For students and parents · Summer of Year 12 to January of Year 13
Applying to study law
Law degrees are applied for through UCAS like any other course, but several universities, including Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL and King’s College London, also ask for the LNAT, a test of reading and reasoning that does not test knowledge of law. Its deadline depends on the university, and for Oxford and Cambridge the test has to be sat by mid October, alongside their 15 October application deadline.
Which universities use the LNAT?
For the current round the LNAT’s own list is Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Glasgow, King’s College London, LSE, Oxford, SOAS and UCL, and a few universities outside the UK accept it too. The list can change from year to year, so check it on the LNAT site before registering.
Every other university decides on the UCAS application alone: the grades, the reference and the personal statement.
What is in the LNAT?
Section A is multiple-choice questions on a set of reading passages, marked out of 42, and Section B is an essay on one of three titles. It is sat on a computer at a Pearson VUE test centre, and it does not test any knowledge of law: it is about reading an argument closely, seeing what follows from it, and writing a clear argument of your own.
Reading opinion pieces and long-form journalism and asking what each one assumes and whether it holds together is good preparation, and so is writing a few timed essays and having somebody read them.
When do you sit it?
For 2027 entry, registration opened on 1 August 2026 and testing on 1 September. Each university sets its own deadline for sitting it, so the one that matters is the earliest among the universities you apply to.
| Universities | Sit the LNAT by |
|---|---|
| Oxford and Cambridge (register and book by 15 September 2026) | 15 October 2026 |
| King’s College London, LSE and UCL | 31 December 2026 |
| Bristol and Durham (register by the same day) | 13 January 2027 |
| The other universities (register by 20 January 2027) | 25 January 2027 |
What else counts: A levels, the statement and interviews
Most law courses do not ask for particular A level subjects, but entry requirements are set course by course, so check each one. The personal statement is where reading, debating, a relevant EPQ or time spent seeing how the law works in practice can go, with what you took from each.
Oxford and Cambridge interview law applicants, and the interviews usually involve reading something unfamiliar, such as a short passage or a problem, and reasoning about it with the interviewers. The Oxford and Cambridge interview guide describes what to expect.
Where to check
- LNAT: do I need to sit the test?
- LNAT: dates and deadlines
- LNAT: what is the LNAT?
- University of Cambridge: admission assessments
- UCAS
Checked against these on . The rules change from year to year, so the pages above are the ones to trust if anything here disagrees with them.
Common questions
Do I need the LNAT to study law?
Only for the universities that use it: for the current round, Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Glasgow, King’s College London, LSE, Oxford, SOAS and UCL. Everywhere else decides from the UCAS application.
Does the LNAT test knowledge of law?
No. It tests reading and reasoning, with multiple-choice questions on passages and an essay, so no legal knowledge is needed.
When is the LNAT deadline for Oxford and Cambridge?
For 2027 entry, register and book by 15 September 2026 and sit the test by 15 October 2026.
What A levels do you need for law?
Most law courses do not require particular subjects, but each course sets its own entry requirements, so check the course pages of the universities you are considering.
Can I apply for law at both Oxford and Cambridge?
No. A school leaver can apply to only one of Oxford and Cambridge in the same year.