No.
A law degree is not compulsory to apply for the PhD programme. But applicants must have a bachelor degree in related disciplines such as law, business, finance, economics, computer science or political science. In the first two years of the PhD programme, students without law background will accumulate legal knowledge through a number of law courses.
No, there isn't.
The law PhD programme is a 4-year full-time programme, without part-time and remote learning options.
Whether PhD candidates are able to continue working will depend on themselves and their supervisor’s requirements. However, PhD candidate’s job can not affect PhD courses, research and dissertation denifitely.
Impossible.
According to the programme structure, PhD candidates should complete the required courses in the first two years, and pass the Qualifying Exam (QE). In Year 3 and 4, they should do research and finish the dissertation.
Therefore, PhD candidate will finish the programme in about 4 years.
All applicants are required to take GRE except for special approval granted by SMU.
GRE is waived automatically for graduates of Singapore Management University (SMU), National University of Singapore (NUS), Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), Singapore Institute of Technology (SIT) and Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), but they should have attained at least a bachelor degree from above universities.
English Proficiency Test (IELTS/TOEFL) is compulsory if their bachelor degree was not in English. If applicants have attained other Master or PhD degree in English, they can apply for exemption from IELTS/TOEFL.
Exemption from GRE and IELTS/TOEFL will not be processed until the online application and supporting documents are received. Please email exemption requests at lawphd@smu.edu.sg after the online application and supporting documents are submitted.
Can.
Applicants may first submit the online application without the GRE and IELTS/TOEFL scores. However, applications without the score will not be reviewed.
Applicants should email the official test report as soon as possible at lawphd@smu.edu.sg before the application deadline. Please indicate your application number together with related test reports in the email. It’s recommended to prepare GRE test early in case missing the application deadline.
No.
The GRE test must have been taken within 5 years before the date of admission proposed here.
Please pay attention to the process of online application.
When the application fee is paid successfully online, please go back to the online application system to finish the final step. Please click the ‘SUBMIT’ button on the final step of the online application, not only the ‘SAVE' button at the bottom right corner. Only the submitted application can be received and checked by the programme office. Please refer to the Online Application System Guidance step by step.
The application system will email acknowledge to applicants when their applications are submitted successfully.
If any other questions or error messages, please email us at lawphd@smu.edu.sg.
FIN are unique identification numbers issued by ICA and government agencies to foreigners who are working, studying, or residing in Singapore.
If you are an foreign applicant and don't have valid work pass issued by Singapore Ministry of Manpower or student pass issued by ICA, please leave the FIN number, FIN Expiry Date and Pass Type row blank. Please don't choose 'Student Pass' as the Pass Type during the online application, because you have not been selected by the PhD programme.
No.
The application process: submit online application -> submit supporting documents -> admission interview -> result.
Once the online application is submitted, please email all required supporting documents listed here as soon as possible at lawphd@smu.edu.sg. Once the supporting documents are receieed, programme office will email acknowledge to applicants.
The writing sample could be an unpublished / published paper or report, BUT it should be in English and can not be group work. It's not required whether they are law-related or not.
Except for the covering page (if any), the writing sample cannot exceed 10 pages in total.
The application needs 2 recommendation forms from 2 referees.
Where possible, at least one of the recommendation form should be from someone who has taught you or supervised your work in university studies.
If applicants have left school for some years and are unable to submit academic references, please provide 2 recommendation forms from your previous or current employers.
Applicants should key in referee info when submitting the online application. Then download the Recommendation Form Template (PDF or Word), and ask referees to email signed soft copies at lawphd@smu.edu.sg directly.
No.
All recommendation forms are confidential. Applicants should not have seen the content written.
Recommendation forms sent by applicants will be not considered.
The content in the statement of purpose will depend on what applicants would like to share with the admission committee. But it should address followings at least:
- Reasons and goals for applying to the SMU PhD programme
- Specific research interests
- Faculty member(s) applicant is keen to work with
Its maximum words are 2,000 in English.
No
All supporting documents should be in English. An official translation or translation certified by Notary Public & Commissioner of Oaths must be provided for all documents which are not in English.
The application for this PhD programme is not on a rolling basis, the programme office will assess applications after the deadline.
Only the shortlisted applicants will be invited to admission interview in later January or early February 2023. Please check inbox and spam folders regularly.
No.
The PhD programme is on a competitive basis, so only shortlisted applicants will be invited to the final admission interview. Programme office will email all applicants the final result.
No need.
