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Academic applications

Cvs and covering letters.

For academic jobs you will typically be asked to send any or all of the following:

• Application form
• Cover Letter
• Research Statement
• Teaching Statement (more common in the US than the UK)

Before starting to put together your application materials, think carefully about the position you are applying for. The answers to the following questions should influence how you present yourself on paper:

• What is the balance between research and teaching?
• Will I be working on someone else’s research or my own independent research?
• Is the position fixed-term/contract or permanent/open-ended?

If possible try to also find out more about the position using either the contact given in the job advert or your own contacts. Try to find out why the position is being advertised (for example, has someone retired? is the department growing?) and a bit about what they are expecting from their new hire, such as to teach existing courses or develop new ones.

Academic CVs

• Length is unimportant – can run to several pages
• List items in reverse chronological order within sections (most recent at top)
• Don’t need personal details such as photo, gender, marital status
• Use simple, easy to read formatting and layout
• Avoid institution-specific terminology e.g. the codes of courses you’ve taught if you are applying outside LSE

Section Headings

These are typical section headings for academic CVs. You don’t need to use all of them – if something is not appropriate for your CV leave it out:

• Name and contact details
• Research areas
• Research positions/academic appointments
• Awards and research grants
• Teaching experience
• Publications
• Conference presentations
• Organisational and administrative experience
• Professional affiliations/memberships
• Additional skills (e.g. languages, IT)

Presenting Publications

It’s crucial to present your publications clearly as this section will be one of the most important on your CV. You should:

• Include ‘in preparation’ or ‘planned’ publications (within reason) and state which journal you plan to submit them to and if possible when
• Be clear about the status of other publications e.g. ‘under review’, ‘accepted for publication’
• Separate out different types of publication. The highest impact publications for an academic selection panel are likely to be any peer-reviewed journal papers. Have these (planned or already published) in a separate section listed first. Group other types of publication together e.g. newspaper articles, book reviews etc.

Example CVs

Below are some examples of successful academic CVs that have been kindly donated by LSE PhD students. These are based on real applications but some names and details have been changed:

• UK lectureship – CV  [pdf]
• UK teaching position – CV  [pdf]

You might also find examples on the PhD students, job market pages or academic staff pages of your department. For example, International Relations .

Academic covering letters

• Length – generally 1 to 3 pages (shorter if you are also sending a research proposal)
• Use the layout for a professional letter (see examples on website)
• The first paragraph should state clearly what position you are applying for
• Avoid giving simply a chronological account of your experience – this is what your CV is for.
• Analyse the position to decide what parts of your experience will be of most interest to the selection panel E.g. For a research-only position they will be more interested in the impact of your research than in your teaching experience. Concentrate the content on your most relevant experience.
• Show that you are interested in and know about them in particular – don’t allow your cover letter to read as if it could be sent to any department/university

Research 

You should consider who will be reading your cover letter. For example, if you are applying for a lectureship your letter will be read by academics in the department to which you are applying. They are unlikely to be working directly in your area of interest. This means that you cannot assume that they will appreciate the novelty/value of your research and you will need to be explicit about this. So:

• Situate your work – how does it relate to what other scholars have done/are doing
• Draw attention to what is original about your thesis and your research activity and how it contributes to the field
• Mention key publications that are published/planned – these are the main means of assessing research quality in most academic markets
• If appropriate (e.g. for fellowships/lectureships) describe future research plans. You will need to persuade the reader that these are worthwhile, interesting and well thought through
• Mention any experience you have of securing research funding
• Convey your enthusiasm for teaching
• Indicate the breadth of your experience in teaching e.g. undergraduates, postgraduates, range of subjects
• Try to link your experience to them. For example, if you are applying to somewhere that teaches predominantly mature students, give evidence for why you would be able to teach that particular group well
• If you have received any training or mentoring such as PGCert or GTA training, mention this

Teaching statements

Teaching Statements increasingly form part of the UK academic application package but they are common in the US and found in other countries. There is no standard UK format but these links might help you create yours (always check the requirements of the post, some set a page limit or word count and the UK style seems to be shorter than the US or Canadian guidelines). There is some guidance from North America here:

• How to Write a Statement of Teaching Philosophy  by Gabriela Montell in The Chronicle of Higher Education.
• Statement of teaching philosophy  from the University of Toronto - Note: these are MUCH longer than usually asked for in the UK. Here a side of A4 is generally what they want
• What do you need for a job in the US  from jobs.ac.uk

Example covering letters

Below are some examples of successful academic cover letters that have been kindly donated by LSE PhD students. All of these are real applications but some names and details have been changed:

• UK lectureship - cover letter  [pdf]
• UK teaching position – cover letter  [pdf]

Review your application materials

Once you have completed your application you can  make an appointment with the PhD careers consultant  to review the content.

Research statements and proposals

When applying for an academic position you will sometimes be asked to write a research statement or when applying for funding, supply a research proposal. In all cases adhere to what the selectors have requested in terms of length and focus. Here are some general tips:

• If they don’t specify a length, two sides of A4 should be enough.
• Think about your audience. How close are they to your discipline? Adapt accordingly.
• Make sure you address the question of why your research is worth doing. Don’t just assume that they will agree with you that it is. It is not enough for something to just be interesting to you. You must convince that others are going to be interested too.
• Situate your work in the wider discipline. How does it relate to other people’s work? What does it change or what could it change in the field?
• Strike a balance between your research track record (what you have already achieved) and your future research plans.
• Be specific about expected research outputs.
• Make sure the research you propose doing is both interesting enough to be worth doing but also achievable in the time frames involved.
• Although you may need to adapt it slightly as it was written by an engineer,  Heilmeier’s Catechism  is still a useful set of questions to ask yourself when putting together a research proposal.

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How and when should I apply? Is there a deadline?

9-oct-2023 • graduate admissions article.

All applications are made online , and all supporting documentation may be uploaded with your application.

You do not need to complete the form in one sitting; you can return to your partially completed application by logging in to the system using the email address and password you created at the start of the process.

Please note, your application will not be processed until we have received all the required documents for the programme(s) you have applied to.

If you are unable to complete an online application because of a disability or medical condition please email [email protected]

You are strongly advised to apply early as competition for programmes at LSE is intense. The most popular courses will start to fill up in March each year, and once a course is filled we cannot accept any more applications.

