Frequently Asked Questions

Prospective Research Students' Home Page >

Below are the questions we are most frequently asked about studying for a research degree in law at the University of Aberdeen (particularly those relating to the admissions process), along with our answers.

We hope you will find below what you need to know, but if you cannot, please enquire by contacting the Law School's Graduate Programmes Coordinator, Caroline Ransom.

Q1   When do I apply?

You may apply at any time. However, please aim to make your application at least six months before you intend to commence your studies.  We recommend aiming to start your studies in October or February so that you can start the Core Skills for Research Students course when you arrive. We will also make offers for students to start in May/June of each year. In these cases students will start the Core Skills course in the October immediately following.

Students who require a visa for travel to the UK need to leave sufficient time from receipt of an offer of admission for a visa application to be processed. For guidance for international students see the University's international student handbook.

Q2   How soon will I hear from the Law School about my application?

It can take up to eight weeks for a decision to be made on a research degree application. This is because applications must be considered by the Postgraduate Officer, by two potential supervisors and also by the Head of School before a final decision is reached. A formal decision on whether or not to offer a place to you will only be made upon receipt of a complete, formal application. Applications which are submitted without complete supporting documentation will not be passed on for consideration. You will be contacted by the School if any documentation is missing.

Q3   Who should I ask about the progress of my application?

Contact the Law School’s Graduate Programmes Coordinator, Caroline Ransom.

Q4   How is my application considered?

After registration it is passed to the Law School for consideration. Applications must be considered by the Postgraduate Officer, by two potential supervisors and also by the Head of School before a final decision is reached.

Decisions on applications are made by the Postgraduate Officer and the Head of the Law School. You may contact individual members of staff to discuss your research proposal in advance of applying if you wish. However, individual members of staff are not authorised to make formal offers and cannot advise on the progress of an application.

Q5   What academic standard does the Law School require for admission?

For entry to the LLM by research degree, the Law School requires that the applicant's undergraduate studies are completed, or are soon to be completed, usually at the equivalent of an upper second class honours degree level. This means that the majority of marks in the undergraduate degree were at a"very good" level according to the marking scale used in the undergraduate degree. Passing your undergraduate degree is not sufficient. The Law School will require evidence that applicants have performed to a standard which is better than average.

For entry to the PhD, the Law School requires that applicants have completed, or are soon to complete, a postgraduate Masters degree which is equivalent in standard to a UK Masters degree. Applicants completing a taught Masters degree must have achieved the Masters with Commendation or Merit (or equivalent standard). This means that applicants must demonstrate previous excellence in academic performance and ability to conduct independent research. As the PhD is essentially an independent research project, the School must have confidence in an applicant’s ability to study independently at this level.

Q6   What do I need to send as proof of my academic standard?

Applicants must provide: copies of all degree transcripts and certificates, two original references, and a research proposal. For further information see our “How to Apply” webpage.

Remember to have academic records translated into English if they are from an institution using a language other than English, and have the translation certified by the translator (your own translation is not acceptable).

Q7   Do I need letters of recommendation ("references")?

Yes. You need 2 original letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from a member of an academic faculty who has been involved in your tuition for your current or last period of study.

Q8   I am currently studying for another degree which I have not yet completed. Can I apply now?

Yes, provided you have completed a sufficient proportion of your studies (with grades) for us to assess you for admission. Send us a transcript of grades to date. If we are happy with them we may offer admission on condition that you complete your degree to a satisfactory standard and send us the degree certificate.

Q9   It is some years since I graduated. Can I still apply?

Yes. We have a number of students who have returned to postgraduate study after a period in employment. We still need an academic reference, but an employer's reference will also be relevant.

Q10   My first degree is not in law. Can I still apply?

Yes. We do admit some students whose first degree is not in law. We have to consider the grades obtained in the first degree and whether there is material within it that is relevant to the study of law. Employment experience related to law is also relevant.

Q11   Can I study for a research degree on a part-time basis?

Yes, if you are a UK or EU national. The normal period of study for a part-time PhD is five years. For a part-time MPhil it is three years and for a part-time research LLM it is two years. It is also possible to transfer from part-time to full-time study and vice versa.

If you are an international student, it is not possible to be resident in the UK and study part time on a student visa. Please refer to Q16.

Part time students must meet the Core Skills for Research Students class attendance requirements.

For information on fees for part-time study see Q14.

Q12   What are the tuition fees for research degrees?

Information on the current fees can be found here. It should be assumed that fees will increase at least in line with inflation in subsequent years (plan for a 5% increase each year from 1 October).

Q13   How are the fees calculated if I start a research degree midway through the academic year?

