The University of Law launches improved 100% employment promise, but read the small print

The University of Law’s ‘100% employability promise’ for 2016, which offers Legal Practice Course (LPC) students half their tuition fees back if they are not employed nine months after graduating, has been joined by a further postgraduate course discount – but the offer’s small print has been heavily criticised.

Students commencing the LPC in July or September this year will be eligible to get 50% of their fees back in cash if they are without a job in the legal or commercial sectors nine months after graduating. The University of Law will also offer an additional discount, again equal to half the cost of the LPC, on a further postgraduate course for those same unemployed graduates.

However, as Legal Cheek reports, the small print excludes graduates who are working as paralegals, but have not yet secured a training contract. Meanwhile, others have questioned the utility of an invitation to enrol on a further (albeit discounted) postgraduate course, in light of the fact that most law firm recruiters specifically say that a master’s qualification is not a way to boost one’s chances of a training contract or make up for poorer previous grades.

Dr Stelios Platis, University of Law’s chief executive, said: “At The University of Law our students are at the heart of everything we do and we focus our efforts into ensuring their long-term success. When our students succeed, we succeed, which is why we pledge 100% support, 100% excellence and 100% commitment. We were the first university to offer a money back employment promise and this year we are backing our students with an even bigger commitment with this new initiative.”