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LLM in transnational arbitration & dispute settlement
One-Year Master's
Programme in English
Between 75 and 100 ECTS
Virtual Graduate Open House day, October 2025
On 18 October 2025: meet faculty members, students, and representatives from admission and student services and learn more about our Master’s programmes.
Why study arbitration in Paris?
- One of the most attractive and important international arbitration venues worldwide thanks to the presence of the International Chamber of Commerce’s Court of International Arbitration
- Interact and gain access to the most important law firms specialized in International Arbitration and many of the leading specialists in the field
Why study arbitration at Sciences Po law school?
- Founded 150 years ago, Sciences Po stands out as a world-class university with internationally-recognised degrees and research, a multicultural community and a worldwide network of partners
- Sciences Po Law School (SPLS) has developed a strong reputation in matters related to international economic law, with a particular focus on all mechanisms of international dispute settlement
- Many international arbitration related activities are organised every year with the participation of the most outstanding specialists from all over the world
- SPLS's teams excel in international moot competitions around the world and SPLS has been organising its own international moot competition for 19 years
What will you study in this LLM?
The LLM offers extensive training in theoretical and practical aspects of arbitration and dispute settlement. The core objective of the program will be the study of transnational arbitration in all its forms. The LLM will also cover other mechanisms of international dispute settlement, including judicial and non-judicial means of dispute resolution such as litigation before the International Court of Justice, at the World Trade Organization (Panel and Appellate Body), Human Rights Litigation (e.g. European or American framework).
In addition, the TADS LLM will offer an insight into litigation before domestic courts, recourse to mediation and online dispute settlement. Ultimately, the program will not exclusively focus on procedural tools governing dispute settlement. Substantial lectures will offer further insight into public international law, international contracts law, private international law, energy law, international investment law, and the protection of human rights. The combination of these procedural and substantial insights will provide a foundation for students to act before the extraordinary variety of tribunals and courts that exist in the world today.
Students in the LLM complete mandatory and elective coursework in small groups in semester-long and intensive formats.To deepen intellectual and professional exchanges, workshops on practical skills and professional methods are taught in situ at partner law firms and at the ICC International Court of Arbitration. LLM students complement their knowledge and practice with a series of annual conferences, internships, and optional participation in international moots. The LLM offers a unique immersive opportunity to interact in the transnational arbitration network as a young practitioner.
The high-level education received during the programme, enables students to be extremely competitive to get positions in international law firms, arbitration institutions and international organisations.
Curriculum overview
Coursework is complemented by the choice of one of the following options:
- Full-time work placement, ranging from 14 weeks to 6 months from July to December following studies (30 ECTS) or
- Graduate Thesis, completed before the end of studies in June (30 ECTS)
Governance and faculty
In this LLM programme students have significant opportunities to learn the theory and practice of transnational arbitration, along with other means of dispute settlement, by concentrating on both substantial and procedural issues. By studying in the most important arbitration venue in the world, our students are taught by several of the most prominent scholars and practitioners in the field.
Diego P. Fernández Arroyo
Professor at Sciences Po
- Diego P. Fernández Arroyo, Courses on Transnational Commercial Arbitration, Sociology and Philosophy of International Arbitration and State Immunity in Litigation & Arbitration
- George Bermann & Bernard Audit, Course on International & Transnational Litigation
- Makane Moïse Mbengue, Courses on WTO Law and Public International Law
- Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler, Seminar on ISDS Reform
- Yas Banifatemi, Course on Representations of International Arbitration, Theory and Practice
- Alexis Mourre, Course on Divergences and Controversies in International Commercial Arbitration
- Stefano Azzali, Course on Strength and Weakness of Institutional Arbitration
- Franco Ferrari, Course on International Sales Law & Dispute Resolution
- Pierre Tercier, Course on Pivotal Moments of Arbitration Proceedings
- Chiann Bao, Seminar on Artificial Intelligence & Arbitration
- Laurence Burgorgue-Larsen, Course on Regional Systems of Human Rights
- Mark McNeill & Eduardo Silva Romero, Course on Investment Law and Arbitration
- José R. Feris, Course on Transnational Commercial Arbitration
- Arno Gildemeister, Courses on Negotiation and Mediation
- Brian McGarry, Course on Dispute Settlement in the Law of the Seas
- Christophe Seraglini, Course on French Arbitration Law
- Peter Rosher & Clément Fouchard, Course on Comparative Procedural Tools
- Franck Latty, Course on Sports Law & Arbitration
- Raëd Fathallah & José María Pérez, Course on Arbitration in Corporate and M&A Disputes
- José Manuel García Represa, Course on Damages in International Arbitration
- Hélène Ruiz-Fabri, Course on Procedural Law in International Courts and Tribunals
- Jean-Marc Thouvenin, Seminar on Inter-State Dispute Settlement
- Brooks Daly, The Netherlands (2024 Bredin Prat Distinguished Visiting Scholar)
- Mariana França Gouveia, Portugal (2024)
- Adriana Braghetta, Brazil (2024)
- Giuditta Cordero-Moss, Norway (2023, 2024)
- Payam Akhavan, Iran/Canada (2022, 2024)
- Juan Fernández Armesto, Spain (2023 Bredin Prat Distinguished Visiting Scholar)
- Eleonora Coelho, Brazil (2022, 2023)
- Lucy Reed, US (2022 Bredin Prat Distinguished Visiting Scholar)
- Gary Born, US/UK (2018-2020, 2022)
- Sean Murphy, US (2021)
- Anna Joubin-Bret (2021)
- Philippe Sands, UK/France (2020)
- Chester Brown, Australia (2020)
- Alejandro M. Garro, Argentina/US (2019, 2021)
- Calixto Salomão, Brazil (2019, 2020)
- August Reinisch, Austria (2019)
- Emmanuel Gaillard (2018-2021)
- Alain Pellet (2018-2022)
- Luca G. Radicati di Brozolo (2018-2022)
- Olivera Boskovic (2019-2022)
- Jeremy Perelman (2018-2022)
Events
Students
Fully taught in English, this one-year LLM programme is designed for candidates with a graduate degree in law who seek to immerse themselves in a challenging university environment and gain further expertise in arbitration and international dispute settlement. The LLM is a full-time programme, running from late August to the end of August of the following year. Upon successful completion of the TADS LLM programme in Transnational Arbitration and Dispute Settlement, students will receive a "Diplôme d’établissement" delivered by Sciences Po.