In the statement of purpose, applicants should list faculties they are keen to work with. But it is just preselection, our admission committee will give applicants more suggestions during the interview or after matriculation.
- Maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0
- Complete 12 CUs of relevant coursework
- Pass the Qualifying Examination (QE)
- Successfully complete the PhD Dissertation (28 CUs)
- 0.5 CU undergraduate course teaching
- Attendance of one high-quality research conference
- Other CU-bearing courses & workshops for professional development
Three kinds of scholarships and fellowships are available for PhD candidates, listed here.
The default stipend rates will be received typically by all PhD students in the first year of the programme. The scholarship, subject to your satisfactory academic progress, will be renewed each academic year at the University’s discretion for up to the first 4 years of one's PhD candidature. Students may qualify for the premium (Tier 1) stipend rates from the second year onwards if they are nominated for the SMU Presidential Doctoral Fellowship or the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Fellowship. Students can look forward to winning these fellowships when they have outstanding research achievements in their PhD programmes.
Alessandro Vecchio
Deloitte Legal, Milan, Italy
Corporate Lawyer
Class of 2022
“When I was in the market for an LLM to pursue, I came across the unique programme provided by SMU and Queen Mary University of London to obtain a dual qualification. I saw it as an opportunity not to be missed; to gain a comprehensive understanding of cross-jurisdictions dynamics through a hands-on approach, living in two major commercial and financial hubs. It is fair to say that I am now an Italian qualified lawyer educated in three different jurisdictions.”
“Coming from Italy, the Singapore legal landscape was a thrill and I found more common ground with civil law than expected. Whether you are looking to relocate to Asia or simply boost your profile with an international outlook, you won’t find any better opportunity than SMU's Dual LLM programme.”
Andrew Young
impact.com, Singapore
Corporate Counsel, APAC
Class of 2022
"The LLM programme has helped by introducing me to the latest developments in areas of law that are relevant to my work, including topics such as blockchain and governance — to help explore the impact of new technology on business and commerce. The part-time option meant that I could continue to work while learning. There were also subjects focused on the Intellectual Property (IP) side of things which is relevant to my work as an in-house lawyer with a technology company. Since we are a Software as a Service (SaaS) company, it is important to understand how to safeguard our IP assets. "
"The depth of the subjects that were taught amazed and humbled me as I found myself constantly learning new things, even in areas that I would consider myself well-versed in. Be curious, and always go in-depth with each course of study even if it may not be completely relevant to your work. This way, you can take away more from the course, and walk away with the knowledge that will prove useful in the future."
Bhawna Chowdhary
TPM Solicitors & Consultants, New Delhi, India
Legal Associate
Class of 2022
"I decided to choose SMU because they offer interdisciplinary modules which are more practical and realistic. I can apply the knowledge gained from school in my work and create new regulations that keep up to speed with the fast-changing technological developments. I learnt the legal skills and the components of an MBA within my programme and had the liberty to select courses from the Accountancy, Management, and Data Science departments. While at SMU, my modules provided me with a background in fintech laws and regulations. I became highly interested in the subject and decided to pursue it in further detail."
Brandon Yang
PSA International Pte Ltd
Senior Manager, Group IT
Class of 2020
“I am currently in a multinational company focused on client engagements, product sales, and cross-border contracts. The SMU LLM programme gave me a good foundation in various aspects of contract drafting, especially in terms of risk mitigation and intellectual properties protection.”
“My observation is that legal drafting is pretty much like computer coding. For a start, both solicitors and programmers need to consider the overall structure or architecture of their approach. Both then go on to build a library of reusable function calls and applicable clauses in a way to increase efficiency, and address the definition of terms or variable declarations in a centralised place — which goes to show how relatable programming is to drafting.”
“I’d like to leverage my knowledge and training to deepen the domains I’m interested in. This constant search for a professional niche and personal development keeps me energised. I hope my peers find their own pathway that leads to career satisfaction, as I have.”
Archilo Arcayan Matugas
SMART Communications Inc.
Vice-President for Corporate Governance
Class of 2019
“When my son finished his undergraduate studies at SMU's Lee Kong Chian School of Business, his transformation was palpable in the way he expressed himself, and how he framed discussion points. I told myself that studying in SMU for my LLM may not be a bad idea. I browsed the modules offered which I thought were forward-looking and future relevant. I believe I made the right choice in SMU with its excellent professors, modern facilities, and convenient location.”
