What degree is better if an international student want to apply for a TC? LLM, senior LLB or MA in law

[Francis G.]

I am an international student with an LLB degree from another country and would like to apply for a TC from ifirm in the UK, what is the best degree for me? Can you help me choose?

1. LLM from Russell University. For law firm HR, would prestigious schools such as LSE and UCL be more worthwhile than LLM from BPP/ULaw?
2. LLM from BPP/ULaw
3. MA in law (I don't know of any schools that offer it other than Bristol specifically, can you kindly recommend them?)
4. Senior LLB (Apart from QM, I specifically don't know of any schools that offer it, can you kindly recommend them?)

Many thanks!

 

[Amma Usman]

Hi there,

I believe any option you choose is fine. Typically, I have seen most international people with TC offers have gone through the LLM route. I believe that in any case, you will still have the legal eligibility to take part in vacation schemes as you can work full-time outside your term-time dates (provided the schemes fall outside term-time). You could also apply to direct TCs as most firms will sponsor your visa for these. I usually recommend candidates applying for more VSs than TCs as the experience is great and as you will have visa eligibility from your LLM (if that’s what you choose to do). It also depends on where a firm recruits from (some will predominantly be from their VS pool, though I have linked a thread to help more with this). There sometimes, is also some expectation, that candidates applying to direct TCs already have completed prior VSs or other substantial work experience. However, don‘t let this deter you from applying to them, as I know many people that have succeeded without.

I also know of people that have done an LLM in the UK and who have previously practiced in another jurisdiction, get jobs at big law firms at associate-level, without having to go through the direct TC route.

Best of luck. Hope this helps and let us know if you have any more questions.

Where firms recruit from (Vacation Scheme vs Direct TC applications) 2024-2025

Hi folks! To help you develop a well-rounded application strategy, we’ve put together the following thread highlighting where firms typically recruit from—whether it's through vacation schemes or direct training contract routes. We've organised firms into four categories: Firms which recruit a...

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