Could someone advise me on the differences between the DESS and LLM degree at the Sorbonne? For instance, is one more prestigious? Also, do both allow a foreigner to take the French bar exam? What about costs? Any comments on anything else that might be relevant is wlecome.

The difference between LLM and DESS is that LLM is designed for foreign students. LLM is only open for foreign students who wish to learn French and European law.

DESS (now Master 2 professionnel) is for french students even if there are some foreigners (but very few) on it but they are often bilingual.

LLM tuition is 6000 , DESS about 200 but there may be a different cost for foreign students.

Concerning the French bar exam, only the DESS allows you to take it.

Actually, it's the same tuition for foreign students.

There are always some foreign students in dea (especially droit international privé du commerce international, droit anglais et nord americain des affaires etc...) and dess (especially droit du commerce extérieur, droit européen, droit de la globalisation économique with sciensces po,taught both in english and french) so you can aplly but, as boumite said, they are often bilingual.

1. It is wrong to say that "only the DESS" allows you to take the French Bar. In fact, neither the DESS nor the LLM is required for the Bar. Practically speaking, the degree that best prepares you for the Bar depends on which Bar exams you are required to take.

You need to work backwards: Understand that there are multiple ways to acces the French bar depending on your civil and professional status as well as educational background; figure out which regime you're eligible for; then figure out which exams you would be requierd to take and which exams you would (like to be) exempted from; then figure out which program would best prepare you for such exams (the program could be a DEA, DESS, LLM, or a commercial bar course); then figure out which is cheapest.

2. As for prestige of a LLM vs. a DESS, well, that depends on your nationality, your educational background, and your professional goals. Are you interested in an Anglo-saxon firm or a French firm? In an Anglo-saxon country or a Francophone country? In which practice area? You need to understand your market, a degree in itself confers little prestige if you're in the wrong market. For example, an American who went to a mediocre law school who then gets a Harvard LLM for no good reason isn't going to impress any American law firm just because of the LLM. Same with a DESS or an LLM from the Sorbonne.

hi guys
i ve been planing also, to ask for the dess program in bussines law - droit des affaires at sorbonne , but i read some comments here saying that is hard to get into it, if u r not french. is it true? is it so impossible?
i m albanian but with a law degree at Bologna University, and i would really like to get into that program at sorbonne, i m studing french hard, but i really want to be sure that my apply will be considered.
can someone of u say me something about it, or advise me something? thx

[Edited Today, 12:44 AM]

I confirm that French DESS and DEA in Paris have the reputation to be extremely competitive.

I do not remember a single foreign student in my DEA and in my DESS but it was a few years ago and fortunately the world is changing.

My feeling is that it is easier if you already have contacts in the DESS... If you know a Professor for instance. As you are not French, I think that without a good contact with an insider, it may be more difficult.

My advice:
- Apply to more than one program. French people usually apply to five or more DEA/DESS.
- Target schools which are more international such as Sciences Po. It is a very prestigious university in Paris and it may well open the gates of the French system for later...
- Follow your dreams and do not give up...whatever happens.

No i am a foreigner, and i made a master 1 in international business law and was accepted for a master 2 at the sorbonne.
The only thing is, that first of all it's really hard to get in a M2, for foreigners but also French people. In this year's class and in the field of international law, most of the admissible candidates were foreigners who had also made their M1 at the sorbonne