To get into law at a UK university you need strong grades (typically A*AA to AAB at the most selective schools), no particular A-level subjects, and at Oxford, Cambridge, King's, LSE, UCL, Bristol and Durham a good LNAT score. A personal statement that shows how you think about legal questions matters more than work experience at a firm. Oxford and Cambridge also interview, and their applications closed at 18:00 on 15 October 2026; most other law courses close on 13 January 2027.
Law is one of the most applied-for subjects in the UK, and one of the easiest to misread. Applicants often worry about the wrong things (not having A-level Law, not having a placement at a top firm) and underestimate the right ones: the LNAT, and a personal statement that shows how they actually think.
What UK law schools look at
- Grades. Typical offers at the most selective universities range from A*AA to AAB.
- The LNAT, at the universities that use it.
- The personal statement, which for law is read closely for clarity of argument.
- Interviews, at Oxford and Cambridge, and occasionally elsewhere.
A-levels: any subjects, high grades
You do not need A-level Law, and you are not disadvantaged without it. Most law schools accept almost any academic combination. Subjects that build the skills law uses, close reading, argument and analysis, are a natural fit: History, English, Politics, Classics, languages, Maths, Economics.
What matters is the grade profile. If you are choosing A-levels now, see the best A-levels for university.
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Review my statement → From £7.49 · Results in under 10 minThe LNAT
The LNAT (National Admissions Test for Law) tests reading, reasoning and argument, not legal knowledge. It has a multiple-choice section on passages and an essay. For 2027 entry it is used by:
| University | Sit the LNAT by |
|---|---|
| Oxford, Cambridge | 15 October 2026 (register by 15 September) |
| King's College London, LSE, UCL | 31 December 2026 |
| Bristol, Durham | 13 January 2027 |
The LNAT is booked separately from UCAS, and universities use the score in different ways: some weight the essay heavily, others the multiple-choice score. The LNAT guide explains the format and how to prepare, and our admissions tests calendar has every date.
Work experience: helpful, not required
Law schools do not require work experience. If you have some, it is only as useful as what you learned from it. Good sources of real material:
- Sitting in the public gallery at a magistrates' or Crown Court
- Mock trial, debating or model UN
- Volunteering at a Citizens Advice or community advice centre
- Following a real case or a change in the law and forming a view on it
A week at a famous firm where you photocopied documents is weaker material than a court visit you can analyse.
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The personal statement for law
Law tutors read for argument. A strong law statement takes a legal question you have actually thought about, and shows you working through it: the competing principles, what you think, and why.
- Question 1 (why law): a specific legal problem or case that made you want to study it, not a general interest in justice.
- Question 2 (your studies): how essay subjects, sources or logic have prepared you to reason about law.
- Question 3 (outside education): court visits, debating, reading, volunteering, each reflected on.
Our law personal statement guide goes through each question.
Oxford and Cambridge
Both use the LNAT and both interview shortlisted applicants in December. Law interviews often hand you a short legal problem or extract and ask you to apply a principle to new facts. Preparation guides: Oxford and Cambridge. Their UCAS deadline was 18:00 on 15 October 2026.
From law degree to career
- Solicitors in England and Wales now qualify through the SQE (Solicitors Qualifying Exam) plus qualifying work experience. Any degree can lead there, but a law degree covers much of the knowledge.
- Barristers need a law degree (or a non-law degree plus a conversion course), then the Bar course and pupillage.
- Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own routes; if you want to practise there, choose a degree recognised in that jurisdiction.
Timeline for 2027 entry
| When | What |
|---|---|
| By 15 October 2026 | Oxford and Cambridge: UCAS application and LNAT |
| By 31 December 2026 | LNAT for King's, LSE and UCL |
| 18:00, 13 January 2027 | UCAS deadline for most law courses; LNAT for Bristol and Durham |
| December to spring | Interviews (Oxbridge in December) and decisions |
Every other date: UCAS deadlines for 2027 entry.
Check your law personal statement
Law tutors are trained readers of argument, which makes the statement unusually important. Score yours with Statementory: a score out of 100, notes on every line and a 10-step plan, back in 5 to 10 minutes.
Related guides
- Law personal statement guide
- The LNAT guide
- Admissions tests for 2027 entry
- How to choose your UCAS universities
Sources
- LNAT, Dates and deadlines
- University of Oxford, Admissions tests
- University of Cambridge, Admission assessments
- Solicitors Regulation Authority, Solicitors Qualifying Examination
Frequently asked questions
What A-levels do you need to study law?
No specific subjects. UK law schools do not require A-level Law, and some prefer essay-based or analytical subjects such as History, English, Politics, Maths or a language. What matters is the grades: typically A*AA to AAB at the most selective universities. Check each course page for any subjects it does not accept.
Which universities require the LNAT?
For 2027 entry the LNAT is used by Oxford, Cambridge, King's College London, LSE, UCL, Bristol and Durham. Deadlines differ: Oxford and Cambridge applicants had to sit it by 15 October 2026, King's, LSE and UCL by 31 December 2026, and Bristol and Durham by 13 January 2027.
Do I need work experience to study law?
No. Law schools do not require it. Experience can help if you reflect on what it taught you, and it does not have to be at a law firm: a court visit, a mock trial, debating, volunteering at an advice centre or reading about a case you care about can all give you something real to write about.
Do you need a law degree to become a solicitor?
No. Since 2021 solicitors in England and Wales qualify through the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), which any degree can lead to. Barristers still need either a law degree or a non-law degree plus a conversion course before the Bar course. A law degree remains the most direct route to both.
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