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Admissions Guidance
We are really pleased you are considering applying to study at the College. On this page you can find out about:
- How to apply for a programme or module at the College
- The deadlines for applying and timelines for processing applications
- Entry criteria to study at the College
- FAQs and general admissions guidance
How To Apply
You can apply to study at the College by completing an online application form. The application forms can be found HERE.
If you need to check course dates, you can view them HERE. Please be aware of application deadlines.
Typically, applications are processed within two weeks, although normally more quickly than this. Please be aware that during very busy periods, it may take us slightly longer to process your application, so we always encourage you to submit your application form as soon as you’re able.
Application Process
Entry Requirements
Please select the relevant module or programme from the list below to view the entry criteria and advice on non-standard applications.
Please note that Undergraduate degrees are considered to be FHEQ Level 6 and above.
Graduate Diploma in Law
You can read about this programme HERE. Please note that we may recommend to some applicants on other programme and modules that they undertake the GDL before further study.
| UK Law Graduates | UK Non-Law Graduates | International Graduates | Additional English Language Requirements (if English is not first language) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK undergraduate degree (any subject) with minimum 2:2 classification, or equivalent OR 3 A-Levels (or equivalent qualification) at minimum Grade C, alongside at least two years of work experience in legal services (for example, as a paralegal) | UK undergraduate degree (any subject) with minimum 2:2 classification, or equivalent OR 3 A-Levels (or equivalent qualification) at minimum Grade C, alongside at least two years of work experience in legal services (for example, as a paralegal) | Undergraduate degree (any subject) equivalent to a UK 2:2 (with honours) degree classification. N.B. We will check the equivalency of each international degree qualification using a comparator tool | IELTS qualification at level 6.5 overall (with a minimum of level 6 in each component - writing, listening, speaking, reading), or equivalent |
Solicitors Legal Knowledge
You can read about this module HERE.
Please note that this is our SQE1 preparation course.
| UK Law Graduates | UK Non-Law Graduates | International Graduates | Additional English Language Requirements (if English is not first language) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK undergraduate degree (any subject) with minimum 2:2 classification, or equivalent OR Equivalent qualification or legal work experience | UK undergraduate degree (any subject) with minimum 2:2 classification, or equivalent OR Equivalent qualification or legal work experience N.B. It is likely that if you are applying without a UK Law Degree, we will recommend you undertake the Graduate Diploma in Law. | Undergraduate degree (any subject) equivalent to a UK 2:2 (with honours) degree classification. N.B. We will check the equivalency of each international degree qualification using a comparator tool N.B. It is likely that if you are applying without a UK Law Degree, we will recommend you undertake the Graduate Diploma in Law. | IELTS qualification at level 6.5 overall (with a minimum of level 6 in each component - writing, listening, speaking, reading), or equivalent |
Solicitors Legal Skills
You can read about this module HERE.
Please note that this is our SQE2 preparation course. Please note, we recommend students only apply for our SQE2 preparation module if they have either: - Passed an SQE1 assessment - Have been granted an exemption from SQE1 by the SRA [INSERT LINK TO SRA EXEMP PAGE]
This is on the basis that SRA regulation state that you must pass SQE1 prior to booking SQE2, unless you hold an exemption from sitting SQE1, such as the LPC.
| UK Law Graduates | UK Non-Law Graduates | International Graduates | Additional English Language Requirements (if English is not first language) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK undergraduate degree (any subject) with minimum 2:2 classification, or equivalent OR Equivalent qualification or legal work experience | UK undergraduate degree (any subject) with minimum 2:2 classification, or equivalent OR Equivalent qualification or legal work experience | Undergraduate degree (any subject) equivalent to a UK 2:2 (with honours) degree classification. N.B. We will check the equivalency of each international degree qualification using a comparator tool | IELTS qualification at level 6.5 overall (with a minimum of level 6 in each component - writing, listening, speaking, reading), or equivalent |
LLM in Legal Practice
You can read about this programme HERE.
