Kate Tantuico - Kent's Law LLM

Perfect timing

'The January start was obviously meant to be because the whole process went very smoothly, from dealing with the University’s visa compliance team to securing my visa in plenty of time for my flight.'

Ready to move forward.

With a background in archaeology and having worked as a practising lawyer in the Philippines, Kate Tantuico was looking to add to her skillset by studying abroad. Looking for a Master’s that would make her stand out from the crowd and give her the opportunity to work internationally, she came across Kent’s Law LLM.

Time to get myself together

'Initially, I planned to start in September, but having completed an MA in the Philippines in July, it all felt a bit rushed. Discovering there was an option to start in January was a great moment and I decided to go for that. It gave me more time to tie everything up back home and to have Christmas with my family before moving to the UK.

I was also able to do lots of research on Kent’s website before I came. I discovered the Employability Points scheme. Run by the University, you complete tasks related to employability, and gain points which you then use to apply for internships. I managed to start earning employability points by attending online sessions even before I arrived in mid-January!'

Gain experience over summer

"For me, one of the huge advantages of starting in January is that you get a summer break. While September starters are writing their dissertations, ready to submit in August, January starters can make the most of the summer. 

I used the employability points I’d earnt to go on three work experience placements in different museums: the Royal Engineers, the Historic Dockyard and Sandwich Guild Hall. It was invaluable experience, I was able to do some work on collections, archiving, research and repatriating artefacts, which aligns with my research interests and also got an insight into what it’s like to work in the UK."

Canterbury campus

Take a well-earned break

"Following the internships, I enjoyed my summer in Europe. I’m a sports fanatic, so I went to Germany to watch Croatia, Spain and England play at the Euros, the Olympics and Paralympics to support my country's athletes in Paris and also walked the English Way at the Camino de Santiago with a friend. All of which I wouldn’t have been able to do if I’d started in September because I would have been writing my dissertation! Some of my friends took the opportunity to go home for the summer, returning in September to continue their studies. Others took advantage of other summer tie-ups with the University of Kent in countries such as Bali, Indonesia."

A bright future

I’d definitely recommend starting your law studies in January. It gave me a chance to spend more time in Kent, which I’ve really enjoyed. I was also able to secure a Taught Master’s Scholarship for January starters, which gave me a huge tuition fee discount – very helpful!

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