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The University of Southampton
Southampton Law School

Nigerian Applicants

The University of Southampton Law School is a fantastic place to study law and offers you the opportunity to develop your legal knowledge at a world renowned university in the country where common law began. Studying abroad expands your world, giving your network of friends, colleagues and professional contacts that will benefit you for life.

The Law School is located in the centre of the main campus which borders Southampton Common – an open green space of over 300 acres that is a great place for walking, running, cycling and picnicking.

University halls of residence are close to the main campus and they provide a safe and comfortable living environment to students. More information on our accommodation and availability guarantee for international students is available here.

The Uni-Link buses are convenient for students to travel between halls of residence, main campus, sports facilities and the city centre. In addition, a free annual pass is available (first year only) for students living in University accommodation. Global food options are provided in cafes and restaurants across campus and within the city.

There are plenty of reasons to fall in love with the city of Southampton. We are located on the south coast of the UK, just over 1 hour by train or 2 hours by coach to London. As well as being located less than 20 minutes from one of the UK’s beautiful national parks, the New Forest, the city provides easy access to elsewhere in UK and travel to other European countries is easily possible through our own international airport, and good, regular links to major London airports.

Information for students from Nigeria

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

Support for Students

Support for Nigerian students at Southampton Law School is second to none amongst UK universities. We provide extensive support at all stages – from your application and arrival in the UK, to study within the UK and careers support after your graduation. We also have agents in Nigeria who can provide further support and guidance through the University’s application progress and applying for UK student visas.

Southampton Law School also offers students the possibility of seeking guidance from a Nigerian personal tutor who can provide information regarding study skills and living environment at the University.

Student Population

In recent years, Southampton Law School has been a popular choice for Nigerian students. Currently there are 10 Nigerian LLB students and 3 LLM students. .

This cohort also represents different backgrounds. The applicants the Law School has previously accepted include undergraduates, postgraduates and lawyers with extensive working experience alike. Southampton Law School is a good place to meet people with diverse experiences and backgrounds, as well as students from all over the world.

Law Society and Law Alumni Network

The Southampton Law Society organises many interesting events such as mock interviews and presentation competitions, which provide necessary and useful skills in job hunting, as well as supporting your ambition of becoming a successful lawyer.

As well as academic events, the Law Society also hosts socials throughout the year. You will have the opportunity to enjoy your life at Southampton Law School both for studying and extracurricular activities.

There is also a University Nigerian Society with members from all subject areas that regularly host events for the Nigerian student community at Southampton as well as engaging in local events.

Faculty and Courses

Maritime law is one of the most famous and excellent majors at Southampton Law School, representing its long and glorious history. The book Carriage of Goods by Sea by late, Southampton-based, Professor John Wilson, has become the most popular textbook for students who study maritime law all over the world. The Southampton Institute of Maritime Law is also a world leading centre for research and training maritime and commercial law.

There are numerous other legal research centres and groups at the University of Southampton, such as the Health, Ethics and the Law, and the Insurance Law Research Group. You can view our full list here.

There are many excellent professors and lecturers at Southampton Law School who are recognised national and international experts in the full range of law subjects. You can read more about their backgrounds on our website.

Dr Remigius Nwabueze, Associate Professor of Law is the key faculty contact for current and perspective students from Nigeria. Dr Remigius regularly visits Nigeria taking part in a number of activities including student interviews, law symposiums at Nigerian universities and offer holder events.

In addition to this, Melissa Gibson (Regional Director, Middle East and Africa) and Siobhan Miller (Country Development Manager) from the University’s International Office also regularly visit Nigeria and are able to assist you with any aspect of your application. University staff visit Nigeria a minimum of three times a year. More information about when they will be in your country can be found here.

Research Collaborations

Southampton Law School have a number of partner universities across Africa, specifically as part of the WUN membership. There is also an ongoing collaboration with the University of Ibadan by means of a split-site PhD programme between this university and the University of Southampton. This involves a lecturer at the University of Ibadan registering a PhD programme with us and being in residence with us for a total period of 12 months. A student enrolled this programme in 2012, and she successfully defended her thesis in 2015.

Southampton Law School is currently working to establish further collaborations with Nigerian universities and with the aid of staff exchange, there will be more research collaborations in the future.

