Subject guides / International Trade Law
International Trade Law
Also appears in programme titles as: International Economic Law · Trade and Investment Law
What an international trade law degree actually is
World trade runs on a dense web of WTO rules, free-trade agreements and investment treaties — and international trade and economic law LLMs train the specialists who negotiate, litigate and advise on it. In a era of trade wars and reshoring, the field is anything but quiet.
The World Trade Institute's MILE in Bern is the field's dedicated flagship; Georgetown the elite US route; Edinburgh, Amsterdam and Leiden add the strong European economic-law LLMs.
What you study — and the bar to entry
WTO law and dispute settlement, international investment law and arbitration, trade and economic-integration agreements, and the economics of trade policy (MILE is deliberately law-plus-economics). These are LLMs or advanced master's — a law degree is standard, though MILE and some economic-law routes read strong economics profiles. Technical and detail-dense.
Where it leads
Trade ministries and negotiating teams, the WTO and regional trade bodies, international arbitration and trade practices at law firms, development banks' trade units, and multinationals' trade-compliance teams. Every trade negotiation and dispute a government enters needs this expertise — and smaller economies chronically lack it, which is where the scholarship logic bites.
Who it suits — and who it does not
A good fit if you are…
- Trade-ministry officials and government lawyers building negotiation capacity — a priority funded profile
- Lawyers specialising into trade and investment arbitration
- Economists (for the law-plus-economics routes) entering trade policy
Probably not the right degree if…
- Applicants who want general commercial law — this is a sharp specialism
- Those seeking development economics — see that guide
- Anyone allergic to treaty text and dispute jurisprudence
Where to study it: the programme map
Five verified programmes: the WTI's dedicated MILE (Bern), Georgetown (US), and the European economic-law LLMs (Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Leiden).
| University | Official programme title | Length | Tuition (intl) | Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown UniversityUnited States | International Business and Economic Law LL.M. | 9 mo | — | — |
| Leiden UniversityNetherlands | European and International Business Law (Advanced LL.M.) | 12 mo | — | — |
| University of AmsterdamNetherlands | International Trade and Investment Law (LLM track) | 12 mo | — | — |
| University of BernSwitzerland | Master of Advanced Studies in International Law and Economics (MILE), World Trade Institute | 12 mo | CHF 18,000 | — |
| University of EdinburghUnited Kingdom | International Economic Law LLM | 12 mo | — | — |
Every row verified against the official programme page; oldest verification 16 Jul 2026. Nothing here is a paid placement.
Application strategy and funding routes
MILE (CHF 18,000, one-year) is the specialist brand with the deepest WTO links; Edinburgh the Chevening-compatible UK LLM; Amsterdam and Leiden the strong Dutch economic-law routes; Georgetown the US flagship (Fulbright). A trade-negotiation-capacity narrative — naming the agreement or dispute your country is under-resourced for — is concrete and central to development-scholarship priorities.
Which scholarship funds which programme
Computed from each scheme's published rules (destination, level, course length) — not a guarantee; list-based schemes still require checking the official list.
- Georgetown University — study destination outside the scheme
- Leiden University — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Amsterdam — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Bern — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Edinburgh
- Georgetown University
- Leiden University — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Amsterdam — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Bern — study destination outside the scheme
- University of Edinburgh — study destination outside the scheme
Frequently asked questions
MILE vs a general LLM — worth the specialisation?
For a trade career, yes: MILE is built around the WTO with law-and-economics integration and unrivalled institutional links. A general LLM with trade electives is the fallback if funding or law-degree fit points elsewhere.
Do I need a law degree?
Standard for the LLMs (Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Leiden, Georgetown). MILE and some economic-law routes admit strong economics profiles — check per programme.
Which scholarships fit?
Chevening/Commonwealth for Edinburgh; Fulbright for Georgetown; Swiss and Dutch routes for MILE and the Netherlands rows. Trade-capacity narratives fit development priorities well.
Related fields
Sources
Official programme pages (linked per row above) · official scholarship rules and participating-programme lists · university admission regulations. Every data row records its source URL and verification date; stale rows are re-checked or removed.
Global Study Prep is independent and not affiliated with any university or scholarship programme. Programme details change — always confirm on the official page before applying.