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The University of Southampton
Southampton Law School

Hong Kong applicants

The University of Southampton Law School is a fantastic place to study law. Develop your legal knowledge in the country in which common law began and experience a different way of life. Studying abroad expands your world, giving you a network of friends, colleagues, and professional contacts that will benefit you for life.

The Law School is located in the middle of the main campus. The campus borders on Southampton Common, which provides over 300 acres of open green space. All this is great for walking, running, cycling and picnicking.

Information for Students from Hong Kong

Click below to find out more about studying at Southampton Law School.

Support for Students

Support for Hong Kong students at Southampton Law School is second to none amongst UK universities. We provide extensive support at all stages – from your application to departure to the UK, to study within the UK, to work after your graduation.

Southampton Law School members make regular trips to Hong Kong to speak to applicants. We have agents in Hong Kong who can provide further support and guidance through the UCAS application process and applying for UK student visas.

We have an International Student Co-ordinator who, as an academic member of staff, acts as a point of contact for all Hong Kong students throughout their studies. In addition, each year we recruit International Student Mentors who can provide the student perspective to help you settle into study and life in Southampton.

This support is provided in addition to our innovative first year induction programme and the personal tutor support that you will receive as a Southampton Law School student.

We also have staff members that focus on bringing law-based extra-curricular and professional opportunities for students.

We also ensure that guidance and support is provided for students who wish to return to Hong Kong to have their degree accredited by the professional bodies in Hong Kong, as well as securing training contracts and work as lawyers.

Student Population

Many Hong Kong students study at the University of Southampton. Each year there are usually over 30 Hong Kong students studying at Southampton Law School, providing a large and welcoming Hong Kong community.

With over 6,500 international students from more than 135 countries, the University offers a friendly, welcoming, and multicultural environment in which to live and learn.

Read the testimonial of current Hong Kong law undergraduate student James Kwong here.

Student Societies

Hong Kong students can join the active Hong Kong Student Society, HKPASS, alongside a Hong Kong student-run Chinese Student Society, CSS.

There are also several other societies based within Southampton Law School, in which we encourage our students to participate. These are:

• The Law Society, whose primary goal is to guide students in their pursuit of a successful career within the law, whether they are studying at the Law School or in a different Faculty. It offers both academic and social events. It holds presentations, talks, workshops from City and regional firms, networking opportunities, and competitions.

• The Inns of Court Society, which prepares students for a career as a barrister, while also helping them develop employability skills which are useful in all areas of the law.

Lawyers Without Borders, which is affiliated with the non-profit organisation Lawyers Without Borders, formed to promote and further their work. This charity seeks to integrate skilled pro bono lawyers into rule of law programming designed to improve the integrity of the legal process around the world.

• The Mooting Society, that simulates court proceedings in which participants argue a fictional case using real statutes and case law.

The Southampton University Students' Union (SUSU) also runs many other societies and events, click here for more details.

Faculty

Our Director of Internationalisation, Professor Sarah Nield, lived in Hong Kong for twelve years. She practised as a solicitor prior to moving into academia at the University of Hong Kong. She is an authority on the land law of Hong Kong having written several books on the subject. At Southampton Sarah teaches Land Law and Company Law as part of the undergraduate programmes and offers LLM options in Secured Transactions.

We have exchange links with the University of Hong Kong and the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Each year a number of students enrolled on the International Legal Studies degree programme can decide to spend their year abroad (3rd year) in Hong Kong studying at one of these universities.

Research Collaborations

Members of our world-renowned Institute of Maritime Law travel frequently to Hong Kong to lecture and research on matters of international trade, admiralty law, and other issues pertaining to maritime law.

Professor Sarah Nield continues her interest in Hong Kong land law and regularly visits Hong Kong to attend conferences and other research related activities. She is currently the Hong Kong designated expert on a British Academy funded project upon Communal Property in UK and China.

Law Library Holdings

The University of Southampton Library has a dedicated Law Librarian, Joy Caisley. The Law Librarian provides initial training in legal research resources and skills, primarily for UK law, but can organise bespoke training for other jurisdictions and groups as required.

