Studying at Guildford

Accommodation for students

The University of Law will provide support to help you find suitable accommodation and have an online accommodation portal which provides:

• Helpful advice on choosing a property to rent in Guildford
• Useful information about things to do and see around the Guildford campus
• Property listings search for students who have accepted at the Guildford campus

Visit Studentpad to find out more.

If you’d like to find other University of Law students to privately rent with, or you have a spare room in your house/flat share, why not join our Housemate Hub Facebook group to chat and make living arrangements with fellow students? Find us on Facebook - search groups for ‘Official University of Law Group - Housemate Hub’.

YMCA

YMCA provides catered accommodation for young people in the centre of Guildford.  

Rooms are available for 17/18 academic year.  50 week contract, payable termly.  Equivalent to £198/week for a standard room or £239/week for an En-suite room.

Included: breakfast and dinner everyday, all bills (except TV licence), high-speed WiFi in rooms, on-site laundry (for extra charge), programme of social activities.  The building has a 24hr reception.  

In the heart of Guildford, close to station and bus station.

Please find more information here: https://www.ymcadlg.org/accommodation/student/

There is a wide range of activities and events for you to take part in at The University of Law Guildford.

Activities

A good lawyer doesn’t just need to know the law. Today’s lawyers must be commercially aware, they must understand how businesses work and they need to be able to network and interact with other legal professionals and clients. The University of Law Guildford provides a range of activities and events that you will help you prepare for all aspects of life in practice. Find out more below.

Careers events

The Employability team at The University of Law includes a team of experienced legal careers consultants, who are on hand to give you advice and guidance on your first steps to your career in law. They run a large number of events designed to help you find your first job in law. Find out more below.

Pro bono

The University of Law Guildford is strongly committed to pro bono and offers a variety of opportunities designed to help you enhance your learning and career prospects through practical, real-life experience.

Pro bono offers an important opportunity for you to put your legal skills into practice, as well as providing vital access to justice for members of the public in the local community.

You can hone valuable skills such as interviewing, drafting, time management, team working and legal research, whilst gaining practical experience for your CV and demonstrating your commitment to a career in law. You will also learn file management procedures if you are involved with our legal advice clinics, which will be transferable to future legal work.

All work undertaken is fully supervised by qualified lawyers and many projects are run in conjunction with external practitioners, so it’s also a great opportunity to network and improve your career prospects. Find out more below.

Sports and social

It’s not all work! We know that a good choice of sports and social events provide a welcome break from studying. Find out below what’s on offer at The University of Law Guildford.

Careers

The Careers team at The University of Law Guildford includes a team of experienced legal careers consultants, who are on hand to give you advice and guidance on your first steps to your career in law. Visit resources and facilities to find out more.

Pro bono

At The University of Law we have been committed to providing a pro bono service since 2001. Below are details of some of the schemes we have run in Guildford. There are changes year-to-year, but we will always provide a range of options designed to enhance the employability of our students.

Legal Advice Centre (LAC)

The LAC provides free, preliminary legal advice to the public on a wide variety of civil issues. You will interview a client and produce an advice letter, carefully supervised throughout by our Supervising Solicitor.

Students interview clients in pairs to obtain details of the case and then work together to produce a letter of advice. You gain interviewing, drafting and file management skills through this hands-on experience.

Guildford Employment Rights Advice Line Direct (GERALD)

This University initiative, run in conjunction with local law firms, gives free legal advice on employment law issues to members of the public via telephone.

From messages forwarded to you, you will phone clients to obtain basic details and take notes of the advice given by the volunteer solicitor at our weekly clinics.

Brighton Leasehold Advice Clinic (BLAC)

BLAC provides free, preliminary advice to the public on leasehold matters e.g. amount / reasonableness of service charges, enfranchisement of flats, defective leases, administrative charges and the right to manage.

You prepare necessary paperwork, attend the client interview to take notes and produce an advice letter under the supervision of our Supervising Solicitor. You gain interviewing, drafting and file management skills through this hands-on experience.  

Your Day in Court 

We work with a local college looking at the criminal justice system and role-play a mock trial in a Magistrates Court. 

You prepare and present a Streetlaw style workshop explaining the criminal justice system and also dealing with the 'law' involved in the mock trial. You then mentor pupils through a rehearsal and the real mock trial. Suitable for GDL students.

National Centre for Domestic Violence (NCDV)

This charity provides fast, free legal advice and support for victims of domestic violence. In particular it runs an emergency injunction service allowing anybody, regardless of financial circumstances to obtain protection through the civil courts (usually an injunction) within 24 hours. After suitable training you could volunteer for various duties within NCDV’s headquarters based in Guildford. 

Surrey Law Centre – Guildford evening advice sessions

The Surrey Law Centre, in conjunction with Clyde & Co Solicitors, runs a drop-in session every Tuesday evening at Guildford Citizens’ Advice Bureau. The sessions are staffed by volunteer solicitors from local firms. Members of the public can drop in to receive free legal advice on a variety of issues including housing, family law, debt problems and employment. The sessions are aimed at giving access to those people who cannot afford to pay for legal advice. You could shadow volunteer solicitors as they interview and advise clients who drop in. You may also be asked to help with photocopying and general admin.

Woking Citizens Advice – County Court Helpdesk

On Tuesday mornings a solicitor provides advice/representation on repossession cases at the Guildford County Court. You could attend, observe and take notes.

Citizens Advice Bureau

Citizens Advice offers free help and advice to members of the public on a variety of topics. All offices have trained volunteer advisors as well as some volunteer solicitors. The services they offer include legal advice and help with form filling. You could take part in the following activities:

• Evening advice sessions: one evening a week, one volunteer solicitor sees clients by appointment. Matrimonial and general matters are dealt with on alternate weeks
  
• You could attend to help with a combination of reception duties and observation of client interviews, note-taking and preparing a brief case note
  
• Students are trained to prepare case submissions on benefit appeals to the First Tier Tribunal concerning overpayment of benefits and rejection of claims for Disability Living Allowance or Employment Support Allowance
  
• Students are trained to be Gateway Assessors or Generalist / Specialist Advisors.
  

International Law Book Facility

This charity organises packing and shipment of law books to Commonwealth countries where they are needed. You could volunteer to help with unpacking donated books or repackaging them for onward shipment. For more information, see ilbf.org.uk

At The University of Law Guildford you will find a very friendly and supportive environment, with a wide range of sport and leisure activities. Every year our students organise a wide range of clubs and societies. 

In recent years sports clubs and societies have included:

• Football
  
• Netball
  
• Rugby
  
• Squash
  
• Indoor climbing
  
• Tennis
  
• Guildford Bar Society
  
• Photography
  
• Dance
  
• Debating
• Yoga
• Dodgeball
  

Social Events

Christmas and summer balls

University of Law students organise these events – including venue, menu, entertainment, photographer and raffle. Any profit is given to CHASE. These events are always well attended and are a highlight in the student calendar. 

Outside the University

Guildford town is one of the most popular places in South of England for pubs, restaurants, bars and clubbing. There are two excellent theatres and a multi-screen Odeon cinema in the centre of town. In addition, there is a large leisure centre and the state of the art Surrey Sports Park. All this is surrounded by Surrey's area of outstanding natural beauty.