De Montfort University • Leicester
Commercial law with a practice edge — the “and Practice” in the title is the design — in Leicester, England’s trading-diaspora city.
Our take
DMU’s LLM signals its difference in the last two words: “and Practice”. Drafting, negotiation and transactional skills carry weight alongside doctrine — the version of a commercial LLM that maps onto what junior lawyers actually do. Leicester reinforces the framing: the city’s diaspora trading businesses live cross-border commerce daily, and the university’s wide £16,100–£25,700 band makes the programme-specific fee in your offer the number to compare. For lawyers whose next step is transactional work — in the UK via the SQE route, or home-market practice with a UK credential — the practice-weighted design earns its place against more famous names.
| Duration | 1 year full-time |
| Intake | September & January |
| Accreditation | Leicester De Montfort Law School |
| Tuition | Within DMU’s 2026/27 international postgraduate band of £16,100–£25,700 — a wide band, so confirm the programme fee in your offer before comparing. Deposits from ~£4,000 by country. |
Where this leads: An academic law degree with practice-skills weighting — no practice rights conferred. England-and-Wales qualification runs through the SQE exams plus qualifying work experience.
Both intakes run across Leicester De Montfort Law School.
Why DMU
Drafting, negotiation and transaction management sit inside the curriculum — the LLM as preparation for work, not just examination.
Leicester’s import-export economy gives commercial doctrine live local context — and networking that generalist campuses lack.
DMU’s band floor of £16,100 makes this one of the cheaper commercial LLM entries when the programme prices low — confirm yours.
Leicester’s established communities ease the year for first-time relocators — our standing DMU advantage.
What you study
Entry requirements
English language
DMU can consider Medium of Instruction (MOI) evidence for some courses — though clinical and regulated programmes usually still require a formal test. DMU's published English pages list approved tests rather than a blanket MOI policy, but its own 2026/27 fees page confirms MOI is considered for Indian applicants from states other than Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat — with a higher minimum pre-CAS deposit of £10,000 when you rely on one. Counsellor guidance indicates English-medium study is also weighed case by case for other markets, typically where your degree was recently taught and assessed wholly in English and the letter is issued on university letterhead. Treat MOI as a possibility to confirm for your profile, not a guarantee — we pre-check it with DMU before you apply.
Also accepted: PTE Academic (61 with 59 in each part at IELTS 6.5 equivalence), LanguageCert Academic 70 / Duolingo English Test 120 / TOEFL iBT 79, GCSE, IGCSE or Cambridge O Level English at grade C or above. Pre-sessional English is available if you fall short.
Careers
Your country
DMU publishes Pakistan-specific equivalencies: undergraduate entry typically needs HSC with 70% or above plus one year (new scheme) or two years (old scheme) of BCom/BSc/BA at 60%, while master's applicants with a four-year bachelor's degree usually need around 55% for 2:2-level courses or 65% where a 2:1 is required. Pakistan is not on the UKVI differential evidence list, so the pre-CAS deposit is typically a minimum of 50% of the first-year net fee, and — in common with many UK universities — applicants may be asked to complete a credibility interview before a CAS is issued. Leicester's long-established Pakistani community and low living costs make it one of the easier UK cities to settle into.
Full guide for PakistanUndergraduate applicants typically need a minimum 65% average in their best four Standard XII subjects (excluding Hindi); master's applicants usually need a recognised bachelor's degree at around 55-60% depending on the course. The deposit depends on your state and English evidence: applicants from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat currently pay the full first-year fee before a CAS, while those from other states pay a minimum £10,000 if relying on an MOI letter or 50% of the first-year fee with an approved English test. Leicester is arguably Britain's most Indian-friendly city — the Golden Mile, major Diwali celebrations and a large existing student community mean most Indian students feel at home quickly.
Full guide for IndiaFor master's entry DMU asks for a bachelor's degree with a GPA of 2.5/4.0 or 55% and above; undergraduate applicants usually route through A Levels, IB or a foundation year such as the DMU International College pathway. The most important practical point: Nigerian applicants are currently required to pay the full first-year tuition fee (minus any DMU scholarship) before a CAS is issued, which is a significantly higher upfront commitment than the £4,000 bands some other universities offer Nigerian students. Budget for this early, and speak to us about universities with lower deposit requirements if it is a constraint.
Full guide for NigeriaStudents from UAE schools are assessed on their qualification: A Levels, IB or strong CBSE/FBISE grades are considered for direct undergraduate entry, an American High School Diploma typically needs a 3.0+ GPA plus Advanced Placement subjects, and the UAE secondary school certificate usually routes through a foundation year. Master's applicants need a recognised bachelor's degree at around 2:2 equivalent. UAE nationals fall under the UKVI differential evidence requirement, so the pre-CAS deposit is currently a minimum £4,000 — expatriate applicants are assessed on their own nationality — and the February mid-year intake suits Gulf-based professionals who cannot wait for September.
Full guide for the UAECompare
FAQ
The assessment diet. Drafting exercises, negotiations and transaction simulations sit alongside essays — you graduate with work-product evidence rather than only doctrine. For transactional careers, that difference shows in interviews.
DMU’s band is the widest we list — £16,100–£25,700 for 2026/27 — so the programme-specific fee in your offer letter is the real number. We confirm it and your country’s deposit before you compare against alternatives.
No — qualification runs through the SQE exams plus two years of qualifying work experience. The practice-weighted training here maps well onto the paralegal roles that supply that experience, and we plan the sequence together.
Both run. January suits applicants regrouping after autumn — our January-intake guide maps the compressed visa timeline.
Fees, entry requirements, English-language policies and intake dates are correct to the best of our knowledge at the date shown, but universities review them every cycle and immigration rules change. Always treat figures as a guide — we confirm the exact, current requirements with the university before you apply. Facts on this page last checked July 2026.
Intakes shown are for this course specifically; DMU runs other intakes for other programmes — see the full DMU profile.
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