Find out more about the Class of 2025 (PDF).
Eligibility and admissions
To be considered for admission to the LLM, applicants must meet academic criteria, hold a law degree (Master 2, JD, LL.B., or their equivalent), and have completed a minimum of 18 months of full-time professional experience (including internships) by the time the programme starts (late August). Experience in any field of law will be considered and does not need to be directly linked to arbitration or dispute settlement.
Find out more about the admissions procedure on the admissions pages of the Sciences Po website.
Financing your LLM studies
To ensure that admitted LLM students successfully complete their studies at Sciences Po, they are invited to consider the financial aspects of their studies in Paris for a 10 to 18-month period depending on curricular options.
Relevant information regarding budgeting is available on the Student Services pages of the Sciences Po website.
The LLM tuition fees are €26,000 (for the 2023-2024 academic year).
Admitted students are encouraged to consider diverse potential funding streams during the course of their LLM, including scholarship and grant opportunities at Sciences Po (see below), Scholarships or funding opportunities from one's home region/country, government, private businesses, (student) loans from a bank, or funding from current employers.
An overview of scholarship opportunities.
An overview of Sciences Po Partner Banks.
Should admitted students need to defer their admission offer, they are invited to present their reasons in a formal letter to the Dean’s Office via Kyle Schneider, Assistant Dean, during the admissions process.
Each year, a limited number of LLM scholarships and grants are made available to admitted LLM Students. Following is an overview of these opportunities for current and recently-admitted students:
The Squire Patton Boggs Research Excellence Grant
This annual award comprises a €6,000 study grant, a €3,000 research stipend and a paid, 6-month graduate field internship offer starting in July following the completion of LLM studies.
Recent research assignments have contributed to the Sciences Po-Squire Patton Boggs Climate Change Arbitration Monitor.
Selection for this grant is competitive and offered to current LLM students during the fall semester.
2022 Squire Patton Boggs Grant Recipient: Akash Santosh Karmarkar (2021), Chitransh Vijayvergia (2022), Estefanía Delgado Franco (2023).
The Bredin Prat Excellence Grant
This annual award comprises a €6,000 study grant to an emerging arbitration practitioner.
Selection for this grant is competitive and offered to current LLM students during the fall semester.
Bredin Prat Grant Recipient: Arias Lim Jie (2021), Gustavo Delgado (2022), Amogh Srivastava (2023), Lorena Avendaño (2024).
The CAM-CCBC International Arbitration Excellence Grant
In partnership with Sciences Po, this award comprises a €26,000 study grant and is awarded each spring, based on merit and need. Diversity will also be considered.
Successful grant recipients shall demonstrate their commitment to advancing the field of international arbitration with specific focus on past and future work in relation to Latin America and Portuguese-speaking markets.
For further information, consult the overview of the grant and the CAM CCBC-Sciences Po Law School Partnership.
Selection for this grant is competitive and offered to current LLM students during each spring, following admission.
CAM-CCBC International Arbitration Excellence Grant Recipient: Helena Acker Caetano (2023).
Sciences Po LLM Scholarships
The Law School provides scholarship support to students on needs and merit bases. While amounts vary, awards are €6,000 on average and attributed in July prior to the commencement of studies.
Five recipients received Sciences Po LLM Scholarships following their admission in 2022.
ALUMNI PROFILES
Contact us
For queries regarding admissions eligibility requirements and procedures, you are invited to consult the admissions pages of the Sciences Po website. All other relevant questions can be directed to the LLM team below:
Kyle Schneider, Assistant Dean
kyle.schneider@sciencespo.fr
Sarah Louhichi, Academic Assistant
sarah.louhichi@sciencespo.fr
Sciences Po Live
Sciences Po organised a presentation of the Law School's Masters presentation with the Director, students and alumni.
