cambridge law phd application

How to apply

Relevant dates.

The University typically begins accepting applications for a particular academic year in September of the previous year (so September 2024 for 2025-2026). For those applying for admission to the MCL in 2025, the closing date for receipt of MCL applications is 7 January 2025. Late applications will not be processed under any circumstances.

Application process

The University's Postgraduate Admissions Office (PAO) is the central University office handling graduate applications for all Cambridge Faculties and Departments. All applications must be submitted to the PAO, rather than the Faculty of Law. Please refer to the PAO's website for guidance on the mechanics of applying to courses such as the MCL.

It is essential to be familiar with the PAO's guidance before submitting an application. You should focus particularly on the MCL programme entry in the PAO's course directory . Please also read the rest of the pages on the Faculty's MCL admissions website , and particularly the rest of the "Joining the MCL" section .

With supporting documents, please read carefully the guidance on the PAO website. You should not submit documents other than those requested. This includes secondary school certificates, work experience letters and published articles or papers. Significant academic and personal achievements should be listed on the course application form or on your CV.

When preparing your application, you must consider whether you need to pass an English proficiency test by reading the language criteria discussed elsewhere on this website. All MCL applicants who need to take an English language proficiency test should adhere to the specified deadlines .

Application decision process and timeline

Applications received will be assessed by the MCL Admissions Committee based on academic merit. The MCL Admissions Committee will begin considering applications after the application deadline closes. Applicants for the 2025-26 programme will be notified of the outcome of their application by 30 April 2025.

Applications are considered entirely afresh during each admissions round. Correspondingly, if an MCL applicant is offered a place, does not to take it up and applies again, the new application will be considered without reference to the prior application.

With regard to unsuccessful applications, those administering MCL admissions do not operate a waiting list. The MCL Admissions Committee is not able to provide feedback to unsuccessful applicants or respond to requests for reconsideration, even in cases where unsuccessful applicants receive further academic results, or are selected for scholarships or other funding tenable at Cambridge.

Once successful applicants have received their formal offer from the PAO, they have one month to accept their place on the MCL. They must do so by paying a reservation fee , which is non-refundable in most circumstances .

MCL curriculum 2024-25

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MCL Student profiles

Travers Smith MCL Bursary

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Law, BA (Hons)

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Law at Cambridge

Law at the University of Cambridge allows you to understand law in its historical and social contexts, and to examine its general principles and techniques.

This course is your first step towards becoming a qualified solicitor or barrister. As part of the course you will be able to specialise from second year and study other legal systems from outside the UK.  

Law at Cambridge 

This course allows you to explore the law beyond the fundamental subjects to consider its interdisciplinary relationship with philosophy, economics, ethics, criminology, social policy, and history.  

In your first year you’ll study a range of topics such as Criminal Law and Constitutional Law.  

You will then be able to specialise and explore your interests from your second and third year. 

The Faculty and University Law Society organise numerous activities, including: 

• public lectures 
• careers events with leading barristers’ and solicitors’ firms 
• social events 
• mooting competitions (debates about hypothetical legal cases)

Teaching and facilities

You’ll be taught by experts in the field at the Faculty of Law.

The Faculty of Law facilities include the David Williams Building, which has: 

• lecture theatres 
• seminar rooms 
• a moot court, where you can take part in mock trials 
• the Squire Law Library, one of the finest academic law collections in the UK. The Library offers an extensive collection of printed and electronic resources and excellent computing facilities. 

Along with all other students at Cambridge, you'll also have access to: 

• our impressive Cambridge University Library, one of the world’s oldest university libraries 

Student exchange schemes  

You may have the opportunity to spend a year studying abroad at one of our partner institutions in France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, New Zealand, South Africa and Singapore. The year abroad takes place after you complete the first two years of the course. 

You would then return to Cambridge to complete Part II of the course as a fourth year. 

You may be given financial support for your Year Abroad, if needed, through a Turing Scheme grant. This is subject to funding being awarded to the University by the Department for Education. Funding is awarded on an annual basis. Eligibility may change depending on the level of funding awarded each year.

Find out more about the student exchange schemes  

Course costs

When you go to university, you’ll need to consider two main costs – your tuition fees and your living costs (sometimes referred to as maintenance costs).

Your living costs will include costs related to your studies that are not covered by your tuition fees. There are some general study costs that will apply for all students – you can find details of these costs here .

There are no compulsory additional course costs for Law. If you choose to buy your own copies of course books, they usually cost around £15 each.

If you have any queries about resources/materials, please contact the Faculty.

Becoming a solicitor 

If you want to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales you will need to sit two Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE1 & SQE2) after you complete this course. For more information visit the Solicitors Regulation Authority website.  

Becoming a barrister 

If you want to qualify as a barrister in England and Wales, your undergraduate degree will satisfy the academic component of training for this if you study the following papers throughout the course: 

• Criminal Law 
• Law of Tort 
• Constitutional Law 
• Contract Law 
• European Union Law 

You can then study vocational courses that lead to professional accreditation. For more information about qualifying as a barrister visit the Bar Standards Board website.

Teaching is provided through lectures, seminars and small-group supervisions.  

You will usually have 10 to 12 hours of lectures, and one supervision for each paper you’re studying, every 2 weeks.

Assessment is mostly through examinations which you take at the end of the year.

You will also have the option of taking a seminar course, which is assessed by a dissertation.

You won't usually be able to resit any of your exams.

Year 1 (Part IA)  

You take 4 papers.  

