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Tel Aviv University Law School Graduate & Expert School Admissions Consultant
Reviewed: 3/18/25
Interested in applying to law schools specializing in human rights? In this article, we’ll be going over the best law schools for human rights.
With the rise in demand for human rights law, the need for human rights lawyers has also increased. If human rights law is something you’re interested in, you must find the best human rights law school.
This article will go over the best schools for human rights in the US to help you find the best human rights law school for you.
We know what committees want—our ex-admissions officers wrote the playbook.
There are quite a few law schools in the US that specialize in human rights law. Below is a list of the 10 best ranked law schools in the US for human rights law.
| Law School | Our Human Rights Law School Ranking | Acceptance Rate | Median GPA | Median LSAT | First-Time Bar Passage Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Georgetown University Law Center | 1 | 20.13% | 3.92 | 171 | 90.51% |
| Columbia Law School | 2 | 11.75% | 3.90 | 173 | 95.47% |
| Yale Law School | 3 | 5.25% | 3.96 | 174 | 96.79% |
| Harvard Law School | 4 | 10.97% | 3.95 | 174 | 96.10% |
| Northeastern University School of Law | 5 | 36.20% | 3.73 | 163 | 86.22% |
| University of California Berkeley School of Law | 6 | 17.30% | 3.87 | 170 | 88.24% |
| New York University Law School | 7 | 16.67% | 3.91 | 172 | 96.58% |
| American University Washington College of Law | 8 | 39.78% | 3.61 | 160 | 74.85% |
| Stanford Law School | 9 | 8.85% | 3.92 | 173 | 96.70% |
| Cuny School of Law | 10 | 40.29% | 3.44 | 154 | 55.88% |
Let’s explore these programs a little closer!
Ranked #1 in Best Law School for Human Rights
Ranked #14 in Best Law Schools in the US
Location: Washington D.C
Student-faculty ratio: 4.6:1
Tuition: $79,672
Georgetown University Law Center is ranked the best law school for human rights. It is also ranked #14 for best law school in the US Georgetown University Human Rights program is available to students enrolled in their law school.
For instance, Georgetown offers first-year law school students an opportunity to participate in their Human Rights Associates Program (HRAP).
HRAP exposes students to current human rights issues. Students participate in weekly seminars and group discussions, and are expected to complete assignments. Students would be building skills for human rights research and analysis, networking, mentorship, and academic and career guidance.
Ranked #2 in Best Law School for Human Rights
Ranked #8 in Best Law Schools in the US
Location: New York, New York
Student-faculty ratio: 5.5:1
Tuition: $81,888
The Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute (HRI) allows students to participate in various human rights programs. They provide students fellowships, research assistantships, internships, and work-study opportunities.
For instance, the HRI offers a Human Rights LLM Fellowship for those intending to practice human rights law. This program helps students develop skills and career mentoring and helps them participate in human rights research projects.
Ranked #3 in Best Law School for Human Rights
Ranked #1 in Best Law Schools in the US
Location: New Haven, Connecticut
Student-faculty ratio: 4.4:1
Tuition: $74,044
Yale offers students the opportunity to engage in human rights activities through their Orville H. Schell, Jr. Center for International Human Rights.
Yale offers fellowships where students can promote innovative and creative approaches to human rights advocacy. These fellowships are available to current students and recent Yale Law School graduates.
Additionally, Yale Law School's Allard K. Lowenstein International Human Rights Clinic is a course offered to law school students that provides first-hand experience in human rights advocacy under faculty supervision.
Ranked #4 in Best Law School for Human Rights
Ranked #4 in Best Law Schools in the US
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Student-faculty ratio: 6.8:1
Tuition: $80,760
Harvard Law School’s Human Rights program offers fellowships to students, alumni, scholars, and advocates. The fellowships offer human rights experiences such as work placements and research opportunities. Harvard Law provides students with professional, personal, and intellectual learning opportunities.
Harvard Law School also partners with student organizations to discuss human rights issues. Through student groups, Harvard Law School also offers training, research, writing, and project work in human rights.