"I particularly liked the comparative approach taken in each module, which enabled us to discuss relevant legal issues from local to regional to global perspectives. The modules I took made my development holistic as they transcended legal matters – learnings which I shared with my team and applied at work when I returned to corporate.”
Chew Wan Lin
Transnational and Financial Crimes Division, Ministry of Home Affairs
Senior Assistant Director
Class of 2019
"It was a privilege for me to be enrolled in the SMU LL.M. programme. The curriculum is up-to-date, covering topics relevant to the modern business world like fintech and data protection. I enjoyed learning from the professors, who are experts in their field. It was also very interesting to hear the diverse perspectives and approaches shared by my fellow students as ours was a truly cosmopolitan cohort. My most memorable experience was the "rite of passage" all of us all went through to be accredited as professional mediators."
Dennis Tan
Singapore Trade Data Exchange Services
General Counsel, Head of Data & Corporate Governance
Class of 2019
“It allowed me to test different ideas in various areas of law, which tests may be of far greater risk profile if executed at work. This then allows me to revisit similar issues at work with new perspective and knowledge gathered from those tests.”
“There is always a new area of law that you can learn and develop yourself in, to move into a new practice. Being able to practically apply what one learns is of immense value, particularly when time is a premium in the profession.”
Koji Umai
One Asia Lawyers, Indonesia
Lawyer
Class of 2019
"The classes were made up of motivated students from all around the world, many with a substantial legal background. I was glad to be around excellent classmates and teammates, without whom I would not have completed all the tasks that we were required to work on."
Lai Yi-An
Chien Yeh & Associates, Taiwan
Partner
Class of 2019
"The experience is essential for prospective students from Taiwan to build a big picture of their personal vision by exploring beyond their comfort zones. “Thanks to the specialisation in ‘Cross-Border Business and Finance Law in Asia’ provided in the LLM programme, I acquired a wealth of new knowledge on emerging legal fields such as IT Law, Fintech, Financial Markets, Monetary Policy, and Digital Economy. It thus allows me to think of new projects and gain easier access to new legal fields. For example, I recently established a new virtual law firm in the virtual world, to provide legal consultancy on IPR issues."
"Looking back, studying law in Singapore is truly a milestone. I think I would never start a new trajectory or deal with a matter that is still evolving in the context of a rapidly evolving technology and innovation environment if I didn't study at SMU."
Park Suyung
Oon & Bazul LLP
Foreign Lawyer
Class of 2019
"Before embarking on the LL.M. programme at SMU, I practiced in Korea for more than seven years. I felt like I was flat-lining in my career and was unsure about the future direction I ought to take. However, with this programme, I regained my passion for the law and the hunger for new challenges that I lost. Every class started with curiosity about the points raised in the assigned readings and ended with gratification of my intellectual thirst. Moreover, I was able to make wonderful friends from around the world. I firmly believe that SMU’s LL.M. programme is a doorway to success for me, and I’m sure that the same will be true for others."
Sarah Giammatteo
Socomec, Singapore
Legal Counsel
Class of 2019
"Connections between Asia and Europe are intensifying, with a knock-on effect on the need for cooperation among individual countries located on these continents. The LL.M. programme at SMU aims to instil a global outlook and prepare the international lawyer for the important role she has to play in building new bridges between different parts of the world and different areas of practice.
I am glad to have had the chance to be part of this programme which has given me the valuable opportunity to acquire relevant knowledge and skills across the fields of law business. I now feel much better equipped to compete in a globalized working environment."
Son Hiyoung
Oon & Bazul LLP
Foreign Lawyer
Class of 2019
"Before joining the LL.M. programme at SMU, I had already obtained two law degrees – a Master of Laws in the U.S. and Juris Doctor in Korea. In contrast to those two degrees, SMU’s programme gave me an opportunity to think about and approach legal issues from a wide variety of angles, including non-legal ones. Class activities were challenging, fun and promised growth in the legal profession. I feel privileged to have been in a cohort with brilliant legal professionals from a range of other jurisdictions, who made every discussion an enriching experience. The Kwa Geok Choo Law Library is fantastically well-equipped with all the materials students need. I would definitely recommend SMU’s LL.M. programme to friends who would like to further develop themselves with a view to reinvigorating their career. It has been a life-changing experience!"
Kazumasa Miyashita
Industrial Growth Platform Pte. Ltd., Singapore
Japanese qualified lawyer (bengoshi)
Class of 2017
"The world needs legal professionals who master business. The ones who are only familiar with law are no longer suitable for today’s complex business environment. For any candidate who plan to learn law from a business perspective and learn business from a legal perspective, SMU LL.M. is the best choice!"