The application process begins in October every year and as we operate a rolling admission process for the vast majority of our courses, continues until the programme has allocated all of its places.

Applying early will also allow time for you to make the necessary arrangements for accommodation and funding should you be offered a place.

Please note, some programmes (e.g. some MPhil/PhD and MRes/PhD) do have deadlines for applications. These are published on the programme pages and the availability of programmes page, and here .

Before applying please check the available programmes page to ensure the programme is still accepting applications.

Please note, there is no clearing and we do not accept applications once a course is closed - we have built-in mechanisms to take account of late drop-outs.

LLB Bachelor of Laws

Introduction, accreditations, preliminary readings.

This LLB Bachelor of Law degree gives you a unique opportunity to explore the law from a social science perspective – looking at its impact on society, politics, economics and business.

As one of the UK’s leading legal research institutions, our academics are actively contributing to the development of law globally. So, you’ll be learning from world-leading researchers.

This law degree covers all the skills and knowledge needed to progress to the first stage of the Solicitors’ Qualifying Exam (SQE). But equally, you’ll gain highly transferable skills for a career in accounting, banking, politics, government or education.

You’ll be studying close to London’s historic legal district and many eminent law firms – with regular events organised by our Law Society and the Inns of Court. In fact, you’ll never get bored with a packed programme of extra-curricular activities, including mooting competitions, social events and presentations from practising lawyers.

Alongside the LLB degree, we also offer a double degree LLB/JD (juris doctor) programme with Columbia University Law School . You can apply for this programme during your second year. However, we wouldn’t recommend applying to LSE solely for entry to the double degree programme as we can’t guarantee you a place.

Our LLB Bachelors of Law programme is accredited by the Bar Standards Board for the purpose of a qualifying law degree. The process to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales is via the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE).

The SQE assessment has two stages, with the first being focused on legal knowledge, broadly similar to that supplied in law degrees at present, and the second on practical vocational skills. While a law degree or diploma will no longer be necessary to the process of qualifying, a law degree is likely to remain the most effective and reputable way of acquiring the knowledge that is required by the SRA to complete the first stage of the SQE.

Please refer to  our website  and  www.sra.org.uk/sra/policy/sqe  for further information and updates.

If you wish to gain further insight into law, we suggest that you look at one or more of the following books:

• T Bingham The Rule of Law (Allen Lane, 2010)
• S Chakrabarti On Liberty (Allen Lane, 2014)
• C Gearty On Fantasy Island: Britain, Europe, and human rights (Oxford University Press, 2016)
• H Kennedy Eve was Framed: women and British justice (Vintage, 1993)
• N Lacey Women, Crime, and Character: from Moll Flanders to Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Oxford University Press, 2008)
• P Sands East West Street: on the origins of genocide and crimes against humanity (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 2016)

Entry requirements

Here, you can check our entry requirements for GCSEs, A-levels (please read them alongside our information about subject combinations) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. We also consider applications from students with a range of other UK qualifications and from overseas. Please select the overseas button below and choose your country from the dropdown list to find the equivalency to A-levels of your qualification.

Additional tests

For GCSEs, you’ll need several GCSE grades at A (or 7) and A* (or 8-9).

As a minimum, we ask for GCSE English Language and Mathematics grades at B (6) or higher. We’ll also consider your overall GCSE subject profile.

We also consider your AS grades, if available.

Contextual admissions A-level grades

Read our undergraduate admissions information to learn more about contextual admissions.

A-level subject combinations

• We consider your combination of subjects as well as your grades.
• A broad mix of traditional academic subjects provides the best preparation for studying at LSE. We expect applicants to have at least two full A-levels (or equivalent) in these subjects.
• There is no set subject combination. We’re looking for evidence of academic excellence, scholarly potential and curiosity. This degree requires a significant amount of reading, research and attention to detail. So, we expect to see a high level of literacy reflected in your post-16 subject choices and evidence of your ability to cope with a demanding workload.
• Whilst a fourth AS-level or Extended Project (EP) is not required, we recognise the value of these additional subjects for providing useful skills and breadth of learning, and would encourage students to take up these opportunities where available. We understand, however, that not every student has the opportunity to complete a fourth AS or EP. Consequently, conditional offers will never include a fourth AS or EP, and students who are unable to take these additional qualification will not be at a disadvantage.
• If you’re studying mostly quantitative subjects at A-level (or equivalent), you’ll need to demonstrate these skills in your personal statement, teacher’s reference, extra-curricular activities or performance in GCSE or equivalent qualifications.
• Mathematics and Further Mathematics at A-level will be considered if combined with an essay-writing subject.

Find out more about A-level subject combinations .

38 points overall. 766 in higher level subjects

Contextual admissions IB grades

36 points overall. 665 in higher level subjects

All applicants must sit the Law National Admissions Test (LNAT). For entry in September 2025 (or deferred entry in September 2026) the LNAT can be taken between 1 September 2024 and 31 December 2024. You may submit your application to LSE through UCAS before or after you take the test, however to guarantee fair and equal consideration of all applications you must sit your LNAT test by 31 December 2024. Please ensure that you select LSE when you register your LNAT account so that we're able to retrieve your LNAT result in a timely manner.

Test centres are available throughout the UK and overseas. LSE only uses the multiple-choice score it its assessment of applicants; the essay is not considered for most applicants. If you are an applicant who would have otherwise been identified as having to sit the UGGA, the selector may wish to consider your essay.

Find out more about the LNAT

We welcome students from all walks of life at LSE. We want to recruit students with the very best academic merit, potential and motivation. So, whatever your background, please do apply. Get all the details on our general  entry requirements .

Competition for places at LSE is high. We cannot guarantee you an offer of a place even if you’re predicted or achieve our standard entry requirements.

Our standard offer requirements are intended only as a guide and, in some cases, you’ll be asked for different grades.

Programme content

Why study with us.

Discover more about our students and department.

Student stories

Meet the department.

LSE’s Law School is ranked in the top five law schools worldwide (Complete University Guide 2024).

The Law School is one of the largest departments at LSE, bringing together students, alumni and staff from all over the world. As a department, we’ve played a significant role in policy debates, policymaking, teaching and research globally.

Our academics have been trailblazers in exploring new fields of study. Many important subjects were first taught and examined systematically at our Law School. We pioneered the study of banking law, taxation law, civil litigation, company law, labour law, family law, aspects of welfare law and studies of the legal system and profession. We strive to challenge existing ways of thinking and understand the causes of different events and issues.