| UK Law Graduates | UK Non-Law Graduates | International Graduates | Additional English Language Requirements (if English is not first language) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK undergraduate degree (any subject) with minimum 2:2 classification, or equivalent OR Equivalent qualification or legal work experience | UK undergraduate degree (any subject) with minimum 2:2 classification, or equivalent OR Equivalent qualification or legal work experience N.B. It is likely that if you are applying without a UK Law Degree, we will recommend you undertake the Graduate Diploma in Law. | Undergraduate degree (any subject) equivalent to a UK 2:2 (with honours) degree classification. N.B. We will check the equivalency of each international degree qualification using a comparator tool N.B. It is likely that if you are applying without a UK Law Degree, we will recommend you undertake the Graduate Diploma in Law. | IELTS qualification at level 6.5 overall (with a minimum of level 6 in each component - writing, listening, speaking, reading), or equivalent |
CONDITIONAL OFFERS
We appreciate that some applicants will be submitting their application to study at the College prior to receiving their final degree classification. We encourage applicants to go ahead and submit their application, however, if you do not yet know your final degree outcome, we will issue you with a conditional offer. The condition will typically be that your final classification must be in line with our standard entry requirements, outlined above. Prior to commencing study, we will contact you to obtain evidence of your degree outcome[SM.
ACCREDITATION OF PRIOR LEARNING
At the College, if you wish to apply to have your prior learning or prior experience recognised as academic credit towards the requirements of the LLM in Legal Practice, you must go through our Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) process.
There are two types of prior learning which can form an APL application:
- Accreditation of Prior Certificated Learning (APCL) - this is an application to have previous study at another university recognised as equivalent to part of your College programme of study.
- Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning (APEL) - this is an application to have prior experiences outside of formal education, such as employment, recognised as equivalent to part of your programme of study.
The regulations around APL (for example, the maximum credits which can be accredited) are outlined in detail within our Academic Regulatory Framework (A3).
Which programmes is APL available for?
APL is available for the LLM programme (and associated awards, such as the Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate).
APL is not available for the GDL or for any modules taken for standalone credit (i.e. SLK and SLS).
Examples of APL
- A student who has previously completed an LPC and has an SQE1 exemption may apply for a Solicitors Legal Knowledge exemption on their LLM.
- A overseas qualified lawyer who has been granted an SQE2 exemption may apply for an Solicitors Legal Skills exemption on the LLM.
Each APL application is considered on a case-by-case basis by the Academic Team and the Student Services Team.
Process for applying for APL
A prospective student or an enrolled student can submit an APL application. Given that this can take some time to process, we encourage completion and submission of the APL application as soon as possible. If you have not yet applied to study at the College, you will be able to indicate in your application form whether you wish to apply for APL (and upload relevant documentation).
To apply, the Accreditation of Prior Learning Form [link form] should be completed in full (whether the individual is applying for APCL or APEL will determine what section of the form should be completed).
Once the form is completed and supporting documentation has been provided, the Student Services Manager will liaise with the Head of Curriculum to make a decision on whether the application is approved. Each application is considered individually.
The decision is based on academic judgement and is a final decision.
The Student Services Team will communicate the outcome and update the student’s enrolment.
What happens when someone is approved for APL?
When a student has been approved for APL, they will effectively bypass the relevant module on the LLM programme. They are not required to study the module or do the assessment to obtain the credits for the module.
What are the financial implications?
There is no cost to submit an APL application or have this considered by the College.
It is important to note that if you are funding your LLM through a Masters Loan, you can’t claim APL. If you do and this is approved, the College will notify the Student Loans Company who may stop further funding to you. This is because one of the conditions of eligibility for a Masters Loan is that you cannot bring prior learning with you.
Typically, if your APL application is approved and you bypass a module entirely, the price of the LLM will be reduced by the cost of that module. However, if you have engaged with teaching on this module, you may be charged reasonable costs associated with delivery. The Student Services Team will be able to advise you on this.
PROGRAMME UPGRADE
Many students take College modules for standalone academic credit. This may be for personal development or as part of a defined learning pathway through their employer. These modules may be eligible to count towards a College award of an LLM in Legal Practice using advanced standing.
You can apply to join an LLM in Legal Practice with advanced standing if:
- Your modules were completed within the last two calendar years;
- Your modules achieved the minimum module pass mark;
- The modules you completed are part of the approved curriculum for the LLM in Legal Practice.
If you want to apply for a programme upgrade, you must join an existing LLM in Legal Practice pathway to take the remaining modules for your award. We cannot offer a bespoke delivery pattern for individual students.
To apply for a programme upgrade, you will need to contact Student Services and confirm which programme intake you want to join[S.
