What is the BPC?

Nov 14, 2024

Written By Maudie Powell-Tuck and Becky Kells

The Bar Practice Course (formerly the Bar Professional Training Course, BPTC) is a postgraduate qualification course that allows graduates to prepare for practise as barristers in England and Wales. The BPC is among one of the approved pathways to becoming a barrister. As the vocational component of Bar training, the purpose of the BPC is to equip you with the core skills of a barrister to begin a pupillage.

According to the Bar Standards Board (BSB), the change from BPTC to the Bar courses allows for more flexibility, accessibility and affordability in training to become a barrister. The other Bar courses are also known as Bar Training Course (BTC), Bar Vocational Course (BVC) and Bar Vocational Studies (BVS). During the BPC you will hone your skills in a variety of areas, such as advocacy, case preparation, conferencing, drafting, professional ethics and legal research.

As part of the course, you will also have to join one of the four Inns of Court 12 weeks prior to starting the course. You should apply to join an Inn of Court by 31 May of the year you intend to start a course. It is possible to join an Inn at an even earlier stage to get involved with its social events and use its facilities. During the BPC year, you are required to attend 10 qualifying sessions at your Inn in order to be called to the Bar.

What will I learn during the BPC?

There are the obvious things, such as advocacy skills and professional ethics and conduct, as well as knowledge areas and core skills that you’ll have to cover.

The required knowledge areas are civil litigation, criminal litigation and sentencing, and evidence. You’ll also be picking up core skills, such as conferencing, advocacy, drafting, legal research skills, opinion writing, fact management, and dispute resolution.

Who is eligible for the BPC?

By the time you embark on the BPC you will either need to hold a law degree, or have a non-law degree and have successfully completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL), otherwise known as the law conversion course.

You will also need to have a minimum of a 2.2 qualifying law degree, though some providers require a 2.1 qualifying law degree or higher. The barrister profession is extremely competitive; you will need top academics and a real drive and determination to succeed. The BPC is a very expensive course and pupillages are limited, so make sure that this is the right career for you.

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How is the BPC graded?

You will be assessed through various methods during your BPC, which includes oral and written assessments and the multiple choice questions exams.

There are three levels of grading on the BPC: Outstanding, Very Competent and Competent. These will be awarded based on your performance in the assessments. Do check with your course providers for a detailed guideline on how you are assessed and graded for each topic.

How much will the BPC cost?

The Bar Practice Course (BPC) will set you back between £12,000-£20,220. This does not include living costs. How you are going to fund the BPTC is definitely something you will need to think about. For Home students, if your course incorporates an LLM for a Masters qualification, you may be eligible for a postgraduate loan.

Where can I do the BPC?

The Bar Practice Course (BPC) is offered by several providers and universities including the University of Law, BPP University, Cardiff University and more. You can find details about various providers in our law school section.

How do I apply for the BPC?

All applications for Bar courses would need to be made directly to the course provider. Therefore, candidates should check the entry requirements for their preferred Bar courses and application deadlines prior to applying.

BPTC