Apart from the option of completing three years of the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) locally, Taylor’s Law School offers students the choice to either embark on the 1+2 or 2+1 pathway to complete their law degree with well-established articulation partner universities in the United Kingdom. This list includes Cardiff University, the University of Leeds, the University of Liverpool, the University of Reading, the University of The West of England, the University of Manchester and the University of Sheffield.
Although border restrictions have been loosened, the apprehension of travelling will inevitably creep in, especially if one is leaving the nest to study overseas. The Covid-19 pandemic might have derailed our academic plans but that does not mean that they should come to a halt. Life goes on and so should we.
When you are considering whether or not to study abroad at this time, it is a given that proper research must be done beforehand so that you will be able to make a more informed decision. You can do all the research in the world but nothing beats first-hand anecdotal details and luckily for you, Taylor’s Lexicon had the privilege of interviewing Chloe Ho and Brie Quek, who are both completing their final year at the University of Leeds about their transfer experience. Just for brief context, Chloe has opted for the online studies option, attending classes remotely from Malaysia while Brie is currently in the UK.
Why did you opt to transfer to the UK?
Chloe credits the opportunity to meet new people and the independence that comes with studying abroad as her main reasons for transferring to the UK. She says that the prospect of being in close proximity (within travelling distance) to iconic legal landmarks such as the International Court of Justice and the Palace of Westminster, as well as the chance to acquaint herself with the English Legal System are key contributing factors. Furthermore, a prerequisite for a student to qualify for the Bar Course is to enrol in a UK university for at least a year, which prompted her to transfer to the UK for her final year.
On the other hand, transferring to the UK was a no brainer for Brie as she has always wanted to study abroad. Attributing her decision to getting a fresh perspective from the environment that she was brought up in and satisfying her desire to live that “idyllic” UK life she had only been able to witness in films and TV, she decided to follow her gut instinct. As a huge history buff, she wanted to explore all the places that she read about in books, and not to mention, she was attracted to the idea of studying law in the nation which founded the bulk of laws that are still practised in our country to this very day.
How did you decide which university to transfer to?
Both Chloe and Brie have reached a consensus that in deciding which university to transfer to, factors such as the university’s law school ranking, entry requirements, optional modules available, location, tuition fees and estimated living expenses all ought to be taken into serious consideration. So be sure to do your research because there is no turning back once you have made your final decision!
How did you come to the decision of either a) staying in Malaysia for the semester/year or b) going to the UK?
Chloe’s decision not to travel to the UK is attributed to the changing circumstances of the pandemic. Monitoring the situation very closely, she narrowed down her decision to factors like the number of Covid-19 cases in the UK, the lockdown measures that have been implemented, the quarantine procedures upon arrival and the costs incurred. Since her university announced that classes would be conducted fully online, it was not mandatory for students to fly to the UK and this subsequently led to her choice of staying in Malaysia for the time being until it is safe to travel.
On a different note, Brie found it absurd to be paying an astronomical amount of tuition fees and not experience actually being at university. Bearing in mind that the Pound Sterling is more than the quintuple of the Ringgit, she intends to make the most out of her final year. “Of course there are living costs to consider but if you are but if you are already planning on transferring in the first place, you have probably already set aside sufficient money to do so. Furthermore, living expenses are actually relatively low in the UK when it comes to day to day essentials,” she says.
As scary as the Covid-19 situation seems in the UK, Brie reveals that it is honestly not as bad as portrayed in the media. As long as you remain vigilant and adhere to the SOP’s that have been set in place, you should be fine. In fact, with the UK being at the forefront of vaccine development, most of the population is expected to be vaccinated by summer which would allow for things to go back to normal soon.
How has your online learning experience been?
Chloe describes her online learning experience as “smooth-sailing but solitary”. Speaking on behalf of students, be it locally or abroad, she opines that one has to learn how to stand on their own two feet in order to cope with academic pressures. Based on her own personal experience, she is thankful that the online learning platform provided by her university has been running smoothly and that her weekly lectures have been uploaded promptly, on top of the online reading material which can be easily accessible on the library portal, all of which have helped her acclimatise to a new learning environment. Additionally, the lecturers also offer one-to-one academic support hours every week, so if anyone has any questions, one can arrange a consultation to solve academic queries.
Transitioning to online learning can be challenging even in the best of circumstances but thanks to the community engagement opportunities offered by her university, Chloe has been able to branch out of the academic quadrant and took part as a student researcher for Cerebra, a charitable organization aimed at helping families with disabled children.
Not wanting to sugar coat her online learning experience, Brie divulges that it pales in comparison with the traditional mode of learning. However, she believes that her experience is similar to her friends’ back in Taylors as the struggles of isolation and time management are universal. Crediting living with students who are in the same boat as her, specifically, those doing their final year of the LLB at Leeds as her support system, she emphasises the importance of having a like-minded group of friends to have productive discussions over the study material.
What is the biggest difference between studying at Taylor’s and your current university?
For Chloe, the starkest contrast is the way the modules are assessed at both universities. When she was studying at Taylor’s, the rubric was 10% for tutorial participation, 30% for assignment (either individual or in groups) and 60% for the final examinations. This differed from the University of Leeds’ grading system where the weightage varies for each module. For instance, Company law is split into 20% for tutorial participation and 80% for finals; European Union law has an assessment of 100% final exams while Cyber law is entirely coursework based.
Chloe also had to adjust to the teaching method as the UK syllabus provides students with a reading list for every topic, which included materials like journal articles, relevant textbook chapters and case law to be read in their own time and this translated to additional independent reading. More often than not, these materials are discussed during tutorials so it is advisable not to cut corners.