In previous years, papers have included: 

• Civil Law I 

Year 2 (Part IB) 

You choose 5 papers from a wide range of options, which may include: 

• Law of Contract 
• Administrative Law 
• Civil Law II 
• Comparative Law 
• Criminal Procedure and Criminal Evidence 
• Criminology 
• Sentencing and the Penal System 
• Family Law 
• Human Rights Law 
• International Law 
• Jurisprudence 
• Legal History 

Year 3 (Part II) 

You choose 5 papers. You can also take 2 half-papers as one of your 5 options.  

Full paper options may include: 

• Aspects of Obligations 
• Commercial Law 
• Company Law 
• Conflict of Laws 
• Intellectual Property Law 
• Labour Law 

 Examples of half-papers that may be on offer include: 

• Historical Foundations of the British Constitution 
• Landlord and Tenant Law 
• Law of Succession 
• Personal Information Law 
• Topics in Legal and Political Philosophy 
• Topics in European Legal History 
• Animal Rights Law 

You can also choose a seminar course, instead of one paper. Seminar courses vary each year but may include:  

• Select Issues in Criminal Law and Criminal Justice 
• Family in Society 
• Law and Ethics of Medicine 
• Private Law 
• Public Law 
• Select Issues in International Law 
• Tax Law and Policy 

For further information about this course and the papers you can take see the Faculty of Law website . 

Changing course

It’s really important to think carefully about which course you want to study before you apply. 

In rare cases, it may be possible to change course once you’ve joined the University. You will usually have to get agreement from your College and the relevant departments. It’s not guaranteed that your course change will be approved.

You might also have to:

• take part in an interview
• complete an admissions test
• produce some written work
• achieve a particular grade in your current studies
• do some catch-up work
• start your new course from the beginning 

For more information visit the Faculty website .

You can also apply to change to:

• Management Studies at the Judge Business School

You can't apply to this course until you're at Cambridge. You would usually apply when you have completed 1 year or more of your original Cambridge course.

You should contact your College’s Admissions Office if you’re thinking of changing your course. They will be able to give you advice and explain how changing courses works.

Minimum offer level

• A*AA (all Colleges except Sidney Sussex College)
• A*A*A (Sidney Sussex College)

IB: 41-42 points, with 776 at Higher Level Other qualifications : Check which other qualifications we accept .

Subject requirements

While we don't ask for any specific subjects to apply to Law, we would recommend certain subjects for a strong application:    

• English (language or literature)   
• Languages (ancient or modern)     

You can find more information about the subjects our typical entrants have studied below. 

Applying as an affiliate student

If you're applying to the Law course as an affiliated student , you should have achieved (or be expected to achieve) a first class undergraduate degree (or international equivalent) or alternatively, a Distinction in an MPhil (Master's qualification) or its international equivalent.

What Law students have studied

Most Law students (who had studied A levels and started at Cambridge in 2018, 2019 and 2023) achieved at least A*A*A (67% of entrants).

Most had usually studied at least one of the subjects recommended above.

The rest had usually taken at least one of:

• Mathematics
• A science subject

Other common subjects included:

• Classical Civilisation, Further Mathematics, Geography, Politics, Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies or Sociology.

The majority of students who studied IB achieved at least 43 points overall.

This information shows some of the common subjects our applicants have studied. Although these are common subject combinations, this doesn't mean they're favoured. 

When you're choosing your post-16 subjects, it's most important to check whether any subjects are required for your course. You can also check our guidance on choosing your high school subjects for more information.

Admission test

All applicants for Law are required to take the National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) at an authorised assessment centre. You must register in advance for this test. 

See the LNAT page for further information.

Submitting written work

Applicants to some Colleges are required to  submit written work  prior to interview. 

The following Colleges require two pieces of written work:

• St Edmund's

Offers above the minimum requirement

The minimum offer level and subject requirements outline the minimum you'll usually need to achieve to get an offer from Cambridge.

In some cases, you'll get a higher or more challenging offer. Colleges set higher offer requirements for a range of reasons. If you'd like to find out more about why we do this, check the information about offers above the minimum requirement  on the entry requirements page.

Some Colleges usually make offers above the minimum offer level. Find out more on our qualifications page .

All undergraduate admissions decisions are the responsibility of the Cambridge Colleges. Please contact the relevant  College admissions office  if you have any queries.

Discover your department or faculty

• Visit the Faculty of Law - The Faculty Law website has more information about this course, facilities, people and research.

Explore our Colleges

• Find out how Colleges work - A College is where you’ll live, eat and socialise. It’s also where you’ll have teaching in a small group, known as supervisions.
• How to choose a Cambridge College that's right for you - If you think you know which course you’d like to study, it’s time to choose a College.

Visit us on an open day

• Book an open day - Get a feel for the city and the university
• Find an event - We offer a range of events where you can find out more about Cambridge, Colleges, and your course. Many of our events have hybrid options so you can join us virtually.

Find out how to apply

• Find out how to apply and how our admissions processes work - Our admissions process is slightly different to other universities. We’ve put together a handy guide to tell you everything you need to know about applying to study at Cambridge.
• Improve your application - Supercurricular activities are a great way to engage with your chosen subject outside of school or college.

Discover Uni data

Contextual information.

Discover Uni allows you to compare information about individual courses at different higher education institutions.  This can be a useful method of considering your options and what course may suit you best.

However, please note that superficially similar courses often have very different structures and objectives, and that the teaching, support and learning environment that best suits you can only be determined by identifying your own interests, needs, expectations and goals, and comparing them with detailed institution- and course-specific information.

We recommend that you look thoroughly at the course and University information contained on these webpages and consider coming to visit us on an Open Day , rather than relying solely on statistical comparison.

You may find the following notes helpful when considering information presented by Discover Uni.

