UK law schools

Nov 14, 2024

Written By Jos Weale, Managing Editor, All About Law

UK law schools offer their fair share of undergraduate and postgraduate courses, from LLBs and LLMs, to the GDL (law conversion course for those with non-law degrees), PGDL (the new law conversion course replacing the GDL), LPC (previous qualification route for aspiring solicitors), SQE (replacing the LPC gradually) and Bar training courses (for those who wish to become a barrister in England or Wales).

Starting from 2021, the PGDL is gradually replacing the GDL as the law conversion course, with the SQE replacing the LPC as the qualification route for solicitors.

The courses they run will prepare students to work in the law system in England and Wales only. If you’d like more information on how to convert to UK law if you already have qualifications from another country, you can check out our QLTS section.

The vast majority of universities in the UK will have a law department or School of Law. You’ll be able to find a long list of the universities that offer undergraduate law degrees via the UCAS website.

There are also a handful of specialist legal training providers that don’t form part of a larger university network. They are:

The University of Law (formally the College of Law)
BPP Law School
Kaplan Law School
National College of Legal Training (NCLT)
CILEx (Note: CILEx provides training for aspiring paralegals and legal executives, NOT those wishing to become solicitors and barristers straight away.)

In order to provide a qualifying law course, UK Law Schools must have their programmes approved by either the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) (for the GDL, PGDL, LPC and SQE) or the Bar Standards Board (for the Bar training courses). These organisations are the official regulatory bodies for the solicitor and barrister professions. Courses must meet their specific requirements in the content covered and assessed.

SRA accredited GDL/PGDL providers

The SRA lists law conversion course providers in England and Wales on their website. Click here to head to the list!

SRA accredited LPC providers

Here is a list of all the UK law schools currently running accredited courses for the penultimate stage of solicitor training:

Anglia Ruskin University
Birmingham City University
Bournemouth University
BPP Law School (Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester)
Cardiff Law School
City Law School
De Montfort University
Leeds Beckett University
Liverpool John Moores University
London Metropolitan University
Manchester Metropolitan University
Northumbria University
Nottingham at Kaplan Law School, London
Nottingham Trent University
Staffordshire University
Swansea University
The University of Law (Birmingham, Bristol, Chester, Guildford, Leeds, London, Manchester, York)
University of Central Lancashire
University of Derby
University of Hertfordshire
University of Huddersfield
University of Lincoln
University of Sheffield
University of South Wales
University of Sunderland
University of the West of England, Bristol
University of West London
University of Westminster
University of Wolverhampton

SQE Training Providers List

The SRA has published a list of organisations providing SQE education, tutoring or training services on their website here. As the SRA does not accredit these organisations, candidates should review the providers carefully to choose the best SQE training provider for them. Here is the SRA's advice on how to choose an SQE training provider.

Bar Standards Board validated Bar training courses providers

BPP University- Barrister Training Course, BTC (Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, London, Manchester)
The University of Law, Bar Practice Course, BPC (Birmingham, Leeds, London)
City Law School- Bar Vocational Studies (BVS)
Manchester Metropolitan University- Bar Training Course (BTC)
Nottingham Trent University- Barristers Training Course (BTC)
Northumbria University- Bar Course
The University of Hertfordshire- Bar Practice Course (BPC)
University of West England, Bristol- Bar Training Course (BTC)
Cardiff Law School- Bar Training Course (BTC)
The Inns of Court College of Advocacy- ICCA Bar Course

The lists can look a bit daunting at first, but slow and steady finds the right course. Just take time doing your research on each provider, visit each website, look at course rankings, see what they have to offer international students and make a short list of the places find out more about.

UK Universities