Postgraduate Center
UN Vienna

International Law

Master of Laws (LL.M.)

  • Short Facts
    Academic Degree

    Master of Laws (LL.M.)

    Scope

    60 ECTS Credits

    Format

    In Person

    Language

    English

    Duration & Tuition fee
    • 2 semesters (full-time)
      EUR 6,300 per semester (+ EUR 1,400.- deposit)
    • 4 semesters (part-time)
      EUR 3,150 per semester (+ EUR 1,400.- deposit)
    Application Deadline
    • 31 May 2026 (for applicants in need of Schengenvisa)
    • 31 August 2026 (for applicants not in need of Schengenvisa)
    Start

    Annually in October

    Register here

Strengthening Expertise for International Legal Practice

The LL.M. program International Law deepens your understanding of the fundamental structures and key issues of international law – designed for professionals who want to work in international organizations, governmental agencies, or internationally operating law firms and enterprises. You can study full-time over 2 semesters or part-time over 4 semesters, with all courses taught in English. The program brings together an internationally renowned faculty and benefits from Vienna’s unique environment as a hub for international organizations. 

Der Knopfdrücker
  • Studying "International Law" in Vienna means learning where global rules are made. In this LL.M. program, you gain the tools and professional mindset to advise, negotiate and litigate across borders.
    Univ.-Prof. MMag. Dr. August Reinisch, LL.M., Academic Director
  • Porträt Ursula Kriebaum
    With treaty reforms underway and state intervention on the rise, procedural excellence is the lever that ensures fair process and credible results in a contested global order.
    Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Ursula Kriebaum, Lecturer
  • Porträt Christina Binder
    Treaties form the foundation of contemporary international law. Understanding the rules and methods guiding their conclusion, interpretation and application is indispensable for any practitioner and scholar concerned with international legal practice.
    Univ.-Prof. MMag. Dr., E.MA Christina Binder, Lecturer
  • Porträt Aniruddha Rajput
    Protection of human rights remains to be a core value. The course on international human rights law I teach looks not only at the black letter law, but also the conceptual and interpretative challenges.
    Prof. Dr. Aniruddha Rajput, Lecturer
  • Porträt Stephan Wittich
    Understanding the legal foundations of world politics is the most important step to securing the rules-based international system. Knowing the fundamentals of international law is a door-opener to anyone interested in working in a global environment.
    Univ.-Prof. Mag. Dr. Stephan Wittich, Lecturer

Events

Here you can find all upcoming events of the program. Feel free to check back regularly for the latest updates.

Occupational Fields and Careers

You strengthen the knowledge and skills that matter in international legal practice – whether you aim to work in international organizations, governmental agencies, or internationally active law firms and companies. The program supports your ability to analyze complex international legal questions, work with core instruments such as treaties, model clauses, soft-law documents, and engage with contemporary fields such as investment, trade, human rights, and dispute settlement.

Modules

You focus on core concepts and basic questions of international law, including the role of international law in world politics, human rights, treaty law, and research-oriented academic legal analysis. 

Courses:

  • Legal Foundations of World Politics
  • Human Rights in International Law
  • The Law of Treaties
  • Research Seminar, The Law of the ILC

You examine key legal frameworks shaping international economic relations, including investment protection standards and WTO law. 

Courses:

  • International Standards of Investment Protection
  • WTO Law, Institution and Dispute Settlement

You analyze the legal foundations and accountability of international organizations and explore the role of international organizations as international actors.

Courses:

  • Accountability of International Organizations
  • International Organizations as International Actors

You develop perspectives on mechanisms of international dispute settlement, including crisis management, arbitration, immunities, and WTO-related advanced topics. 

Courses:

  • Crises Management and Conflict Settlement
  • Investment Arbitration
  • Immunities in International Law
  • GATT/WTO II

Studying in Vienna & Visa Matters

Vienna hosts a range of international organizations (including the United Nations, IAEA, OSCE, and OPEC), offering a strong setting for in-depth engagement with international institutions.

Please make sure to inform yourself early about visa requirements and life in Vienna, including accommodation and (health) insurance. Please find more detailed information here.

What our Graduates say

  • Porträt Andrea de la Brena Melendez
    The International Law program was the definitive catalyst for my career, providing the rigorous legal foundation required to excel in the high-stakes world of investment arbitration.
    Andrea de la Brena Melendez, LL.M., Graduate
  • Porträt Finnur Magnusson
    The programme is particularly well suited for professionals seeking to deepen their expertise and engage with highly distinguished professors focusing on international legal frameworks in a way that is intellectually demanding and practically applicable.
    Dr. iur. Finnur Magnússon, LL.M., Graduate
  • Porträt Beatriz Patino Moulinier-Skotton
    The lectures and seminars strengthen critical legal analysis and broaden perspectives on international law issues, while the field trips provide valuable insights into the role and work of other international organizations and institutions.
    Beatriz Patino Moulinier-Skotton, LL.M., Graduate

Insights

Admission Process

  • Requirements

    • You hold a law degree such as JD, LL.B., or LL.M., or an equivalent degree with a substantial component in international law from a recognized university.
    • If you are a non-native speaker and your first law degree was not taught in English, you provide proof of advanced English language proficiency (e.g., TOEFL/IELTS/Cambridge). 

  • Registration

    Please submit the following documents via the registration form:

    • CV
    • Letter of motivation
    • 2 Letters of Recommendation (typed on the recommender’s or law professor‘s official letterhead stationary and signed by hand)
    • Transcripts of your law degree and final report with grades (documents/translations in German, English, or French; issued by the university). Please pay attention to the country of study, as your law degree may need an official legalisation (further information).
    • Photocopy of your secondary school/college leaving certificate (date, school name, city)
    • Passport copy
    • Official proof of English (C1 level), if your degree was not predominantly taught in English

  • Further Procedure

    Applications are continuously reviewed by the academic director. You will receive timely updates regarding your admission status.

