UK), which offers a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate law degrees. It is known for its strong focus on professional development and excellent connections with the legal industry.
Which law school from Europe should you study in?
While studying in one of the most prestigious law schools in Europe increases your chances of getting the expertise and professionalism you’re striving for in your career, this still doesn’t guarantee that you’ll find the best university to fit your needs.
Depending on your goals and plans to study Law, you should check out the complete list of European law schools and filter it using your own criteria. Or, if you’re considering other places to study, you can also have a look at the list of best law schools in the United States.
Either way, we hope you’ll become the best lawyer you can be and bring justice to those who need it.