Similarly, Brie postulates that the workload here is heavier due to Western education’s strong emphasis on independent learning. She feels that the slides for lectures in Taylor’s are more thorough than what she has experienced thus far in Leeds and that there is a considerable increase in terms of additional texts one has to read, on top of lectures and seminars. Contrarily, the approach in the UK is laxer as seminars are not graded so it boils down to your own initiative to ensure you stay on top of your work.
On a more light-hearted note, Chloe points out that the most obvious difference is the lecturers’ accents so listening to different English accents is definitely something transfer students need to get accustomed to!
What do you think is the biggest challenge of adapting to a new environment and what did you do to overcome it?
Since Chloe is still physically in Malaysia, her biggest challenge was adapting to the new learning style and grading system at Leeds. To cope with this hurdle, she signed up for as many workshops as she could. These workshops offered a range of guidance which include navigating the online library, how to reference and how-to-study-effectively, as well as more academic style workshops which provided pointers on how to answer essay and problem-based questions for examination purposes. Apart from the practical benefits of these workshops, Chloe found a great deal of comfort as they allowed her to interact with other students, albeit virtually, compensating for the solitariness of online learning.
Although Chloe is attending classes in a different time zone, she did not encounter many difficulties. Since lecturers are pre-recorded, she could watch them at any time of the day. The only synchronous sessions she has are tutorials and one-to-one meetings with her dissertation supervisor, which usually happen around the evening in Malaysia. The only times she has to stay awake at ungodly hours is for non-compulsory activities but with time, she has learned to manage her time and chooses only to attend workshops that take place no later than 12 am.
For Brie, the greatest hurdle was the process of adaptation itself. Since you are uprooting your life and moving to an entirely different country, you can get distracted by the fun and excitement of it all, which may subsequently lead to you being behind on your academics. This can be detrimental since your entire degree classification hinges upon how well you do in your final year. She also admits to be in the midst of overcoming her backlog of work, which can be pretty overwhelming at times.
Usually, you will need to actively seek out connections if you have plans to widen your social circle. Nonetheless, Brie has been very fortunate to have friends there so she hasn’t been struck with any deep sense of loneliness or homesickness yet. She continues by saying that as long as you maintain a positive outlook, adapting will not be much of an issue but in the event that you do struggle, don’t be afraid to reach out to your friends for help.
Do you regret transferring?
Honestly speaking, Chloe is disappointed at how things turned out but no one could have foreseen a pandemic of this magnitude. While the pandemic has vastly affected the experience of studying abroad for international students, Chloe is choosing to look at the bigger picture as she is optimistic that completing her final year in the UK will provide her with the necessary qualifications to enrol in the Bar course, and graduate as a barrister in the near future. Needless to say, every cloud has a silver lining and for Chloe, this experience has equipped her with the mental fortitude of adapting to change in the face of adversity.
Despite being unable to obtain the “full UK university experience” with the pandemic in full swing, Brie does not regret her decision at all. Although the opportunities were more scarce, she remains optimistic that this experience has benefited her. Notwithstanding tough times, she still managed to make a lot of new friends, which in turn exposed her to a multitude of different cultures and lifestyles. According to Brie, she would have lost out on the chance to properly immerse herself in the UK culture had she chosen not to transfer. This is because living there is infinitely different from experiencing it through the lens of a tourist.
In fact, Brie would go as far as saying that she had a more enjoyable experience living through the pandemic in the UK than back home in Malaysia. As a newcomer, there are lots for you to do and explore, without putting yourself in imminent danger. Besides, the weather is amazing so you can walk everywhere and not suffer from heat strokes!
Do you have any advice for students who plan to transfer and do you have any tips?
For students who are still on the fence, Chloe has some sound advice: “Spend some time re-evaluating what your main reasons are for transferring to the UK. I can’t say for sure that any one of us would be able to get the full studying abroad experience in the coming months or years but I do believe that if you are determined enough to achieve the goals you have set in mind, you will be able to, regardless of the circumstances.”
She adds that if you are still unsure, seek advice from your parents to find out whether they are comfortable with you travelling during the pandemic and have the means to support you financially throughout the tenure of your transfer. It is also worth taking into account what your plans after law school are - whether you would like to enrol in the Bar Course or Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP) so doing your research on the differences between the courses may help you decide whether or not transfer to the UK.
Echoing Chloe’s notion, Brie suggests that prospective transfer students should have conversations with their parents concerning the financial aspect of transferring, continuing that if money is a concern, “please don’t guilt your parents into letting you transfer” as the quality of education you get in Taylor’s is pretty much on par with the UK.
She also recommends doing thorough research on the university you are planning on transferring to. Don’t just look at the university’s league table ranking, and instead, take into account how you will be evaluated (if you plan on transferring in your third year) because your final year grades will determine your entire degree classification. For instance, there is a compulsory dissertation in Leeds which makes up 40 credits of your final degree classification so if assignments are something you struggle with, definitely reconsider enrolling in universities that do not have such requirements.
“If you are still stressed out, don’t worry because whatever decision you make will always be the right decision. Life is too short to be regretful! I wish you all the best in your decision, and please remember to hydrate and stay safe,” says Chloe.
As for Brie, she concludes by saying, “Feel free to reach out to me anytime if you want to have a further chat on this topic! I would be happy to answer any questions about life in Leeds or just the degree in general. Good luck and stay safe!”.
Conclusion
Regardless of whether you decide to stay in Malaysia or leave for the UK, there is no such thing as a “right” or “wrong” decision. At the end of the day, only you will know what is best for yourself! No matter where you end up, you will be just fine.
Lexicon extends its gratitude to both Chloe and Brie for their generosity in sharing their experiences and for offering valuable nuggets of wisdom. This article will most definitely help students get a better picture of the whole transfer experience.