• Discover Uni relies on superficially similar courses being coded in the same way. Whilst this works on one level, it may lead to some anomalies. For example, Music courses and Music Technology courses can have exactly the same code despite being very different programmes with quite distinct educational and career outcomes. Any course which combines several disciplines (as many courses at Cambridge do) tends to be compared nationally with courses in just one of those disciplines, and in such cases the Discover Uni comparison may not be an accurate or fair reflection of the reality of either. For example, you may find that when considering a degree which embraces a range of disciplines such as biology, physics, chemistry and geology (for instance, Natural Sciences at Cambridge), the comparison provided is with courses at other institutions that primarily focus on just one (or a smaller combination) of those subjects.You may therefore find that not all elements of the Cambridge degree are represented in the Discover Uni data.
• Some contextual data linked from other surveys, such as the National Student Survey (NSS) or the Destination of Leavers in Higher Education (DLHE), may not be available or may be aggregated across several courses or several years due to small sample sizes.  When using the data to inform your course choice, it is important to ensure you understand how it has been processed prior to its presentation. Discover Uni offers some explanatory information about how the contextual data is collated, and how it may be used, which you can view here: https://discoveruni.gov.uk/about-our-data/ .
• Discover Uni draws on national data to provide average salaries and employment/continuation data.  Whilst starting salaries can be a useful measure, they do not give any sense of career trajectory or take account of the voluntary/low paid work that many graduates undertake initially in order to gain valuable experience necessary/advantageous for later career progression. Discover Uni is currently piloting use of the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) data to demonstrate possible career progression; it is important to note that this is experimental and its use may be modified as it embeds.

The above list is not exhaustive and there may be other important factors that are relevant to the choices that you are making, but we hope that this will be a useful starting point to help you delve deeper than the face value of the Discover Uni data.

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World Class

The Cambridge LLM offers a world-class postgraduate legal education

The Cambridge LLM is an internationally respected Master of Law programme

The Cambridge LLM is rigorous and intellectually demanding, and is taught by some of the finest academics

Welcome to the Cambridge LLM website

The Cambridge Law Faculty offers a world-renowned, internationally-respected LLM (Master of Law) programme. The nine-month taught course offers highly-qualified and intellectually-outstanding students the opportunity to pursue their legal studies at an advanced level in a challenging and supportive environment. The programme has rich historical traditions and attracts students of the highest calibre from both common law and civil law jurisdictions. It is intended for those wishing to pursue further legal studies after completing their first degree in law, including both recent graduates considering an academic career or intending to practise law as well as those taking a career break and seeking to broaden their intellectual horizons. The programme runs full time from October to June, and is taught by Cambridge academics, many with highly regarded international reputations. Studying for the Cambridge LLM is an enriching, stimulating and demanding experience. Students often surprise themselves with what they can achieve. The following pages provide prospective applicants with a brief guide to the Cambridge LLM and its admissions processes. We hope it contains the information you need as you consider whether to apply.

Enriching peer groups

LLM students are encouraged to participate fully in the rich academic and social life of the Faculty and their College

Academic environment

Opportunities for small group discussion and learning

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University of cambridge: law.

Doctor of Philosophy - PhD

Full-time, 3 years starts oct 2024.

The PhD in Law may be awarded after three to four years of full-time study or five to seven years of part-time study (including a probationary period) of supervised independent research on the basis of a thesis not exceeding 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Students are appointed a principal supervisor by the Faculty's Degree Committee as well as an adviser as the second point of contact for academic advice. If the project is interdisciplinary, a second supervisor may be appointed. It is a requirement of the first year of study that students attend, in term-time only, the research training classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme. While individual arrangements may vary considerably, PhD students may normally expect to receive one-to-one supervision once a month during the early stages of their research. Meetings may be less frequent thereafter.

A PhD thesis must take due account of previously published work on the subject and must represent a significant contribution to learning, through, for example, the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of new theory or the revision of older views. A PhD research proposal of between 2,000 and 3,000 words in length should be submitted at the time of application for consideration and approval by the Faculty's Degree Committee. Candidates are initially registered for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study in Legal Studies and are required to attend the classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme, which aims to provide an introduction to advanced research techniques and methods in law and cognate disciplines.

Towards the end of May of their first year (or second year if registered part-time), candidates are required to submit three items for a progress review: a personal progress log, a 15,000-word thesis, and a short explanation of the proposed topic of the PhD. The work is formally assessed (normally by two teaching members of the Faculty) and students must attend an oral examination.

After this examination, the assessors' reports, along with a recommendation from the supervisor(s), are considered by the Faculty's Degree Committee whose members then decide whether the candidate be upgraded to doctoral status. The PhD registration date is normally backdated so as to include the period spent working on the Certificate.

Part-Time, 5 years starts Oct 2024

Full-time, 3 years started oct 2023, part-time, 5 years started oct 2023, full-time, 2 years starts oct 2024.

The MLitt in Law may be awarded after two years of supervised research (or a proportionally longer period if undertaken on a part-time basis) and following examination of a thesis not exceeding 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of appendices, bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. An MLitt thesis must take due account of previously published work on the subject and must represent a useful contribution to learning. Candidates for the MLitt are registered in the first instance for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study in Legal Studies which provides training in legal research.

It is a requirement of the Certificate that candidates attend the weekly classes (during term time only) provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme that offers instruction on research techniques and advice on matters such as getting work published and obtaining academic jobs. Candidates are required to submit, normally towards the end of May of their first year (or at a proportionally later date for part-time candidates), three items for a progress review: a personal progress log, a 15,000-word thesis, and a short explanation of the proposed topic of the MLitt. The work is formally assessed (normally by two teaching members of the Faculty) and candidates must attend an oral examination.

After this examination, the assessors' reports, along with a recommendation from the supervisor(s), are considered by the Faculty's Degree Committee whose members then decide whether to register the candidate for the MLitt Degree. The MLitt registration date is normally backdated so as to include the period of time working on the Certificate.

