Amicus Partners

“I did not look at the US [while shortlisting schools], because US law schools are too expensive.”

This is not the first time I am hearing something like this from prospective LLM applicants, and it is unlikely to be the last. With good reason.

Not only does the LLM tuition at “top ranked” US law average out to close to ninety thousand dollars, but Indian applicants must deal with a double whammy of high tuition and a weakening rupee. In such a scenario, it is easy to see why one might consider countries where the cost of attendance is lower such as Canada, Australia, and the UK.

Yet, this is not to say that all US law school LLMs are too expensive and hence out of reach.

Sure, there are some outrageously priced programs, but these costs can, and often are, offset by generous amounts of financial aid. While free-ride offers are far and few, I do come across offers that cover 80% of the tuition. Of course, this is usually after a round or two of negotiations.  

But far more importantly, and this where things get interesting, there do exist law schools in the US where the net cost of attendance is comparable, or lower, to those in the other countries mentioned earlier.

And it is not the low tuition that is the biggest attraction of the program. What I have seen time and time again is that programs in lesser-known (and usually less expensive) schools can be deeply fulfilling – be it because of their (usually) smaller class size, better integration with JD students, or subject specialisation.

Much like with anything else, price does not always dictate quality.

Yet, these schools are clubbed with their better-known counterparts, collectively written off as too expensive.

But it does not have to be this way.

There are several steps that such schools can take – publicise scholarships, share data on the aid packages that have been offered to LLMs in the past, or even share real world examples of the specific aid amounts issued to their LLMs. I don’t think this will be particularly easy, and there are risks of how generous aid offers may be perceived by applicants.

But I do think law school can, and ought, to try – it is difficult, but not impossible.