ULaw promises postgraduates employment - or money back
The University of Law is offering a 50% refund if graduates remain unemployed within nine months.
London's University of Law (ULaw) is prepared to offer graduates of their Legal Practice Course (LPC) a 50% refund on tuition if they are unable to secure a full-time position within nine months of graduation from the course.
Starting September 2015, students who fail to land either full-time employment or a training contract could receive over £7,000 back from the university. The move is the first of its kind by a higher education institution and aims to capitalise on ULaw's 97% graduate employability rate to guarantee that they offer the best value for money.
CEO at the ULAW David Johnson says that the university is aware of how highly today's students value employability.
"More than just a degree, today's students want a clear return on their investment. For law graduates, this means one thing: securing a training contract or a full time job upon graduation," he says.
The university does not see the offer of a tuition fee rebate as a risk. With a 97% graduate employability rate, and a programme which focuses heavily on preparing graduates to begin a law career immediately upon completion, Johnson says the university is confident in their ability to back the promise.
"Our position as the preferred training provider to over 30 major law firms and our experience in training highly skilled law practitioners give us the confidence and the assurance that our graduates will be in employment within nine months."
Formerly the College of Law, ULaw received university status in 2012. The LPC programme covers key elements of law practice, and develops commercial awareness, critical thinking, project management, and the networking skills required to establish a solid legal career.
"We are the largest provider of LPC programmes in the UK because we fully understand what both students and employers are looking for," Johnson says.
"Our programmes not only ensure a deep level of understanding of English law, but also offer solid commercial skills that make our graduates some of the most competitive candidates in the job market."
The move is a bold step towards ensuring that graduates from ULaw receive a valuable return for their financial investment.