Application process

By PUCCA in UCL LLM 2009/2010 experience. Right from the beginning until graduation! on Oct 10, 2009

Hi everybody! (please forgive me for any mistakes but Im trying to write as fast as possible since believe me, there is no much time during your LLM)

It all began on 24 October last year when i submitted my application! Yes, i tried to apply as early as possible since many people in the llm forum suggested it was the best thing to do. Im amazed how fast times passes by. I still remember when I was all nervous trying to collect all my paper in order to submit my applications.

I applied to 5 universities in total. 4 in London and one in Scotland. My first choice was London. I always knew I wanted to study there because I had other things in mind such as internships, volunteering opportunities and much much more and in my opinion London was the place to do that.

So then after I collected all my documents i submitted my applications and hoped for the best. I applied to Kings College London (KCL), University College London (UCL), London School of Economics (LSE), Queen mary, University of London (QMUL) and University of Edinburgh. The ones i liked the most were LSE and UCL.

Around 10 November 08, all this unis acknowledged my application and KCL was the first to say NOOOO. Of course i felt very sad because I was thinking oh lord maybe this is a bad sign but i had nothing else to than wait.

Around 20 December 08 Edinburgh informed me i had an unconditional offer. I was very excited because i also liked this uni a lot and after doing some research was considering that maybe this was the best idea. It was cheaper and it seemed like a very good uni.

Then on January UCL sent me a letter informing me I had a conditional offer from them. The condition was nothing important. I studying at the time another degree at Uni and they told me they wanted me to send them a letter confirming that I was not going to be enroll during 2009/2010 in that university. Since of course this wasnt my intention i obtained the letter that same week and the following month they sent me my unconditional offer. OHHH WHAT A HAPPY DAYYYYYYY :)

On March 09 Queen Mary also informed me I had an unconditional offer. I was like oh yes 3 unis already,,,lets see what the last uni says.

Finally on April 09 (yes almost 5 months after submitting my application) LSE rejected me and I was like ok no problem. Got a little bit sad but by this time i had made up my mind about UCL and that same say I confirmed my place there :)

An LLM from UCL wow i was really excited!! i had checked the rankings (yes i admit i did) and UCL position was simply excellent. I kept checking their website all the time hehe and could not stop smiling and dreaming about me going there.

I decided i was going to specialize in Public International Law since my main goal and ultimate dream isto work at the United Nations or any other international organization. I love what they do, i believe in what they do and truly consider I can also do something positive for the world and also my country: Panama.

Around March i decided it was a good idea to do something before starting my LLM. Something interesting and related to the LLM. I then decided to apply to do an internship at the United nations in Vienna,,why not? it was going to be a great opportunity to make sure i liked that international environment, get to know more about the UN and simply obtain some extra knowledge.

So I applied and was accepted. Oh such a happy day as well. I left to Vienna around May 2st and started my 4 month internship on September 4 at the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). MY experience there was memorable and im really happy i made the decision to go there!

But then my visa nightmare began!!! oh yessssss. Not gonna tell the whole story here cause everyone on the llm site knows it i think hehehe,,for further information please visit http://www.llm-guide.com/board/63688/4 . Please the visa its very important! please please and please really look at the requirements and dont think they british embassy will not be strict cause they will,,any mistake counts so please do your best so you dont rejected like me,,,orrrr PLEASE DONT apply in a country that its not your home country if you don have your residence permit. Maybe this is obvious now but i was misinformed and i wouldnt like you to feel the same i did,,,sad, depressed and about to have a heart attack!

So well when i finally got my visa on 25 September 2009 (Please notice this was the same day i had my flight to London) i left and started my journed in London! UCL LLM 2009/2010 here I come :)))))))))))))))))

Comments

haroldjam, Apr 21, 2010 08:19

I guess you are down the road from me. I even use the UCL gym. Well welcome. I find their facilities much better than LSE (Gym and library more personal). Teachers at LSE... well.. Im beginning to like them..hehe.. but I do not find much student support. I think I am entitled to a 10 minutes consultation per term as a LLM student and no guidance re dissertation... Well, this summer term I am going to see if I can sneak some advice out of them... wish me luck