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Studying for an LLM (Master of Laws) in Massachusetts

Studying an LLM in Massachusetts Massachusetts is located in New England, on the north-eastern coast of the United States, bordering the states of New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Vermont and New Hampshire. It is home to a long list of universities and colleges, including well known institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston University and Harvard University. The university towns in Massachusetts – including Boston, Cambridge and Amherst – are cosmopolitan and welcome a colourful and diverse mix of people who come from all over the world to study there.

Reasons to study an LLM in Massachusetts

Studying postgraduate law in Massachusetts offers numerous advantages due to the state's strong legal tradition, prestigious academic institutions and dynamic legal community.

Some key reasons to study a Master of Laws in Massachusetts include:

Prestigious law schools
Thriving legal community
Forefront of innovation and technology
Networking opportunities
Historically & culturally rich environment

Search our database of LLM programs in the USA

Why study in Boston?

LLM in Massachusetts Boston is the capital of Massachusetts and the largest city in New England, it is also the 25th largest city in the US. Here are some of the reasons to choose Boston as the place to study your LLM degree.

Voted best college town in the United States
City of innovation
Historical city with picturesque streets
Known as the “city of universities” – there are over 50 universities in the Greater Boston Area!
Reliable public transportation systems
Thriving legal market
10 Fortune 500 companies
2,300 acres of parks
Home to the oldest public park in the US

Best law schools in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is home to several prestigious universities and law schools. This table shows the top eight law schools according to the US News Best Grad Schools Rankings 2024.

Position	University	Location	LLM Provision
1	Harvard University	Cambridge	General LLM
2	Boston University	Boston	5 LLM Programs
3	Boston College	Newton	5 LLM Programs
4	Northeastern University	Boston	2 LLM Programs
5	Suffolk University	Boston	2 LLM Programs
6	New England Law Boston	Boston	LLM in American Law
7	University of Massachusetts – Dartmouth	North Dartmouth	General LLM
8	Western New England University	Springfield	LLM in Elder Law & Estate Planning

Massachusetts law school lowdown

With over 100 universities and colleges, Massachusetts is a great place to be a Master of Laws student. Here is a roundup of some of the law schools in this US state that offer LLM degree programs.

Harvard Law School – Cambridge

Harvard Law School was founded in 1817 and is one of the oldest law schools in the US. It is known worldwide for its exceptional curriculum, influential faculty and extensive alumni network – it has also recently celebrated 100 years of its LLM degree program. The LLM program is drawn from the Harvard Law School curriculum which comprises of over 500 courses and seminars. Given the flexibility in choosing their topics, students are free to select courses including environmental law, public and international law or instead they can specialise in a single area like business organisation, legal theory, human rights or constitutional law. The LLM also offers students the opportunity to partake in a range of not-for-credit extracurricular and co-curricular options, such as the Law Teaching Colloquium and Writing Workshops. During this program, students must complete minimum of 23 (maximum 28) credits which includes the credit assigned to the ‘Legal Research, Writing and Analysis’ course.

Suffolk University Law School – Boston

Suffolk University Law School was founded in 1906 and is located in the heart of downtown Boston. There are more than 73 full-time faculty members that are national and international scholars in their respective fields, plus there is also a 100-strong adjunct faculty available to offer expertise and guidance. There are nearly 1,300 students at Suffolk Law and its LLM degree program is a leader in innovative legal education with a hands-on curriculum delivery that aims to give students a global perspective. Students on this program have a choice of over 200 courses to narrow down according to their interests and career goals. Suffolk Law offers a General LLM and an LLM in Global Law and Technology, it is also launching an LLM in Legal Innovation and Technology in 2025.

Northeastern University School of Law – Boston

The School of Law at Northeastern University offers both an On-Campus LLM and an Online LLM program.

On-Campus LLM: students can choose from the General LLM Program or from one of Northeastern’s concentrations – Health Policy and Law; Human Rights and Economic Development; Intellectual Property and Innovation; and International Business Law.

Online LLM: Northeastern University’s online offering is designed for lawyers trained both internationally and in the US to help them gain a better understanding of the US legal environment and the global practice of law.

Boston University School of Law – Boston

Boston University School of Law is one of the oldest law schools in the US and was founded in 1872. Its expert faculty offer a comprehensive curriculum and has produced many distinguished alumni. BU Law has five LLM programs: LLM in American Law, LLM in Banking & Financial Law; LLM in Taxation; LLM in Intellectual Property & Information Law; and a Two-Year LLM Program.

