IT · Master's
University of Bologna
LLM in Legal Studies (Human Rights, Environmental and Social Justice)
University of Bologna
Deadline detail: Non-EU applicants apply in the winter international round and then complete Universitaly pre-enrolment through the Italian Embassy — places are restricted, so apply in the first call
Course Overview
The Second Cycle Degree in Legal Studies is the University of Bologna's English-taught LLM, run by the Department of Legal Studies in the city where the European university was invented and where law has been taught continuously since 1088. It runs two years and 120 ECTS entirely in English, and it is structured around four curricular paths: Human Rights, Environmental and Social Justice; Law and Digital Transition; Law, Economics and Finance; and Global and Transnational Legal Culture. Access is restricted, meaning admission is by selection against a set number of places rather than open enrolment.
The Human Rights, Environmental and Social Justice path is the one that maps onto the sustainability and climate-justice agenda: international and European environmental law, human rights protection systems, social and labour rights, migration, and the legal architecture through which environmental and social obligations are actually enforced. Bologna's law school also hosts the European Master's in Law and Economics consortium and a substantial international law research community, so the seminar environment is genuinely comparative rather than Italian-domestic.
The economics of this are what make it worth a Sri Lankan applicant's attention. Italian public universities set tuition on an income-assessed scale, and a Sri Lankan family income assessed through the ISEE Parificato procedure typically lands in a low band — meaning a two-year LLM from one of the oldest and best-known universities in Europe can cost less per year than a single semester at a UK law school. Add the Regione Emilia-Romagna ER-GO study grant, which covers tuition exemption plus a living allowance and subsidised housing for eligible low-income international students, and the total cost can fall dramatically. What you should not expect is an Italian practising qualification: this is an academic and policy law degree, and admission to the Italian bar requires an Italian single-cycle law degree plus the state examination in Italian.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle A Bachelor's degree of at least three years in law, political science, international relations, economics or a cognate discipline, with sufficient credits in legal, economic and social science subjects.
- check_circle Sri Lankan applicants with an LL.B. from Colombo, Peradeniya, Jaffna or OUSL, or a recognised UK-affiliated LL.B., are the core profile; political science and international relations graduates are also admitted to the human rights path.
- check_circle A strong transcript — access is restricted and selection is competitive, so a Second Upper or better is the realistic bar.
- check_circle Motivation letter naming the curricular path you are applying to and why; CV; and academic references.
- check_circle Non-EU applicants must complete Universitaly pre-enrolment and obtain a Declaration of Value (Dichiarazione di Valore) or a CIMEA statement of comparability for the Sri Lankan degree — start this months ahead, because it runs through the Italian Embassy accredited to Sri Lanka and is the usual cause of delay.
- check_circle Certified Italian or English translations of transcripts and degree certificates.
- check_circle Proof of funds for the study visa, plus health insurance and a permesso di soggiorno application within eight working days of arriving in Italy.
- check_circle File the ISEE Parificato through a CAF office once in Italy if you want the income-assessed fee reduction — missing this deadline means paying the top band for the year.
English Proficiency
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 6.5 Overall is the standard benchmark for admission to Bologna's English-taught second-cycle degrees.
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 88-90 Overall.
- check_circle Cambridge C1 Advanced or equivalent is accepted.
- check_circle The requirement is normally waived if your previous degree was taught and examined entirely in English — Sri Lankan applicants from English-medium LL.B. programmes can satisfy this with a Medium of Instruction letter, though the selection committee may still interview.
- check_circle Italian is not required for the degree, but the university offers free Italian courses and A2-B1 makes daily life, internships and part-time work in Bologna dramatically easier.
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (€) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (per year, income-assessed) | €2,900 | Rs. 1,000,500 |
| Living Expenses in Bologna (per year) | €9,600 | Rs. 3,312,000 |
| Proof-of-Funds & Residence Permit | €700 | Rs. 241,500 |
| Visa, Declaration of Value & Airfare | €900 | Rs. 310,500 |
| Books & Health Insurance | €600 | Rs. 207,000 |
| Total Year 1 Investment | €14,700 | Rs. 5,071,500 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
Italy grants graduates a 12-month post-study residence permit to seek work (permesso di soggiorno per attesa occupazione), convertible to a work permit on employment, and the degree carries EU-wide recognition. Graduates of the human rights and environmental path work in international organisations and UN agencies, in EU institutions and national environmental and human rights bodies, in NGOs and advocacy organisations, in ESG, sustainability and compliance functions inside multinationals, and in academic research. Sri Lankan returnees are well placed at the Attorney General's Department, the Ministry of Environment's legal and climate-negotiation teams, the Central Environmental Authority, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, the Marine Environment Protection Authority, and the growing corporate ESG and sustainability-reporting functions at John Keells, MAS Holdings, Brandix, Hayleys and Dialog Axiata — plus the UN and donor country offices in Colombo, which hire for exactly this profile. Be realistic that this credential does not by itself confer a right to practise law in Italy or Sri Lanka; Sri Lankan bar admission still runs through Sri Lanka Law College or the recognised LL.B. route.
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Bocconi University
MA in Human Rights and Multi-level Governance
University of Padua
LLM in Law of Internet Technology
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