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UK Law School Costs: A Guide for Singapore Students (SILE-Approved)
16/01/2025•22 minute read
If you’re a student in Singapore who’s keen on pursuing a law degree, you might be considering taking your studies to the UK, especially with its offering of some of the world’s top law schools! However, a question likely weighing heavy on your mind might be: How much does law school in the UK cost? In this blog, we’ve assembled a comprehensive guide to the major costs of pursuing law at institutions recognised by the Singapore Institute of Legal Education (SILE), from an overview of tuition fees to estimates of the additional costs that come with studying and living abroad. We’ve also included helpful information on scholarships and financial aid you may want to consider to make your education more affordable.
Overview of Law School Fees for Singapore Students in the UK
As with universities worldwide, international students typically pay higher fees than domestic students. As a result, you’ll have to account for at least two different kinds of costs. Namely, your tuition fees, and your living expenses.
Fees for studying law in the UK can vary on a case-by-case basis, but are typically influenced by two main factors: those associated with the university itself (including its reputation, location, and length of study), and the type of qualification you’ll graduate with.
Reputation, Location, and Length of Study: Fees can differ depending on the institution's reputation, location, and program length. For instance, a highly ranked university in London that offers a 4-year program will likely charge higher fees than a university further out in the country with a 3-year program.
The Type of Qualification You’ll Graduate With: In the UK, you can choose to do either an LLB (undergraduate law degree with a 3-year course) or an LLM (postgraduate degree with a 4 or 5-year program). An LLB can be quite broad, but gives you a knowledge of law that you’ll be able to apply to a range of careers or other postgraduate programs. An LLM, on the other hand, is a masters qualification that allows for specialisation in one particular component of the law. What you choose to undertake depends on your own career goals and desired trajectory!
SILE-Recognised UK Law Universities and Tuition Fees (in SGD)
If you’d like to study law abroad** but want to be admitted to the Singapore Bar**, you’ll have to achieve the criteria of being a Qualified Person, which includes attaining an Applicable Law Degree from a university that is recognised by the SILE. Let’s dive into the list!
University of Birmingham
- Tuition Fees: GBP 24,470 (~ SGD 40,919) per year
- Program Length: 3 years, for an LLB
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
University of Bristol
- Tuition Fees: GBP 23,900 (~ SGD 39,966) per year
- Program Length: 3 years, for an LLB
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
University of Cambridge
- Tuition Fees: GBP 27,024 (~SGD 45,200) per year, not including college fees
- Program Length: 3 years, for an LLB
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
University of Durham
- Tuition Fees: GBP 28,250 (~SGD 47,240) per year
- Program Length: 3 or 4 years full time, for an LLB
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
King’s College, London, University of London
- Tuition Fees: GBP 31,600 (~SGD 52,842) per year
- Program Length: 3 years, for an LLB
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London
- Tuition Fees: GBP 34,000 (~ SGD 56,855) per year
- Program Length: 3 years, for an LLB
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
Queen Mary University of London (formerly known as Queen Mary and Westfield College, University of London)
- Tuition Fees: GBP 27,950 (~ SGD 46,739) per year
- Program Length: 3 years, for an LLB
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
University College London, University of London
- Tuition Fees: GBP 33,000 (~ SGD 55,183) per year
- Program Length: 3 years, for an LLB
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
University of Nottingham
- Tuition Fees: GBP 24,300 (~SGD 40,635) per year
- Program Length: 3 years, for an LLB
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
University of Oxford
- Tuition Fees: GBP 41,130 (~ SGD 68,778) per year
- Program Length: 3 years, for a BA in Law (Jurisprudence)
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
University of Warwick
- Tuition Fees: GBP 26,290 (~ SGD 43,962) per year
- Program Length: 3 years, for an LLB
- Further information can be found on the official course page.
Living Expenses in the UK
As an international student in the UK, managing your living expenses is an important part of life abroad. This includes costs such as transportation, accommodation, food, and personal expenses like shopping or entertainment.
Of course, these costs can vary largely depending on your lifestyle, and the city you live in. For instance, you can expect that living in central London and going to restaurants three times a week would naturally be more costly than living in Nottingham and meal-prepping for yourself! However, other factors, like transport, could also be a spending point. While some universities in smaller towns may have free shuttle services which you can take advantage of, the absence of extensive public transport networks in cities outside London could see you spending more on Ubers or taxis to get around.
One great thing about being a student in the UK is that it's easy to save money by using student discounts! You can often get discounts at places like restaurants or cinemas by just showing your student ID. Some places might ask you to use the UNiDAYS app, which is also helpful for finding student discounts on things like winter clothes or tech from brands like Apple.
