Is a Law Degree Abroad Worth It?

Many law students want to improve themselves, but they are not sure whether studying abroad is worth it. Today, let’s talk about what studying law abroad is really like.

First, consider legal systems. China follows the civil law tradition. Civil law countries have had the greatest influence on our civil and criminal law. So if your goal is to pursue an academic career, Europe is worth considering, and Germany is also a strong option.

That said, some students may not be able to make up their minds right away. In that case, it may be better to earn a master’s degree in China first and build experience while you study. Then, during your master’s program, you can decide whether studying abroad is still the right choice. After all, once you finish your master’s degree, your options for employment or further study will be much broader. It will also be easier to look for opportunities at law firms or government agencies.

If you do choose to study abroad, there is one important point to keep in mind: the cost is very high. This is especially true for law, where studying abroad can be even more expensive. Unlike other majors, law schools offer fewer scholarships, and some even require applicants to have relevant work experience. By comparison, at many universities in China, students do not even need to pay tuition.

At present, annual expenses are at least RMB 80,000. That is one reason law students make up a relatively small share of students studying abroad each year.

More importantly, studying abroad is not necessary. What matters more is understanding why you want to go abroad and making a solid study plan. For example, if it is a top-10 law school, it is generally worth considering. But if the school is little known and its teaching quality is average, then the value of studying abroad is much lower. In some cases, the return from studying abroad may even be less than staying in China for a master’s degree.

In addition, studying law abroad is not easy. Law itself requires strong language ability, and studying law in a foreign language raises the bar even further. For students from China, learning law well overseas is truly challenging. It requires a great deal of time and effort. If you cannot adapt to the teaching style abroad, you may end up wasting years of valuable time.

So whether to study abroad is something that should be considered carefully before making a decision.