We offer an LLB undergraduate programme alongside taught postgraduate programmes and research opportunities. Students learn in a lively, inclusive and truly international community – with regular events, public lectures and extracurricular activities, including dedicated law societies, mooting competitions and an annual weekend away.

Our goal is to support students, academics and alumni to achieve their full potential in everything they do.

Learn more about our programmes and our history – spanning more than 100 years of teaching and research.

LSE Law School

2nd In Europe

5th In the world

1st We're ranked top university in London for the 12th year running

Carbon neutral in 2021 lse became the first carbon neutral verified university in the uk, your application, who attends.

We consider each application carefully, taking into account all the details you’ve included on your UCAS form, such as:

• academic achievement , including predicted and achieved grades (also see specific information about this programme in the "entry requirements" above)
• subjects and subject combinations  (also see specific information about this programme in the "entry requirements" above)
• your personal statement
• your teacher’s reference
• educational circumstances

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency, although this is not needed at the application stage.  See our English language requirements page .

We’re looking for students who demonstrate:

• logical thinking and the ability to follow complex lines of reasoning
• high levels of accuracy and attention to detail
• great communication skills
• an ability to think independently and ask incisive questions
• self-motivation and a willingness to work hard.

Fees and funding

The table of fees shows the latest tuition fees for all programmes.

You're charged a fee for each year of your programme. Your tuition fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It doesn't cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Your tuition fees, and eligibility for any financial support, depend on whether you’re classified as a home or an overseas student – known as your fee status. We assess your fee status based on guidelines from the UK Government’s Department for Education.

Learn more about fee status classification .

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We recognise that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town or country. LSE provides generous financial support, in the form of bursaries and scholarships, to UK, EU and overseas students.

Additionally, the UK Government provides loans to UK and some EU students. Some overseas governments also offer funding.

Further information on tuition fees, living costs, loans and scholarships .

Learning and assessment

How you learn, how you're assessed.

Format and contact hours: most courses at LSE are taught through lectures and small classes. Alternatively, some courses may have seminars, with a short lecture leading to group discussion. You can expect 12 to 15 hours of formal teaching each week.

We also run a first-year programme to help you develop your legal writing skills. All academic staff hold one-to-one advice and feedback sessions. You’ll also meet with your assigned academic advisor to discuss your academic progress and any concerns.

LSE teaching: LSE is internationally recognised for teaching and research and our academics bring wide-ranging expertise. Courses may be taught by faculty members, guest teachers, visiting members of staff, LSE teaching fellows and graduate teaching assistants, who are usually doctoral research students.

Learn about the teacher responsible for each course in the relevant  course guide .

Academic support

Academic mentor: you’ll meet with your academic mentor regularly to discuss your work. Your mentor can provide advice and guidance on academic issues and, where appropriate, personal concerns.

Other academic support: at LSE, we offer lots of opportunities to extend your learning outside the classroom.

LSE LIFE is a great place to get advice and practise the skills you’ll need during your studies and beyond.

Through LSE LIFE, you can:

• attend workshops on developing leadership skills, finding the right study/work/life balance and preparing for the world of work
• develop your reading, academic writing and critical-thinking skills
• gain experience of working in study groups and develop your cross-cultural communication and teamwork skills.

Disability and Mental Health Service: we want all LSE students to achieve their full potential. Students can access free, confidential advice through our Disability and Mental Health Service . This is the first point of contact for students.

Your timetable

• The standard teaching day runs from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Undergraduate teaching is not normally scheduled for Wednesdays after 12 noon to allow for sports, volunteering and other extra-curricular activities.
• The lecture and seminar timetable is published in mid-August and the full academic timetable (with information on classes) is published by mid-September via the LSE timetables web pages .
• All personal undergraduate timetables are published in LSE for You (LFY) . For personal timetables to appear, you must be registered at LSE, be signed up for courses in LFY and ensured that there are no unauthorised clashes in your course selections. We try our best to minimise changes once personal timetables have been published. However, you’ll be notified about any changes by email.

You’ll complete at least one assessment for each course per term. These assessments do not count towards your grade but they will help you develop your skills in formulating legal arguments and prepare you for the end-of-year exams.

Assessments for individual courses can change from year to year. Read about the current formative assessment for each course in the relevant  course guide .

Your final degree award will be based on your performance in the second and third years. Some optional courses in the last two years are assessed by essay.

You must pass each set of yearly examinations to progress to the next stage of the degree. There is also the option to complete a dissertation (a research-based extended essay) in your final year.

Find out more about LSE’s teaching and assessment methods .

Graduate destinations

Career support.

This is a qualifying degree, meaning you can go straight from graduating to taking the LPC (Legal Practice Course), and recent leavers have secured training contracts at world renowned law firms, whilst others have been taken on as analysts and consultants. Others still have used the legal and social insights gained in their degree to set up their own NGOs or start their own businesses.

The analytical, critical and communication skills and legal and social insights gained within the LLB provide an excellent foundation for many careers and can be applied to a wide range of industries. Recent graduates have gone into fields as diverse as law and legal services, accountancy, banking and finance, government and politics, consulting, tax, charity and development, and education and academia.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Professional training

The Bar A student with a law degree from LSE will normally be eligible to be considered for a place on the Bar Professional Training Course. You should check the position personally by obtaining the relevant regulations from: The Bar Council, 289-293 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7HZ or barcouncil.org.uk

To enrol for the Bar Professional Training Course, you normally need at least a lower second class honours degree.

The profession of solicitor See the "accreditations" tab on top of this page.

Median salary of our undergraduate students 15 months after graduating:

Top 5 sectors our students work in:.

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.

Discover Uni

Every undergraduate programme of more than one year duration will have Discover Uni data. The data allows you to compare information about individual programmes at different higher education institutions.

Programmes offered by different institutions with similar names can vary quite significantly. We recommend researching the programmes you're interested in and taking into account the programme structure, teaching and assessment methods, and support services available.

Find out more

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January 9th, 2024

You can apply for lse postgrad for free. here’s how.

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

LSE welcomes everyone from all walks of life. The School strives to minimise barriers preventing prospective students from attaining the quality postgraduate education they deserve, regardless of their background and conditions. This begins in the application process, where you can request for a waiver from the £95 administrative fee providing you meet the criteria.

