GETTING A TC AS A NON-LAW INTERNATIONAL STUDENT? DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE!

[axelbeugre]

Hi everyone,

I am extremely excited to be starting as the new Community Assistant and I am here to answer all your questions regarding getting a training contract in the City, especially as an international student. As someone who was not very familiar with the UK legal system, I know how hard it is to start the application process and getting swamped by a lot of pieces of information thrown at you all at once, so I am happy to help in any way that I can.

I suppose I should start with a quick introduction about myself. I am Axel and I am a future trainee solicitor at Goodwin Procter LLP starting in September 2025. I obtained my training contract after the spring vacation scheme back in April 2023.

My journey towards a career in law

My journey to securing a training contract was a bit different compared to others. I was born and raised in Milan, Italy where I did all my schooling until university. Despite wanting to study law in the UK after high school, my financial circumstances did not allow me to study abroad and so I unfortunately had to postpone my dream of studying in the UK and accept a full-tuition scholarship at an Italian university in Milan.

I studied International Relations and Global Affairs, undertaking two exchange semesters in France. Driven by my dream of studying in the UK, I subsequently applied to a masters at the London School of Economics and Political Studies where I studied Development Studies. This decision was crucial as I think it gave me the confidence to follow my goal of becoming a lawyer in London. However, as many of you would know, the application process can be very daunting, especially at the start, and so I was very intimidated to apply to law firms. Inspired and pushed by many mentors and friends I found along the way, I got the courage to apply and use my different experience and background to highlight how good of a commercial lawyer I would be. Funny enough, some firms were convinced! I am hoping that by taking up this role at TCLA I am able to inspire, motivate and help people that can relate to my story in every capacity.

What did I learn from this process?

The path to become a commercial solicitor in the City is not for the weak, we can all agree on that. However, what I have learned from the process are three valuable things that I hope I can be of help to someone:

1. Trust the process

I am a firm believer in the fact that everything happens for a reason and you will get everything you want even if it is not in the form you wanted. Whenever I started my application process I was expecting the process to be hard but not that hard. From learning about how to fill in basic information about grades to answering specific law firm questions, I thought I would have never been able to get a TC. I was also discouraged by the lack of diversity in the legal field which made me question whether I would get a TC just based on where I come from. During the process, I had to learn how to trust the process and that everything would have worked out the way it was supposed to, and my story is a true testament to that.


2. Be confident in your uniqueness

One thing that I feared was being rejected based on the fact that I did not study law in my undergraduate degree or because I studied and was educated abroad, or because English isn’t my first language. I quickly learned that your uniqueness will be your biggest strength in the applications to law firms. Your unique background is what sets you apart from other candidates, so never be afraid of it and always cherish it because it could make a huge difference.


3. Remember your why

I think that the chaos and stress that comes with application seasons can make us forget our reasons why we want to be lawyers in the first place. I remember that during my application cycle I was struggling with applying to many firms and it was only when I actually remembered my true reason to becoming a lawyer I was able to deliver the best applications.

Feel free to reach out me or tag me (@axelbeugre) in any threads, I hope I can help you and reassure anyone who feels like they can’t succeed in this process for whatever reason, you can and you will!

 

[ADKM]

Hi @axelbeugre such an inspiring and wonderful story. As a fellow international student, I can certainly attest to how tough this process is. I always face an inner battle with myself in that I keep questioning my worth or the way I draft applications, I always think I’m not selling myself well or my experiences don’t sound compelling enough though they are. Like you, I’ve found amazing mentors and friends and even the members on this community and TCLA itself that have motivated and helped me so much that this battle feels a little less daunting. But I still always struggle with inferiority complex. How did you cope with these thought processes when you were applying?

 

[Jake Rickman]

Hi @axelbeugre such an inspiring and wonderful story. As a fellow international student, I can certainly attest to how tough this process is. I always face an inner battle with myself in that I keep questioning my worth or the way I draft applications, I always think I’m not selling myself well or my experiences don’t sound compelling enough though they are. Like you, I’ve found amazing mentors and friends and even the members on this community and TCLA itself that have motivated and helped me so much that this battle feels a little less daunting. But I still always struggle with inferiority complex. How did you cope with these thought processes when you were applying?

As someone that was also an international applicant and who struck out for at least five application cycles before netting a TC, I distinctly remember the feeling of rejection and my inclination to equate that with my self-worth.

