100 Best Law Schools in the World 2026

Choosing the right law school is one of the most important decisions for any aspiring lawyer. Every year, thousands of students across the globe dream of getting into the best law schools in the world, known for their academic excellence, research impact, and global recognition. These prestigious law universities are consistently featured in top world rankings for law & legal studies, setting benchmarks in both academic reputation and employer reputation.

Whether you aim to study law abroad or compare top universities for law before applying, understanding what makes these institutions stand out is crucial. The best law schools in the world not only offers exceptional programs in legal studies but also provides unmatched exposure, career opportunities, and a strong foundation for success in the legal field. If you are planning your journey toward one of the best law schools in the world, this guide will help you explore the leading institutions shaping the future of law and justice.

Top Law Schools and Rankings

Choosing the right law school can shape your legal career and open doors to global opportunities. The following list highlights the 100 top law schools in the world, recognized for excellence in legal studies, research impacts, and international reputations.

Rank	College Name	Duration	Country
1	Harvard University	3 years	United States
2	University of Oxford	3 years	United Kingdom
3	University of Cambridge	3 years	United Kingdom
4	Yale University	3 years	United States
5	Stanford University	3 years	United States
6	London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)	3 years	United Kingdom
7	University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley)	3 years	United States
8	Columbia University	3 years	United States
9	New York University (NYU)	3 years	United States
10	University of Chicago	3 years	United States
11	University of Melbourne	3–4 years	Australia
12	National University of Singapore (NUS)	4 years	Singapore
13	University of Toronto	3 years	Canada
14	University of Sydney	4 years	Australia
15	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	3 years	United States
16	King’s College London	3 years	United Kingdom
17	University of Edinburgh	4 years	United Kingdom
18	University of Hong Kong (HKU)	4 years	Hong Kong
19	University of Pennsylvania	3 years	United States
20	University of Michigan–Ann Arbor	3 years	United States
21	University of British Columbia (UBC)	3 years	Canada
22	University of Tokyo	4 years	Japan
23	Leiden University	3 years	Netherlands
24	Peking University	4 years	China
25	University of Queensland (UQ)	4 years	Australia
26	Australian National University (ANU)	4 years	Australia
27	University of Amsterdam	3 years	Netherlands
28	KU Leuven	3 years	Belgium
29	Georgetown University	3 years	United States
30	University of New South Wales (UNSW Sydney)	4 years	Australia
31	Seoul National University (SNU)	4 years	South Korea
32	University of Geneva	3 years	Switzerland
33	University of Copenhagen	3 years	Denmark
34	University of Zurich	3 years	Switzerland
35	University of Nottingham	3 years	United Kingdom
36	University of Texas at Austin	3 years	United States
37	McGill University	3–4 years	Canada
38	University of Auckland	4 years	New Zealand
39	University of Bristol	3 years	United Kingdom
40	University of Glasgow	4 years	United Kingdom
41	University of Warwick	3 years	United Kingdom
42	University of Southern California (USC)	3 years	United States
43	University of Alberta	3 years	Canada
44	Tsinghua University	4 years	China
45	University of Oslo	3 years	Norway
46	University of Helsinki	3 years	Finland
47	University of Leeds	3 years	United Kingdom
48	University of Wisconsin–Madison	3 years	United States
49	University of Manchester	3 years	United Kingdom
50	University of Vienna	3 years	Austria
51	University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign	3 years	United States
52	University of Auckland	4 years	New Zealand
53	Trinity College Dublin	4 years	Ireland
54	Monash University	4 years	Australia
55	University of Copenhagen	3 years	Denmark
56	University of Maryland, College Park	3 years	United States
57	University of Cape Town	4 years	South Africa
58	University of Vienna	3 years	Austria
59	University of Lausanne	3 years	Switzerland
60	University of Reading	3 years	United Kingdom
61	University of Exeter	3 years	United Kingdom
62	Boston University	3 years	United States
63	University of Sheffield	3 years	United Kingdom
64	Queen Mary University of London	3 years	United Kingdom
65	University of Barcelona	4 years	Spain
66	University of Auckland	4 years	New Zealand
67	University of Padua	3 years	Italy
68	University of Ottawa	3 years	Canada
69	University of Geneva	3 years	Switzerland
70	University of Bern	3 years	Switzerland
71	University of Canterbury	4 years	New Zealand
72	University of Antwerp	3 years	Belgium
73	University of Vienna	3 years	Austria
74	University of São Paulo	4 years	Brazil
75	University of Lisbon	4 years	Portugal
76	University of Helsinki	3 years	Finland
77	University of Buenos Aires	4 years	Argentina
78	University of Oslo	3 years	Norway
79	University of Leeds	3 years	United Kingdom
80	University of Bergen	3 years	Norway
81	University of Pretoria	4 years	South Africa
82	Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile	4 years	Chile
83	University of Cologne	3 years	Germany
84	University of Groningen	3 years	Netherlands
85	University of Hamburg	3 years	Germany
86	University of Strasbourg	3 years	France
87	University of Padua	3 years	Italy
88	University of Antwerp	3 years	Belgium
89	University of Belgrade	4 years	Serbia
90	University of São Paulo	4 years	Brazil
91	University of Cape Town	4 years	South Africa
92	University of Warsaw	4 years	Poland
93	University of Ljubljana	4 years	Slovenia
94	University of Santiago de Compostela	4 years	Spain
95	University of Luxembourg	3 years	Luxembourg
96	University of Porto	4 years	Portugal
97	University of Malta	3 years	Malta
98	University of Iceland	3 years	Iceland
99	University of Cyprus	4 years	Cyprus
100	University of Tartu	4 years	Estonia

