In honour of International Students' Day, we spoke to MA Law student Maria Daab. Maria is studying at our Bloomsbury campus and told us all about her experience as international student, why she chose to study abroad and her ambitions for a career in law.
By Elsa Tatam. Published 15 November 2024.
I knew I wanted to do a master’s degree relatively early on in my undergraduate course but wasn't really sure in which subject. I didn't see many career options in the area I was studying at the time and I stumbled upon this concept of law conversion (which we don't have in Poland, so it seemed quite exciting). I immediately became interested in it and started exploring the idea of transferring into law.
I very quickly found out about The University of Law and, after my research, I realised this was the best option I could choose for my new plan. I went to the earliest Open Day I could, which was in March 2023 and by the end of that event, I knew I would like to study there. I felt really good, as if I knew straight away that this would be a good place for me. I applied that same month, during the final year of my BA and got accepted soon after.
I chose to study abroad because I knew it would be an exciting and amazing life lesson in many different aspects. I’ve always been fascinated by parts of the world outside of my home country; I did a fair amount of travelling when I was younger and this ignited my passion for exploring other cultures and ways of living and thinking. I was lucky enough to be able to apply to universities abroad and I knew I had to grab that opportunity, even if it meant stepping out of my comfort zone for a while. I left Poland more than 4 years ago and I have never regretted choosing to study abroad.
When starting at the University, I was a bit nervous but I think my main emotion was excitement. The Employability team and the new friends I have made during my workshops have all massively supported me. I like that we’re all going through the same experience together and it's nice to know that I'm not alone on this difficult journey.
Since I started my law conversion, I’ve definitely had moments of self-doubt and I've felt the imposter syndrome creeping in. I’ve also had moments where I’ve lacked motivation. Whenever I struggle with these sorts of problems, I try to take a step back, put everything into a wider perspective and try to think rationally. I also know I can count on some people in my life who remind me of why I started in the first place, reassure me of my capabilities and motivate me to maintain my focus.
Thinking about my current goals, I hope to perform well throughout my law conversion course and go on to pass the SQE1.
When I look to the future, my aim is to become a solicitor and work in intellectual property (IP). I believe my previous undergraduate experience and my interest in media and arts could really help me with that. I also find IP litigation highly interesting but I would also like to keep exploring new areas of law.
In five years’ time, I hope to be living either in London or somewhere in Scandinavia, working as a solicitor. I want to feel fulfilled and happy that I took the chance to change my career path and believed in myself to do it. I'd like to see myself working for a firm or company that is supportive yet challenging; where there's always something new to do and learn, but with a decent work-life balance.
I still believe that choosing law conversion at The University of Law was one of the best decisions I've made since the pandemic. I find the teaching to be at a very high level and I like that the University embraces digital learning so much. Right now, I feel very confident in my studies and in my choice of university; the experience has lived up to my expectations.
If you're considering studying abroad with us, have a look through our International Students' hub which has all the information you need to start your journey.
Find out more about what student life is like on our LiveProspectus.
