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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ram Sabaratnam" data-source="post: 214992" data-attributes="member: 36738">Hi [USER=32507]@hfbjsdhfbhf[/USER] Wanted to get some initial thoughts together for you. You've already hinted at some of this in your post, but thought I'd try to set it out here for some clarity.You’re right that your visa restrictions during term time would likely prevent you from participating in vacation schemes that take place during the winter 2025 or spring 2026.  That would make it difficult to pursue the vac scheme route while doing a full-length LLM course like the one at ULaw. I would try to speak with anyone in a similar position to see how feasible it was to do any summer vacation schemes during their term breaks on the LLM.You mentioned that one reason for considering the ULaw LLM is that it “may look better to employers than just a diploma.” This is something I've heard many people say, but I think it’s worth gently clarifying that the ULaw LLM is often understood in the legal market to be more of a vocational course with a dissertation attached, rather than an academically research-intensive LLM like those offered by Oxbridge, LSE, UCL etc. It won’t carry significantly more weight in employer assessments than the diploma, especially if your goal is to secure a training contract. The key difference is financial (e.g. eligibility for scholarships or postgraduate loans) and logistical (term dates and visa restrictions), and not reputational. If your main concern is passing the SQE and securing a TC, I wouldn’t let the LLM label sway your decision too much.If you were to switch to BPP’s 8-month SQE Diploma, I think you’d likely have more flexibility to apply for both vac schemes and direct TCs. I’ve personally found ULaw’s SQE1 prep to be well-resourced and supportive, but I’ve also met plenty of candidates who’ve been successful using BPP’s materials. Also worth noting that both providers seem to achieve comparable pass rates based on the data available (though it's important to take those statistics with a grain of salt). I think the most important thing is to say that, as long as you’re able to dedicate enough time to your studies (e.g. not working excessive hours during your studies), you should be in a strong position to pass with either provider.Finally, I think the choice depends partly on the firms you're interested in joining. You've already had some traction through the direct TC route and I think that's a good indication that you don’t necessarily need to pivot to the vac scheme route to land a TC. But just bear in mind that the vac scheme route does remain the most common route into firms (especially at US firms). So limiting yourself to the direct TC route may close off some options unless you’re very targeted.Hope I haven't rehashed anything you already know, but let me know if you have any other questions.</blockquote>

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