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Best Public Law Schools in the World

Public universities have long provided top-quality legal education at relatively affordable cost. The Best Public Law Schools in the World combines global rankings, strong academic reputations, and high employability outcomes for law graduates.

Rank	College Name	Country
1	University of California, Berkeley	United States
2	University of Michigan–Ann Arbor	United States
3	University of Melbourne	Australia
4	University of Toronto	Canada
5	National University of Singapore (NUS)	Singapore
6	University of Sydney	Australia
7	University of Tokyo	Japan
8	Leiden University	Netherlands
9	University of British Columbia (UBC)	Canada
10	University of Edinburgh	United Kingdom

Best Law Schools in Asia

Asia is home to some of the best law schools in the world, offering globally accredited programs and rapidly growing international recognition. Students looking to study law abroad in Asia can benefit from affordable tuition, bilingual programs, and partnership with western universities.

Rank	College Name	Country
1	National University of Singapore (NUS)	Singapore
2	University of Tokyo	Japan
3	Peking University	China
4	Tsinghua University	China
5	Seoul National University (SNU)	South Korea
6	University of Hong Kong (HKU)	Hong Kong
7	Kyoto University	Japan
8	City University of Hong Kong	Hong Kong
9	National Taiwan University (NTU)	Taiwan
10	Fudan University	China
11	Chulalongkorn University	Thailand
12	Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP)	India
13	NALSAR University of Law	India
14	University of Delhi, Faculty of Law	India
15	Koç University	Turkey
16	Universiti Malaya (UM)	Malaysia
17	Universitas Indonesia	Indonesia
18	Renmin University of China	China
19	Beijing Normal University	China
20	Wuhan University	China

Top 10 Most Affordable ABA-Accredited Law Schools

For students seeking to study in the U.S., affordability is often a deciding factor. The Top 10 Most Affordable ABA-Accredited Law Schools combine quality education with lower tuition costs. These schools are approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) and provide excellent training for aspiring lawyers aiming to pass the bar and practice successfully.

Rank	College Name	Country
1	University of North Dakota	United States
2	University of South Dakota	United States
3	University of Montana	United States
4	University of Arkansas, Fayetteville	United States
5	University of Wyoming	United States
6	University of Mississippi	United States
7	University of Nebraska–Lincoln	United States
8	Southern University Law Center	United States
9	University of Idaho	United States
10	University of Maine School of Law	United States

Most Affordable Top-Tier Law Schools Globally

The best law schools in the world can also be affordable when compared globally. These top-tier law schools offer international-quality education with reasonable tuition fees. For students planning to study law abroad, these universities combine affordability with academic prestige, making them smart choices for a successful career in law and legal studies.

College Name	Total Fee
University of Edinburgh	₹32,00,000
National University of Singapore	₹28,00,000
University of Melbourne	₹30,00,000
Leiden University	₹24,00,000
University of Hong Kong	₹26,00,000
University of Cape Town	₹18,00,000
University of Auckland	₹27,00,000
Monash University	₹29,00,000
University of Zurich	₹31,00,000
KU Leuven	₹23,00,000

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What Are the Admission Requirements for Top 10 Law Schools

Getting into the best law schools in the world requires exceptional academic achievement, strong analytical skill, and an impressive application profile. The Top 10 Law Schools in the World has a highly selective admission process that evaluates applicants based on GPA, LSAT or equivalent exam, personal statement, and letter of recommendations.

1. Harvard University

Admission Eligibility	Total Fee
Bachelor’s degree, LSAT/GRE, strong GPA, personal statement, TOEFL/IELTS for international students	₹75,00,000

2. Yale University

Admission Eligibility	Total Fee
Bachelor’s degree, LSAT or GRE, academic transcripts, 2–3 recommendation letters, personal essay	₹77,00,000

3. Stanford University

Admission Eligibility	Total Fee
Undergraduate degree, LSAT, GPA above 3.9, leadership record, and statement of purpose	₹74,00,000

4. University of Oxford

Admission Eligibility	Total Fee
High school or undergraduate degree, LNAT, strong academic record, interview performance	₹60,00,000

