Your Pathway to Legal Excellence: Law School in the UK

UK universities have a top-notch reputation; they’re known for their outstanding curriculum and alumni – but in terms of law schools, here’s what might interest you.

We’ll be honest - getting a law degree (especially one from a prestigious university in the UK) is no easy feat. That said, the value that a law degree from the UK brings to the table is enormous, and you’ll definitely reap a ton of benefits once you successfully obtain your law degree.

In this blog post, we share what it’s like to study in a UK law school, and give you a better understanding of whether this path is a good fit for you. Also, you might want to find out more about what it’s like to study and live in the UK.

Prepare For a Ton of Research and Reading

What do you learn in law school? Well, pretty much anything and everything related to law.

Now, law courses in the UK aim to give you a comprehensive understanding of legal issues in a wide range of contexts. To understand these different contexts and situations, you’ll have to do a ton of research and reading.

If you think you’ve spent a lot of time studying in preparation for your college exams, well, think again. For those studying law in the UK, expect to spend practically all your spare time in the library.

You Will Have to Work Harder and Smarter Than Before

Because the workload of a law student is highly intense, you’ll have to learn to adapt, and work harder and smarter than before.

Obviously, it pays to be organized and meticulous. First, plan ahead to make sure that you’ve got sufficient time to revise before your exams. Also, make sure you improve upon your studying techniques.

For instance, instead of just reading your textbook “passively”, take notes and focus on the legal principle behind each case, so that you can learn how the law is applied in different situations.

You Will Start to Pay Extra Attention to Details

If you think that you can just learn the key concepts and ignore the finer details, that’s where you’re wrong.

Here’s the thing: studying law involves a lot of memory work, and amongst other things, you’ll need to have a keen grasp of all the structure and key clauses of all the legislation that you’ve encountered in your course.

You know what they say… the devil is in the details.

You Have to Bring Your a Game to Everything

As a law student, you can’t just cruise by during your tutorials and lectures, then study extra hard when it’s time for exams.

Why not? Well, law schools recruit the best and brightest of students, so you’re up against tough competition. Most law schools also mark using the dreaded bell curve, which means your grades are directly benchmarked against that of your peers.

Bearing this in mind, it’s important to take every aspect of law school (tutorials, lectures, mini-quizzes) seriously, and bring your A game to everything.

You Will Begin Seeing the Legal Aspects in Everything

Once you start studying law, you’ll realize that it’s highly relevant to your day-to-day life.

Here’s an example: say you purchase an ice-cream from a roadside vendor, and you realize that there’s a bit of plastic in it.

Suddenly, it’ll all click in your head, and you’ll realize that the vendor has breached the Sales of Goods Act, and committed a tort of negligence. This means you can reject the goods, repudiate the contract, and sue for damages. It’s kind of nerdy, but kind of mind-blowing as well!

Friends & Family will Constantly Quiz You About the Law

Finally, when people know that you’re studying law, they’ll start badgering you with questions like:

Hey, if I cancel my phone contract early, is there anything the telco company can do to me?

I just got caught downloading illegal movies. What should I do?

This guy sold me his old Nintendo Switch, and turns out it’s not working anymore. How do I get my money back?

Now, you’re not obliged to answer these questions, and even if you do, make sure you add a disclaimer.

What Is Law School Like in the UK?

Yes, life as a law student will be challenging, but take it from us… the benefits that you get from successfully obtaining a UK law degree far outweigh the costs.

Thinking of applying to law school? Here at IDP, we’re happy to offer you our support.

Apart from helping applicants ace their IELTS examinations, we also place students in law schools in the UK, and help them settle down overseas.