James felt it.
The shift.
The way Clara hesitated, fingers curling tighter against the doorframe, her breath just a fraction too shallow.
She was thinking.
Measuring.
Like someone standing at the edge of a cliff, deciding whether to jump.
Then her shoulders slumped.
Not much.
Just enough for James to see the exhaustion sink in.
"James," she murmured.
His name sounded fragile in her mouth.
Like she had been holding it in for too long.
James straightened slightly, his stomach tightening. "Yeah?"
Clara glanced over her shoulder just for a second.
As if checking the shadows.
Then she stepped back.
"Come inside."
James hesitated.
Every instinct told him not to.
But Clara wasn’t okay.
And despite the whispering doubt pressing into the back of his skull, despite the way the air in this house felt too thick, too still
He followed her in.
The house looked normal.
Clean. Tidy.
Nothing out of place.
But hair raising - a spooky presence
Not like something was watching.
Like something had already seen.
Clara moved to the kitchen table, setting a half-empty coffee mug aside before pressing her palms flat against the wood.
James lingered by the counter.
"Clara," he said carefully. "What’s going on?"
She let out a slow breath. Long. Measured.
Then she laughed.
Soft. Weak.
"I don’t even know where to start."
James pulled out a chair, sitting carefully across from her.
"Try me."
Clara stared at the table for a moment, her fingers drumming against the surface.
Then, in a voice that sounded too small for her, too brittle
"Something’s not right with Ivy."
James’ stomach dropped.
He hadn’t expected that.
Not at all.
"Not right how?"
Clara lifted her hands, rubbing them over her face.
"She’s… she’s different."
James frowned. "Different how? Is she sick
Clara’s hands dropped from her face, her fingers pressing lightly against the table as if steadying herself.
James watched her carefully. She looked exhausted.
Not just tired but worn thin, unraveling, stretched too far past the breaking point.
"She sleeps too much," Clara murmured. "Too deep. It’s not normal."
James raised a brow. "That’s… not the worst thing in the world, is it?"
Clara let out a breath sharp, frustrated. "No, James. It’s not just that."
She hesitated.
Then, her voice dropped lower, just above a whisper.
"Sometimes she says things."
James leaned forward slightly, elbows on his knees. "What kind of things?"
Clara swallowed.
Her throat worked around the words like they physically hurt to say.
"Things a two-year-old shouldn’t say."
The room felt smaller.
James exhaled through his nose, his fingers lacing together. He wasn’t good at these things talking, comforting, making sense of what people didn’t say outright.
But Clara looked like she was drowning.
So he tried.
"Kids pick up weird stuff," he said carefully. "Could be from TV, from something she overheard”
"No."
Clara cut him off too fast.
Her voice shook.
James felt the first stirrings of unease.
Clara inhaled sharply, rubbing at her temple. "She speaks in a language I don’t understand, James. In her sleep. In the dark. When she thinks I’m not listening."
James’ chest tightened.
"Jesus," he muttered.
Clara let out a shaky laugh. "Yeah. Exactly."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
James shifted in his chair, choosing his next words carefully.
"Clara, what are you really saying?"
Clara’s eyes met his.
And for the first time, James saw real fear there.
Not just worry. Not stress.
Something deeper.
Something she wasn’t saying.
Something she couldn’t.
She shook her head, voice barely above a whisper.
"I don’t know."
James wasn’t sure if she was lying.
Or if she was telling the worst truth of all.
James ran a hand over his jaw, exhaling slowly.
Something wasn’t right.
Not just in what Clara was saying but in the way she looked saying it.
She was unraveling.
Not from stress. Not from exhaustion.
But from something deeper.
Something she couldn’t say out loud.
James glanced toward the hallway, his pulse ticking just a little too fast.
"Ivy’s sleeping now?" he asked, voice careful.
Clara nodded, her fingers twitching slightly against the table. "Yeah. She sleeps so well these days."
The way she said it like it wasn’t a good thing.
James shifted in his seat, his gaze flicking toward the coffee pot.
"You should take her to a doctor," he muttered. "Could be a growth spurt. Or a hell, I don’t know a sleep condition or something."
Clara let out a slow, controlled breath.
"I thought about that," she admitted. "But… it’s not just the sleep, James."
James’ spine stiffened.
There it was.
The thing she hadn’t said yet.
The thing that made her fingers tremble.
"Then what is it?" he asked.
Clara’s lips parted.
Then, after a long, frayed pause
"Sometimes… she’s not Ivy."
The words landed like a stone in water, sending ripples through the air between them.
James’ skin prickled.
"Clara," he murmured. "You hear how that sounds, right?"
Clara let out a weak laugh.
"Yeah, James. I do."
She pressed her palms against her forehead, her breath hitching.
"But I don’t care how it sounds. I know my daughter. And sometimes, when I look at her he looks back at me like I’m a stranger."
James’ stomach twisted.
That didn’t sound like exhaustion.
That didn’t sound like a stressed-out mother imagining things.
