Master of Laws (LLM) in International Economic Law

The LLM in International Economic Law Programme is designed to offer students an intensive course of study of the law and practice of cross-border business transactions. Students are trained for practice in key areas such as international sales and finance, M&A (mergers and acquisitions), WTO law and international banking law. Skills training modules ensure that graduates of the LLM in International Economic Law programme are able to conduct both practical work and independent research in relevant subject areas.
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CUHK LAW’s LLM in International Economic Law (IEL) Programme has been awarded Targeted Taught Postgraduate Programmes Fellowships 2021-22 by Hong Kong’s University Grants Committee (UGC).

Under the Scheme, local students, both full-time and part-time, who are admitted to the IEL Programme in the 2021-22 intake are eligible to apply.

Students will be invited to submit applications in due course. Successful students will be required to pay only HK$42,100 and the remaining tuition fees will be subsidized by the fellowship.

For details of the Scheme, please refer to UGC’s website.

Medium of instruction:English
How and when to apply:Applications for 2022 intake will be invited around September of this year.
Admission requirements:

All applicants must fulfill the General Admission Requirements and the English Language Proficiency Requirement prescribed by the University’s Graduate School.

In addition applicants must have:

  • a qualification to practise law in the jurisdiction of the student’s residence; or
  • a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree or a degree of equivalent standing; or
  • a Bachelor’s degree in a non-law subject with substantial law-related working experience.

As many areas of professional activity are related to law, we welcome applications from applicants who work in the areas of commerce, accountancy, social work, public administration, and similar relevant fields.

Applicants whose undergraduate studies were not conducted and assessed in English are required to take an appropriate English language proficiency test and achieve a sufficient score, such as a score of 570 or above in TOEFL (Paper Based Test), 88 or above in TOEFL (Internet-Based Test); Band 6.5 or better in IELTS; or equivalent. The test results must be obtained not more than two years prior to the date of applying to join the LLM Programme.

Duration:

Full-time: one year (normative study period) – two years (maximum study period).

Part-time: two years (normative study period) – three years (maximum study period).

Campus:The CUHK Graduate Law Centre, 2/F, Bank of America Tower, Central.
Programme requirements:

24 units: including 12 units of required courses and 12 units of elective courses. Students should pass all the assessments with a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in order to be recommended for graduation.

Required Courses:

  • Law of International Business Transactions I
  • Law of International Business Transactions II
  • Trans-national Legal Problems
  • World Trade Law

 

Elective Courses:

  • Business and the Law in Hong Kong
  • Comparative Company Law
  • Comparative Contract Law
  • Comparative Corporate Governance
  • European Union Law
  • Global Issues in Law
  • International and Comparative Energy Law
  • International and Comparative Intellectual Property Law
  • International Commercial Dispute Resolution
  • International Economic Development and the Law
  • International Economic Law Skills
  • International Economics
  • International Environmental Law
  • International Finance and Accounting
  • International Financial and Banking Law
  • International Investment Law – Policy and Development
  • International Relations
  • International Taxation
  • Investor-State Dispute Settlement
  • Issues in Competition Law
  • Issues of Tax Policy
  • Law and Practice of Investment Arbitration
  • Merger Control
  • Preferential Trade Agreements: Theory and Practice
  • Principles of Competition Law
  • Shipping Law
  • The Law of Electronic Commerce

Students may select the above LLM in International Economic Law Elective Courses or any other approved courses offered under the JD or LLM Programmes.

Students who would like to undertake independent research project in an area of significant personal interest may choose Independent Research or Independent Research Dissertation.

The offering of an elective course in any term will depend on teacher availability and sufficient student interest.

Study Sequence:

Full-time mode (1 year)

Year 1
Term One
  • Law of International Business Transactions I
  • Trans-national Legal Problems
  • Elective
  • Elective
Term Two
  • Law of International Business Transactions II
  • World Trade Law
  • Elective
  • Elective

Part-time mode (2 years)

Year 1
Term One
  • Law of International Business Transactions I
  • Trans-national Legal Problems
Term Two
  • Law of International Business Transactions II
  • World Trade Law
Year 2
Term One
  • Elective
  • Elective
Term Two
  • Elective
  • Elective
Delivery mode:

A 3-unit course will usually have three teaching hours per week.

