I have almost made up my mind about going to Essex for the LLM on International Human Rights Law this year. Anyone going else this year? Or is in the process of applying?

If any ex-students want to give advice, or information about your experience, please feel free to do so. :)

Hi Chinaman,

I have been accepted, but I think its unlikely that I will go. I have applied for the Chevening, and I listed Essex as my 3rd choice, so its unlikely that I will both get the scholarship and not be accepted into my other two choices.

At the moment, having done more research, I am thinking maybe I should have put Essex further up my list, but there is nothing I can do about it now I suppose :(

Essex does not seem to have much in the way of funding or scholarships itself.

Yeah, not too many scholarships. But the program is more affordable as compared to USA.
What were your other two choices? If you dont mind telling me. And maybe a little bit about your background. So I know the kind of people I should expect to study with at Essex. :)

I am from South Africa so I will not be doing any LLM without scholarships :)

My other choices in the UK are LSE (1st) and SOAS (2nd). I have also applied to Notre Dame in the States.

Re my background, I have an LLB from UCT - the top ranked SA University, but my marks were nothing amazing.
I have interned at the Human Rights Law Network in India, worked one year at ProBono.Org - a legal NGO in SA, and am now finishing up my articles at the Legal Resources Centre, hopefully I will be admitted as an attorney in July.

Whoa! Small world. I interned at HRLN too. Which office was this? Delhi?

And I am PM-ing you. Won't hurt to stay in touch, given our common interests.

haha, yes Delhi! in 2011

Hi, I think my story is the same as MargaretSA, I have an unconditional offer from Essex but I listed it as my third choice for the Chevening Scholarship. I hope I can get the scholarship and they would let me chose Essex as I think it would be better. The thing is that an LLM in Public International Law is more known here in my country (Panama) that one as specialised as IHR and IHL, specially to get tenure at my University if I chose the academic path.

What are your first two choices? I hear Edinburgh is great for PIL.
And yes there are several factors that will influence your decision I suppose, and Essex seems to be a good choice for someone who wants to join a UN body or an International Organization or generally get a specialist knowledge of IHR or IHL.

Hey cjbn,

I am also interested in what your other 2 choices were?

Have you received your interview email from Chevening yet? Because in the email I got it seems they may be open to discussing funding course other that your first choice. Not sure how you read this, but the email I got says:

"University applications
During the interview you will be asked about your university and course choices so please come prepared to discuss your course choices as listed on your application or any other university offers you may have received. The interview panel will confirm which courses will be considered for funding should you be offered an award."

Which seems more open than just discussing your first choice assuming you got in... but maybe I am wrong...

Hi, yes I saw that at the email for the CHEVENING interview. I'm currently waiting for my interview that's going to take place on April 2nd, so let's see what happens.
Sadly my first choice was LSE for PIL, but I wasn't accepted. Looking back I think I could have taken a better approach at my motivation letter for LSE ( l took a bit of a gamble there) and my second choice is Queen Mary for PIL as well, I already got that offer. So I'm in between QMUL and Essex.

Just to further discuss the CHEVENING issue, I don't want to appear as a dubious or indecisive person in the interview, that's why I don't know if I should discuss the Essex mistake as third choice or first clinch the scholarship and then let's see what can I do to change choice.

On the other hand, it all comes down to career path as well. Do job prospects after Essex are really as good as they say in this website or in other sites in the internet? A general PIL LLM would make it easier for me to get tenure in my university if a chose an academic path, but ha in a good chance at an IO or NGO after graduating Essex would be much nicer.

If it makes you feel any better I didn't get into LSE either. Also into my second choice and third choices.

Im not sure if it makes any difference, but I noticed that some years ago Chevening had a specific scholarship with Essex for IHRL, so maybe Chevening is a fan of the programme, and would be pro people who want to go there over other choices, just an idea.

Another thing was the Chevening app was due VERY early, its totally understandable that after having had more time to research, people may feel Essex would be better

I guess at the end of the day we have to go into the interview fully informed of both programmes, and take our cue from the interviewers in deciding whether one should push Essex depending on their apparent attitudes.

By the way..
Did you guys see that Essex lets you learn a language?
For those who plan to work with international organizations, french would be a good idea.
Though, as someone who wants to go back and litigate, it won't be 'useful' to me as such, but I was glad to see this benefit being extended anyway.

Its really important for me to get the scholarship it would mean not going into debt to afford my LLM. I agree with you, deadline for applying to chevening was on early november, I could have make a better call with essex and left queen mary for third choice. Im doing my homework for the interview with as much research I can have about the programmes. Good luck in your interview!!! Lets hope we get the best out of them.

By the way..
Did you guys see that Essex lets you learn a language?
For those who plan to work with international organizations, french would be a good idea.
Though, as someone who wants to go back and litigate, it won't be 'useful' to me as such, but I was glad to see this benefit being extended anyway.

good luck to you too!

Are you part of the essex facebook group for this year's intake? It seems like no one is posting anything over there.

I notice that Queen Mary is a little more proactive with its marketing approach, I keep getting emails from them reminding me to apply for accomodation, online open houses and so forth. No news from Essex though.

What is really attractive about Essex is the program's contents and the fact that in the field it has its prestige.

no, but good idea il join the group!

Im actually leaning towards my second choice, SOAS, but Essex also looks amazing!

I think I am also leaning towards SOAS these days, mostly because of the London exposure, and there interesting modules there.
Perhaps that is playing on your mind wrt QMUL?
But Essex is also a great program. And I think we wont go wrong with either of our choices.