Who can apply for a waiver?

LSE encourages postgraduate applicants facing persistent financial hardship to submit a waiver request. This applies for residents in countries under pervasive conflicts and/or with difficult access to banking services; refugees; asylum-seekers; individuals with humanitarian protection and discretionary leave to remain and stateless persons. Students under these criteria who are reinstating their applications can also apply.

The waive isn’t applicable for students facing temporary cash flow issues who have sufficient savings and income. However, worry not, for there are various funding support schemes you can explore while applying for LSE.

How to apply for a waiver?

You’ll need to fill in a waiver request form available here . You should submit the form once you’ve either requested to reinstate your application or started your online postgraduate application. This allows LSE to record your application and amend it to approve of your waiver request.

Some of you might also need to provide documentary evidence in support of your waiver. Write down as much information as possible on your conditions to be strongly considered for a waiver. Make sure that you submit the form only after you’ve uploaded all the required documents to your application.

All information you provide in the waiver application will only be used to consider your eligibility for the waiver, and not for your application and scholarships, and will only be retained by the waiver decision maker.

When to apply for a waiver?

Applications for 2024/5 entry are now open! Admission competitions are tight and the earlier you apply, the bigger your chances are of being accepted in your programme of choice and of meeting financial support/scholarship and visa deadlines.

Take notes of the early deadlines of some scholarships and individual programme details . It’s best that you submit your administrative fee waiver request 10 working days before any of these deadlines, at the very latest.

You can read more about the administrative fee waiver here . All the best for your applications and we hope to see you be #PartofLSE next year!

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Law MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

UCL Laws has one of the most selective MPhil/PhD programmes in the UK, and produces graduates of internationally recognised quality. Ranked the top UK Law institution for research quality in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021), UCL Laws attracts leading figures in the field to our extensive programme of events, informing debate on critical legal issues.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Applications closed

• Entry requirements

A minimum of a good upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree in an appropriate subject, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. We have a strong preference for a recognised LLM or equivalent Master's degree and would normally expect a distinction overall, with evidence of first-class ability (or equivalent) in extended written work/dissertation.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 3 Further details are available on the Faculty of Laws website .

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

UCL Laws has a strong international and multidisciplinary research environment, focused around all sixteen of our research centres, institutes and groups. Bringing together outstanding researchers from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds and jurisdictions, our research centres and institutes nurture individual research, but also actively encourage and support collaboration and partnerships that expand cross-disciplinary research.

Who this course is for

This programme provides specialist training on research methods in law. Specialised research centres ensure that the doctoral study experience is collaborative, while UCL Faculty of Laws provides opportunities and support for doctoral students to achieve real impact with their research.

What this course will give you

UCL Laws has been one of the leading centres of legal education in the world for almost 200 years. Rated as being Number 1 for research quality in the UK compared with all other Law Schools in the country by the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), UCL Laws' community of intellectually dynamic scholars responds to today's global challenges. Through our research, we help to shape government policy, national and international law and practice.

Combining a strong theoretical foundation in the law with world-leading expertise in empirical legal studies and interdisciplinary research, UCL Laws offers an outstanding educational experience to our doctoral students, with special work-in-progress workshops, dedicated conferences, and teaching experience.

All students benefit from a year-long research methodology seminar series in their first year and will join a vibrant and active MPhil/PhD student community which, for example, runs its own weekly seminar series in term time.

The foundation of your career

A graduate from the UCL Laws PhD programme will have developed advanced skills in legal research, analysis and writing, public presentations and in almost all cases teaching at university level. Our graduates are well placed to pursue careers in the global academic world, but the research, analytical and writing skills obtained during the PhD also transfer easily to high level work in government, non-governmental organisations and the commercial sector.

Employability

Our PhD graduates have entered a wide range of careers including top academic positions in the UK and overseas, international organisations, private sector, NGOs and government. 'The international reputation and expertise of the Faculty is well known and is what first attracted me to UCL. I found the faculty to be a vibrant academic community in which to undertake research, with invaluable support to develop personal research skills, pursue cross-disciplinary research and to engage in empirical activities. After my doctoral studies I was delighted to join the faculty as a Lecturer. The community of support at UCL Faculty of Laws undoubtedly enhanced my research and enabled me to pursue avenues that may not otherwise have been possible'. Dr Anna Donovan Lecturer, UCL Laws

The Faculty has a longstanding reputation for high-quality legal research with real world impact. We have long-established links with the judiciary, the legal, public and private sector. This is reflected in the outstanding quality of our extensive annual programme of seminars, lectures, debates and conferences on a wide variety of critical legal issues. Through this programme our PhD students have the opportunity to engage personally with leading members of the judiciary, legal profession, commercial and financial sectors, government, NGOs and leading international academics.

Teaching and learning

A PhD from UCL Laws is essentially an independent piece of substantial work, making an addition to current knowledge, but you will receive support in various ways this endeavour.  Firstly, through expert supervision, which will include regular meetings, feedback on your progress and your written work, and advice on your development as a researcher.  You will also undertake research skills training in the Faculty of Laws, through which a supportive environment among the PhD cohort and your fellow research students is fostered.  There will the opportunity to engage with the wider UCL community in training bespoke to your research and career aims too.  Dissemination of your work, and building networks in your field of research, will be actively supported and encouraged by the Facult y . There is financial support available to engage with the wider academic community, to present your work to and receive feedback from scholars and academic events, such as conferences, nationally and internationally.

The PhD programme is examined by a thesis of up to 100,000 words, which should demonstrate your capacity to pursue original research based upon a good understanding of the research techniques and concepts appropriate to the discipline.

Full-time students can expect to meet their PhD supervisors at least once a month for progress meetings throughout their PhD (once every two months for part-time students). In year 1 of the PhD, there will be fortnightly research skills seminars. There will be research skills seminars in years 2 and 3 (for full-time students, years 2-5 for part-time students) too, but these will be less frequent. The majority of the PhD will be spent on independent research.