Law Library Holdings

Law is a challenging subject requiring many resources. Our library law databases, such as i-law, Westlaw, LexisLibrary and HeinOnline provide updated law reports, legislation and journal articles. These resources offer great support and help to our students’ study and research. We also have a comprehensive collection of books and journals, both in electronic and print versions within our University library. Students can access all these resources both in the library and at home. Where possible, we buy e-books to extend access as well as subscribing to some e-book packages, including ebrary Academic Complete which includes titles from other common law jurisdictions.

In addition to the above, our library also has a dedicated Law Librarian who provides initial training in legal research resources and skills, primarily for English law, but can organise bespoke training for other jurisdictions and groups as required. Our librarian will also help students to locate and use effectively resources by giving an introduction session at the beginning of the semester.

We also have guiding books about writing essays, and there are online programmes available to students to help develop their legal and study skills. The library is open 24/7, thus allowing students to enjoy more flexible study time.

Alumni

Southampton Law School alumni are an important part of our community and we are currently looking to further develop our alumni network within Africa. This will be especially relevant for those students who return to Nigeria upon completing their studies as we already have a number of recent and long-standing alumni who are keen to form a committee for our first chapter branches in Nigeria.

Accreditation

In general, UK law degrees are accepted in Nigeria as long as they are a qualifying UK degree.

The main three possible future career paths for Nigerian students are:

  1. Finding employment in the UK subject to meeting relevant visa requirements. Southampton Law School provides seminars to teach key skills for writing a CV, interview preparations, as well as information about possible career options through the annual Law Careers Fair;
  2. Continuing their studies by means of an LLM or PhD. Southampton Law School provides sessions open to all current students aimed at explaining the relevant application procedures and career perspectives;
  3. Returning to Nigeria. Southampton Law School maintains a close relationship with its alumni, including careers advice of those who decided to return to Nigeria upon graduation. This information also serves to inform current students’ professional choices. 

Nigerian graduates in the UK are required to take both their Bar 1 and Bar 2 exams upon their return to Nigeria in order to qualify to practice. Students who complete their LLB in Nigeria are only required to do Bar 2.

To see the requirements for admission to the Bar and the Nigerian Bar Course see the websites for the Nigerian Bar Association and the UK Law Society How to practise in Nigeria website.

For further information about the Nigerian student community at Southampton, entry requirements for courses and other country specific information, visit the University's country information page.

Photo of Oluwatimumide Akintunde
For the new coming students, I can say: get ready for a wonderful experience which has a ripple effect that can only affect your future positively. It is a world-class experience filled with numerous opportunities, beyond what you expect
Oluwatimumide Akintunde

Courses

Nigeria is becoming increasingly active in international affairs: accordingly the legal profession has also been acquiring increasingly important transnational features. Developing a global legal prospective is therefore key to those who wish to pursue and develop a first-class legal career.

To prospective students who wish to learn law in a jurisdiction different from Nigeria, we provide a great opportunity to learn about UK law and other European jurisdictions. Studying at Southampton Law School will give you a great chance to acquire legal knowledge, develop your future career, and - most importantly - provide a global horizon to understand how different jurisdictions work.

We currently offer a number of programmes which may be of interest to prospective Nigerian students including a three year LLB option, as well as a two year Accelerated Graduate Entry LLB for those who students who have already completed a Bachelors degree equivalent.

In the first and second year of the LLB programme, you will need to complete eight core modules as well as a legal skills programme, including team building and mooting. In the third year, you will be able to choose optional modules and complete a dissertation on a subject that interests you. For those studying our two year accelerated option, you will complete the core modules required to move on to your professional training. For more information visit the course page.

The latest undergraduate law prospectus can be found here.

For those who want to develop their legal knowledge in a specific area, we have many postgraduate options available. Our LLM programme will develop your legal skills within a structure that will allow you to shape your degree in various specialised areas. In addition, it also gives you a good opportunity to understand more about the common law jurisdiction.

All courses at Southampton Law School are delivered by way of lectures, seminars and tutorials. You can immerse yourself in the knowledge of reputable law experts and engage in legal discussions with English students as well as students from all over the world.

Law School Scholarships, Prizes and Funding

Scholarships are available for Undergraduate and Postgraduate study, please click here for undergraduate scholarships and postgraduate scholarships here.

Careers and Employability

As well as benefitting from outstanding research-led teaching, Southampton Law School students also have the advantage of an extensive careers and employability programme. This is run by our dedicated careers coordinator, who has extensive experience of the legal profession and 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 extracurricular 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 at Southampton.

 

Mooting

Our students are able to argue cases in a simulated courtroom.

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