When applying for Law at university there are a number of factors that you will need to take into consideration for your application.
Be it the different types of course available, grade expectations or Admission Tests we will go over all the information you need to know.
Types Of Undergraduate Law Degrees
Before even going into the entry requirements, you firstly need to know what you want to study as a Law undergraduate.
The two main options are a Law LLB and a BA Law degree. The former is a “qualifying Law degree” meaning you can go straight into qualifying to be a solicitor or barrister. It is important to note that Oxford and Cambridge Law students will end up with a BA but it is a qualifying degree, and is referred as such for historical reasons.
For anyone who has studied a non-qualifying degree, you will have to take a Law conversion course before you are able to follow the paths to being a solicitor or barrister.
At this stage, make sure to understand the different courses’ content before you go on to make your decision, as it will have an impact on how many years you will have to study and the cost as well.
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Law Entry Requirements
A-Level entry requirements to study Law at university typically range from BCC to A*AA. The vast majority of applicants will receive an offer of ABB.
This results in a UCAS tariff ranging from 104 – 152. Here is a helpful article if you would like to learn more about UCAS points.
Interestingly, there are no A-Level subject requirements. It is also not a requirement have studied Law at A-Level.
This is particularly beneficial if you are uncertain of the path you wish to pursue as you are limiting your options.
Certain A-Level choices can help you prepare for your Law degree, with A-Level English one such subject. Both Oxford and Cambridge strongly recommend taking A-Level English, as an essay-based subject can be helpful for Law.
There are subjects which are typically seen as helpful to those wishing to study Law.
If you wish to spend a year abroad as part of your degree, it is usually required to have the associated language. This is usually the only time there will be an A-Level subject required.
| Recommended | Facilitating |
|---|---|
| English | Geography |
| History | Religious Studies |
| Politics | Music |
| Languages | Philosophy |
| Maths | Economics |
| Science | Law |
Facilitating subjects will neither be advantageous nor disadvantageous to you, as long as you achieve high grades in them and can explain why the skills developed by studying them will be beneficial to a Law degree.
At Oxford and Cambridge the most popular subjects taken by applicants are Mathematics, History and English Literature. Other subjects such as Politics, French, Religious Studies and Psychology are also very popular.
The most valuable subject combinations are:
- English Literature, History, Politics
- English Literature, History, Religious Studies
- English Literature, French, History
- English Literature, History, Psychology
- English Literature, Politics, Mathematics
In addition, you will need five GCSEs – at 7-4 grades (A-C in the old grading system) – in English, Maths and Science which are compulsory subjects in the first place.
If you would like to
Law Admission Test
The Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT) helps you understand if Law is the right career path for you, and it helps universities assess whether you will be able to succeed on a Law course.
The universities use the LNAT in different ways but it is mainly used to help inform their decisions between applicants.
Not all universities require you to sit the LNAT, the ones that do are:
- University of Bristol
- University of Cambridge
- Durham
- University of Glasgow
- King's College London
- London School of Economics
- University of Nottingham
- University of Oxford
- SOAS
- University College London
Given the competitive nature of the Admissions Test, early preparation is essential in being able to achieve the marks that are required.
Conclusion
Deciding to study Law at university is a big decision to take, and knowing what you need to do to meet the requirements is essential.
From deciding whether to do a qualifying degree or not or whether you need to sit the LNAT are key decisions that you will have to take.
By there being no subject requirements to study Law it gives you the opportunity to keep your A-Level subject choices and means you are not limited in what you can apply for. It even means when it comes to applying for university you can even change your mind if you realise Law is not the path you wish to take.
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