Research areas and structure

• Antitrust, Regulation and Competition Law
• Comparative and Foreign Law
• Contract, Restitution and Tort
• Corporate, Finance and Insolvency
• Criminal Justice
• Empirical Legal Studies
• Environmental Law
• European Law
• Family Law and Bioethics
• Human Rights, Employment and Equality Law
• Intellectual Property
• International Business, Insurance and Trade
• International Commercial Law
• Judicial Studies
• Jurisprudence and Legal Theory
• Law and Economics
• Law and Ethics
• Law and Religion
• Law of the Sea
• Legal Education
• Legal History and Roman History
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Medical Law
• Property and Trusts
• Public, Admin and Constitutional
• Public International Law

Research environment

UCL Laws is a world-leading community of intellectually dynamic scholars responding to today’s challenges. The Faculty was rated as the leading Law institution in the UK for research quality in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). As a Laws MPhil/PhD student, you will have the opportunity to learn from, and contribute to, this research culture.

The Faculty attracts the leading figures in the field to our extensive programme of events, informing debate on critical legal issues. Events we have held in the past include a series of seminars from the former President of the European Court of Human Rights and Judge of the General Court of the European Union. Our events reflect the diversity of teaching and research at UCL Laws, and our programme of lively seminars, lectures, debates and conferences cover a wide variety of engaging legal topics. Many events are CPD accredited by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Bar Standards Board and Intellectual Property regulation board (IP Reg).

A PhD at UCL Laws will allow you to pursue original research and make a distinct and significant contribution to your field. We are committed to the quality and relevance of the research supervision we offer and as an MPhil/PhD candidate; you could work with academics at the cutting edge of legal scholarship. Furthermore as a research student, you will be an integral part of our collaborative and thriving research community. Student-run ‘work in progress’ forums and an end-of-first-year PhD workshop will give you the opportunity to present and discuss your research with peers and academic colleagues. Tailored skills seminars will provide you with a supportive research environment and the critical skills necessary to undertake your research. To foster your academic development we also offer additional faculty funds, which can assist you with the costs of conferences and other research activities.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 3 years for full-time students.

You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 9- 18 months after initial registration.

In your first year, you will be required to take part in a mandatory Skills Seminar Programme. Within three months of joining the programme, you are expected to agree with your supervisor the basic structure of your research project, an appropriate research method and a realistic plan of work. You will produce and submit a detailed outline of your proposed research to your supervisor for their comments and feedback. We hold a PhD workshop at the end of your first year, which provides you with an opportunity to present your research before an audience of UCL Laws Academic staff and fellow PhD students.

In your second year you will be expected to upgrade from an MPhil to a PhD. To successfully upgrade to a PhD you are required to submit a piece of writing (this is usually based on one chapter from your thesis and a chapter plan for the remainder). You are also required  to present and answer questions about this work to a panel consisting of your subsidiary supervisor and another member of the faculty who acts as an independent assessor.

The PhD programme is expected to be completed within three years for full-time students.. If you are not ready to submit at the end of the third year, you may be permitted a further year to complete the PhD in the 'Completing Research Status' phase of the programme.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 5 years for part-time students. You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 15- 30 months after initial registration. In your first two years, you will be required to take part in a mandatory Skills Seminar Programme. Within six months of joining the programme, you are expected to agree with your supervisor the basic structure of your research project, an appropriate research method and a realistic plan of work. You will produce and submit a detailed outline of your proposed research to your supervisor for their comments and feedback. We hold a PhD workshop at the end of your first year, which provides you with an opportunity to present your research before an audience of UCL Laws Academic staff and fellow PhD students. In your second or third year you will be expected to upgrade from an MPhil to a PhD. To successfully upgrade to a PhD you are required to submit a piece of writing (this is usually based on one chapter from your thesis and a chapter plan for the remainder). You are also required  to present and answer questions about this work to a panel consisting of your subsidiary supervisor and another member of the faculty who acts as an independent assessor. The PhD programme is expected to be completed within five years for part-time students. If you are not ready to submit at the end of the fifth year, you may be permitted a further two years to complete the PhD in the 'Completing Research Status' phase of the programme.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

There are no programme-specific additional costs.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

There are a number of different scholarships available to fund your PhD. All are awarded on the basis of academic excellence and are competitive.

Full information about funding may be found on our website - www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/study/mphilphd/applying scholarships page. The Faculty also provides financial support to current students in the form of an annual Research Allowance, and there is a PhD Research Impact and Innovation Fund (PRIF) that students may apply to for funding for exceptional items such as delivering a paper at an international conference.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

UCL Research Opportunity Scholarship (ROS)

Deadline: 12 January 2024 Value: UK rate fees, a maintenance stipend, conference costs and professional development package (3 years) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

Detailed information on the application process may be found on the Faculty of Laws website .

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

Got questions? Get in touch

[email protected]

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BSc Financial Mathematics and Statistics

Introduction, preliminary readings.

The business world is increasingly dominated by data. So, there’s a real demand for graduates with the right mathematical and statistical skills who can make sense of this data. This BSc in Financial Mathematics and Statistics meets that need.

Taught jointly by the departments of Mathematics and Statistics, this degree provides a solid grounding in financial mathematics and statistics as well as exploring the interrelationships between these two complementary disciplines.

You’ll develop your theoretical knowledge and learn about mathematical and statistical methods and techniques in finance. At the same time, you’ll explore financial risk management, financing and investment decisions alongside topics such as pricing, derivatives, hedging and optimisation.

Our graduates progress to careers in finance, accounting and other areas where quantitative analysis and data handling are critically important.

Mathematics as it is applied in economics and finance

• M Anthony and N Biggs Mathematics for Economics and Finance (Cambridge University Press, 1996)
• T Harford The Undercover Economist (Oxford University Press, 2006)

Mathematics

Much of university level mathematics is concerned with formal proofs and rigorous mathematical argument, and this is necessary for some of the advanced mathematics required in finance, economics, and other fields of application. For an introduction, we recommend:

• L Alcock How to Study for a Mathematics Degree (Oxford University Press, 2013)
• R Allenby Numbers and Proofs (Butterworth-Heinemann, 1997)
• A Dilnot The Tiger That Isn't: Seeing Through a World of Numbers (Profile books, 2007)
• P Eccles An Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning (Cambridge University Press, 1997)
• T Gowers Mathematics: a very short introduction (Oxford University Press, 2002)
• D Hand Statistics: a very short introduction (Oxford University Press, 2008)
• M Liebeck A Concise Introduction to Pure Mathematics (Chapman & Hall/CRC Mathematics, 2005)

Entry requirements

Here, you can check our entry requirements for GCSEs, A-levels (please read them alongside our information about subject combinations) and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. We also consider applications from students with a range of other UK qualifications and from overseas. Please select the overseas button below and choose your country from the dropdown list to find the equivalency to A-levels of your qualification.

