US · Master's
Boston University
LLM in Intellectual Property
Boston University
Course Overview
Boston University School of Law runs one of the United States' top-ranked intellectual property programmes — consistently inside the US News top 10 for IP law. The one-year LLM in Intellectual Property is built for foreign-trained lawyers who want deep specialisation in patents, trademarks, copyright, trade secrets and technology-transaction law. Sri Lankan Attorneys-at-Law and LLB graduates from Colombo Law Faculty, APIIT, KDU or NSBM use it to pivot into the IP and technology-law practice that dominates the Boston biotech and software corridor.
The curriculum blends patent law, copyright, trademark and unfair competition, IP licensing, and the law of computer technology, taught alongside JD students. BU's location beside MIT, Harvard and the Kendall Square biotech cluster means students see live technology-transfer disputes and can sit the US patent bar route (the USPTO registration exam) where their first degree has the required science/engineering content. Note: a US LLM does not by itself admit you to a US state bar, but it can make qualifying-state bar eligibility (notably New York) possible for foreign lawyers.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle First law degree (LLB) or equivalent — Sri Lankan LLB and Attorney-at-Law qualifications accepted.
- check_circle Strong academic record; a science or engineering background is an advantage for the patent-bar track but not required.
- check_circle Personal statement explaining your IP focus, plus a detailed CV.
- check_circle Two academic or professional references and certified transcripts.
English Proficiency
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 7.0 Overall (min 6.5 in each band).
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 100 Overall.
- check_circle Waived if your LLB was taught and assessed entirely in English (most Sri Lankan LLB graduates qualify with an MOI letter).
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (USD) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (12 months) | USD 58,000 | Rs. 18,560,000 |
| Living Expenses in Boston (12 months) | USD 24,000 | Rs. 7,680,000 |
| Health Insurance & SEVIS / Visa Fees | USD 3,200 | Rs. 1,024,000 |
| Books, Bar Materials & Travel | USD 2,500 | Rs. 800,000 |
| Total Programme Investment | USD 87,700 | Rs. 28,064,000 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
LLM graduates are eligible for 12 months of OPT (extendable to 36 months on the STEM-adjacent technology track where the degree qualifies), used to gain experience at IP boutiques and big-firm IP groups around Boston. BU IP graduates place at firms such as Fish & Richardson, WilmerHale, Foley Hoag, and in-house counsel teams at biotech and software companies across Kendall Square. Many use the LLM to sit the New York bar as foreign-trained lawyers. Sri Lankan returnees move into IP, technology and corporate-commercial practice at Colombo firms and as in-house counsel for tech and pharmaceutical companies.
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ඔබට සුදුසු විශ්වවිද්යාලයක් තේරීම, අයදුම්පත් යොමු කිරීම, SOP සකස් කිරීම සහ වීසා ලබා ගැනීම ඇතුළු සෑම පියවරකදීම, ඔබ වෙනුවෙන් සියලුම වගකීම් විශ්වාසවන්තව අප භාර ගනිමු.