NLSIU Important Admission Dates

The 2027-28 admission cycle has separate schedules for CLAT and NLSAT. BA LLB applicants take CLAT UG, while LLM applicants take CLAT PG. NLSIU sets its own NLSAT calendar for the three-year LLB, BA, MPP and PhD programmes.

Check the official CLAT UG instructions, CLAT PG instructions, NLSAT 2027 admission announcement and three-year LLB admission page for the relevant schedules.

NLSIU Programmes and Fees

Students can study law at NLSIU from the undergraduate level through to a doctorate, alongside social science and public policy programmes. The flagship BA LLB (Hons.) is a highly sought-after law degree in India. Total programme charges range from INR 1.13 Lakhs for the two-year MBL to INR 22.93 Lakhs for the five-year BA LLB under the General category.

For the full 5-year BA LLB (Hons.), NRI students pay INR 27,00,000, while domestic SC/ST students pay INR 22,87,700. General and reserved-category domestic students pay the same tuition. The difference in their total charges comes only from a slightly lower other-fee amount for SC/ST students in Year 1. LLM charges remain the same across all specialisations.

How NLSIU Admissions Work

The programme determines which selection process an applicant follows. The Consortium of NLUs conducts CLAT for BA LLB and CLAT PG for LLM. NLSIU conducts NLSAT separately for the three-year LLB, BA (Hons.), MPP and MBL. Doctoral applicants follow the university's research entrance and interview process.

1. Check the qualification and minimum marks required for the chosen programme.
2. Apply through the relevant CLAT or NLSIU entrance process and take the required test.
3. For BA LLB and LLM, complete the Consortium's preference and centralised counselling process using the relevant CLAT rank.
4. For NLSAT programmes, follow the university's merit-based selection process. PhD applicants must also attend a personal interview.
5. Complete admission confirmation at NLSIU after selection.

Programme-wise Entrance Tests and Eligibility

Selection for BA LLB (Hons.)

• Applicants need 45% aggregate in Class 12, in any stream. The requirement is 40% for SC/ST applicants. Following the Supreme Court's direction, there is no upper age limit.
• The intake is 310 seats, including 10 Karnataka supernumerary seats, which are additional seats for eligible Karnataka applicants.
• Seats are allotted by CLAT rank through the Consortium of NLUs. Centralised allotment can run for up to 5 rounds. NLSIU does not offer a management quota.
• Within every vertical reservation category, 30% of seats are reserved horizontally for women. Persons with Disabilities (PwD) have a separate 5% horizontal reservation, applied across categories.

Selection for LLM

• An LLB degree with at least 50% aggregate is required.
• Applicants must take CLAT PG, which the Consortium of NLUs conducts.
• The specialisation choices are Business Law, Commercial Law, Criminal Law, Human Rights, Technology Law, and Public and Private International Laws.
• Selection follows the CLAT PG merit list. Applicants submit their seat preferences and then confirm admission at NLSIU.

Selection for the Three-Year LLB, BA (Hons.) and MPP

NLSAT is the university's own entrance examination, with a timetable separate from CLAT. For the three-year LLB, applicants need a bachelor's degree with 45%. BA (Hons.) applicants need 45% in Class 12, while MPP applicants need a bachelor's degree in any stream with 50%. Current application details are available at nls.ac.in.

Selection for Ph.D (Law)

Research applicants must hold an LLM or an equivalent postgraduate law degree with at least 55%. They must clear the NLSIU Research Entrance Test and a personal interview. Those admitted can apply for UGC JRF support and institutional fellowships during their research.

NLSIU CLAT Cutoffs

For CLAT 2026, the last General category admission in the final round was at AIR 110. AIR means All India Rank. Across the preceding 3 years, the General closing rank stayed within AIR 90 to AIR 120. Category-wise closing ranks are listed below.

Closing ranks change with each admission cycle, so applicants should aim for a rank comfortably better than the previous cutoff for their category.

NLSIU Placement Outcomes

NLSIU's placement record places it among India's leading National Law Universities. NIRF 2025 placement data covers 147 placements during 2024. BA LLB graduates who found jobs received a median annual CTC of INR 16 LPA; for placed LLM graduates, the median was INR 7 LPA. CTC means the employer's total annual compensation cost. Of 90 students in the one-year postgraduate programme, 77 secured placements.

Career destinations include leading law firms, investment banks, consulting companies, regulators and organisations working on public interest legal matters. Graduates receiving the higher packages join Elite-1 firms such as AZB, Khaitan, Cyril Amarchand and Trilegal as associates at INR 22 to 25 LPA. Other graduates enter Tier-2 firms, company legal departments and financial institutions at INR 10 to 18 LPA.

Recruiters include AZB and Partners, Khaitan and Co, Argus Partners, Deutsche Bank, ICICI Bank and KPMG. Many graduates also pursue judicial service, IAS/IPS civil services, academic careers or public interest litigation. Campus placement totals do not count these career choices.

NLSIU Rankings

The 2025 NIRF Law assessment placed NLSIU first nationally for the seventh consecutive year. Its 82.97 score put it ahead of NLU Delhi, which finished second.

As an institution focused on law, NLSIU does not enter the NIRF Engineering, Management or University categories. Its Chancellor is the Chief Justice of India, an arrangement shared only with other National Law Universities.

NLSIU Campus Facilities and Student Life

Nagarabhavi, a western suburb of Bengaluru, is home to NLSIU's 23-acre residential campus. The location is 15 km from MG Road, and metro connectivity improves access. Facilities include a central library, a moot court hall for simulated court proceedings, seminar rooms and centres devoted to legal research. Male and female students have separate hostel blocks.

Among India's largest law libraries, the NLSIU library holds more than 50,000 volumes. Students can also use legal databases such as Manupatra, SCC Online, LexisNexis and Westlaw. Moot court events and debate competitions take place regularly, and the NLSIU Journal's editorial offices are on campus.

NLSIU Scholarships and Financial Support

Eligible students can combine university assistance with government scholarship opportunities. For domestic students from families with limited income, the NLSIU Fee Waiver Scheme is the main source of institutional financial relief.

Applications for the university's fee waiver are made at admission through the Financial Assistance form available at nls.ac.in.

Comparing NLSIU, NLU Delhi and NALSAR Hyderabad

Law applicants with ranks in the top 500 often compare NLSIU with NLU Delhi and NALSAR Hyderabad. In NIRF Law 2025, these institutions held 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, respectively. All three are National Law Universities created under state legislation.

NLSIU's position as India's first NLU and its 7 consecutive years at NIRF Law rank 1 support its reputation with employers and the strength of its alumni network. Studying in the national capital gives NLU Delhi students practical access to litigation and government internship opportunities. NALSAR combines lower fees with a larger batch than NLU Delhi. All three attract law applicants from across the country.