Best Master's in International Taxation Programs in 2027

• Highest Score73.2 out of 100

  Lowest Price$815.81 per credit

  Strongest CredentialsLaw degree from a law school on the American Bar Association's approved list

  University of Florida

  International Taxation

  Florida · LL.M.

  University of Florida's LL.M. Review
• Highest Graduate Earnings$170,796 median earnings

  Villanova University

  Master of Taxation

  Pennsylvania · M.T.

  Villanova University's M.T. Review

Programs whose degree name or named concentration includes international or global taxation.

• International or global taxation in the degree name or a concentration
• Concentrations shown for each program
• Ranked on the shared methodology

Scores are the weighted sum of eight factors (Tax Specialization 15%, Tax Subject Coverage 15%, Hands-On Tax Practice 10%, Cost 20%, Graduate Earnings 10%, Credential Alignment 10%, Track Record 10%, Program Reputation 10%), version 2.0. The methodology page shows the rubric for each factor.

Match the Degree to Your Background

Your starting point decides which programs on this list are open to you. If you hold a law degree, the LL.M. route fits. Georgetown's LL.M. in Taxation asks for a J.D. from a law school approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) or a first law degree from an approved school abroad. New York University also runs a separate LL.M. in International Taxation for foreign-trained lawyers.

If you're an accountant or finance professional without a law degree, look at the Master of Studies in Law (M.S.L.) in Taxation. Georgetown's version is open to experienced tax professionals who aren't attorneys, and its Certificate in International Taxation adds no extra credits because those credits count inside the degree. New York University's M.S.L. has an international taxation concentration and a final project.

If you studied accounting, look at the University of Washington. Its Master of Science in Taxation is a nine-month full-time degree with a State & International Tax concentration, so you reach the cross-border topics through a business school rather than a law school. For a wider look at the law degree, read our plain-words guide to the LL.M. in taxation.

Look for International Tax Courses by Name

A program makes this list when international or global taxation shows up in the degree name or a named concentration. Treat that as your cue to read the course list and see what sits behind the label.

Start with treaties. The IRS explains that income tax treaties can let residents of foreign countries pay a reduced rate, or none, on certain U.S. income. Northwestern's LL.M. lists a Tax Treaties course, and Miami's lists Income Tax Treaties, so you can see where that material lives.

Then look for transfer pricing, the rules for what related companies charge each other. Section 482 of the tax code lets the IRS adjust income between commonly controlled taxpayers. Villanova's Master of Taxation, Northwestern's LL.M. and Georgetown's M.S.L. all list a Transfer Pricing course, and Boston University splits inbound and outbound international tax into separate courses.

If you'd pay tax in two countries, ask which course covers the foreign tax credit. The IRS says you may be able to take either a credit or an itemized deduction for foreign taxes.

Pick a Format That Fits Where You Live and Work

This list covers on-campus, hybrid and fully online programs, so you can match the degree to your week instead of the other way around. The University of Florida's International Taxation LL.M. is a hybrid program. UF Law streams classes live, remote students join the discussion in real time, and you can switch between in-person and online study from one semester to the next.

If you're working, look at the part-time paths. Georgetown's LL.M. takes one academic year full time or three years part time. Villanova's Master of Taxation runs two years part time and is fully online. New York University's LL.M. lets part-time students take up to half the degree online.

Price depends on the route. UF charges Florida residents $815.81 per credit for part-time study, so its 26 credits come to $21,211.06 in tuition. Villanova charges $1,675 per credit, or $50,250 for the degree. Run this math for every program you like before you decide.

Plan Prerequisites and Credits Before You Apply

Check the entry steps early, since they differ by degree type. Georgetown's M.S.L. asks for a basic federal income tax course before you start, and the school offers a free twelve-hour online course to help you meet that requirement. Beyond that, the degree has no formal requirements other than 24 credit hours, so you design your own plan.

UF Law wants a first law degree and looks for strong grades and a clear interest in tax. Villanova's Master of Taxation expects a bachelor's degree and prefers five to seven years of tax work for accounting and finance backgrounds. Washington University in St Louis lets you earn an optional nine-credit certificate in International Law inside its 24-credit in-person LL.M.

Before you apply, write down each school's credit total, required courses and certificate options. You'll compare programs faster when you have the same details for every one. If you're weighing several law degrees, our LL.M. in taxation list puts them side by side.