LLM scholarships

Feb 08, 2022

Written By Emily Buckley

A Master of Law (LLM) programme is a deep dive into the English and Welsh legal system, that can benefit your career, satisfy a thirst for knowledge, give general understanding or hone in on a specific area of law. It is also a hefty investment – the University of Law (ULaw), for instance, charges domestic students £9,200 and international students £12,360 for tuition – so it’s definitely worth exploring scholarships and awards.

Scholarship preparation

ULaw promotes a diverse array of scholarships on their website. Use these as a foundation of your research, and scope out the wide variety of grants on offer online. It sounds obvious, but check whether you meet the criteria for each scholarship to make sure you don’t waste any time on a lengthy application that you’re unlikely to win.

A handy time-saving tip is that the same application can be used for several scholarships, which could help you decide where to focus your energy.

Make a note of the deadlines, the documents you may need (such as transcripts) and compile a list of strengths or experiences that show why you should be awarded funds. This can form the backbone of other scholarship claims as well as coming in handy for future job applications, so don’t throw these notes away.

Remember the scholarship process is extremely competitive and the number of recipients is limited. It’s also unlikely that a single scholarship will be enough to fully fund your course, so have a back-up plan. Embrace the smaller grants: every little helps, and prospective employers will be impressed by a candidate who wins multiple offers.

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ULaw’s full scholarship options

The Aziz Foundation Scholarship offers nine full-fee awards to those studying at any UK campus. Students must have an offer to study the LLM already, be an enthusiastic member within the Muslim community, and assure the board about how the LLM will enhance their ability to provide effective advocacy and improve public perception of British Muslims or serve the community.

Beyond providing information about your education history, work experience and financial situation, you will submit a statement of up to 1,000 words about how you tick all the scholarship boxes. Shortlisted applications will then be asked to interview.

The Career Changer Scholarship tenders 12 full-fee and 350 £2,000 grants to students seeking a new career path in law at any UK campus. Those with an offer of a place on an LLM course and a minimum of 12 months’ experience in a non-legal business or industry are eligible.

You will need to provide evidence of this employment, highlight the transferrable skills you possess and explain your reasoning behind changing careers.

The Choose Law Scholarship provides two/three full-fee awards and between two and five £2,000 prizes to runners-up for students enrolling at any UK campus. As well as retaining an offer of a place on an LLM course, you will need a minimum of a 2:2 in your undergraduate degree, meet the Widening Participation conditions (for example, have refugee status, a registered disability, or reside in a low-income household) and attain the highest score in ULaw’s online assessment.

This half-hour assessment does not require preparation or prior study: it’s designed to gauge your critical thinking and reasoning, rather than legal know-how.

ULaw’s partial scholarship options

The Bar Practice Course Awards provides up to 40 book awards of £250 each and up to 40 scholarships of £500 to £3,000 towards the LLM Bar Practice tuition fees, with amounts varying according to campus. Students must upload a CV and covering letter when booking in for the Selection Event, where you will perform a Plea in Mitigation to be a finalist. After this stage, your leadership, organisation, mooting and advocacy skills will be considered when selecting the winners.

The Business and Law First Scholarships range from £3,000 to £5,000 for 10-50 recipients at any campus. Students must have an offer to study the LLM, a first-class undergraduate degree or a distinction at master’s level, and secure the highest score in the 30-minute online assessment mentioned earlier.

The Charles Russell Speechlys Scholarship gives one student a £5,000 grant if they are in possession of an LLM offer, have at least a 2:1 in their degree, achieved the highest score in the online assessment and meet the Widening Participation conditions. Shortlisted candidates participate in a pre-recorded presentation and then an interview via video call.

The Lord Blunkett Widening Access Award supports 10-100 recipients looking to attend any of ULaw’s UK campuses with £1,000 toward tuition fees; the number of possible recipients varies upon the course’s start date. As well as an offer to study the LLM, students must earn the highest score on the online assessment and adhere to one of the Widening Participation criteria.

The Newcastle Postgraduate Award and Nottingham Postgraduate Award automatically bestows £500 and £1,000 respectively to LLM students attending these campuses. The Rice-Jones Scholarship is available for LLM students enrolling at Chester or Manchester: the trustees can grant between £250 and £1,500 towards expenses, and will examine your commitment to the legal profession, your financial situation, and proof of an offer on an LLM course.

Scholarships