Part-Time, 3 years starts Oct 2024

Full-time, 2 years started oct 2023, part-time, 3 years started oct 2023.

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HLS-Cambridge: Eligibility and Application Information

Eligibility.

Up to six Harvard 2Ls are selected annually to spend their 3L year reading for the LL.M. degree in Cambridge, United Kingdom. The admissions process begins with an application through HLS in January of the candidate’s 2L year and ends with a decision by Cambridge in early spring for matriculation at Cambridge the following fall.

HLS students who are already enrolled in joint degree programs, either with other Harvard schools or other American universities, are not eligible to apply for the Cambridge program. Students who transfer to HLS after completing their first year at another law school are also not eligible for the Cambridge program.

Students who would like to discuss the possibility of obtaining disability accommodations for the Cambridge LL.M. should contact Lakshmi Clark, Director of Student Affairs, at  [email protected]  or (617) 496-2437 prior to applying.

Applications

As a first step in the application process, students should submit the following materials by  Friday, January 5, 2024  to International Legal Studies, by e-mail to  [email protected] :

• A statement of interest for review by the HLS Study Abroad Committee.  The statement of interest should be five pages in length and should elaborate on the applicant’s educational and professional objectives and identify a proposed course of study at Cambridge, including specific classes.
• Cambridge college preferences.   Please indicate a first and second choice of Cambridge colleges and explain the reasons for the selections.  Each student admitted to the Cambridge LL.M. program will be assigned to a college and must also indicate these first two college preferences on the Cambridge application form. It is not possible to amend these preferences after the application form is submitted, so students should think carefully about their choice of colleges. For further information, please see “Cambridge Colleges,” below.
• An official copy of your current HLS transcript.   The transcript should include your most recent reported grades as of the application deadline. Students can order official transcripts online by going to the  Office of the Registrar’s Transcripts Requests page  and selecting “Placing a Transcript Order Online.” Official transcripts may be in electronic or paper form but must be sent directly from the Office of the Registrar, or, if delivered by the student, arrive in the original signed and sealed envelope.  (Please note that requests for HLS transcripts may take 3-5 days to process, so applicants should plan accordingly.) 
• Letters from two academic references.  Although applicants may provide letters of reference from faculty members at schools other than HLS, it is desirable to provide at least one recommendation from an HLS professor. Students should bear in mind that letters of recommendation that explain how an applicant performed in their academic studies in comparison to their peers are of particular value to the Committee. The University of Cambridge puts considerable weight on academic performance. The University of Cambridge provides the following instructions for faculty recommenders: “Please comment on the applicant’s academic fitness and general suitability to undertake the proposed course of research or study, in relation to the qualification sought. Also include any other information which you think is relevant to the application. If the applicant’s native language is not English, please comment on the applicant’s level of fluency and proficiency, particularly in the context of their academic work, if known.”   Letters should be sent directly by the recommenders to International Legal Studies, by e-mail to  [email protected] .  If they are submitted by the student, rather than the faculty member, they should be provided in signed and sealed envelopes.

Applicants will be notified by February 1 if they are being nominated for the Cambridge LL.M. program.  After that, each nominated student will receive instructions and an individualized application link from the Cambridge Graduate Admissions Office.  Students will then have seven days to complete the on-line application and upload the supporting materials.

When completing the on-line application, students will provide their recommenders’ names and e-mail addresses.  The system will generate an invitation for recommenders to submit materials via the reference portal.  (It is expected that the content of  these reference letters will be the same as that of the letters reviewed by the HLS Study Abroad Committee.)

Admissions decisions are ultimately made by the University of Cambridge.

Application Timeline

J anuary 5, 2024 Application materials are due to International Legal Studies.

Mid-January Each applicant meets individually with a member of the HLS study abroad team to discuss how the year at Cambridge could fit into their academic and career goals.

February 1 Students will be notified whether they have been selected as nominees for the Cambridge LL.M. program. Nominees will then receive an individualized application link and will have seven days to complete the Cambridge on-line application and upload the supporting materials.

Mid-March Students are notified of admissions decisions by the University of Cambridge.

April 15 Students who are admitted to Cambridge must make a firm commitment to the program.

Cambridge Colleges

Colleges form the basis for much of the academic and social life at Cambridge. In choosing a College, HLS students may wish to consider the composition of the student body, including whether it has undergraduate as well as graduate students; its location (including where graduate students are housed in relation to the faculty of law); its facilities and activities (library, dining, sports, social events), the “personality” of the College and its degree of formality; its alumni network; and the availability of funding for doctoral-level study, among other factors.

All of the Colleges on this list particularly welcome applications from HLS students to the LL.M. program and have agreed to consider each application made. Each College has its own policy on the number of places that it makes available for LL.M. students in any one year. A typical College will accept between three to six LL.M. students (across all applications received) but some will accept fewer students and some considerably more. In general, the graduate colleges tend to have higher numbers of LL.M. students (in some cases accepting 20 or more LL.M. students). College admissions offices will usually answer queries about the typical size of an LL.M. cohort, and the Link Coordinator at Cambridge, Jens Scherpe ( [email protected] ), is always happy to answer questions that HLS students may have.

Applicants can learn about  how the College system works  and admittance restrictions on the Cambridge website. It can also be useful to speak with HLS students who have studied at Cambridge or to contact the officers of the  Cambridge Graduate Union  for an “unofficial” perspective on the various Colleges. Upon request, the  International Legal Studies office  can provide HLS students with contact information of past participants in the HLS-Cambridge Joint Degree Program as well as their tips about things to consider when choosing a College.

HLS students will need to designate their preferred Colleges as part of their application to Cambridge and may not change these preferences later.