However, from a resilience and self-preservation perspective, I had to teach myself to divorce the outcome of an application from my inherent self-worth. The TC application process is not a measure of your ability to be a good solicitor, nor even a good trainee solicitor necessarily. It is in part designed to see how good you are at the TC application process, which graduate recruitment views a proxy measure of the key competencies solicitors should demonstrate. But even this is not full-proof or conclusive. The exact way in which firms screen applicants is shrouded in a black box, and I strongly suspect that a lot of it comes down to chance.

If you are committed to becoming a solicitor, you have to think in terms of staying motivated and ambitious. If you want this, you will get it. It might take several cycles. But if you are persistent, you will refine your TC application strategy and eventually you will get what you want.

 

[axelbeugre]

Hi @axelbeugre such an inspiring and wonderful story. As a fellow international student, I can certainly attest to how tough this process is. I always face an inner battle with myself in that I keep questioning my worth or the way I draft applications, I always think I’m not selling myself well or my experiences don’t sound compelling enough though they are. Like you, I’ve found amazing mentors and friends and even the members on this community and TCLA itself that have motivated and helped me so much that this battle feels a little less daunting. But I still always struggle with inferiority complex. How did you cope with these thought processes when you were applying?

Hi @ADKM, I am really glad that you can resonate to my story and thank you so much for sharing how you're finding the process, it is certainly a difficult one for sure! Regarding your specific question, I remember feeling like all my experiences were useless compared to the amazing profiles of people from the UK I was seeing on LinkedIn. However, I think it is important to remember that everything that isn't common will be interesting for someone reading your application. Going to law firm events and talking to graduate recruitment made me feel much more secure in the fact that my experiences, although different, held the same, if not more, value than other applicants' experiences and they made me unique. As long as you keep that in mind, you will feel 10x times better about yourself, your achievements and your strengths. Keep up the good work and please feel free to reach out if you feel like you are struggling with this!

 

[axelbeugre]

As someone that was also an international applicant and who struck out for at least five application cycles before netting a TC, I distinctly remember the feeling of rejection and my inclination to equate that with my self-worth.

However, from a resilience and self-preservation perspective, I had to teach myself to divorce the outcome of an application from my inherent self-worth. The TC application process is not a measure of your ability to be a good solicitor, nor even a good trainee solicitor necessarily. It is in part designed to see how good you are at the TC application process, which graduate recruitment views a proxy measure of the key competencies solicitors should demonstrate. But even this is not full-proof or conclusive. The exact way in which firms screen applicants is shrouded in a black box, and I strongly suspect that a lot of it comes down to chance.

If you are committed to becoming a solicitor, you have to think in terms of staying motivated and ambitious. If you want this, you will get it. It might take several cycles. But if you are persistent, you will refine your TC application strategy and eventually you will get what you want.

I totally agree with you @Jake Rickman, it is all about believing in yourself and in your goals, everything else will follow. It is of course easier said than done but I personally believe it is one of those things where you learn to understand and detach yourself from the rejections and the nos you receive along your journey. Surprisingly, those rejections will redirect you to where you are supposed to be!

 

[ADKM]

Hi @axelbeugre thanks for your inputs. I have one more question. How did you go about putting your grades as an international student? I find this section a bit confusing. Do I write my grades as they have been obtained or do I also need to give an explanation of the change to the UK system? How do law firms view this?

 

[axelbeugre]

Hi @axelbeugre thanks for your inputs. I have one more question. How did you go about putting your grades as an international student? I find this section a bit confusing. Do I write my grades as they have been obtained or do I also need to give an explanation of the change to the UK system? How do law firms view this?

I found it very confusing too as an international student. I have talked to many grad recruitment coordinators that told me to state my grade, explain the grading system in the additional information section, and whenever possible, state the equivalent to A-Levels (this was mainly for middle school and high school). For my undergraduate degree, I put my Italian grading system, always explaining how it worked (mainly the highest and lowest grades) and I only mentioned the final mark and the equivalent to the UK grading system. You can find this in any UK university postgraduate degree application information, for every course they will tell you how much a first class is equivalent to your academic qualification. If you have any question regarding this, I would suggest to also reach out to graduate recruitment to the firms you are applying to, they are so lovely and they are used to dealing with things like this. An example of what I have done is:

I completed my 14/16 exams in Italy, obtaining the Esame di Terza Media (which is the equivalent of the GCSE qualification in the UK) with a final overall grade of 9 out 10 (on a scale of 4 to 10, 4 being the lowest grade and 10 being the highest), which was the best result in my class. For individual subjects, the grade scale goes from 4 (lowest grade) to 10 (highest grade). For my post 16 exams, I completed the Diploma di Esame di Stato, the final examination that you take in high school in Italy. I obtained a final overall grade of 100/100 (on a scale of 60 being the lowest and 100 being the highest). This grade is equivalent to three A* at A Levels in the UK grading system. For individual subjects, the grade scale goes from 4 (lowest grade) to 10 (highest grade).