General Guidance and FAQs
UK Degrees and Classification
Can I apply with a third-class degree?
We are very passionate about widening access to the legal profession and, as such, will still consider applications from those who have achieved third-class degree classifications. However, if you are applying with a third-class degree, you should be prepared to submit a short statement summarising any mitigating circumstances, as part of your application. The purpose of this statement is to provide you with an opportunity to be as open as possible about any relevant academic history and any career aspirations. We encourage you to be as detailed as possible within this statement; if we don’t feel we have gained enough insight from your statement, it’s possible we’ll be in touch to ask you to attend an interview.
Please also note that, as standard, we require those with third-class degrees to consider studying part-time, which we have found is much more manageable for our students[S
We also encourage any applicant with a third-class degree to view the SRA’s data on SQE performance, by degree classification. This can help you to make an informed decision about your study. [LINK TO DATA]
I do not have a degree. How do I know if my qualifications as regarded as equivalent?
A UK qualification can be considered equivalent to an undergraduate degree if it is similar in length and credits to an undergraduate degree, and it is any of the following:
- An accredited qualification at level 6 (or above) of the FHEQ, awarded by a recognised degree- awarding body
- A regulated qualification at level 6 (or above) of the RQF (England, Wales, and Northern Ireland)
- An apprenticeship at level 6 or above, approved by the government departments of England, Wales, or Northern Ireland
- A qualification or apprenticeship at level 9 or above of the SCQF, accredited by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA)
If your qualification is not based on the Law of England and Wales, you are strongly recommended to first complete our GDL.
We always encourage applicants with non-standard qualifications to check that they meet the SRA’s requirements for qualification using the SQE pathway.
I have not got a degree but I have legal work experience. Can I apply?
Our standard entry requirements specify that an undergraduate degree or equivalent is required. We know that the SQE route to qualifying as a solicitor in England and Wales means that you do not need a degree and can apply to the SRA for equivalency based on your work experience.
This means that if you are applying to study at the College based on work experience or alternative qualifications, we will require you to first apply to the SRA for equivalency [INSERT LINK].
The SRA will consider, on a case-by-case basis, whether your qualifications or experience and equivalent to an undergraduate degree. If the SRA grant equivalency, we will offer you a place to study at the College.
If you do not first gain equivalence from the SRA, you run the risk of enrolling on a preparation module and then not being permitted to sit the SQE assessments.
Is there a time limit from when I completed my degree?
No, we do not apply any time limits but would recommend that you consider our Graduate Diploma in Law if you feel that you’d benefit from a refresher in foundations of law subjects.
I did not do an undergraduate law degree, however, I do have an LLM award. Do I meet your entry requirements?
You will technically meet our entry requirements if you have achieved a 2:2 or above at undergraduate level. However, we continue to recommend that any applicant who has not studied the foundation legal subjects previously, considers undertaking our Graduate Diploma in Law before. The subjects are:
- Criminal Law
- Contract
- Tort
- Trusts
- Property
- Public
- EU Law
- English Legal System
I have not studied law at undergraduate level, but have done a Graduate Diploma in Law or conversion course. Do I meet the entry requirements?
Yes. If you have obtained a GDL in the UK, you will meet our admissions criteria for the LLM in Legal Practice and our SQE preparation modules.
International Applicants
Can I apply with a non-UK degree?
Yes, you can. We will recognise non-UK qualifications which can be considered equivalent to a UK undergraduate degree. We use UK ENIC to check comparability of qualifications, including classification equivalence.
If I am applying with a non-UK degree, do I require a Statement of Comparability?
A Statement of Comparability is a certificate that shows how international qualifications compare to the UK education systems. The UK's education systems include England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Statement gives international qualifications context when applying for jobs, studies or professional registration in the UK.
A Statement of Comparability is not part of our formal entry criteria and each application from an international applicant will be considered using an International Grade Comparator tool.
However, if you wish, you can obtain your own Statement of Comparability through ENIC. Please note that there is a cost attached to obtaining this certificate. It is likely to speed up your application processing time if you have supplied this with your application form.
In some circumstances, for complex applications, it is possible that we will request that your obtain a Statement of Comparability.
I have a law degree, but it is from another jurisdiction. Can I apply?