Luiz Piauhylino De Mello Monteiro Neto
Nogueira Pegas Advogados, Brazil & Portugal
Wealth Management Lawyer
Class of 2017
"In order to become a global lawyer and assist the expansion of multinational businesses, it is mandatory for one to have an exposure to the ASEAN region. SMU, while located in the heart of one of the most relevant financial hubs of the world, offers deep insights about this fast-growing environment and teaches its students how to better guide your way to legal certainty in the region. This LL.M experience will definitely assist me to become more qualified and prepared as a cross-border legal professional in the future."
Xu Yan
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
Paralegal
Class of 2017
"Our professors brought into the classroom rich practical knowledge; they taught us not just about the theory of law but also how it’s used in practice. I learnt practical skills at SMU, such as drafting contracts, which helped me to quickly adapt to work when I started my first job at a law firm. We had senior lawyers and bankers from different jurisdictions in my classroom; it was very interesting to work together in group projects and to learn from each other."
"The programme provided regular networking opportunities to engage with SMU alumni from different backgrounds and identify different career options. These opportunities were beneficial for my job search as YPHSL invited many guest speakers, usually senior practitioners to attend these events. It was a good opportunity to network and pick up career advice at the same time. During my LLM and JD studies, I became familiar with YPHSL and learned that SMU provides the best support for students. I believe that I am in good hands continuing my studies at SMU, which is why I chose to pursue my PhD with SMU as well."
Bill Bowman
Infineon Technologies Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd
Senior Director, Risk Management and Internal Control
Class of 2016
"The SMU LLM was an intellectual challenge that really added to my knowledge base and broadened my experience. The academics are subject matter experts in their own right and many are well respected business professionals in addition. The city campus location suited me as did the strong business and practical orientation of the subjects taught. It adds to my future career options. I learned a lot from my fellow students, many of whom are from diverse geographies and career experience. The course is taught from a regional and international perspective and helps you to understand the similarities and differences between the legal jurisdictions. I appreciated the fresh perspective of the SMU experience, and I enjoyed the LLM from start to finish!"
Nicole Zheng Li Ming
Registered Foreign Lawyer, Singapore
Class of 2016
"I have always felt grateful that I had the opportunity to be admitted to the LL.M. programme in SMU, which enriched me with relevant knowledge and skills. To participate in those highly interactive and stimulating seminars not only trained me to speak up and share ideas in public with courage, but also helped me adapt to the real working environment well in advance. Most importantly, I have established precious friendship from different countries with cultural diversity that I will cherish all my life."
Nino Chantladze
Russian qualified lawyer, Moscow
Class of 2016
"I joined the LL.M. programme in Singapore in 2015 and lived my lifetime experience of being a student again. I had an opportunity to pursue specific areas of interest that I developed during my career: cross-border transactions and foreign investment law. The SMU LL.M. programme helped me to gain sophisticated business approach and understanding of doing cross-border business in Asia, regulatory framework, transactional integration and importance of multicultural legal teams. I am grateful to the fundamental experience I had gained and new professional society I joined for my professional and personal growth. Thank you SMU for connecting all our diverse experiences together."
Fazrihan Bin Mohamed Duriat
Class of 2015
"I found the SMU's LLM programme beyond helpful in the development of my career. The school has a unique interactive pedagogy which facilitates experiential learning and sharing of valuable insight amongst classmates with diverse working backgrounds. The fundamentals of law was also emphasised so I was able to focus what I needed to excel in an academic setting with a certain specialisation. The course delivery, faculty and staff were intellectually stimulating and jurisprudentially enlightening. Overall, my study in SMU greatly improves my productivity at work in assessing legal risks in the banking industry. "
Teo Xiang Zheng
Class of 2015
"The SMU Master of Laws programme has enabled me a broader context in business and the world through international laws and regulations. The understanding gained has significantly improved my ability to reason and respond to situations at work and in my personal life. The relationships and knowledge gained through the programme have afforded me the opportunities to volunteer and support communities at work and at SMU, including the SMU Alumni Association, the SMU Office of Alumni Relations as an Alumni Ambassador, and as a SMU Mentor. I particularly appreciated the Socratic teaching approach for the programme which allows the teacher and students to interact and share their viewpoints, and learn from one another in a structured manner. "
Quyen Ngyuen
"I want to leverage my legal knowledge to bridge the gap between the law and technology, help make emerging technology more accessible and applicable and thus, allow it to reach its utmost potential."