I hope this is helpful! @ADKM

 

[ADKM]

Thank you so much Axel, this is super helpful!

 

[M0M007]

Hey there, as an international student fresh grad on a granduate visa in the UK. What jobs should I look into while applying for vac schemes ?

I’m looking for something that can sustain myself including rent bills food etc. it’s been really tough finding paralegal roles

 

[axelbeugre]

Hey there, as an international student fresh grad on a granduate visa in the UK. What jobs should I look into while applying for vac schemes ?

I’m looking for something that can sustain myself including rent bills food etc. it’s been really tough finding paralegal roles

@M0M007 I totally empathise with your situation and I understand that it might be quite tough for an international student to find paralegal jobs. What I would do is make the most out of LinkedIn, Indeed and your university careers service and look for business development positions in start-ups or some sort of legal position of small companies, they always need people, but I would also look for research assistant positions in some universities or organisations or NGOs, they are always looking for people too! I really hope that your search goes well and keep applying to vac scheme in the meantime, I understand it is not the easiest situation to be in but I am sure you will find something!

 

[Shreya Verma]

@axelbeugre your story is very inspiring but what to do when one is experiencing imposter syndrome 🥹

 

[axelbeugre]

@axelbeugre your story is very inspiring but what to do when one is experiencing imposter syndrome 🥹

Hey @Shreya Verma, thank you for the nice comment, but I totally understand how imposter syndrome can be detrimental to your progress. I myself was so anxious when I was applying to law firms cause I was so adamant that none of them would have offered me a place since I was an international student. However, as you can see, this was not my experience in the slightest. I think it is important to focus on three things:

• remember your why: always remember why you are doing what you are doing. Why are you applying to become a solicitor? This is fundamental because regardless of the impostor syndrome that is influencing your life, you've got to keep going having in mind the bigger purpose that is driven you.
• be intentional with every step you take to achieve your goal. When it comes to me and my impostor syndrome, I always felt like if I was doing everything I could, there was nothing I should be ashamed of or be sad about, because I have done everything in my power. So being intentional with every step you take is essential and it will allow you to be proud of everything you are doing even though you are immensely scared of it.
• what I found very helpful when I was applying was talking to people that were future trainees at the firms I was interested in and listen to how they managed to achieve their goals and their entire journey. This will help you contextualise that even people in the position you aspire to be in have struggled with imposter syndrome but successfully overcame it and reached their goals.

I really hope these small tips help you and good luck with everything!

 

[Shreya Verma]

Hey @Shreya Verma, thank you for the nice comment, but I totally understand how imposter syndrome can be detrimental to your progress. I myself was so anxious when I was applying to law firms cause I was so adamant that none of them would have offered me a place since I was an international student. However, as you can see, this was not my experience in the slightest. I think it is important to focus on three things:

• remember your why: always remember why you are doing what you are doing. Why are you applying to become a solicitor? This is fundamental because regardless of the impostor syndrome that is influencing your life, you've got to keep going having in mind the bigger purpose that is driven you.
• be intentional with every step you take to achieve your goal. When it comes to me and my impostor syndrome, I always felt like if I was doing everything I could, there was nothing I should be ashamed of or be sad about, because I have done everything in my power. So being intentional with every step you take is essential and it will allow you to be proud of everything you are doing even though you are immensely scared of it.
• what I found very helpful when I was applying was talking to people that were future trainees at the firms I was interested in and listen to how they managed to achieve their goals and their entire journey. This will help you contextualise that even people in the position you aspire to be in have struggled with imposter syndrome but successfully overcame it and reached their goals.

I really hope these small tips help you and good luck with everything!

Thank you so much for your tips. I'll definitely keep them in mind. Best of luck for your journey ahead.