The Student Room Group

Queen Marys University or Leeds university for Masters?

I have received an offer from both. Queen Marys Law and Economics LLM and Leeds for Law and Finance LLM. I would like to eventually settle in London so my leaning is towards Queen Marys however it is much more expensive than Leeds. Which would you say is more prestigious or better for future job opportunities in finance, consulting etc.
Hi. congratulation on your offers. Tough choice, both excellent (Russell Group) universities. I am not familiar with any of them but here are my 2 cents.

If I were in your position, I would probably choose Queen Mary (depending on tuition fee difference between the two universities), although it consistently ranks lower than the University of Leeds in university performance surveys (The Guardian University Guide, QS World University Rankings etc.). It has an excellent reputation in economics and law and is based in London which is where you would like to settle in the future. Thus, it could possibly offer you better networking opportunities and prospects for career progression which is something not to be underestimated. Your network is your net worth.

However, Leeds is also a vibrant beautiful city, much cheaper as you mentioned (the cost of living can be nearly as half as that in London) and better ranked than Queen Mary too. So, it could be a much wiser choice as you could still get an excellent job in London when you graduate.

In addition to tuition fees, the cost of living and university reputation other important factors, some based on your personal preferences, to take into account when choosing which university to attend are: proximity to family and friends, location preference (mid-size city Leeds or big city London), your preferred accommodation availability (campus or private), distance between accommodation and campus, course content, access to support services, quality of the careers service, whether the course includes a placement year to gain professional experience or not, faculty approachability, existence of university societies of your interest, union/association life as well as the campus facilities and and overall environment.

To get a better grasp of these, I would recommend exploring the universities websites in detail and attending these universities open days to get a sense of the atmosphere at each university and see where you would feel more at ease if you can. Moreover, it would be advantageous for you to talk to current students and Alumni of each university who attend/ed your course about their experiences. You could, for instance, ask them what they like/d the most and the least about their course.

Another important thing that could assist you with making a decision is considering what you would like to do after getting your degree. Would you like to continue to post-graduate education degree or start working? If yes, what is the availability in terms of scholarships in your field of study and what is the research currently pursued at the University in your subject area, does it fit in with your interests?

These articles could also help:
https://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/student-advice/final-choice/choosing-a-university-checklist
https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/advice/seven-tips-choosing-right-university-you-and-where-find-them
https://www.theuniguide.co.uk/advice/choosing-a-course/best-university-course-academic-experience-league-tables-russell-group
https://studygram.me/blog/9-factors-to-consider-when-choosing-a-university
(edited 1 year ago)

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