Students commencing studies at the beginning of a new academic year are charged tuition fees for a 12-month period (1 October - 30 September).  Students who commence after the start of a new academic year will be charged tuition fees in proportion to the number of months remaining in the year.  For example, if a student commenced study on 1 January, fees would be charged initially for the period January-September.  Thereafter, the student would re-register in September for the next 12-month (or part thereof) and fees would be charged accordingly.

Q14   How are fees calculated if I study part-time?

Part time-fees are listed on the University's tuition fees website: click here.

Q15   Can I take individual taught courses offered by the Law School while I am a research student?

All research students take the Core Skills for Research Students course as part of the research student training programme. It may be possible for research students to audit individual courses relevant to their subject of study, subject to the number of taught students already registered for the course and the approval of the course co-ordinator.

Q16   Can I study for a research degree by distance-learning?

Not completely. Full-time research students must spend a minimum period of residence in Aberdeen (for PhD and MPhil students, this is six months; for LLM students, it is three months), including at least two months at the start of studies in order to attend the compulsory Core Skills for Research Students classes. Thereafter, an application for permission to study away from Aberdeen must be made, and will have to be approved by both the supervisors and the Head of School. The minimum period of residence in Aberdeen does not apply to part-time students, but students will still be expected to attend the Core Skills for Research Students classes in their first term and attend regular meetings with their supervisors.

If you are an international student, and wish to complete a PhD part-time and off-campus, please contact law-pg-enquiries@abdn.ac.uk in the first instance to discuss your study aims.

Q17   English is not my first language. What standard of English do I need to apply?

We require that applicants meet one of the following English Language standards:

IELTS: 6.5 or above overall with 6.0 or above in writing; 5.5 or above in listening AND in reading AND in speaking

TOEFL iBT: 90 or above overall with 21 or above in writing AND in listening; 22 or above in reading and 23 or above in speaking

Pearson Test of Academic English: 62 or above overall with 54 or above in writing and 51 or above in listening AND reading AND speaking.

If you have not achieved these scores, or wish to study English before starting your programme, details of English language courses offered by the University of Aberdeen can be found on the Language Centre's website.

More information is contained in the relevant pages of the University's Postgraduate Prospectus: click here.

Q18   Can I send my copy of the English score or must you have the original?

A copy will be sufficient. If you are having the original TOEFL score sent to us by the testing centre our institution code is 0818.

Q19   How do I arrange accommodation for my period of study?

Contact the University's Student Accommodation Office. They have details of accommodation on-campus and off-campus, university-managed and privately managed, with or without food. Alternatively, the Students' Association has a good web site with information about accommodation, which you can access here.

Q20   Can I take part-time employment while studying for a research degree full-time?

Yes. The university recommends that no more than 15 hours part-time employment per week is undertaken while in full-time study. Overseas students are subject to separate limitation on part-time employment hours as a condition of student immigration status. See the handbook for international students.

Q21 Does the Law School offer part-time employment to research students?

Well-qualified research students are occasionally employed by the Law School as part-time tutors or research assistants. It should be noted that opportunities to undertake such work are limited and cannot be guaranteed.

Q22   Is there special guidance for overseas applicants who have queries about living and studying in the UK?

Yes. The university has two international student advisers who provide advice and assistance. The online handbook for international students is available here.

Q23   Is there financial assistance for postgraduate study?

Students should have funding in place before arriving in Aberdeen. Sources of funding for research degrees are limited. Information about opportunities for funding is accessible from the Sources of Funding page.

Q24 What areas of research can be supervised at Aberdeen?

Areas in which we can offer supervision are listed here.

Q25 How will my research degree be assessed?

All PhD students are required to successfully complete the Core Skills for Research Students course at the end of year one in order to progress to year two. Assessment for that course is by way of a presentation given to peers and to academic staff, and submission of a capstone paper to the supervisory team and the Core Skills for Research Students coordinator. The approval of all three is required for progression to year two.

All Research degrees are finally assessed on the basis of the completed thesis and an oral examination relating to that thesis. A member of academic staff from within the School and an external academic from another institution are appointed to conduct the oral examination.

Q26 What facilities and support can I expect from the Law School as a research student?

All research students in the Law School have two supervisors. In addition, all students will undertake an intensive skills-based programme in their first year, Core Skills for Research Students, and will meet on a regular basis with the School’s Postgraduate Officer to discuss overall progress and to give students the opportunity to raise any concerns.

Full time PhD students are provided with a PC and desk in an office within the Law School (usually shared with other research students); access to the internet and to legal databases such as Westlaw and Lexis; access to printing and photocopying facilities; and a university email account. Part time and LLM by research students are provided with all of the above, except access to a permanent desk allocation. Instead they have access to a postgraduate research student hotdesk room.