It is also possible for HLS students to express preferences for other Cambridge Colleges but the likelihood of acceptance cannot be predicted. Competition for places in some Cambridge Colleges is particularly intense, due to either the small number of places available or the large number of applicants who ranked that College as a first choice. If an HLS applicant is not accepted by either of the two preferred Colleges indicated on their application form, they will be assigned to another college as designated by Cambridge.

A few Colleges have restrictions and some do not have housing for married couples.

• Christ’s College
• Churchill College
• Corpus Christi College
• Downing College
• Girton College
• Homerton College
• Hughes Hall
• Jesus College
• St Catharine’s College
• St Edmund’s College
• Wolfson College

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Who can apply for a PhD under Special Regulations?

An application can be made by:

A graduate of the University of Cambridge, of not less than six years standing from admission to their first degree (to qualify as a graduate, a candidate must have a  degree  - qualifications such as diplomas and certificates are not degrees) ; and who

• (a) is of not less than six years’ standing from admission to his or her first degree of the University of Cambridge
• (b ) is of not less than six years’ standing from admission to his or her first degree of some other university and has been admitted (i) to some office in the University of Cambridge or to a Headship or a Fellowship of a Cambridge College, and is in the said office at the time of application, and (ii) to the degree of Master of Arts under Statute B II 2 or to a degree of the University by incorporation.

Please note that the term 'admission' to a degree means the date on which the degree was conferred on the candidate, not the date the candidate began the degree.

Graduates who have already been approved for a PhD degree from the University of Cambridge are not eligible to apply.

What evidence is needed?

In order to qualify for the PhD degree under Special Regulations you will need to demonstrate that your published work:

• comprises a significant contribution to scholarship through the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, connection of previously unrelated facts or the development of new theory or revision of older views;
• provides evidence of the acquisition of knowledge and a detailed understanding of applicable techniques for research and advanced academic enquiry;
• is of a quality and quantity equivalent to three years of full-time postgraduate study; and
• you meet the eligibility criteria for the degree. In order to check this do please see the regulations below.
• University of Cambridge Ordinances: Doctor of Philosophy : Special Regulations (Chapter VII)
• Guide for Applicants : PhD Degree under Special Regulations

Please check the eligibility criteria very carefully.  

How do I apply?

If you meet the eligibility criteria and would like to make an application for a PhD degree under Special Regulations, you will need to submit the following documents to Student Registry at the address on the application form:

• Application Form: PhD under Special Regulations
• Declaration Form: PhD Degree under Special Regulations
• Introductory summary of 1,000-5,000 words
• Two copies of the published supporting works
• Application fee

How is my application considered?

The Student Registry will acknowledge the receipt of your application, check your eligibility, forward your application to the relevant Degree Committee for consideration (provided you are eligible), and communicate their decision to you regarding whether there is, prima facie , a case for further examination of your work. If so, you will have an oral examination (viva voce) with at least two examiners appointed by the Degree Committee.

The viva will normally take place in-person in Cambridge, but you may choose to be examined remotely by video conference. If you wish to request adjustments for your viva on the grounds of disability, you should contact your Degree Committee. There is no set duration for a viva, although it will normally last for 1.5-3hrs. The viva cannot be recorded.

Following the oral examination, examiners are asked to make one of two recommendations to the Degree Committee: either that the degree is awarded or it is not.

Examiners submit their pre- and post-viva reports to the Degree Committee who will consider your candidature for the degree at the next available meeting. If further opinion is required, the Degree Committee may appoint further examiner(s).

You will receive confirmation of the official result, and copies of your examination reports, by email from Student Registry shortly after the Degree Committee makes its decision,

Please note that consideration of an application may take longer than a year.

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N.J. is adding a new requirement to graduate high school, but a huge number of kids didn’t do it last year

• Updated: Aug. 15, 2024, 7:37 a.m.
• | Published: Aug. 14, 2024, 7:29 a.m.
• Tina Kelley | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The number of New Jersey students who filed federal financial aid forms dropped this year, just as the state is implementing a new law that will require public high school seniors to fill out the forms in order to graduate.

The law, signed in January, requires the classes of 2025, 2026 and 2027 to fill out the federal Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA , as a requirement for getting a public high school diploma.

The form is used to determine how much federal student aid a graduate can get to attend college, and New Jersey officials want more seniors to fill it out to save money and increase the number of people getting a higher education.

But, only a little more than half of New Jersey high school seniors filled out their FAFSA forms this year.

After federal delays in producing and processing a new version of the FAFSA form caused chaos in college admissions this spring, 54.7% of New Jersey high school seniors finished the form — down 6 percentage points from last year, according to the National College Attainment Network, citing August 2 figures.

That meant 6,204 fewer New Jersey students filled out the form compared to the previous year.

The U.S. Department of Education announced last week that for most students, the forms will again be available three months later than usual.

Kim Cook, head of the nonprofit National College Attainment Network, said students would be further harmed if the problems with the forms continue this academic year.

“The unprecedented numbers we are observing in this class’s data make it clear that we can’t afford to have another delayed FAFSA,” she said. “We know that FAFSA opens the door to college; we need that door ready to walk through on-time and without complication.”

According to the network, students who did not fill out the form left about $103 million in federal Pell Grants on the table.

That number is expected to shrink significantly in New Jersey with the new graduation requirement, as schools are expected to focus on getting all students to fill out the FAFSA.

Under the pilot program, which can be renewed after three years, students can submit a waiver or speak to a school counselor to get an exemption from the graduation requirement. Undocumented students who are not eligible for federal aid but do qualify as NJ Dreamers can fill out the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid Application instead.

Nationally, the percentage of students finishing the forms fell to 46% from about 53% this year. For the past two years New Jersey has ranked ninth in the nation in the percentage of seniors completing the forms, said Bill DeBaun, a senior director at the National College Attainment Network.