The University of Southampton Library also provides materials and support which will be of particular interest to those studying international and comparative law. Lexis Library and Westlaw International host extensive Hong Kong law reports and legislation. Our Westlaw International coverage includes a helpful one-stop-shop, ‘Law Source Hong Kong’. This supplements primary sources with the analytic tool, KeyCite Hong Kong. HeinOnline’s Law Journal Library currently has a number of Hong Kong law journals, including the major University law reviews and some specialist titles. Westlaw International and LexisLibrary have much of the same content, but also provide some additional journals. In addition to the law journals, we also benefit from access to a wide collection of politics, economics and philosophy journals to complement your legal studies.

Alumni

Southampton Law School alumni are an important part of our community. We are honoured that one of Southampton Law School’s first students to graduate in 1956 was from Hong Kong. He is Siu Hon Leung, the founder and former Chairman of the University of Southampton Hong Kong Alumni Association. In 2001, Siu Hon returned to the University to receive an honorary doctorate, awarded in recognition of his outstanding contribution to legal practice. He is the founder and was the senior partner of S H Leung and Co, one of Hong Kong’s leading legal practices. He remains a consultant to that firm, now run by his son. During the course of his career, Siu Hon has served as a Council Member of the Law Society of Hong Kong and as Vice-Chairman of its Property Committee. He is a former member of the Land Registry Joint Standing Committee and President of the Hong Kong Conveyancing and Property Law Association Ltd.

Other alumni have decided to return to Hong Kong upon completion of their degree, while others have decided to continue their studies in the UK.

Read their stories: 

Accreditation

For those wishing to practice law in Hong Kong with a UK law degree, it is necessary to study for the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL), which must be undertaken at one of universities in Hong Kong offering the PCLL.

To gain admission to the PCLL with a law degree from UK it is necessary to demonstrate competency in eleven core subjects. By careful selection of subjects within their law degree at Southampton, students will be able to demonstrate that they have acquired competency in almost all of these subjects. In addition, students must study three top-up subjects relating specifically to Hong Kong law.

Further information can be from the Hong Kong Bar Association and the Law Society of Hong Kong.

Entry Requirements

Our standard entry requirements for applicants is to achieve three A Levels at grade AAA, or 36 Points at IB with 18 at higher. Applicants should offer at least two traditional, academic subjects and if possible, a fourth 'A' level.

LNAT is not required.

A wide range of equivalent international qualifications are considered. For Hong Kong applicants minimum entry requirements include grades 554 in the HKDSE (in any subject, except: Chinese Language/Liberal Studies/PE/Technology & Living). If prospective applicants have not taken an accepted English language qualification within two years of studying with us (such as GCSE English grade C), we would either ask for grade 5 in HKDSE English or IELTS with 6.5 overall and 6.5 in each component. Click here to see a list of other accepted English Language qualifications.

Admission as a Practising Lawyer

As with most jurisdictions, in order to practice law in Hong Kong, one must not only have a law degree and the PCLL but also complete a period of practical training either as a trainee solicitor or as a pupil barrister. Details can be found on the websites of the Hong Kong Law Society and Hong Kong Bar Association, respectively. See http://www.hklawsoc.org.hk and http://www.hkba.org/.

Courses

At Southampton Law School we offer six exciting undergraduate programmes.

Find out which one suits you best.

View our undergraduate programmes

Scholarships, Prizes and Funding

Southampton Law School offers different scholarships and prizes. There are also other funding options, such as student loans and grants, which can also be secured to help meet the cost of study.

Find out more about our scholarships.

Find out more about our Law School prizes.

Careers, Employability and Societies

As well as benefitting from outstanding research-led teaching, Southampton Law School students also have the advantage of an extensive careers and employability programme, which is run by our dedicated careers coordinator, Jan Steele, who has extensive experience of the legal profession. Our careers and employability programme offers an impressive range of opportunities in which to engage and forge relationships with legal and business professions and gain invaluable work experience.

Find out more about Careers and Employability at Southampton Law School

Southampton Law School and the University of Southampton offer numerous extra-curricular activities that provide opportunities to develop professional skills and gain valuable experience – as well as provide social and recreational activities to meet new people and enjoy your time.

Find out more about

Being an internationally renowned university, students in Southampton come from all over the globe. It allows me to learn and appreciate more about different cultures. I am truly grateful for all the friendships established with people of different nationalities.

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