Ready for your next step?

Register here

Funding and Financing

Your continuing education is an investment in your future. The Postgraduate Center supports you in finding the right funding opportunities. Find out about educational grants, tax deductions, and financial support options: Funding and Financing

Take the opportunity to find out about state grants, scholarships, and employer subsidies – there are many paths to continuing education.

Der Knopfdrücker

In addition to general funding options, program-specific funding is available to help finance the continuing education master’s program. Awards, administration, and decisions are made solely by the respective institutions. For content-related questions and applications, please contact the responsible office directly.

LL.M. scholarships

At the University of Vienna, scholarships for students of the Faculty of Law are awarded at regular intervals. The grant supports participation in an LL.M. program and is funded annually by the Hochschulstipendienstiftung für Hörer der Rechte an der Wiener Universität (university scholarship foundation for law students at the University of Vienna). These scholarships are awarded once a year – typically at the end of the summer semester – for the upcoming academic year. Eligibility requirements include, among other criteria, a completed degree with high marks and an admission letter from the LL.M. program director.

Scholarships are usually announced in April/May. Please refer to the calls and further information: LL.M. scholarships.

FAQs

This program allows you to learn in small groups from experts in the field in close cooperation with the international law department of the law school hosting regular discussion groups with distinguished visitors from all over the world.

The LL.M. program “International Law” starts annually in October.

Yes. You can complete the program part-time over 4 semesters, which is designed to meet professional demands.

The tuition fee is €14,000 for the academic year and is paid in instalments. After acceptance, a 10% deposit (€1,400) is due within 14 days. 

Yes. You need a law degree (e.g., JD, LL.B., LL.M.) or an equivalent degree with a substantial international law component from a recognized institution.

If your first law degree was not taught in English and English is not your first language, you have to provide proof of advanced English (e.g., TOEFL/IELTS/Cambridge).

Summer Semester 2026

Semester Begin9th March 2026
Spring Holidays28th March – 7th April 2026
Spring Term Exam PeriodJune 2026
Study TripsWeekend before and during last week of June
Lecture free time in Summer1st July - 30th September 2026

Deadline for Master Thesis

Submission

18th August 2026
LL.M. Graduation CeremonyFriday, 18th September 2026

Our LL.M. program places strong emphasis on practical, real-world experience. Below you will find an overview of the excursions from recent years, illustrating how we connect academic knowledge with hands-on insights and direct industry exposure.

  • UN Vienna (2024)
  • Geneva (2023)
  • UN (2022
  • Third Man Day (2021)
  • The Hague (2019)
  • UN (2019)
  • UN (2018)
  • Geneva (2018)
  • The Hague (2017)
  • Day out in the Mounatains (2015)
  • Geneva (2015)
  • OSCE (2014)
  • Geneva (2014)
  • VIC (2014)
  • Third Man Day (2014)
  • The Hague (2014)
  • The Hague (2013)
  • VIC (2013)
  • OPEC (2013)
  • WTO Headquarters Geneva (2012)
  • VIC (2012)
  • Bratislava (2012)
  • Bosnia & Herzegovina (2011)
  • OPEC, OSCE, UNOV, UNIDO; Vienna (2010)
  • The Hague (2009)
  • The Hague (2008)
  • Geneva (2007)

The city of Vienna, which hosts a number of international organizations (IAEA, OPEC, OSCE, United Nations), offers an ideal environment for this LL.M. program, thereby enabling students to study in depth the structures and functioning of international organizations. A few internships are regularly made available for particularly qualified students.

Vienna hosts a range of international organizations (including the United Nations, IAEA, OSCE and OPEC), offering a strong setting for in-depth engagement with international institutions. At the same time, the city provides excellent opportunities to build valuable professional and academic networks, establish international contacts, and gain insights into global cooperation processes firsthand.

In addition, the University of Vienna offers a wide range of services tailored to international students. These include, among others, language courses to support academic and everyday communication, as well as discounted sports programs that promote both physical well-being and social integration. Further information and offerings can be found here.

Requirements differ for 

  • EU/EEA/Swiss students
  • certain visa-exempt countries (e.g., USA/Canada/Australia/New Zealand/Japan)
  • non-EU/EEA citizens, who typically need an entry visa and residence permit before arrival

Find out more about visa requirements and studying in Austria: Studying at the Postgraduate Center

No. The University of Vienna does not offer on-campus housing. For assistance in securing suitable accommodation please contact OEAD Student Housing.

If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our Program Management.

Academic Director

Univ.-Prof. MMag. Dr.

August Reinisch

LL.M.

Academic Director


Contact

Mag.

Claudia Luxon

MA

Program Management

Department of European, International and Comparative Law
Section for International Law and International Relations
University of Vienna
Schottenbastei 10-16
1010 Vienna


+43-1-4277-25 101
+43-1-4277-9 353
int-law-llm(at)univie.ac.at

Follow the Program

Follow Us - Postgraduate Center

We accompany prospective students and participants of our continuing education programs on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, providing up-to-date insights into our courses, events, and campus life. For those who want to dive even deeper, our YouTube channel offers exciting video formats and behind-the-scenes features.

Vier Studierende sitzen in der Wiese am Campus, sie schauen alle interessiert auf einen Laptop der gehalten wird von einer der Personen.
Ian Ehm

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