Filling out the forms is particularly important for low-income and first generation college students with fewer resources.

“When we look at New Jersey high schools by school income level and percentage of students of color enrolled, we do see big FAFSA completion gaps,” DeBaun said.

There’s still time before the Sept. 15 deadline for this year’s high school graduates to apply for state funds for college, state officials said. New Jersey received $100,000 in federal assistance to get the word out about the FAFSA.

The Higher Education Student Assistance Authority is offering free, online one-on-one sessions with financial aid experts throughout August to answer students’ questions. Appointments are available through the authority’s website, and are also open to students who already submitted their FAFSA forms but need assistance correcting errors or providing additional information requested by the U.S. Department of Education.

Evening webinars about the forms are also available in Spanish and English.

Students must fill out the forms to see if they are eligible for federal aid as well as Tuition Aid Grants from the state. The forms are also required to see if students are eligible for the New Jersey College Promise program, which provides tuition money for students under certain income levels. Most universities and colleges require the forms to determine who receives scholarships, as well.

Under the traditional timeline, the FAFSA forms are available Oct. 1, and students and families fill them out and send them to the U.S. Department of Education, which determines how much federal aid they should receive, said Alejandro Guiral, president of the New Jersey Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

After three to five days of processing, the department usually determines what amount of federal assistance applicants will receive, and sends the forms to the state Higher Education Student Assistance Authority, known as HESAA, and the students’ chosen schools.

HESAA then determines how much state aid the student is eligible for, and notifies the school, which decides which scholarships or grants it can offer the student.

The final package — with state, federal and campus aid — was traditionally ready for students to review by January. This year, the form was not available until January for most families, and students learned what federal aid they received in mid-March. The amount of state aid they were eligible to receive wasn’t available until the beginning of May.

“They had a long time to wait,” Guiral said. “There’s been a certain percentage maybe that didn’t choose the school they wanted, maybe they went to another college that was not their first or second choice, because of the delay in accurate information about the financial aid package.”

On the new FAFSA form used this year, information from parents’ 2022 tax returns was fed into their children’s applications, although the process was poorly executed, according to a report by the U.S. Inspector General last week.

When parents do not want their income considered in a student’s application, it severely limits how much need-based aid the student would be eligible for, Guiral said. Students in such circumstances may be able to apply independently from their parents, after discussing the matter with financial aid officers.

The wait this year was far longer for students with a parent who did not have a social security number, he said. Their forms were not even ready until mid-March, shutting them out of campus-based aid that was distributed on a first-come-first-served basis.

“Keep trying,” Guiral said to students still hoping to get financial aid for the fall college semester. “The actual application really has become much more simple.” And some colleges will admit students well past the official deadlines.

Guiral’s group is advocating for the department to roll out next year’s application correctly. They are also training administrators for the 2025-2026 school year and are encouraging seniors and their families to set up their accounts with the U.S. Department of Education, so they are ready when the forms become available.

Stories by Tina Kelley

• Rutgers group that led pro-Palestinian protest suspended until 2025
• N.J. university building $2M apartment for president — in a dorm
• N.J. school district abandons cuts to free courtesy busing after uproar

NJ Advance Media staff writer Brent Johnson contributed to this post.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com .

Tina Kelley may be reached at [email protected] .

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Post-Doctoral and Graduate Corporate Governance Fellowships

The Program on Corporate Governance at Harvard Law School (HLS) is pleased to announce that it is seeking applications from highly qualified candidates who are interested in working with the Program as Post-Doctoral or Doctoral Corporate Governance Fellows.

Applications are considered on a rolling basis, and the start date is flexible and can be negotiated based on applicant and Program needs. Appointments are commonly for one year, but the appointment period can be extended for additional one-year period/s contingent on business and funding.

Candidates should have a law degree from a law school in the United States or abroad. Candidates still pursuing a doctoral degree are eligible so long as they will have completed their program’s coursework requirements by the time they begin their fellowship period.

During the term of their appointment, Fellows will be in residence at HLS and will be required to work on research and other activities of the Program, depending on their skills, interests, and Program needs. The position includes a competitive fellowship salary and Harvard University benefits. Fellows will also be able to spend time on their own projects.

Applicants should have an interest in corporate governance and in academic or policy research in this field. Former Fellows of the Program currently teach in many leading law schools in the U.S. and abroad (e.g., Scott Hirst (BU), Robert Jackson (NYU), Marcel Kahan (NYU), Kobi Kastiel (Tel-Aviv), Yaron Nili (Duke), Roberto Tallarita (Harvard) and Holger Spamann (Harvard)).

Interested candidates should submit a CV, a writing sample, and a cover letter to the coordinator of the Program, at [email protected] . The cover letter should describe the candidate’s experience, reasons for seeking the position, career plans, and the period during which they would like to work with the Program.

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Program on corporate governance advisory board.

• William Ackman
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• Kerry E. Berchem
• Richard Brand
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Berkeley Law Unveils Groundbreaking AI-Focused Law Degree Program

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Industry Leaders Come Together to Develop Curriculum

Berkeley, CA – August 13, 2024 – Berkeley Law, renowned for its innovative legal education and leadership in law and technology, is proud to announce the launch of the first-ever law degree with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI). Set to begin in summer 2025, the AI-focused Master of Laws (LL.M.) degree is now open for applications.

Berkeley Law has long been recognized as the nation’s leading program in IP and tech law. The introduction of the AI Law and Regulation certificate for students in the LL.M. executive track represents a major step forward in this tradition, further equipping legal professionals to navigate the complexities of AI. The program can be completed over two summers or through remote study combined with one summer on campus.