Additional tests

For GCSEs, you’ll need several GCSE grades at A (or 7) and A* (or 8-9).

As a minimum, we ask for GCSE English Language and Mathematics grades at B (6) or higher. We’ll also consider your overall GCSE subject profile.

A*AA, with an A* in Mathematics

Where it is offered by your school or college, AS- or A-level Further Mathematics is expected to be taken and a grade A achieved.

We also consider your AS grades, if available.

Contextual admissions A-level grades

A*AB with an A* in Mathematics

Read our undergraduate admissions information to learn more about contextual admissions.

A-level subject combinations

• We consider your combination of subjects as well as your grades.
• A broad mix of traditional academic subjects provides the best preparation for studying at LSE. We expect applicants to have at least two full A-levels (or equivalent) in these subjects.
• An A* in Mathematics is required. However, an A* in Further Mathematics and an A grade in Mathematics would be an acceptable alternative.
• We’ll consider applications from students with a combination of Mathematics, Further Mathematics and one other subject. Other typical subjects include Chemistry and Physics.

Find out more about A-level subject combinations .

38 points overall, including 766 at higher level, with 7 in Mathematics: analysis and approaches.

Contextual admissions IB grades

37 points overall, including 765 at higher level, with 7 in Mathematics: analysis and approaches.

Applicants are encouraged to take the  Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) . The test is not mandatory, however a good performance on the test may make an application more competitive.

We welcome students from all walks of life at LSE. We want to recruit students with the very best academic merit, potential and motivation. So, whatever your background, please do apply. Get all the details on our general  entry requirements .

Competition for places at LSE is high. We cannot guarantee you an offer of a place even if you’re predicted or achieve our standard entry requirements.

Our standard offer requirements are intended only as a guide and, in some cases, you’ll be asked for different grades.

Programme content

Why study with us.

Discover more about our students and department.

Meet the department

The Department of Mathematics aims to be a leading centre for the study of mathematics in the social sciences.

The department has a vibrant intellectual community, with fantastic students, internationally respected academics and high-achieving alumni. Our department has grown rapidly in recent years, with exciting developments in research and new teaching programmes and courses.

This research encompasses four main overlapping areas:

• discrete mathematics and algorithms
• mathematical game theory
• financial and related mathematics
• operational research.

All aspects of our research were ranked world-leading or internationally excellent in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021), submitted jointly with the Department of Statistics.

We embrace the School’s ethos of research-led teaching. Currently, we offer four undergraduate and three postgraduate programmes, as well as doctoral research opportunities on our MPhil/PhD in Mathematics. These programmes are all in high demand – attracting talented students from diverse backgrounds.

Our programmes are highly interdisciplinary and we have close ties with other departments at LSE, including Statistics, Economics, Finance, Management and the Data Science Institute.

Whatever your study route, you’ll benefit from a welcoming, inclusive and friendly learning environment where students and staff are supported to achieve their best.

Learn more about our programmes , recent research and regular events and seminars .

Department of Mathematics

2nd In Europe

5th In the world

1st We're ranked top university in London for the 12th year running

Carbon neutral in 2021 lse became the first carbon neutral verified university in the uk, your application, who attends.

We consider each application carefully, taking into account all the details you’ve included on your UCAS form, such as:

• academic achievement , including predicted and achieved grades (also see specific information about this programme in the "entry requirements" above)
• subjects and subject combinations  (also see specific information about this programme in the "entry requirements" above)
• your personal statement
• your teacher’s reference
• educational circumstances

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency, although this is not needed at the application stage.  See our English language requirements page .

We’re looking for students who demonstrate:

• an interest in mathematics, statistics and finance
• an understanding of the links between the disciplines
• involvement in related extra-curricular activities, such as maths competitions or Olympiads
• the ability to think and work independently
• intellectual curiosity and the ability to ask incisive questions
• logical thinking and the ability to follow complex lines of reasoning
• creativity and flexibility in problem-solving
• great organisational and communication skills
• self-motivation and a willingness to work hard.

Fees and funding

The table of fees shows the latest tuition fees for all programmes.

You're charged a fee for each year of your programme. Your tuition fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It doesn't cover living costs or travel or fieldwork.

Your tuition fees, and eligibility for any financial support, depend on whether you’re classified as a home or an overseas student – known as your fee status. We assess your fee status based on guidelines from the UK Government’s Department for Education.

Learn more about fee status classification .

Scholarships, bursaries and loans

We recognise that the cost of living in London may be higher than in your home town or country. LSE provides generous financial support, in the form of bursaries and scholarships, to UK, EU and overseas students.

Additionally, the UK Government provides loans to UK and some EU students. Some overseas governments also offer funding.

Further information on tuition fees, living costs, loans and scholarships .

Learning and assessment

How you learn, how you're assessed.

Format and contact hours: you’ll usually attend two lectures and one related class for each course per week (eight lectures and four classes). Additionally, you’ll work on exercises in your own time, which are discussed in weekly classes with around 15 students.

Hours vary depending on the course. Further details are given in the Calendar within the Teaching section of each course guide .

LSE teaching: all courses include seminars, classes and/or computer workshops to help you develop a deeper understanding of concepts and methods introduced in lectures. In computer workshops, you’ll work on practical data exercises using software and programming languages (mainly Python). Classes and workshops provide a great opportunity to ask questions about the lecture material and other related topics.

LSE is internationally recognised for teaching and research and our academics have wide-ranging expertise. Courses may be taught by our faculty staff, guest teachers and visiting members of staff, LSE teaching fellows and graduate teaching assistants, who can be doctoral research students.

Learn about the teacher responsible for each course in the relevant  course guide .

Academic support

Academic mentor: you’ll meet with your academic mentor regularly to discuss your work. Your mentor can provide advice and guidance on academic issues and, where appropriate, personal concerns.

Other academic support: at LSE, we offer lots of opportunities to extend your learning outside the classroom.

LSE LIFE is a great place to get advice and practise the skills you’ll need during your studies and beyond.

Through LSE LIFE, you can:

• attend workshops on developing leadership skills, finding the right study/work/life balance and preparing for the world of work
• develop your reading, academic writing and critical-thinking skills
• gain experience of working in study groups and develop your cross-cultural communication and teamwork skills.