Ranked #68 in Best Law Schools in the US
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Student-faculty ratio: 7.7:1
Tuition: $62,826
Northeastern University School of Law offers student fellowships administered by their Human Rights program. The fellowships offer students hands-on human rights experience. Students have the chance to practice human rights law internationally through those various organizations.
Northeastern University School of Law allows students to work and study international human rights law and gives them a better understanding of the world and its drastic developments. Students can have the opportunity to think of creative and innovative ways of resolving human rights issues and conflicts.
Ranked #6 in Best Law School for Human Rights
Ranked #12 in Best Law Schools in the US
Location: Berkeley, California
Student-faculty ratio: 5.5:1
Tuition: $63,196 (resident)
The Berkeley International Human Rights Law Clinic (IHRLC) is designed to provide creative and innovative solutions to fight human rights issues.
The Human Rights Center (HRC) at Berkeley Law partners with University of California campuses to provide fellowship programs. These fellowship programs allow students to donate their time and expertise internationally. Since its inception in 1994, the program has sent over 375 students to work with organizations in 81 countries.
Ranked #7 in Best Law School for Human Rights
Ranked #9 in Best Law Schools in the US
Location: New York, New York
Student-faculty ratio: 5.5:1
Tuition: $79,954
New York University Law School offers post-graduate opportunities through their Human Rights program.
NYU Law school offers the Arthur Helton Global Human Rights Fellowship to students who have demonstrated the desire to practice international human rights law in the future. For this fellowship program, students must focus on human rights issues displayed in developing countries.
Ranked #8 in Best Law School for Human Rights
Ranked #98 in Best Law Schools in the US
Location: Washington D.C
Student-faculty ratio: 7.2:1
Tuition: $38,176 (LLM)
American University Washington College of Law offers an LLM in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law and is recognized as the first LLM program in the US available in Spanish.
This program provides an opportunity for students to combine practical knowledge and hands-on learning, while also preparing for their careers. The LLM program offers in-residence, hybrid, and online classes for students.
Ranked #9 in Best Law School for Human Rights
Ranked #1 in Best Law Schools in the US
Location: Stanford, California
Student-faculty ratio: 4.4:1
Tuition: $74,475
Stanford Law’s International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC) allows students to participate in innovative advocacy to solve global human rights issues.
Students attend weekly seminars, clinical projects, and fieldwork. Through hands-on and theory-based learning, students are sure to be prepared for their careers in human rights law.
Ranked #10 in Best Law School for Human Rights
Ranked #150 in Best Law Schools in the US
Location: Long Island City, New York
Student-faculty ratio: 8.3:1
Tuition: $15,450
Cuny School of Law’s Human Rights and Gender Justice Clinic (HRGJ) focuses on a mixture of international criminal law and human rights law.
The HRGJ has students engage in human rights work under very close supervision. Students focus on human rights topics like conflict and war, gender-based violence, and anti-trafficking work. They also have students participate in clinical work and seminars, where they can sharpen their skills in advocacy.
Your perfect law school decided in just 5 questions.
While you know the top schools for human rights law, you may still be unsure which one is right for you. Take our quiz and receive a personalized list based on your answers to help you make the best decision.
To further improve your admissions chances, consider seeking expert advice tailored to your unique strengths and goals.
If you still have questions about human rights law and the best law school for you, check out these frequently asked questions.
Georgetown University Law Center is the best law school for human rights law, followed by Columbia Law and Yale Law.
Yes, you can. Some law schools, such as Columbia Law School and American University Washington College of Law offer LLMs in Human Rights Law. However, not all law schools offer LLMs. Some law schools offer fellowships, where students can volunteer their time for hands-on experience in the field.
The top human rights law schools in the US are:
Picking the right law school can be difficult and overwhelming. Especially if you want to go to a law school that specializes in a specific area of law. If you’re interested in going to a law school that specializes in human rights law, this guide will help you make a decision
David Merson was the original author of this article. Snippets of his work may remain.
Reviewed by:
Tel Aviv University Law School Graduate & Expert School Admissions Consultant
Reviewed: 3/18/25