“At Berkeley Law, we are committed to leading the way in legal education by anticipating the future needs of our profession. Our AI-focused degree program is a testament to our dedication to preparing our students for the challenges and opportunities presented by emerging technologies,” said Dean Erwin Chemerinsky. “This program underscores our commitment to innovation and excellence, ensuring our graduates are at the forefront of the legal landscape.”

“The new degree program is ideal for both international legal practitioners and U.S. attorneys seeking to future-proof their practice,” said Assistant Dean Adam Sterling. “Students will learn from faculty, practitioner-lecturers, and guest speakers on topics such as AI ethics, the fundamentals of AI technology, and current and future efforts to regulate AI, including a focus on the EU AI Act.”

The curriculum for the new certificate was designed in consultation with an advisory group of industry leaders, including:

• Wei Chen, Chief Legal Officer, EVP, Government Affairs, Infoblox
• Jennifer Dumas, General Counsel, Allen Institute for AI
• Beth George, Partner, Freshfields
• Brian Israel, General Counsel, Anthropic
• Miriam Kim, Partner, Munger, Tolles & Olson
• Josh Lee Kok Thong, Managing Director, Asia-Pacific, Future of Privacy Forum
• Irene Liu, Executive in Residence, Berkeley Law and AI Advisor to California State Senate
• Nicole Ozer, Technology and Civil Liberties Director, ACLU of Northern California
• Karen Silverman, CEO and Founder, Cantellus Group
• Dumitru Sliusarenco, Senior Case & Policy Officer, Meta Oversight Board
• Hanna Steinbach, General Counsel at Harness
• Duane Valz, Founder, Valz Legal
• Nikki Vo, Director and Associate General Counsel, Meta
• Jon Zieger, Co-Founder and Director of Responsible Innovation Labs

Berkeley Law’s proximity to Silicon Valley provides unparalleled access to practitioners dealing with AI-related legal issues in real-time. The AI Law and Regulation certificate will help students build core skills and knowledge in areas including data privacy, intellectual property (IP), licensing, and risk.

Available courses include Law and Governance of Artificial Intelligence, taught by Professor Colleen V. Chien — one of the top 20-cited IP and cyberlaw scholars in the U.S. One focus of her new class will be how AI is transforming the practice of law, and the opportunities AI and automation technologies offer to ameliorate or exacerbate existing inequalities in the practice of law, including the access to justice gap.

“Students will gain fluency with AI technologies and explore the ways in which law and policy are being developed and applied in order to minimize the harms and maximize the benefits offered by AI,” Chien says. “Examining a variety of governance tools, including court adjudication, legislation, regulatory frameworks, industry standards, and best practices, this course will dive deeply into the intersections of AI and human rights, civil liberties, privacy, IP, consumer protection, employment, and other laws.” 

“This program will equip participants with in-depth knowledge of the ethical, regulatory, and policy challenges posed by AI,” Sterling added. “It will focus on building practice skills to help them advise and represent leading law firms, AI companies, governments, and non-profit organizations.”

Designed for working professionals, the LL.M. executive track can be completed over a calendar year with part-time online coursework and one full-time summer in Berkeley, or over two consecutive summer semesters in residence. The program attracts lawyers from over 40 countries, including those with a J.D. from the United States.

Applications for the program open on August 1, 2024. Interested candidates can email [email protected] for more information.

Media Contact:

Tove Sharp  Director of Media Relations   Berkeley Law   [email protected]

08/13/2024 Topics: Artificial Intelligence

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Postgraduate research    Finance overview    Funding    How to apply

It is essential that you think realistically about your funding before embarking on a research degree. Full-time research is demanding and time-consuming: to try to do that work whilst subject to worries regarding your financial situation is very difficult, and under no circumstances will the University accept the need to earn money as a valid reason for failure to complete your research on time.

You must also bear in mind that the University's regulations prohibit research students from undertaking any non-academic-related employment during their course, and strictly limit the amount of paid academic-related employment that research students are permitted to undertake during their course: no more than ten hours a week, and then only with the permission of their research supervisor and college tutor. Overseas applicants should note that this limit may be lower than the limit on paid employment permitted by your visa. Applicants who have funding from a grant should also be careful to ensure that they comply with any conditions from their funder regarding paid employment: for example, some permit no more than six hours of paid work per week.

Funding Opportunities for Prospective Students

There are many funding opportunities at Cambridge from a wide variety of sources including the Cambridge Trust, Gates Cambridge, Colleges, Departments, Research Councils (Prospective PhD students in Law are eligible to apply for an Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Studentship and/or an Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Studentship) and central University funds.

The most comprehensive information about such funding can be found on the Postgraduate Admissions website which provides detailed information about the University-wide funding competitions to which you can apply by completing the funding section of the Application Form (via the Postgraduate Applicant Portal). You should take a look at the really useful Postgraduate Funding search tool which allows you to search for funding you are eligible for according to what course you are applying to and your fee status. You should also consult the websites of individual Colleges.

In addition to the central funding awards, the Faculty of Law is pleased to be able to offer the following awards that provide either full or partial funding. Details are provided below.

Maitland Studentship in Legal History

The Managers of the F.W. Maitland Memorial Fund are able to offer one Studentship, tenable from 1 October 2024, for students undertaking doctoral research in legal history at the University of Cambridge. Studentships are tenable in the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of History, or the Faculty of English.

The Studentship is for PhD research only; applications will not be accepted from those applying to commence an MPhil. in October 2024. The Studentship is tenable for up to three years. Applications will be accepted from those who commenced their PhD course before October 2024; in such cases tenure of the Studentship will be limited to the period for which University fees remain chargeable.

Continued tenure of the Studentship will be subject to satisfactory academic progress, and to the meeting of any other conditions set by the University for continuation of study. In making decisions on the award or continuation of studentships, the Managers will take into account funding available from other sources. Preference may be given to applicants who hold, or will hold by the commencement of the Studentship, a relevant master’s degree.