5. University of Cambridge

Admission Eligibility	Total Fee
LNAT, academic excellence, personal statement, English proficiency test	₹62,00,000

6. London School of Economics (LSE)

Admission Eligibility	Total Fee
High grades in prior degree, LNAT, English language test (IELTS/TOEFL), and reference letter	₹55,00,000

7. Columbia University

Admission Eligibility	Total Fee
Bachelor’s degree, LSAT, academic transcripts, recommendation letters, statement of purpose	₹76,00,000

8. University of Chicago

Admission Eligibility	Total Fee
LSAT score, strong GPA, personal essay, and extracurricular achievements	₹73,00,000

9. New York University (NYU)

Admission Eligibility	Total Fee
LSAT or GRE, undergraduate degree, personal statement, and TOEFL (for non-native speakers)	₹70,00,000

10. University of California, Berkeley

Admission Eligibility	Total Fee
SAT, GPA above 3.7, letters of recommendation, statement of purpose, and proof of English proficiency	₹68,00,000

These institutions are among the best law schools in the world, known for their rigorous selection process and outstanding global reputation. 

Average LSAT Score for Top 20 Law Schools

When comparing the best law schools in the world, the LSAT remains a crucial factor in admission. Top-tier institutions look for strong logical reasoning, reading comprehension, and analytical writing ability. While GPA and personal essay matters, LSAT scores often determine your competition at the best law schools in the world.

College Name	Average LSAT Score
Harvard University	174
Yale University	175
Stanford University	173
Columbia University	173
University of Chicago	172
New York University	170
University of Pennsylvania	171
University of California, Berkeley	170
Duke University	169
University of Michigan	169
Northwestern University	170
Cornell University	168
Georgetown University	168
University of Virginia	169
University of Oxford	172 (converted equivalent)
University of Cambridge	171 (converted equivalent)
London School of Economics (LSE)	170 (converted equivalent)
National University of Singapore	168
University of Melbourne	167
University of Toronto	168

Read More: How to Get Admission in Harvard University 2026

How to Get Into a Top Law School

Gaining admission into the best law schools in the world requires a mix of strategic planning, academic excellences, and genuine passions for law. If you dream of studying at one of the best law schools in the world, you need to approach the process with focus and consistency.

Step-by-Step Process:

• Research Extensively: Identify the best law schools in the world that matches your academic goals and specialization interest.
• Maintain a High GPA: Most top law schools require a GPA of 3.8 or higher.
• Prepare for the LSAT or GRE: Aim for top percentile score (above 170 for LSAT).
• Build a Strong Profile: Engage in internship, legal research, and volunteer work.
• Write an Impactful Personal Statement: Express your motivations and long-term visions.
• Obtain Strong Recommendations: Choose mentors who know your skills well.
• Apply Early: Submit your application before the deadline to increase chances.
• Prepare for Interviews: Demonstrates confidence, ethic, and clarity of purpose.

By following these steps, you can strengthen your application and improve your chance of earning a place at one of the Best Law Schools in the World, where global leaders and top legal minds are shaped.

1. How important is GPA for law school admission

GPA plays a very crucial role in getting into the best law schools in the world because it shows your academic consistency and ability to handle tough coursework. Most top law schools prefer applicants with GPA above 3.7, though strong LSAT score or personal achievement can balance lower GPA sometimes.

2. How to get into law school with a low GPA

If your GPA is low, you still can aim for the best law schools in the world by scoring high in LSAT, writing strong recommendations and making a powerful personal statement. Highlighting work experience and leadership roles helps to make your application look more stronger.

3. How to write a compelling personal statement for law school

To impress the best law schools in the world, write a personal statement that shows your motivation, passion for laws, and unique background. Be honest and reflective but avoid sounding too formal, focusing on how your story connects with the school’s value and legal education mission.

4. What do law schools look for in applicants

The Best Law Schools in the World looks for students who have strong academics, analytical thinking, leadership and ethics. They give preference to balanced profiles with high LSAT, GPA, and genuine interest toward improving the legal system and community.

5. How are multiple LSAT scores viewed by admissions committees

Most of the best law schools in the world review all LSAT scores but mainly consider the highest one. Admission committees notice improvement trends, so retaking the test can work positively if your score increases clearly on the second or third try.

6. What Is the FAFSA and How Does It Work for Graduate School

For students applying to the best law schools in the world in the U.S., FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) helps to find eligibility for financial loans and grants. By filling income and background details, students can access federal funds for tuition and living costs.

7. What Is the Difference Between JD, LLM, and SJD Degrees

The best law schools in the world offer JD, LLM, and SJD programs to suit different academic and professional goals. JD is for aspiring lawyers, LLM for advanced specialization, and SJD for research and academic careers.

Degree	Full Form	Purpose	Duration
JD	Juris Doctor	Professional degree to practice law	3 years
LLM	Master of Laws	Advanced legal specialization	1 year
SJD	Doctor of Juridical Science	Research-focused doctoral degree	3–5 years