LLB from UK - Clarifications sought by an Indian/International student

1 1

Posted May 11, 2019 09:22

Hi
I am writing on behalf of my daughter who is an Indian citizen , and is keen to apply for LLB from UK after a couple of years. We would appreciate help on following
- How long is initial Tier 4 student visa granted for after securing LLB offer from a UK university ? Do you get a 3 or 4 or 6 year initial student visa?
- Does the above visa include 1 year LPC/SQE and subsequent 2 year Training contract ?
- If not, what additional visa category does one apply for, for completing the LPC /SQE and when ? How long is the LPC visa granted for ?
- After that, what visa category (is it Tier 2 work permit)? does 2 year Training contract fall under ? If a company fails to sponsor the training contract, how does one fulfil the conditions of TC and its associated visa? Can one apply for Tier 2 TC visa while working pro bono for some organization for 2 years (in case of failure to secure a paid training contract)? Is this legal?
- Please assume that we are able to fund LPC and TC ourselves, in case of non-sponsorship.
- The bigger picture is that my daughter wants to keep the option open, of practicing law in India and UK after the UK experience. If we want to come back to India, the bar council of India stipulates foreign LLB holders to fulfil equivalency in form of finishing 5 years of law study abroad to qualify for Indian bar membership .LLB = only 3 years. Only if you do 1 year LPC and 2 year TC (3+1+2=6 years) is that condition fulfilled. Has any Indian student faced the situation of coming abck to India after 3 year UK LLB (with out LPC and TC) or after 4 years (LLB+LPC but no training contract) ? How did they satisfy bar council requirement and practiced in India ?
- Lastly do UK colleges and big law firms give more value to A levels than Indian boards like CBSE or ICSE ?

Any clarifications will be appreciated
Thanks
Manish?

quote

herenow

1 1

Posted Jan 23, 2020 11:29

Hi
I am writing on behalf of my daughter who is an Indian citizen , and is keen to apply for LLB from UK after a couple of years. We would appreciate help on following

As a general note, visa rules change dramatically and often.

- How long is initial Tier 4 student visa granted for after securing LLB offer from a UK university ? Do you get a 3 or 4 or 6 year initial student visa?

The visa length is only as long as the course being attended. 2 year program = 2 year visa for example.

- Does the above visa include 1 year LPC/SQE and subsequent 2 year Training contract ?

No and no.

- If not, what additional visa category does one apply for, for completing the LPC /SQE and when ? How long is the LPC visa granted for ?

You would renew the tier 4 visa for the length of the LPC or SQE course. As of today you can renew from within the UK and don’t have to leave.

- After that, what visa category (is it Tier 2 work permit)? does 2 year Training contract fall under ?

Yes, TC requires the tier 2 (general) visa. Most larger firms will sponsor and pay for the visa (£1000+ otherwise).

If a company fails to sponsor the training contract, how does one fulfil the conditions of TC and its associated visa?

You can’t do a TC without the tier 2 visa. There is an ability for Indians under the age of 31 to get a “commonwealth youth mobility visa” which last two years and would be the fall back position for you.

Can one apply for Tier 2 TC visa while working pro bono for some organization for 2 years (in case of failure to secure a paid training contract)? Is this legal?

No. Tier 2 visa criteria include a minimum salary. Working for free means you wouldn’t meet that requirement.

Has any Indian student faced the situation of coming abck to India after 3 year UK LLB (with out LPC and TC) or after 4 years (LLB+LPC but no training contract) ? How did they satisfy bar council requirement and practiced in India ?

Yes. The Indian bar association only recognises LLB’s from select UK universities. The list of recognised universities is in the Bar associations website.

- Lastly do UK colleges and big law firms give more value to A levels than Indian boards like CBSE or ICSE ?

Not particularly. UCAS has equivalency tables

In my personal opinion, as someone who moved here to first study and then practice law in the UK and has been doing so for two years, don’t bother with the UK.

Even after all the issues listed above life is just as restrictive when working thanks to Theresa May and her “hostile environment for immigrants” policy. Having spent tens of thousands of pounds, 4 years of my life and generated hundreds of thousands in fees, I still face the near certainty of being kicked out in 4 years because of visa extension limits for the tier 2 visa.

Go somewhere more hospitable like anywhere in Europe (Ireland) or Canada.

[quote]Hi
I am writing on behalf of my daughter who is an Indian citizen , and is keen to apply for LLB from UK after a couple of years. We would appreciate help on following
[/quote]

As a general note, visa rules change dramatically and often.

[quote]
- How long is initial Tier 4 student visa granted for after securing LLB offer from a UK university ? Do you get a 3 or 4 or 6 year initial student visa?
[/quote]

The visa length is only as long as the course being attended. 2 year program = 2 year visa for example.

[quote]
- Does the above visa include 1 year LPC/SQE and subsequent 2 year Training contract ?
[/quote]

No and no.

[quote]
- If not, what additional visa category does one apply for, for completing the LPC /SQE and when ? How long is the LPC visa granted for ?
[/quote]

You would renew the tier 4 visa for the length of the LPC or SQE course. As of today you can renew from within the UK and don’t have to leave.

[quote]
- After that, what visa category (is it Tier 2 work permit)? does 2 year Training contract fall under ?
[/quote]

Yes, TC requires the tier 2 (general) visa. Most larger firms will sponsor and pay for the visa (£1000+ otherwise).

[quote]
If a company fails to sponsor the training contract, how does one fulfil the conditions of TC and its associated visa?
[/quote]

You can’t do a TC without the tier 2 visa. There is an ability for Indians under the age of 31 to get a “commonwealth youth mobility visa” which last two years and would be the fall back position for you.

[quote]
Can one apply for Tier 2 TC visa while working pro bono for some organization for 2 years (in case of failure to secure a paid training contract)? Is this legal?
[/quote]

No. Tier 2 visa criteria include a minimum salary. Working for free means you wouldn’t meet that requirement.

[quote]
Has any Indian student faced the situation of coming abck to India after 3 year UK LLB (with out LPC and TC) or after 4 years (LLB+LPC but no training contract) ? How did they satisfy bar council requirement and practiced in India ?
[/quote]

Yes. The Indian bar association only recognises LLB’s from select UK universities. The list of recognised universities is in the Bar associations website.

[quote]
- Lastly do UK colleges and big law firms give more value to A levels than Indian boards like CBSE or ICSE ?
[/quote]

Not particularly. UCAS has equivalency tables

In my personal opinion, as someone who moved here to first study and then practice law in the UK and has been doing so for two years, don’t bother with the UK.

Even after all the issues listed above life is just as restrictive when working thanks to Theresa May and her “hostile environment for immigrants” policy. Having spent tens of thousands of pounds, 4 years of my life and generated hundreds of thousands in fees, I still face the near certainty of being kicked out in 4 years because of visa extension limits for the tier 2 visa.

Go somewhere more hospitable like anywhere in Europe (Ireland) or Canada.

quote

Mombastic

542 183

Posted Jan 23, 2020 12:58

Hi
I am writing on behalf of my daughter who is an Indian citizen , and is keen to apply for LLB from UK after a couple of years. We would appreciate help on following
- How long is initial Tier 4 student visa granted for after securing LLB offer from a UK university ? Do you get a 3 or 4 or 6 year initial student visa?
- Does the above visa include 1 year LPC/SQE and subsequent 2 year Training contract ?
- If not, what additional visa category does one apply for, for completing the LPC /SQE and when ? How long is the LPC visa granted for ?
- After that, what visa category (is it Tier 2 work permit)? does 2 year Training contract fall under ? If a company fails to sponsor the training contract, how does one fulfil the conditions of TC and its associated visa? Can one apply for Tier 2 TC visa while working pro bono for some organization for 2 years (in case of failure to secure a paid training contract)? Is this legal?
- Please assume that we are able to fund LPC and TC ourselves, in case of non-sponsorship.
- The bigger picture is that my daughter wants to keep the option open, of practicing law in India and UK after the UK experience. If we want to come back to India, the bar council of India stipulates foreign LLB holders to fulfil equivalency in form of finishing 5 years of law study abroad to qualify for Indian bar membership .LLB = only 3 years. Only if you do 1 year LPC and 2 year TC (3+1+2=6 years) is that condition fulfilled. Has any Indian student faced the situation of coming abck to India after 3 year UK LLB (with out LPC and TC) or after 4 years (LLB+LPC but no training contract) ? How did they satisfy bar council requirement and practiced in India ?
- Lastly do UK colleges and big law firms give more value to A levels than Indian boards like CBSE or ICSE ?

Any clarifications will be appreciated
Thanks
Manish?

Also, not to mention that it's a pain in the ass for non-EEA citizens because after Brexit (if it happens), companies will have to explain why a non-UK citizen is better than a British one

[quote]Hi
I am writing on behalf of my daughter who is an Indian citizen , and is keen to apply for LLB from UK after a couple of years. We would appreciate help on following
- How long is initial Tier 4 student visa granted for after securing LLB offer from a UK university ? Do you get a 3 or 4 or 6 year initial student visa?
- Does the above visa include 1 year LPC/SQE and subsequent 2 year Training contract ?
- If not, what additional visa category does one apply for, for completing the LPC /SQE and when ? How long is the LPC visa granted for ?
- After that, what visa category (is it Tier 2 work permit)? does 2 year Training contract fall under ? If a company fails to sponsor the training contract, how does one fulfil the conditions of TC and its associated visa? Can one apply for Tier 2 TC visa while working pro bono for some organization for 2 years (in case of failure to secure a paid training contract)? Is this legal?
- Please assume that we are able to fund LPC and TC ourselves, in case of non-sponsorship.
- The bigger picture is that my daughter wants to keep the option open, of practicing law in India and UK after the UK experience. If we want to come back to India, the bar council of India stipulates foreign LLB holders to fulfil equivalency in form of finishing 5 years of law study abroad to qualify for Indian bar membership .LLB = only 3 years. Only if you do 1 year LPC and 2 year TC (3+1+2=6 years) is that condition fulfilled. Has any Indian student faced the situation of coming abck to India after 3 year UK LLB (with out LPC and TC) or after 4 years (LLB+LPC but no training contract) ? How did they satisfy bar council requirement and practiced in India ?
- Lastly do UK colleges and big law firms give more value to A levels than Indian boards like CBSE or ICSE ?

Any clarifications will be appreciated
Thanks
Manish?[/quote]

Also, not to mention that it's a pain in the ass for non-EEA citizens because after Brexit (if it happens), companies will have to explain why a non-UK citizen is better than a British one

quote