That sounded like something was wrong.
Something real.
He wanted to tell her she was being paranoid. That it was all in her head.
But something about the way Clara was gripping the edge of the table, like she was afraid to let go
Made him believe her.
The room felt too still.
The house too quiet.
James inhaled through his nose, forcing his voice steady. "You need some sleep, Clara. Let me take Ivy for the day”
"No."
Her response was instant. Too sharp.
Her hands clamped down on the table, her eyes flashing with something that made James freeze.
Possessiveness.
Desperation.
Clara swallowed, shaking her head. "She stays with me."
James stared at her.
Slowly, carefully, he nodded.
"Okay," he murmured.
Clara exhaled, slumping back slightly.
Neither of them spoke.
The house hummed around them, the refrigerator buzzing low in the background, the ticking of the kitchen clock too loud.
How to Apply for the Career Changer Scholarship at The University of Law
The Career Changer Scholarship at The University of Law (ULaw) is designed to help people who are switching careers retrain in law. It can cover partial fees or, in some cases, full tuition. This guide explains step by step how to confirm eligibility, prepare your materials, complete the assessment, and maximize your chances of success.
What the Career Changer Scholarship Is
ULaw’s Career Changer Scholarship is aimed at applicants who are retraining for a legal career. Awards vary depending on the intake and competition level. The scholarship applies to eligible undergraduate and postgraduate conversion-style courses, including:
- PGDL
- MA Law (Conversion)
- SQE-related MA programmes
- LLMs
- Selected undergraduate law degrees
For full details, visit ULaw’s scholarships page: 👉 https://www.law.ac.uk/study/scholarships-bursaries/
Step 1: Confirm You Are Eligible
- You must already hold an offer to study an eligible ULaw course. Without an offer, you cannot access the scholarship form.
- You need to show why you are changing careers and how your previous experience provides transferable skills (e.g., negotiation, compliance, analysis, leadership).
- Some intakes have specific rules, so check the intake-specific scholarship details via your offer letter or the ULaw scholarships page.
Step 2: Note the Key Deadlines
Scholarship deadlines change each year, but here’s an example:
- January 2026 Intake → Application deadline: Sunday 16 November 2025. Notifications follow shortly after.
- September 2025 Intake → Already closed.
👉 Always check the official page for updated deadlines: https://www.law.ac.uk/study/scholarships-bursaries/
Step 3: Prepare Your Application Materials
A strong application usually includes:
- Personal Statement — why you are changing careers, your long-term goal, and why ULaw is the right fit.
- CV — highlight achievements and measurable outcomes from your past career (e.g., “managed a team of 10,” “cut contract turnaround time by 30%”).
- Examples of transferable skills — analytical thinking, leadership, communication, resilience.
- Supporting evidence — certificates, CPD records, or professional references.
Step 4: Complete the Online Assessment
Once you have an offer, ULaw provides the scholarship application link via your applicant portal or email. The process often involves:
- Clicking the link in your ULaw offer communication.
- Filling in an online form (including essay-style answers or situational questions).
- Uploading your supporting documents.
⚡ Tip: The assessment may include timed reasoning tasks. Practice short, evidence-based answers beforehand.
Step 5: Know What Selectors Are Looking For
Panels usually select candidates who show:
- A clear, credible reason for career change.
- Strong transferable skills with measurable outcomes.
- Commitment to the legal profession and realistic future plans.
- Potential to contribute to the ULaw community and the wider legal field.
Practical Tips to Boost Your Application
- Map past experience to law — turn non-legal achievements into legal-relevant examples (e.g., “project compliance” → “statutory interpretation”).
- Use numbers — quantify your impact (cost savings, teams led, deadlines achieved).
- Secure a referee — a professional reference adds credibility.
- Practice reasoning tasks — free online critical thinking practice can help.
- Apply early — full-fee awards are limited and highly competitive.
How Many Awards and What They Cover
- Full-fee awards — very limited, highly competitive.
- Partial-fee awards — more common, still competitive and merit-based.
Numbers change each cycle, so check ULaw’s official page for updates: 👉 https://www.law.ac.uk/study/scholarships-bursaries/
Useful Links and Resources
- The University of Law Scholarships & Bursaries (official): https://www.law.ac.uk/study/scholarships-bursaries/
- LawCareers.net – Articles on scholarships and career changers: https://www.lawcareers.net/
- Hotcourses – Scholarship listings and intake reminders: https://www.hotcourses.co.uk/
Final Checklist Before Submitting
- ✅ Do you hold an official ULaw offer?
- ✅ Is your personal statement clear, focused, and evidence-based?
- ✅ Have you included a CV and at least one referee?
- ✅ Did you confirm the deadline for your intake?
- ✅ Have you prepared for any timed assessments?
Bottom line: The Career Changer Scholarship at The University of Law is a valuable opportunity for professionals retraining in law. With careful preparation, clear evidence of your transferable skills, and attention to deadlines, you can significantly improve your chances of success.