I am a third year law student with a mid 2:1 average from second year. I got a first in one module and good 2:1's in the other 3. I want to apply for an LLM at UCL, LSE and Edinburgh and was wondering if anyone could provide some guidance and also general advice about the process What are my chances do you think of getting in?

In the interest of full disclosure, I am a programme director for two of the LLMs we teach in Edinburgh and I agree with the last person that it usually pays off to contact the admissions office or alternatively check the website for minimum requirements.

For Edinburgh this is http://www.law.ed.ac.uk/postgraduate/llm_msc. The page includes links to all the different LLM programmes and you can usually find the information you are looking for on the specific programme page under "Entry requirements"). Most of our programmes require a 2:1 or its international equivalent in your final degree.

If you want to study for a degree in a particular field (say, an LLM in Technology or Human Rights or Medical Law) then it often helps to explain why your are particularly interested in this area of law and what previous knowledge and experience (curricular and extracurricular) you have in it.

As for the process, you usually apply online and if you fufil the entry requirements, you should hear back quite quickly. If you are not the "typical" applicant (for example, if you rely on any extracurricular activities or experiences in your application), then it might take a little longer because your application will probably be sent to a programme director for review.

We offer quite a range of LLMs and many of them actually also allow students without a law degree to apply provided they have a degree in certain other relevant disciplines. We also offer quite a few of our degrees by distance learning for those who can't relocate to Edinburgh for personal or professional reasons.

I hope this helps. Good luck, wherever you end up choosing!