Boston College Law School – Boston

The LLM program at Boston College Law School can be tailored in accordance to the individual students’ areas of interest, with five concentrations LLM in Human Rights & International Law; LLM in Business Law; LLM in Environmental Law; LLM in Intellectual Property Law; and LLM in Tax Law.

LLM tuition fees & living costs in Massachusetts

LLM tuition fees and additional costs vary widely between the different law schools – for the academic year 2024–2025, the tuition fees at Harvard Law School are $77,1000 compared to $66,670 at Boston University School of Law and $62,826 at Northeastern University.

The tables below outline the Master of Laws tuition fee costs, estimated living costs and additional costs for LLM students at Harvard Law School and BU Law.

Harvard Law School

Harvard Law School Costs 2024/25	Amount
LLM tuition fees	$77,100
Health Insurance and Health Services fees	$5,794
Activities fee	$400
Other expenses
Accommodation	$18,000
Food	$6,131
Personal expenses	$5,650
Books and Supplies	$1,675
Travel	$1,750
Total costs	$116,500

Source

Boston University School of Law

BU Law Costs 2024/25	Amount
LLM tuition fees	$66,670
Student fees	$1,466
Accommodation and food	$15,450
Books and supplies	$1,462
Personal expenses	$3,292
Direct loan fees	$208
Travel	$1,120
Total costs	$89,668

Source

Massachusetts law school alumni

Law schools in Massachusetts have produced several notable alumni, including federal judges, members of Congress and former Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein, and former Pepsi Co CEO Donald Kendall. One of the most recognisable alumni from a law school in Massachusetts is the former President of the United States, Barack Obama, who graduated from Harvard Law School in 1991.

Studying an LLM in Massachusetts

Postgraduate students in Massachusetts

Massachusetts is home to plenty of universities and colleges which means there are numerous student towns and cities across the state. Some of the main student areas in Massachusetts include:

Boston
Cambridge
Amherst
Northampton
Worcester

These student hubs all have an abundance of onsite and off-site student accommodation for LLM students to choose from.

Postgraduate student accommodation in Boston

LLM students choosing accommodation in Boston may be able to opt for university-owned accommodation, however if university housing is not available – or not the preferred choice – there are other good options. Those choosing to rent privately have plenty of great neighbourhoods to choose from – Boston's Fenway area is known for its vibrant student population, and other good areas to consider are the Allston and Brighton districts. For those limited by budget, moving further out of town shouldn’t be an issue when it comes to attending lectures and seminars as the efficiency and reliability of the Boston subway system ensures that Boston-based law schools are within easy reach.

The vast majority of postgraduate students attending universities at a Boston-based institutions choose to live offsite, rather than in university accommodation as these figures published by the City of Boston show.

Living Arrangements in Boston 2022	Number of PG Students	Percentage
On-campus / University Accommodation	5,803	9%
Off-campus (Living at Home) or Study Abroad	23,311	35%
Off-campus (Not at Home)	36,484	56%
Non-categorised	139	0.%
Total	65,373	100%

Postgraduate student enrolment in Boston

Over the last decade, the number of postgraduate students choosing to study in Boston has increased from just over 51,000 in 2013 to almost 66,000 in 2022. And as this graph shows, the gap between the number of postgraduate and undergraduate students is narrowing.

Boston student enrolment

Source

Massachusetts Bar Exam

To practice law in the United States, law graduates must pass the Bar Exam – a professional licensing test is designed to assess whether a candidate has the necessary legal knowledge and skills to be an effective lawyer. Each US state has its own Bar Exam, although many states are now using the Uniform Bar Examination (UBE), which standardises the Bar Exam across multiple states. Each state can set its own requirements for becoming a licensed attorney, so even if it uses the UBE, it may include additional exams or criteria. The Massachusetts Bar Exam is a two-day exam consisting of the Uniform Bar Exam.

What to do when you aren't studying

Studying an LLM in Boston Being a coastal state, Massachusetts offers lots of opportunities for water-based pursuits such as sailing, yachting and fishing. You could also go hiking or cycling, visit museums, art galleries or the theatre, go to a concert or on warm days spend time in the beautifully landscaped parks. If you’re a keen runner you might enjoy the annual Boston marathon, either as a spectator or participant.

Many cities in Massachusetts have interesting colonial-era architecture sitting next to modern skyscrapers and in the student towns there are pubs and coffee shops aplenty, where you can nurse a cup of coffee while people watching.

If you are interested in sampling the local food there is a fantastic variety of restaurants serving freshly caught seafood, and whatever you do make sure you try out the famous New England clam chowder at least once.

What other US states can you study in?

There are plenty of LLM opportunities for those interested in the living and studying in the United States and we have essential LLM study guides to over 20 US states, including: