The University of Galway's School of Law has a long-standing reputation in Irish legal education, and its LLB (Bachelor of Laws) sits alongside combined options like the Bachelor of Law and Business for students who want a dual academic track. It is priced noticeably below the university's Engineering programmes, since Law doesn't carry the lab and equipment costs of the Science and Engineering fee category.
This guide covers what the university publishes about Law admissions, the cost of studying it, what it asks of applicants, and what outcomes look like. It covers the standard undergraduate LLB; the university's graduate-entry LLB (for applicants who already hold a Level 8 degree) has different requirements, noted below.
Acceptance Rate: What the University Publishes
The University of Galway does not publish an acceptance rate for its LLB programme, or for international applicants in general. A third-party site reports an overall figure of 86% for international applicants university-wide, but the university has not published it and the method is not disclosed, so do not use it to judge your chances for Law specifically.
Law is generally considered one of the university's more competitive undergraduate routes, alongside Medicine, though no official Law-specific selectivity figure is published. The most reliable way to judge competitiveness is to read the current entry requirements for the LLB and ask the admissions office about the entry profile of recent intakes.
Fees and Cost of Attendance
The University of Galway's reported 2026 non-EU tuition for the LLB is EUR 18,500 per year, below the university's Science and Engineering fee category (EUR 20,850/year) and close to its Arts, Business and Law category rate (EUR 17,300/year reported for Business specifically).
| Cost item | Amount (EUR/year) |
|---|---|
| LLB tuition (non-EU, 2026) | 18,500 |
| Other compulsory charges | Not listed on the fee page we checked; confirm with the fees office |
Living costs. Non-EEA students applying for a Stamp 2 student visa must show access to at least EUR 10,000 for the first year's living costs. Third-party estimates put shared accommodation in Galway at roughly EUR 550 to 900 per month, lower than Dublin. These are not verified against an official figure.
Admission Requirements
Standard undergraduate LLB
- A completed application through the international route for your programme. Confirm the correct route on the university's site.
- Secondary school results assessed against Irish entry standards, with non-Irish qualifications assessed for equivalence.
- English proficiency that meets the university's minimum (see the English section below).
Graduate-entry LLB (alternative route)
- An approved Level 8 degree in any discipline at Second Class Honours (2.2) or above
- In certain circumstances, an approved professional qualification or relevant experience may be accepted in place of a degree
- Applicants who hold a relevant practical law degree, or who have studied law modules at third level, may be granted appropriate exemptions
- English proficiency at the same IELTS 6.5 (minimum 6.0 in any other band) threshold
Requirements can change between intakes, so the programme page is the authority for your specific route.
How to Get Into a Galway Law Degree
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Decide between the standard LLB and the graduate-entry route early. If you already hold a bachelor's degree in any discipline, the graduate-entry LLB may be a faster path than starting the standard undergraduate degree from scratch, particularly if you qualify for exemptions from prior law study.
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Confirm your qualification is assessed for equivalence. Ask the international admissions office how your school-leaving results (or your existing degree, for graduate entry) map to the university's requirements, and keep the written reply.
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Build an English score with a margin. Law involves heavy reading of dense legal text, case analysis, and extensive written assessment, so a score comfortably above the 6.5 minimum reduces first-year strain.
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Budget for the full year. Tuition is EUR 18,500, and you must show access to at least EUR 10,000 for first-year living costs.
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Apply early and certify your documents. Certified translations take time, so start early and keep a copy of everything you submit.
English Proficiency Requirement
The university's Law-specific requirement, confirmed for the LLB programme:
- IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in any other band
- TOEFL iBT: not separately confirmed for Law in the sources reviewed; the university's general undergraduate threshold (88 overall on the legacy scale) is a reasonable reference point, but confirm directly with the School of Law
- PTE Academic: not separately confirmed for Law in the sources reviewed; the university's general undergraduate threshold (63 overall) is a reasonable reference point
- Duolingo English Test: not listed as accepted on the official pages checked for the university generally
For the full policy and a comparison with another Irish university, see the University of Galway guide.
Career Outcomes
The most recent HEA Graduate Outcomes Survey figure we found reports 80.2% of graduates nationally in employment nine months after graduation. We did not find a verified University of Galway Law-specific figure, so check the HEA Graduate Outcomes data for law graduates directly.
Post-study work. A Level 8 honours LLB is eligible for a Stamp 1G permission. For undergraduate degrees, that permission is 12 months and not renewable. Combined student and graduate permission is capped at seven years. Graduates intending to practise law in Ireland also need to complete the relevant professional stage (King's Inns for the Bar, or the Law Society's professional practice course for solicitors), a separate track from the Stamp 1G work-seeking permission itself.
Where Law graduates work. Law graduates from the university typically pursue further professional qualification (barrister or solicitor training), or move into roles in compliance, policy, and corporate legal functions, including at Ireland's multinational employer base. We did not verify a current employer list, so check the university's careers service for programme-specific recruiter information.
FAQ
Does the University of Galway publish an acceptance rate for Law? No. It does not publish an acceptance rate for the LLB. Third-party figures exist for the university generally but are unofficial and not Law-specific.
How much does the Galway LLB cost for international students? EUR 18,500 per year for 2026, below the university's Science and Engineering fee category.
Is there a faster route if I already have a degree? Yes. The graduate-entry LLB accepts applicants with an approved Level 8 degree in any discipline at Second Class Honours or above, with possible exemptions for prior law study.
What IELTS score do I need for Galway Law? 6.5 overall, with a minimum of 6.0 in any other band.
Can I work in Ireland after a Galway Law degree? A Level 8 honours degree is eligible for a Stamp 1G permission of 12 months. Practising as a lawyer in Ireland requires separate professional qualification (King's Inns or the Law Society), distinct from the Stamp 1G work-seeking permission.
Is Galway Law as competitive as Trinity or UCD Law? We could not find a direct, officially published comparison. The domestic CAO points benchmark for Trinity's LLB (around 602 in recent cycles) suggests Trinity's standard undergraduate route is highly selective; Galway does not publish an equivalent figure, so compare the specific entry requirements for your profile directly.