If you have a law degree but this is not based on the Law in England and Wales, we strongly recommend that you first complete a foundation in law programme for non-law graduates, such as our Graduate Diploma in Law, before taking our SQE preparation modules or our LLM. This recommendation will be made for applicants, even if they have legal work experience.
I am a qualified lawyer outside of England and Wales. Can I apply?
If you are a lawyer who is qualified in another jurisdiction, we ask you to consider doing the Graduate Diploma in Law programme prior to starting your SQE preparation, so that you are confident in the foundations of the English and Welsh legal system.
Please be aware that qualified lawyers from other jurisdictions (even other Common Law jurisdictions) who wish to start SQE preparation without completing the Graduate Diploma in Law may be encouraged to undertake study on a part-time basis.
How do I know if I am exempt from SQE1 or SQE2?
You must determine this directly with the SRA. You can find out more about this here [insert link]. If the SRA have confirmed you are exempt from SQE1 or SQE2, you will not be required to undertake this preparation module. However, please note, if you are doing this as part of our LLM programme, you will be required to go through the formal APL process (see guidance above).
English is not my first language. Can I apply?
We require you to be sufficiently fluent in spoken and written English. If English Is not your first language, you must have:
- IELTS at level 6.5 overall with a minimum of 6 in each component (or equivalent); or
- a qualification which is equivalent to a UK degree which was taught in English and obtained within the last two years.
You will be able to upload evidence of the above within the application form.
Please contact us if you feel you should be exempt from this requirement; individual circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
I live outside of the UK. Can I study at the College?
Yes, we welcome applications from international students provided that entry requirements are met. All teaching takes place online; the College does not have a physical campus in the UK. As such, this means you can study from anywhere in the world, but we do advise you to be aware that live teaching will take place during UK working hours. Please note that enrolling at the College does not make you eligible for a UK Student Visa and the College does not provide sponsorship for Student Visas.
SQE Preparation
I completed my SQE1 preparation with another provider. Can I apply to study for SQE2 preparation with you?
Yes, you do not need to have completed your SQE1 preparation at the College to enrol on our SQE2 preparation module.
Do I need to pass SQE1 before I start SQE2 preparation with you?
Yes, we strongly recommend that you only start your SQE2 preparation when you know you have passed SQE1. In some cases, we know that these timelines can be difficult to manage and as such, if you are close to receiving your SQE1 results and wish to start SQE2 preparation, we may permit this, but cannot facilitate late transfers if you subsequently find out you have failed.
I have previously completed an LPC. Do I need to do SQE1 and SQE2 preparation?
If you have already completed an LPC, you should apply for an exemption from SQE1 via the SRA [INSERT LINK ON EXEMPTIONS]. This will enable you to bypass the SQE1 assessment. On this basis, if you have an exemption from SQE1, you do not need to complete our Solicitors Legal Knowledge module and can instead progress to SQE2 preparation immediately.
Applying to the Bar
I’d like to study the GDL in order to go on to do a Bar Training Course. Is this possible?
Please note that the College offers SQE preparation but not Bar preparation. However, our Graduate Diploma in Law will give you the foundation of law that you need to take a Bar Training Course. The College's GDL covers the seven foundation areas of law specified by both the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and the Solicitor Regulation Authority (SRA).
The Bar Standards Board have confirmed directly to the College that our GDL meets these standards required for a law conversion course as part of the qualification pathway to become a barrister.
The College's GDL combines the seven areas of law specified by the BSB and SRA into its modules and will specify that they are covered on your GDL transcript.
Please note, whilst the BSB have confirmed that our GDL meets their criteria, each Bar Practice Provider has specific entry criteria for their Bar Training courses, so please check with them directly that our GDL Programme meets their admissions criteria.
Returning Study at the College
I have completed my SQE1 or SQE2 preparation module and my access on Canvas has now expired. Can I apply to re-do this module?
No, you will not be able to repeat the module, as a result of regulation XXX within the Academic Regulatory Framework. However, you can purchase access for 12 months to our re-sit courses. If you wish to do this, you should contact the Student Services Team who can advise on process and cost.
I previously completed a standalone SQE preparation module at the College. I would now like to join the LLM programme. Is this possible?
You can use our Programme Upgrade process to join an LLM programme if you have previously studied Solicitors Legal Knowledge or Solicitors Legal Skills. Please see above for full guidance on this process.
Please note that you will not be able to re-do the modules you have previously completed as part of the LLM.