Disability and Mental Health Service: we want all LSE students to achieve their full potential. Students can access free, confidential advice through our Disability and Mental Health Service . This is the first point of contact for students.

Your timetable

• The standard teaching day runs from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday. Undergraduate teaching is not normally scheduled for Wednesdays after 12 noon to allow for sports, volunteering and other extra-curricular activities.
• The lecture and seminar timetable is published in mid-August and the full academic timetable (with information on classes) is published by mid-September via the LSE timetables web pages .
• All personal undergraduate timetables are published in LSE for You (LFY) . For personal timetables to appear, you must be registered at LSE, be signed up for courses in LFY and ensured that there are no unauthorised clashes in your course selections. We try our best to minimise changes once personal timetables have been published. However, you’ll be notified about any changes by email.

Formative coursework

All taught courses include formative coursework, which is not assessed. This helps you prepare you for summative assessment. We use a range of formative assessment methods, such as essays, case studies, reports, quizzes and mock exams.

Feedback is an essential part of the learning experience at the School. You’ll receive feedback on any formative coursework within three weeks, provided it’s submitted on time.

Summative assessment

This assessment counts towards your final course mark and degree award.

Summative assessment involves exams in most courses at the end of each year (May or early June). Some courses also include assessments in January.

You’ll receive feedback on any summative coursework as part of the assessment for individual courses (except for final submitted dissertations). Feedback will normally be provided before the examination period.

Assessment on individual courses can change from year to year. See details of the current formative coursework and summative assessment for each course in the relevant  course guide .

Find out more about LSE’s teaching and assessment methods .

Graduate destinations

Career support.

Recent graduates have gone on to work in the areas of corporate finance, accountancy, management, and banking. Many have pursued graduate study in areas related to mathematics, economics, or both.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Median salary of our undergraduate students 15 months after graduating:

Top 3 sectors our students work in:.

From CV workshops through to careers fairs, LSE offers lots of information and support to help you make that all-important step from education into work.

Many of the UK’s top employers give careers presentations at the School during the year and there are numerous workshops covering topics such as job hunting, managing interviews, writing a cover letter and using LinkedIn.

See LSE Careers for further details.

Discover Uni

Every undergraduate programme of more than one year duration will have Discover Uni data. The data allows you to compare information about individual programmes at different higher education institutions.

Programmes offered by different institutions with similar names can vary quite significantly. We recommend researching the programmes you're interested in and taking into account the programme structure, teaching and assessment methods, and support services available.

Find out more

Explore lse, student life.

Student support

Accommodation

Meet, visit and discover LSE

Research Assistant

London school of economics and political science - management.

LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university

Salary from £33,558 to £38,541 pa inclusive with potential to progress to £41,404 pa inclusive of London allowance

This is a fixed term appointment for at least 12 months, ideally starting on 29 July 2024.

Prof. Rocco Macchiavello – Professor in the LSE Department of Management – is seeking a motivated, independent, and highly skilled Research Assistant to support ongoing research in development, industrial organization, international trade, and applied microeconomics for one year. The job will include a variety of tasks, such as data analysis, writing and creating presentations, editing research papers, managing data collection, and managing relationships with stakeholders. We envision this role as a bridge for recent graduates interested in developing practical research skills. The position is ideal for people that want to later pursue doctoral studies in economics or other related disciplines – past holders of the post have successfully applied to top programs in US, UK and Europe.

The successful candidate should have a completed Master or Bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) in economics or other closely related discipline, strong quantitative and data analysis skills, and be able to manage their own areas of responsibility independently without constant direct supervision. Experience in Stata and Latex is essential and experience with MATLAB and/or R and/or Python is desirable. We are looking for someone with fluency in written and spoken English, with excellent written and verbal communication skills who can communicate effectively to different audiences, conveying complex technical information in a clear and accurate manner. This position would be suited to candidates with a long-term interest in progression to a doctoral program and conducting research in economics.

In your application, please include a short statement about your motivation and how this position fits your future career plans. Please also clearly specify the earliest available date to start in the position. Shortlisted applicants might be asked to complete a short technical and/or writing exercise and/or a job interview.

We offer an occupational pension scheme, generous annual leave, hybrid working, and excellent training and development opportunities.

For further information about the post, please see the   how to apply document ,   job description  and the   person specification .

To apply for this post, please click the 'Apply' button above .   If you have any technical queries with applying on the online system, please use the “contact us” links at the bottom of the LSE Jobs page. Should you have any queries about the role, please email   [email protected] .

The closing date for receipt of applications is   5 June 2024 (23.59 UK time). Regrettably, we are unable to accept any late applications.

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How to get into a top law school

Getting a degree from a top law school will certainly help you to boost your career. From magic circle law firms to top-tier investment banks, from non-profit organizations to the United Nations, a degree from a top law school can open many doors. Here is a simple guide that can help you to successfully manage the exacting application process and get ahead of the competition for the limited places at law schools that make the difference.

How to find a top law school

Before we go into the details on how to get into a top law school, we need to first ask the question: what is a top law school? According to the American Bar Association (ABA) there are currently 205 ABA approved law schools in the US. The Law School Admission Council lists another 32 law schools, which educate future lawyers, though these schools are not directly ABA approved. The latter group of law schools can still help a student become a lawyer, but because they are not approved by the ABA, they are not reputable and therefore generally aren’t considered to be top law schools.

Generally speaking, a school may be considered one of the top law schools if it is continuously ranked as one of the top 10 in the country. There comes the issue of there being multiple rankings around the world. In the US, the three most reputable rankings can be found on Forbes , the US News Best Law Schools page and the QS US Law School search. We’ve also included the QS World University Ranking for the subject of Law. Here are the top 10 law schools depending on the rankings of these websites.

In the US, the four top law schools are consistently Harvard University, Yale University, New York University, and Stanford University. Internationally respected and reputable as institutions for earning a Law degree, these top law schools help students develop their expertise in legal issues and prepare them for work in the legal profession. The University of Oxford, University of Melbourne, and the London School of Economics also offer globally recognised programs for students who wish to pursue their Law degrees.

The entry criteria for the schools above vary a little between one each school, but there are some patterns and general criteria that apply to them all.