The maximum annual value of the Studentship will be a sum equivalent to the total of the University of Cambridge’s minimum maintenance requirement for PhD students (which for the academic year 2024-25 is £18,625) plus PhD fees at either the home or overseas rate, as applicable (the home rate for 2024-25 is £9,858, and the overseas rate £29,826).

Candidates wishing to be considered for the Studentship should apply for admission as a postgraduate student by the relevant funding deadline for the PhD in Law, History or English as set out in the Course Directory and should also complete the studentship application form and send it directly to Mrs Alison Hirst, University of Cambridge, Faculty of Law, 10 West Road, Cambridge, CB3 9DZ or by email to [email protected] by 5 February 2024.

John Hall PhD Studentship

The Faculty of Law is offering one studentship for a new PhD student commencing full-time doctoral research in 2022/23. The studentship is available to home and overseas students, and is renewable for a further 2 years subject to satisfactory academic progress.

The value of a studentship will be £10,000 per annum and may be used by the student to contribute towards the University Composition Fee or to contribute towards maintenance costs. Candidates wishing to be considered for this studentship should apply for admission to the PhD by the PhD course closing date of 2 December 2021 and return a completed studentship application form to [email protected] by the studentship application closing date of 31 March 2022 .

Wright Rogers Law Scholarships

There will be an election to two Wright Rogers Law Scholarships in August 2024. Candidates for the Scholarships must have successfully completed a course of study qualifying them for a degree in any university or similar institution in the United Kingdom and have spent at least one year in the study of law. If elected, a Scholar will be required to carry out study or research relating to the Laws of England under the direction of the Electors. The tenure of a Scholarship will be for one year from 1 October 2024 in the first instance, but a Scholar may be eligible for re-election for a further two years. A Scholar must already be or must become a member of the University.

The annual value of each Scholarship will be at least £3,000 and will be determined by the Electors of the Wright Rogers Scholarship Fund after taking into account any other financial resources that may be available to the Scholar. Applications for a Scholarship should include a Curriculum Vitae, details of proposed course of study at Cambridge, a statement of funding secured to date towards the proposed course of study and/or details of any applications for funding that are pending. Completed applications should be sent by email to Mrs Alison Hirst, Faculty of Law ( [email protected] ) by not later than 1 July 2024. Candidates must also arrange for two persons each to send a reference to Mrs Hirst so as to arrive by the same date.

Arnold McNair Scholarship in International Law

The Arnold McNair Scholarship Fund supports a one-year Arnold McNair Scholarship in the area of international law. The Scholarship is open to any member of the University of Cambridge who has kept at least eight terms and who is a candidate for, or has been classed in, Part II of the Law Tripos. A letter of application, together with a statement of the nature of the further study or research that the applicant proposes to undertake, a statement of funding secured to date and/or details of any applications for funding that are pending should be sent by email to Mrs Alison Hirst, Faculty of Law ( [email protected] ) by 25 June in any year.

The present value of the scholarship is at least £5000. If the available income of the Fund is sufficient, a second Scholar may be elected.

The Bill Cornish Scholarship in Intellectual Property Law

The Bill Cornish Memorial Fund supports a one-year Bill Cornish Scholarship in the area of intellectual property law. The Scholarship is open to PhD student who is researching an area related to intellectual property.

A letter of application, together with a statement of the nature of the research that the applicant proposes to undertake, a statement of funding secured to date and/or details of any applications for funding that are pending should be sent by email to Mrs Alison Hirst, Faculty of Law ( [email protected] ) by 27 September in any year.

The value of the scholarship will be a minimum of £3,000.

The Faculty of Law The David Williams Building 10 West Road Cambridge CB3 9DZ United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 1223 330033 Email: [email protected]

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Course closed:

Law is no longer accepting new applications.

The Cambridge LLM (Master of Law) is a nine-month taught master's degree commencing at the beginning of October each year and finishing by the end of the following June.  The LLM, as a master's degree, is intended for those who wish to pursue further legal studies after completing their first degree in law, including those who are considering an academic career or intending to practise law.

LLM students take four courses of their choice from the list of available LLM course offerings.  In recent years, the number of LLM courses on offer has tended to be in the region of 30.  The advanced nature of the LLM programme is reflected in the fact that it is organised and taught separately from the undergraduate law degree at Cambridge.  All of the LLM courses are specifically tailored for the LLM programme.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, each course had been most commonly assessed by means of a three-hour written examination at the end of the LLM year, although students could elect to write a full dissertation in lieu of the written examination for one course (only), subject to prior formal approval of their dissertation topic.  In 2020 assessment shifted to open-book, online examinations with a time and a word limit – and this basic approach has been applied for 2022-23 (where a 5h time limit and a 6000-word limit has been applied for each course).  In the context of the University-wide re-evaluation of the assessment process, the examination options on the LLM are currently being reconsidered.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of the LLM programme, students can be expected to have greatly enhanced knowledge of their chosen subject areas, an increased ability to apply sophisticated and rigorous analytical techniques to primary and secondary legal materials, and a better facility in advancing robust evaluations of doctrinal, theoretical and policy arguments in the fields of their studies and more generally.

A number of students wish to pursue further advanced legal studies after completing the LLM.  Cambridge offers various research degrees.  Students wishing to continue their studies at Cambridge by undertaking a research degree in law should apply for their chosen course through the University's Postgraduate Admissions Office by the relevant deadline.

The Postgraduate Research page on the Faculty of Law website contains information about the options available.

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Key Information

9 months full-time, study mode : taught, master of law, faculty of law, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2024 (closed).

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Funding Deadlines

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.

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