Dayle Buckley – University of Cambridge 2023/2024

I am halfway through studying an LLM at the University of Cambridge, and time is absolutely flying. I have chosen to study commercial subjects but with a mix of domestical and international law; they are all incredibly interesting, but very challenging. One of the things that I have loved most about the course is the diverse backgrounds and nationalities of the other LLM students and lecturers. These differences make for interesting discussions during classes with a wide range of perspectives being voiced based on the operation of laws in a variety of jurisdictions.

University in the United Kingdom has been a different experience to my time at university in Australia, and I have loved the change in lifestyle. The University of Cambridge has 31 colleges, and you are encouraged to get involved in college life (including joining the college rowing team to row on the river Cam). I am at a ‘mature age’ college (which is for anyone over the age of 21), and this means that most students are doing postgraduate studies.

The University also encourages students not to work while studying (and puts limits on the number of hours a student can work). I have appreciated this limitation as it really encourages you to embrace student life and get involved in different activities.

Cambridge itself is a beautiful, historic town and I have enjoyed exploring all the different colleges (the oldest one was founded in 1284) and being ‘punted’ down the river Cam. There are also cows everywhere and not a hill in sight, which has made for some great running adventures. I am slowly acclimatising to the colder, wetter temperatures, but I am looking forward to Spring!

– Dayle Buckley