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Studying for an LLM in Wales
Find LLM programs in WalesWales is a country in the south western part of the United Kingdom, featuring miles of beautiful coastline and striking mountain landscapes. Cardiff, a lively cosmopolitan city, is the capital of Wales. Swansea is Wales’ second largest city while Newport, home to the University of South Wales, is another well-known city. Wales is regarded as bilingual, with Welsh and English both spoken widely and used on public signage. English is however used as the language of instruction at universities. Wales offers excellent academic opportunities, with institutions that attract an international body of students and faculty. Many Welsh universities rank in the top 50 in the UK.
Top 5 reasons to study your LLM in Wales
Here we've put together what we think are the top five reasons why Wales is an ideal place to study your Master of Laws.
1. Choice
With five universities that offer law studies in Wales, three of which regularly feature in the UK top 50, your choice of law school is far from limited. Whether you want to be located in the countryside or in the heart of a bustling city, Wales has an option for you. As with every type of higher education institution, each ilaw school offers something different by way of specialisations and areas of expertise, so having a broad range of courses and universities to choose from will always work in your favour.
2. Student satisfaction
Study is about a complete experience whatever subject you choose, and Welsh universities score incredibly well on student satisfaction with Bangor University and Swansea University both regularly placing way above the national average. When you're committing to something as important as studying an LLM program, it's vital you take into account what the students say about the institution as well as how the university presents itself.
3. Employment prospects
The employment prospects of big city universities is usually higher than institutions outside of large metropolitan areas. Swansea University and Cardiff University both have high graduate employment records so you can expect the same to be said for postgraduate studies. Both cities are bustling and have growing industries for technology, engineering and other commercial enterprises. As such, those completing their Master of Laws program can look forward to great employment prospects upon completion of their studies.
4. International recognition
As with all top universities in the UK, Welsh universities offer internationally recognised programs, meaning that a Master of Laws qualification from a Welsh university will carry serious international legitimacy. If you're looking to work abroad for international employers, then completing your LLM at a Welsh university could well be your first step. Alternatively if you are a foreign national looking to study in the UK then you can be sure that any qualification gained here will be recognised in your home country as well as elsewhere abroad.
5. Wales is amazing!
When you're choosing where you should study it's not just about graduate prospects or student satisfaction, it's also about the experience you will have while you learn. Whether you are from the UK or further afield, Wales has so much to offer in terms of diverse cities, beautiful countryside and a friendly and welcoming population. You can choose to study in the city or in more secluded areas and you will still have access to all of the wonderful things that Wales has to offer whilst only being a relatively short way from everything England, Scotland, Ireland and the rest of Europe have to offer as well.
Where and what to study in Wales
There are several world-class institutions in Wales, including Cardiff University, Swansea University, Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, University of South Wales, and Cardiff Metropolitan University.
Most Welsh universities offer one-year full-time and two-year part-time LLM programs, with a wide range of specialist courses available in Intellectual Property Law, Intellectual Property & Commercial Practice, International Trade Law, International Commercial and Maritime Law, International Commercial Law, International Criminal Law, European Law and International Human Rights Law. Combined degrees are also available in Law & Banking, Law & Criminology and Public Procurement Law & Strategy.
There are also non-specialist general LLMs available, as well as the flexibility to choose from a range of modules to create a customised Master of Laws program. Universities are continuously updating their LLM programs or introducing new ones to keep up with the demands of today’s dynamic global economies so if you’re keen to study in Wales but don’t find the program you’re looking for the first time, it could be worth finding out from the school what new programs they may be launching soon.
Entry requirements for a Master of Laws in Wales
A good honours first degree in law from a recognised university is required; usually a 2:1 (second class upper) although in some cases applicants with 2:2 results (second class lower) may be accepted.
Non-law graduates with relevant professional experience or first degrees related to certain specialisations are encouraged to apply; for instance candidates with degrees in economics, international relations or finance.
English test results may be required as part of your application, with IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and TOEFL (the Test of English as a Foreign Language) being the two popular tests. It’s a good idea to find out which test your preferred institution requires and importantly, what the minimum acceptable test scores are. You’re likely to have the English language requirement waived if your first degree was obtained in a country where the native language is English and the language of instruction at the university was English (e.g. the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia or New Zealand.)
Tuition fees and living costs in Wales
Tuition fees for a full-time LLM program range from around £9,000 for UK students and from £20,000 for international students, including EU students. Although tuition fees can be higher or lower depending on the law school, so if cost is a big factor, check the tuition fees of the institutions you are interested in. Some universities offer scholarships, bursaries or prizes for high achieving students, so it’s worth researching and making enquiries about funding before you apply. Living costs could be up to £8,000–£12,000 for a year, covering modest accommodation, utilities and transport. You may have to budget a little extra to cover food, books and entertainment. More general information on fees and funding can be found here.
Visa requirements for international students
International students require student visas to study in the UK. Visa requirements vary from country to country, particularly depending on whether your country is regarded as ‘low risk’ or ‘high risk’, so check with the UK Embassy or High Commission in your country well in advance. General requirements could include securing a confirmed place at a university, as well as demonstrating that you can maintain yourself financially by providing evidence of funds to cover accommodation, living costs and healthcare. The university you choose may be able to help you with advice on applying for a student visa.
Things to do when you aren’t studying
Wales is a great country to come to if you’re a sports’ enthusiast. Being a country on the coast Wales offers water sports aplenty, from kite surfing, regular surfing and kayaking to wake boarding and jet skiing. Plus, if you’d prefer something more leisurely there’s also fishing and sailing. Rugby is a popular sport in Wales, whether you’re involved as a participant or spectator. There are beautiful beaches and bays where you can swim or sunbathe, go rock climbing or abseiling.
The cities in Wales have beautifully landscaped parks and public gardens for long lazy picnics, adventure parks, theme parks, golf, theatres, museums, restaurants and shopping. Wales also has hundreds of castles waiting to be explored so you’ll almost certainly never run out of things to do.
And for those party people amongst you, the major cities in Wales also have a thriving nightlife – with clubs, bars, pubs and restaurants aplenty!
If you can't find the LLM that you are looking for in Wales, take a look at the great selection that is on offer in Northern Ireland.
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PLEASE NOTE: As a result of Brexit, from Autumn 2021 postgraduate students from the European Union studying at a UK university will be charged the same tuition fees as international students. UK students studying their postgraduate course at a European university are also likely to incur higher tuition fees than their EU counterparts. It is advisable to check with the individual universities in the UK and Europe for up-to-date information on tuition fees for all postgraduate programs.