Choose an undergraduate degree that will prepare you for law school

Top law schools look for candidates that have training in a range of vital academic skills. Developing your skill in things such as library research, developing and structuring an argument, and critical thinking are all a must. You must also have a fluent command of the written and spoken language in which you’ll be taught. You’ll demonstrate this through your academic record, a top score on the LSAT or an equivalent examination, and finally a well-argued and meaningful essay attached to your application. If you are non-native speaker of the language of your institution, you’ll need a relevant language qualification, such as TOEFL or IELTS. Avoid studying undergraduate courses like Criminal Justice, which aren’t viewed as rigorous enough – choose an established subject that’s well-respected like History , Philosophy , or (of course) Law .

You cannot forget the importance of writing, too. Top law schools will require students to demonstrate a high level of clear, concise writing. A student is a valuable asset if they can take a complicated topic or problem, break it down to the essentials, and structure a clear  Law essay . If you’re able to develop your writing skills during your undergraduate education, you’ll better prepare yourself for the work that you’ll face while studying at a top law school.

Prove you’re ready for a top law school: Outstanding grades

Once you’ve chosen your undergraduate degree or major, you’ll be responsible for laying the foundations for your application to a top law school. The best law schools around the world require top grades from their applicants. Top grades doesn't mean good grades. It means outstanding grades ! Data from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) shows that you should have a GPA of 3.59 and an LSAT of 162 or more to get into one of the top 10 law schools. Although there might be some exceptions to this rule, you’ll be much better off if you don’t take any chances. If you want to get into one of the top 3 schools, such as Harvard, Stanford, or Yale, you will need a 3.75 GPA and a 169 LSAT to be considered. Academic stardom isn’t enough by itself, but it could be the number that swings the arrow on the meter from rejection to acceptance.

Since a Law degree will require a lot of essay writing and reading, it’s a good idea to take at least one subject during your secondary education studies that will help you develop these skills. You could take, for example, English language or literature, or a history course. If you have a top law school in mind, take note of any prerequisites that are listed for the course, and tailor your subject choices to reflect those requirements. This way you’ll be ahead of your own academic develop for the Law degree you’re interested in and you’ll be able to fortify your strengths for studying at a top law school.

Most lawyers are boring. You have to be interesting

Top law schools pride themselves on admitting an eclectic variety of students, so don’t be put off if you’ve got a background in an unusual but rigorous field, or if your route to studying Law is an unconventional one. In fact, such things are an excellent topic for your motivation letter . If you’ve decided to enter Law after studying Theology or Physics , for example, it might be worth thinking carefully about how this background might give you a unique perspective on legal matters – especially if this relates to a field of specialist legal interest! The Law is an extremely broad field, and practically every academic field has legal significance. Nor should you focus solely on your educational background. When writing a motivational letter for a top law school, leave out a flat list of all your professional achievements, since your CV should cover this, and instead focus on lessons you’ve learned, and the formative events in your life. Competing as an athlete, extensive voluntary experience, or taking on leadership roles all make for great topics of discussion. This way you’ll also have material to discuss during your interview with the Law school.

Be discerning and discuss your career goals

When applying to a top law school, it’s obvious that the school’s international reputation is a reason for doing so. That same reason applies to every application, and so it won’t help your application stand out if you state this as such. The truly excellent applications will rest on further evidence for why you and your chosen schools are a close fit. Does the school in question have a particular specialism in an area of law you find particularly interesting? Does it have a close relationship with a firm you’ve worked for in the past? Does its ethos and culture appeal to you? Reasons like this are that much more compelling than the blunt fact that the school you’re applying for happens to be a good one.

Another aspect to consider is discussing your career goals within your personal statement. Writing a clear and coherent application shows the admissions department that you are seriously considering the law program and how it will prepare you for your future career. What vision do you have for the aftermath of your studies? It can help to work backwards and consider how a specific degree could help lead you to your professional goals.

Get some professional experience beforehand

It isn’t required that you’ve completed legal internships or gained other relevant experience before you apply to graduate law school, but it will help your application. It’s also useful to you personally. A legal education is an expensive, time-consuming undertaking, and being sure that a legal career is what you ultimately want to do is very important both for you, and for the admissions tutors at the schools to which you’re applying. Doing an internship can also make it much easier to gain letters of recommendation from respected legal practitioners and academics, something that is very important for certain schools.

Your resume will also stand out if you can demonstrate professional experience gained from internships or other work placements. These show the admissions department that you are committed to developing yourself professionally, even before your admission to a top law school to complete your degree. You’ll also be able to ask for letters of recommendation from your supervisor, who would have witnessed you in action and who would know your work ethic well enough to write a positive review for your work. The top law schools want students who can excel in their classes and having previous professional experience shows that you’re well equipped to handle a certain workload.

Prepare for the law school interview

Most law schools require candidates to go through an interviewing process, whether that is through virtual means or meeting representatives of the school who visit larger cities. When you’re invited for an interview, make sure you’re prepared because a successful interview will help secure your acceptance into a top law school. Rather than looking at the interview as a difficult next step, use it as a chance to share your experiences and passion that makes you the best fit for the Law degree. Avoiding scripted responses is recommended, and it helps to brainstorm possible questions that could be asked and to think about how you would answer them. Also keep in mind that interviews give you a chance to showcase your personality!

Get help from an expert

Getting into a top law school is very competetive. But there are people who have done it in the past and who offer their services to others. Getting into Harvard Law, Stanford Law etc. is incredible competitive. To improve your chance you'll need to have a clear strategy that sets you appart from the competition. Admission experts see 100's of applications every year. They know what works and what doesn't work.  Hiring an admission consultant will not guarantee you admission, but your chances will increase significantly. It's definitly an option you should consider.

And finally – apply early for law school

Submit your application to a top law school well in advance of the start of the academic year in order to increase your chance of admission. Most law schools operate to a certain extent on a first-come, first-served basis. Even very talented, qualified candidates can be put on the waiting list if the places for the coming year have already been filled, and delays of this kind can really slow your professional advancement. So start planning your application process as far in advance as you can, and make sure that you have a back-up plan in place, such as getting relevant work experience. Even if you’re unsuccessful during the first round of applications, you’ll have something lined up that will help you develop your skill set for the next round of applications.

A legal career is a challenging one, and giving yourself the best start possible is fundamental to your future success. Securing a place at the top schools as identified by Forbes is one way of doing this; but this is no easy task. By remembering the pieces of advice we’ve provided above, you will be well prepared for your applications to a top law school. Why not check out the Law degrees available on MastersAvenue and start your journey today?

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