Classes are held during daytime and evenings of weekdays and daytime on Saturdays.

Classes will incorporate a mix of lectures, seminars, tutorials, presentations and class discussions.

Study options:

Students may take elective courses offered in other LLM Programmes and the JD Programme offered by CUHK LAW subject to availability of places.

Course Exemptions

Additional learning &
development opportunities:

The Sir TL Yang Society

Mooting

Exchange Programmes

Tuition fees:

HK$5,880 per unit* for a total of 24 units within the normative study period.

Students will be billed at the beginning of each term based on the number of units for which they have registered. Extra fees may be charged for students studying outside the normative study period.

*subject to annual review

Scholarships and Prizes:

CUHK Faculty of Law Master of Laws Global Scholarship 2021/22 for outstanding non-local students admitted in 2021/22

CUHK Faculty of Law Master of Laws Scholarship 2021/22 for outstanding local students admitted in 2021/22

Other Postgraduate Scholarships and Prizes

Continuing Education Fund (CEF)

Further study options:Master of Philosophy in Law (MPhil) or Doctor of Philosophy in Laws (PhD)
Student housing:There is a shortage of on campus student accommodation for non-local postgraduate students. When relocating to Hong Kong students are advised they will need to rely on (readily-available) private off-campus accommodation during their studies.

APPLICANTS

Yes. However, you can only study one programme at a time. Therefore, if more than one of your applications are successful you must choose only one programme.

No. The application fee once paid is not refundable.

Yes. Any application received without the payment of the application fee will not be processed until the application fee is received.

Yes. Students may apply for admission before completion of a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) provided that they are in the final year of study. In this situation any offer will be made subject to the condition that all requirements for graduation in the Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and for admission to the LLM programme are satisfied prior to commencing the LLM programme.

Yes. You can apply for admission to join a LLM programme before fulfilling the English Language Proficiency Requirement, but you must fulfill the Requirement and provide documentary proof prior to commencing the LLM programme. Any admission offer will be made conditional on you fulfilling the English Language Proficiency Requirement.

No. The Hong Kong Immigration Department has advised that in general it is unlikely that they will issue student visas to non-local applicants who intend to study part-time in Hong Kong. Therefore non-local students are strongly advised to study full-time in order to facilitate their student visa applications.

Your official university transcript and confidential recommendations should be sent directly from your university and referees to CUHK LAW in sealed envelopes.

CUHK LAW selects applicants on the basis of academic merit. CUHK LAW welcomes applications from applicants around the world based upon the philosophy that diversity enriches the learning environment.

No. However, applicants who do not possess a Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) obtained in Hong Kong or in an English-speaking country are required to fulfill the English Language Proficiency Requirement of the LLM programmes.

SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS AND NEWLY-ADMITTED

No. On receipt of formal offers students will need to make their own arrangements for the payment of the deposit should they wish to accept.

Meanwhile, eligible local applicants may apply for financial support under Non-means-tested Loan Scheme from the government.

Overseas students may check with organizations, government authorities etc, of their home countries if there is any financial support available.

For information on other scholarships, please click here.

Application materials are disposed of after the end of each admission exercise. New applications will be processed independently.

Newly admitted students are required to pay the tuition fees on or before the payment due date stated in the debit note in the admission package. Current students will receive a debit note at the beginning of each term, and are required to settle the tuition fees on or before the payment due date.

Students who have not completed the programme requirements within the normative study period may apply to postpone the expected graduation date by submitting the Application Form for Change of Expected Graduation Date to CUHK LAW. The maximum extension is up to one year. The application is subject to the approval of CUHK LAW. The academic status of those students studying outside the normative study period will become “continuing”. Extra tuition fees may be charged for continuing students and the fee level for continuing student is subject to annual review.

Applicants should refer to the website of the Immigration Department for details concerning employment during study.

Tel: (852) 3943 4310
Fax: (852) 2994 2505
E-mail: lawpgadm@cuhk.edu.hk
Address: Faculty of Law
6/F, Lee Shau Kee Building
The Chinese University of Hong Kong
Shatin, New Territories
Hong Kong