NZ · Master's
Victoria University of Wellington
LLM (Master of Laws)
Victoria University of Wellington
Deadline detail: December 1 (February intake), May 1 (July intake)
Course Overview
Te Herenga Waka — Victoria University of Wellington runs New Zealand's oldest law faculty and sits three streets from Parliament, the Supreme Court, Crown Law and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. That geography is the programme: LLM courses are frequently taught by sitting practitioners and senior officials, and Sri Lankan students routinely find their public-law or trade-law coursework running a week behind the actual policy debate. Specialisation clusters include International Law, Public Law and Human Rights, Environmental and Natural Resources Law, and Commercial and Corporate Law.
The LLM is 180 points — either taught papers plus a research paper, or a substantial thesis for students eyeing a PhD. New Zealand is a common-law jurisdiction with a legal tradition Sri Lankan LLB graduates from Colombo, OUSL and Peradeniya read as familiar rather than foreign, and the thesis route is the standard bridge into a funded doctorate. On completion you qualify for the 3-year Post Study Work Visa, which is open work rights, not employer-tied.
Entry Requirements
Academic
- check_circle LLB or equivalent law degree with a B+ average (roughly a Sri Lankan Second Upper) in your final two years — Colombo, OUSL, Peradeniya and recognised UK transnational LLBs are all accepted.
- check_circle Thesis-route applicants must submit a 2-3 page research proposal and secure a supervisor before an offer is issued.
- check_circle Two academic referees; practising lawyers may substitute one professional referee.
- check_circle Attested transcripts and degree certificate; NZQA assessment is not normally required for recognised Sri Lankan universities.
English Proficiency
- check_circle IELTS Academic: 6.5 Overall (no band below 6.0).
- check_circle TOEFL iBT: 90 Overall (writing 20+).
- check_circle PTE Academic: 58 Overall.
- check_circle Waived if your LLB was taught and assessed entirely in English — most Sri Lankan LLB graduates qualify with a Medium of Instruction letter from their faculty.
Estimated Cost of Study
| Expense Category | Amount (NZD) | Approx. LKR |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition Fee (12 months) | NZD 41,000 | Rs. 7,790,000 |
| Living Expenses (12 months, Wellington) | NZD 25,000 | Rs. 4,750,000 |
| Health & Travel Insurance (compulsory) | NZD 750 | Rs. 142,500 |
| Visa, Medicals & Setup | NZD 1,200 | Rs. 228,000 |
| Total Programme Investment | NZD 67,950 | Rs. 12,910,500 |
*LKR conversion based on current bank rates. Subject to change.
Career Outcomes & PR
Wellington is where New Zealand's legal employers actually sit — Crown Law, the Ministry of Justice, MFAT, the Law Commission and the Wellington offices of Chapman Tripp, Russell McVeagh, Bell Gully, MinterEllisonRuddWatts and Buddle Findlay. The 3-year Post Study Work Visa gives you open work rights to convert an LLM into that experience. Note that the LLM is an academic degree, not an admission qualification: practising in New Zealand requires separate assessment by the New Zealand Council of Legal Education. Sri Lankan graduates more often return to Colombo commercial chambers, in-house counsel roles at Dialog, John Keells, Brandix and MAS, or into UN and INGO legal roles where the public international law track carries weight.
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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.