If I complete my LLM, can I apply for teaching or professor roles abroad in Germany?
Yes, you can apply for teaching roles in Germany with an LLM, but not for a full professorship, which needs a PhD plus a Habilitation. With an LLM, you can apply for Visiting Lecturer or Research Associate roles, which are the standard stepping stone toward completing a PhD.
Your LLM does open academic doors in Germany, but you need to know exactly which doors. You can apply for research and lecturing positions right away, though becoming a full professor requires a doctorate and an additional Habilitation qualification that an LLM alone does not give you.
Academic Roles and What Each One Needs
| Role | Can You Apply With an LLM? | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| University Professor (W2/W3) | No | PhD plus Habilitation or equivalent publication record |
| Junior Professor (W1) | No | A completed doctorate is mandatory |
| Visiting Lecturer / Research Associate | Yes | LLM, plus a professor willing to host you |
What You Need to Get There
- Get your LLM and undergraduate law degree validated through the German Anabin Database run by ZAB.
- Plan your language level: an IELTS of 6.5 to 7.0 covers English-taught roles, but domestic law teaching needs C1-level German.
- As a non-EU citizen, you will need a firm employment contract or invitation letter to secure a Skilled Worker Visa or EU Blue Card.
- Search job portals like Academics.com for Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter, or Research Associate, vacancies in international law faculties.
My Advice
Use your LLM thesis as the seed for a PhD research proposal and approach a German professor, or Doktorvater, directly, since a PhD position in Germany often comes bundled with a part-time teaching contract. This route gets you into a classroom faster than waiting for a standalone lecturing vacancy to open up.
Will you actually get a job after your German master's?
Talk to a counsellor about real outcomes, salaries and which courses employers hire from.
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