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Frequently asked questions about the UCL Faculty of Laws' LLM programme.
The FAQS below are specific to the LLM programme. If you have more general queries relating to admissions, the application process or offer holders, you may find the below links helpful:
- General Enquiries
Can I study by distance learning?
It is not normally possible to study for the LLM at UCL by distance learning. However, the University of London offers an LLM programme by distance learning.Do you offer the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Solicitors Qualifying Examinations (SQE)?
We do not offer the GDL, LPC or SQE here at UCL. You can find a list of providers for the GDL here. For more information on the process to qualify to practice law in the UK please see the Central Applications Board.Can I transfer credits from previous education for the LLM programme?
No, all successful applicants must enrol at the beginning of the programme and complete the full 180 credits. We do not consider Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) requests.Are there any scholarships or funding available for the LLM programme?
The Faculty of Laws offers a number of scholarships annually for the LLM programme. Please see available awards, eligibility requirements and how to apply here.
UCL also offers a number of scholarships centrally. To find available opportunities, please see here.- Entry Requirements
Full entry requirements can be found here.
Do I need a law qualification to apply?
Yes, you need a law qualification to be considered for the LLM, i.e. Bachelor of Laws (LLB), Juris Doctor (JD), Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL), Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). In exceptional circumstances, graduates without a law qualification but with work experience will be considered, however, experience must be relevant and a minimum of five years. This is a very uncommon route onto the programme.Does UCL offer an English course if I don’t meet the requirements?
Yes, UCL Pre-sessional English Courses are intensive and academically challenging courses normally intended for international students who are planning to study a graduate degree (MA, MSc, LLM or MPhil/PhD) at UCL, but do not meet the English language requirement of their conditional offer. Please find out more here.- Application Process
Is there an application fee?
Yes, UCL has a non-refundable application processing fee for graduate taught programmes. The 2024/25 application fees are £90.00 for online applications and £115.00 for paper applications. Please note that online applications will not be submitted, and paper applications will not be processed, until the application fee has been paid in full.What does the admissions process involve?
Once you submit your completed application, it is first received by the UCL Admissions Office. They record applicant details and then assign the application form to UCL Laws if the application is complete. Confirmation is sent to the applicant to say the application is complete and has been sent to UCL Laws. It is UCL Laws who considers the application form and makes a decision. An application is considered complete when all components have been uploaded (personal statement, written work, transcript) and the referee has responded. If your application is missing any documents, the UCL Admissions Office will email you to request the missing documents and the application will not be forwarded to UCL Laws for consideration until everything has been received. Please ensure your referee responds promptly to avoid any delays. Please note your reference will need to come from an institutional address and not from a personal one.All applicants will be informed of their decision via the UCL Applicants Portal by the UCL Admissions Office and not by UCL Laws itself. You can expect to receive a response from UCL around 10 working weeks after your application has been received COMPLETE and processed by the UCL Admissions Office. It can be quicker depending on the time of year and volume of applications to process. If your application is received incomplete, the 10 working weeks will count from you submitting the required documents to make your application complete.
When do I apply?
Applicants who require a visa need to apply by 05 April 2024, 5pm UK time.
Applicants who do not require a visa need to apply by 30 August 2024, 5pm UK time.
Applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible as we may close early if all places on the programmes are filled.
We also recommend applying as early as possible particularly if you require a decision by a certain date for funding reasons, as it can take around 10 working weeks for a decision to be made from the point that you receive confirmation from the UCL Admissions Office that your application is complete and has been sent to UCL Laws for consideration.
I haven't taken an English language test yet. Can I still apply now or do I have to wait for my test result?
You can still submit an application for the LLM programme if you have not yet taken an English test. We are able to make decisions on applications without an English test providing all other documents have been submitted (transcripts, personal statement, written work and reference). If we would like to make you an offer, it will be conditional upon meeting the English language requirements (and any other requirements if necessary).Does the written work have to be an original piece or can I use an essay I’ve written from a different course?
You may adapt an old piece of work providing it fits the following remit: Your piece of work should not exceed 750 words. It should be a complete piece, not an extract, abstract or summary. It should be on a topic of contemporary relevance in your area of legal interest. Your written work should demonstrate your reasoning and analytical ability and communication skills.Can I apply for more than one LLM?
No, you must only apply to one LLM, such as the general LLM or one specialism route. Only one application will be assessed and any further applications will be withdrawn.How much is the tuition fee deposit and is it refundable?
Offer holders for the LLM programme will receive details of the tuition fee deposit and the payment deadline for their deposit in their offer letter. The deposit is not normally refundable, unless for reasons outlined in the tuition fee deposit policy guidelines available here.- Programme Information
When does the programme start?
The programme starts on Monday 23 September 2024.How many credits and modules do I take?
The full-time workload is 135 taught module credits. This breaks down to three 45-credit modules or six 22.5 credit modules, or any combination of those that equates to 135 credits. In addition to the taught modules you are required to independently complete a 45 credit Research Essay.
Full time students complete this workload in one academic year with taught modules taking place over terms 1 and 2 and the Research Essay submission and assessments taking place in term 3.How many contact hours will there be?
Contact hours are approximately 2 hours per week for each taught module you are taking in any one term. In addition to contact hours you would need to ensure you have suitable preparation/reading time set aside and suitable time to carry out work on the Research Essay when the time comes. The weekly commitment will vary depending on module registrations in that term. Most assessment components are submitted during the April/May assessment period (even for modules that took place in term 1 only). You can expect increased work/commitments at the end of the year regardless of the spread of your modules over terms 1 and 2.How does it work for Part-time students?
Your degree will be completed over two academic years. In your first year, you will take 90 credits of taught modules and in your second year, you will take the remaining 45 credits of taught modules and the 45 credit Research Essay. You will be invited to attend induction at the start of your first year with the full-time students.Please note that you will be attending classes with full-time and flexi LLM students. Module teaching can be scheduled between 9am-8pm on weekdays. You will be able to reference the timetable when making your module selections each year. You will therefore complete module selection twice: once at the start of your programme and again in the summer before you return to your second and final year.
What about studying the Flexi-route?
You will have up to 5 academic years to complete your degree. You can plan how you would like to complete your 135 taught module credits over that 5 year period based on your personal circumstances (or earlier if you plan to complete the degree in fewer than 5 years). We will prompt you to select modules each year. You may wish to have a year or more where you do not take any modules; this is possible.You will be invited to attend induction at the start of your first year with the full-time students. Please note that you will be attending classes with full-time and part-time LLM students. Module teaching can be scheduled between 9am-8pm on weekdays. You will be able to reference the timetable when making your module selections each year.
It is recommended that you complete your Research Essay at the end of your degree, in the same year that you are due to complete all of your taught module credits.