Law at the uk (international student)

I'm an international student from South America thinking on start a law degree in some UK university. I've been searching and I've unconditional letters from University of Bristol, Leeds and Manchester for 2021/2022. Cambridge was my dream but I'm totally disabled because they don't offer an IFY and it's compulsory because of the country where I come from.The matter is: for the cost of living here, universities at the UK are too expensive. Leeds is the chepeast and also offers a scholarship with a higher amount; consequentially, it seems to be a better option, but I'm not totally sure it is really a comfortable option to study law there. Here at home I have always be an excellence study and I'm a little worry about losing that cache just for changing country and the difference between educational systems.Which of them is the best to study law? Which one has better career prospectus? Is there any significant different between them that justifies to spend more money instead of the others?Thanks for your help!

Reply 1

Nightwish1234

Hi! I’m half brazilian if you would find it easier to message in portuguese (unless you speak Spanish, I’m not so good at that, sorry!).
They’re all roughly equal - Leeds is a good choice :smile:

Reply 2

JessBefer

Original post by Nightwish1234

I'm so sorry, I'm Chilean and I don't speak a single work of Portuguese hahaha but English it's nice as well

Thanks for the advice!

Reply 3

JessBefer

For sure! I'm taking it into consideration, but it is easier to find our searching on internet. Employ ability and prestige are quite harder to precise without local help. :frown:

Reply 4

17Student17

I am a lawyer. I went to Manchester (a long time ago, 3 of my children went to Bristol (who are lawyers or plan to be) and that is better than Manchester and Leeds is in the middle. All 3 are fine but the order of preference would be Bristol, Leeds then Manchester in my view. However Leeds would not mean you would not obtain a good job in a law firm in the UK.

I just checked these 2019 figures which have Manchester above Leeds but that is just where law firms recruit from so perhaps Manchester just has more students. Anyway all 3 are good places so if Leeds feels best go for that. It was certainly one of the choices my Bristol children had on their lists. It is also a cheaper place to live as it in the North of England than further down South closer to London where Bristol is. https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/where-to-start/newsletter/law-firms-preferred-universities-2019.

it might be useful to know your career plan as if you are going to return home after the degree then it would be how that UK degree is considered back home. If you intend to try to qualify in the UK that is a very different and more complicated issue eg half of students in UK firms do NOT study law first. They "convert" after.

Reply 5

JessBefer

Original post by 17Student17

Thanks for the advice! However, the last point cached my attention. My plan is to develop my career at International Law and have plans to remain at the UK after my degree has finished. What would I do if this is my intention? Is it a bad idea to study law? Omg.

Reply 6

LawStudent456

Original post by 17Student17

Not bias at all

Reply 7

JessBefer

I could be writing like a trash bc of the context but I've done IELTS recently and the scores were over the university requirements, overall and writing as well. I need to improve it a lot anyway but I can assure is not as horrible as it appears to be in a casual forum lol

As I said, I've already have the unconditional letters and the applications are already accepted, so this is not a trouble for the moment (but it's nice to practice frequently, just to make it easier)

Reply 8

Gmaster1980

Original post by JessBefer

I think Johnny meant applications for law firms after you graduate, not for university. An IELTS high enough for university isn't anywhere near the level of English proficiency expected by the sort of firm that could sponsor a work visa.

Reply 9

JessBefer

Original post by Gmaster1980

Yeah yeah, for sure, but it's sth I must improve along the years, it's natural when you're studying something related to that subject

Probably it would be more complicated for me at the beginning, but it's my own choice hahaha :frown:

Reply 10

17Student17

Given you are international then studying law sounds like a good plan. English graduates to the bigger firms tend to be half law students and half who study a different subject first. If I have worked out what IFY (some kind of foundation year) is then that is why I mentioned it as you might want to study some broad based degree first and then convert to law - that was the only reason I mentioned that.

If you want to find a law firm that is rich enough to sponsor a visa then you are probably going to be looking at the bigger firms but they are very hard to get into so might need a back up plan eg in house lawyer in a commercial company perhaps a UK subsidiary of a company with a head office in your current country.