With all of these expenses to consider, we’ve put together some yearly averages for the cost of living as an international student in some of the UK's cities. While aggregating costs can feel quite overwhelming, it’s best to have this knowledge in hand so you can budget accordingly and still make the most of your student experience
In London, University College London (UCL) estimates that a first-year undergraduate student living in a self-catered UCL Hall will spend about GBP 14,988 (~SGD 25,034) per 39-week academic year, including rent, phone bills, and transport costs.
In Cambridge, the University of Cambridge estimates that a first-year undergraduate student will need about GBP 14,880 (~ SGD 24,853) for a 12-month period, accounting for items like food, accommodation, and personal items.
On the other hand, University of Oxford estimates that its international students will spend between £16,140 (~SGD 27,553) to £23,460 (~ SGD 40,049) on their cost of living in a year, taking into account its college accommodations, food, personal costs, and study costs such as the purchase of textbooks.
In Bristol, the University of Bristol provides a range estimate of around GBP 9,000 (~ SGD 15,032) to GBP 15,000 (~ SGD 25,053) per year, including accommodation. Similarly, the University of Birmingham estimates that a first-year undergraduate student will spend about GBP 13,314 (~SGD 22,240) per year.
Total Estimated Cost of Studying Law in the UK
Now that you’ve got all the information you’ll need to calculate the cost of studying law in the UK, here are some of the average totals you’ll likely be looking at over the typical three-year course of your degree.Â
*= calculated as an average of the provided range
Estimated Expenses for Studying Law in the UK
| Name of University | Tuition Fees (for a 3-year period, in SGD) | Cost of Living (for three years, in SGD) | Total Cost (in SGD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| University College London (UCL) | $165,549 | $75,102 | $240,651 |
| University of Cambridge | $135,600 | $73,749 | $209,349 |
| University of Oxford | $206,334 | $101,403* | $307,737 |
| University of Bristol | $119,898 | $60,128* | $180,026 |
| University of Birmingham | $122,757 | $66,720 | $189,477 |
*Please note that the costs mentioned are based on the current exchange rate at the time of writing and may change over time.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Much like a degree in medicine, institutions and organisations around the world recognise that law is a necessary profession with a costly degree. As a result, there are scholarships available to help fund your legal journey, spread across private institutions, government organisations, and universities themselves.
Scholarships and Financial Aid from Singapore:
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) Foreign Service Scholarship: If your interest in law happens to intersect with a passion for diplomacy or international relations, you might consider applying for MFA’s Foreign Service Scholarship. Its coverage extends to most disciplines at universities abroad, and goes as far as to cover airfare for return trips.
Public Service Commission (PSC) Scholarships: Alternatively, if you’re more keen on applying your legal skills to a career in public service, you might want to put your name in the ring for a PSC scholarship. The PSC scholarship is merit-based, and aimed at supporting Singaporean students who are keen on working with the government to keep the wheels of social improvement turning in the country.
Scholarships from UK universities
Though law faculties in the UK offer scholarships for Singaporean students, these are typically aimed at postgraduate students specialising in a specific area of law. For instance, the Singapore Law Scholarship awarded by Oxford University’s Balliol College supports students of Singaporean citizenship pursuing a graduate programme in law supported by the college.
Additional Considerations
When deciding to study abroad in the UK, you might also be considering whether to stay there long-term to fulfil your career goals. Luckily, there are several pathways by which you can do that, both during and after your studies!
Work Opportunities: If you hold a student visa and study full-time, you can work a maximum of 20 hours per week during term time. Outside of term time, you can work up to 40 hours a week. However, note that some professions, including freelancing, are restricted in this scenario. To avoid this restriction, consider using your institution’s careers centre, which often compiles relevant job postings from affiliated third-party organisations or from within the university itself! Alternatively, you can build your own networks through job boards like LinkedIn.
Post-Graduation Work Rights: Before you complete your course and your student visa expires, you’ll be eligible to apply for a Graduate Visa, which allows you to remain in the UK for up to two years. This effectively grants you time to look for full-time work, or pursue further qualifications such as those necessary to become a solicitor.
While weighing your options, it’s important to note that attending an SILE-recognised school also gives you the safety net of returning to Singapore to tap into a local network and qualifications. This effectively builds a strong foundation of work experience that you could use to catapult yourself onto the international stage at a later point!
We hope this comprehensive guide to UK law school fees and the various factors that influence costs has given you a clearer understanding of what to expect.
We also know that preparing for law school can be a challenging and intense process, so having a well-organised strategy is key. Crimson Education is here to support you on your journey to success, offering services like LNAT tutoring, interview preparation, and guidance on building a standout extracurricular profile. If this sounds like the support you need, don’t hesitate to schedule a free consultation with one of our admissions experts today!
*Please note that the costs mentioned throughout this blog are based on the current exchange rate at the time of writing and may change over time.
