Best Human Rights Law Schools in the World in 2025

Edited By Jembi Selva Mary. A | Updated on Dec 12, 2024 03:33 PM IST

Best Human Rights Law Schools in the World in 2025: In the 2025 academic year, the best human rights law schools continue to lead, assisting in developing future advocates for justice and equality. Some of the best human rights law schools in the world include Yale University, American University, Washington College of Law, Columbia University, UC Berkeley, Harvard University, University of Oxford, New York University, Stanford University, Georgetown University and more. These schools are considered among the best human rights law schools, attracting students passionate about social justice. Most Indian applicants choose the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Germany as study destinations for human rights law programs. This article guides you in selecting the right human rights law school to achieve your professional goals.

This Story also Contains

Top 10 Human Rights Law Schools in the World
Best Human Rights Law Schools in Europe
LLM International Human Rights Law Online Programmes
How to Become an International Human Rights Lawyer?

Best Human Rights Law Schools in the World in 2025

Top 10 Human Rights Law Schools in the World

The best law schools in the world will offer a variety of courses committed to fields such as refugee law, criminal justice reform, and women’s rights. Here are some of the best human rights law schools in the world.

Human Rights Law Schools: QS World University Rankings

University	QS WUR Rankings 2024
Harvard University	1
University of Oxford	2
University of Cambridge	3
Yale University	4
Stanford University	5
New York University	6
The London School of Economics and Political Science	7
Columbia University	8
University of California, Berkeley	9
University of Melbourne	10

Best Human Rights Law Schools in Europe

International students from over 150 countries prefer Europe to pursue human rights law at top schools because of exceptional opportunities for legal aspiring professionals. Top countries for human rights schools in Europe include the USA, UK, Canada, Australia and Germany. However, most leading law schools are in the United States.

Georgetown University Law Center

Georgetown University Law Center consistently ranks among the top law schools globally. It is ranked 14th in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Law Schools. The acceptance rate for Georgetown University Law Center is around 19%. So, applicants must maintain a 3.91 or higher and a minimum LSAT score of 171 to hold a position. The tuition fee will be around $79,672 to study human law rights courses.

Columbia Law School

According to U.S. News & World Report's Best Law Schools ranking, Columbia University is presently rated eighth, making it one of the best law schools. The university has a 12% admissions rate, making it hard. Among those accepted, the typical LSAT score is 173, and the GPA is higher than 3.90. The cost of studying for international students at Columbia Law School is around $81,888.

Yale Law School

The law school is highly recognised worldwide, as per U.S. News & World Report, which ranks Yale University first. Yale Law School admits only 5.58% of applicants, making it a very privileged school. The class of 2025-2026 has a standard GPA of 3.89, ranging from 3.25 to 4.00. LSAT scores fluctuate between 158 to 177. The tuition fee for human rights at Yale University is $76,369 for the current academic year.

Harvard Law School

According to the 2024 U.S. News & World Report's Best Law Schools, Harvard University is tied for fourth place out of 196 universities. Approximately 9.5% of applicants are accepted to Harvard Law School, which is extremely selective. The admitted students have excellent academic records; their average GPA is 3.93 and their LSAT score is 174. The tuition fee at Harvard Law School to study human law rights is $77,100.

Northeastern University School Of Law

Out of 196 universities, Northeastern University is tied for 68th place in the 2024 U.S. News & World Report's Best Law Schools list. The overall acceptance rate at Northeastern University School of Law is roughly 37.3%. For approved students, the standard GPA is 3.72, and the typical LSAT score of around 163 is required. The cost of studying at Northeastern University School of Law is about $60,566 each year.

LLM International Human Rights Law Online Programmes

LLM stands for Legum Magister or Masters of Laws. It is a postgraduate law degree in a specific field, such as human rights. Here the top LLM international human rights online programs are given:

Top LLM programs	Programs offered by
LLM International Human Rights Law	University of Law
LLM with a specialisation in human rights	University of London
LLM in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law	Aberystwyth University
LLM in International Human Rights and Humanitarian Law	American University Washington College of Law
LLM in Transnational Crime and Justice	United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute

How to Become an International Human Rights Lawyer?

The step-by-step process to become an international human rights lawyer is mentioned below:

Step 1: Research and shortlist the desired university or school to study human rights law.
Step 2: Hold a good academic performance and prepare and take the LSAT test.
Step 3: Fulfil the requirements to get admission. Once done, obtain a degree with practical knowledge. If required, pursue advanced specialisation.
Step 4: Attend law school and gain a Juris Doctor (JD).
Step 5: Now it is your time to build a career and become an international human rights lawyer.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is the best university for human rights law?

Georgetown University Law Centre is the best university for human rights law. However, the top law schools in the world include Harvard University, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, Yale University, and Stanford University.

2. Which law school is best for human rights?

Harvard Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, Columbia Law School, and Yale Law School are considered the best law schools for human rights. These universities are ranked in the top 10 positions in QS and US. News rankings for 2025.

3. What is the most prestigious law school in the world?

Harvard University, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Yale University, Stanford University, and New York University are among the world's most prestigious law schools.

4. What is the best major for a human rights lawyer?

International relations, political science, and sociology are the best majors for human rights lawyers. These can also prepare you for law school. The top universities are Harvard University, the University of Oxford, the University of Cambridge, Yale University, Stanford University and New York University.