Most lawyers are drawn to the USA or Great Britain for an LLM degree. The New Zealand universities can easily compete with the universities in the USA and Great Britain: All eight universities are always at the top of the prestigious international university rankings. Those who dare to travel to the other end of the world for their postgraduate studies will benefit in many ways:
- The programs are structured very flexibly throughout. At almost every university in New Zealand there is the possibility of individually designing the research / coursework part.
- Each LLM student is provided with a supervisor and the course sizes are kept small in order to guarantee an optimal exchange between the lecturers and the students.
- The beginning of the course is usually flexible and can even be in the middle of the semester.
- Since the crush of applicants to the New Zealand universities is not as high as in the North American or British universities, which is a chance higher, a place for an LLM program to obtain.
- The master’s degree in New Zealand offers the opportunity to deal intensively with the Anglo-Saxon common law system and to make comparisons with the German legal system.
- Anyone who dares to travel to the other end of the world signals commitment, flexibility, independence and organizational skills.
Requirement
The basic requirement for participating in an LLM program in New Zealand is either a satisfactory first state examination or a good Bachelor of Laws. Even those who have completed their first degree in similar subject areas, such as political science or international relations, can apply for an LLM degree. Under certain circumstances, however, a less than good degree is sufficient. However, some universities also require a completed postgraduate course (certificate or diploma) in the relevant area. The LLM is therefore a good way to upgrade a rather mediocre first state examination.
In principle, applicants must have a very good command of English, which they can usually prove in a standardized test such as the IELTS or TOEFL.
Financing an LLM in New Zealand
The tuition fees in New Zealand are still moderate compared to those in other English-speaking countries. Nonetheless, applicants should budget between NZ $ 26,000 and NZ $ 31,000 for an LLM degree in New Zealand. Then there is the cost of living. These roughly correspond to those in Germany and are around NZ $ 1,200 to NZ $ 1,700.
Scholarships, Student Loans, and Education Funds
There are several ways to finance the LLM in New Zealand. On the one hand, German institutes such as the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) and various foundations award partial and full scholarships to international master’s students with particularly good performance. According to themakeupexplorer, New Zealand universities and the New Zealand government also award scholarships to international students in the (post) graduate area.
Another way to finance your law studies at the other end of the world is a student or education loan with low interest rates. Especially for an LLM degree it can be worthwhile to take out a loan or to apply for an education fund such as the “Brain Capital: LLM Education Fund ”: The annual salary of a lawyer with an LLM title is on average 10,000 euros higher than the salary of his colleagues without this academic degree.
Student visa for an LLM in New Zealand
Once the study place and the financing are secured, it is necessary to apply for a student visa. This should happen at least five weeks before your planned departure. Among other things, applicants must do an LLM in New Zealand
- the certificate of enrollment from the New Zealand university
- proof of sufficient financial means for the time in New Zealand and
- a return ticket
Submit. The student visa includes a work permit.
Foreign health insurance
Last but not least, international students need health insurance for an LLM in New Zealand. This is a legal requirement in New Zealand and the guidelines for insurance benefits are quite strict. It is easiest to take out health insurance recommended by the New Zealand university when you enroll. The cost for one year is around NZ $ 600.
It is also possible to take out health insurance abroad in Germany. However, you have to make sure that this corresponds to the requirements of the New Zealand government. No special vaccinations are required for New Zealand. However, it is advisable to have your vaccination protection updated in accordance with the current vaccination calendar of the Robert Koch Institute before departure. If you plan to travel to surrounding countries while studying LLM in New Zealand, you may need additional vaccinations.
