Choosing A-level subjects: what do universities want?

Dear Oracle

Do I have to study law at A level to become a lawyer?

The Oracle replies

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Surprising as it may seem, it’s not necessary to study A-level law to become a lawyer, and you definitely don’t need it to undertake a law degree at university or begin a solicitor apprenticeship.

If you’re planning to apply to the more competitive universities, it may be worth focusing on ‘facilitating subjects’ for your A-level choices. Facilitating subjects are a small group of A-level subjects that frequently appear in universities’ entry requirements for a range of degree subjects – including law. Choosing these subjects keeps your options open and enables you to choose from many different universities and degree courses.

The facilitating A-level subjects are:

• sciences – biology, chemistry, physics;

• maths and further maths;

• languages (modern and classical); and

• humanities – English literature, geography, history.

Studying any of the above subjects will enable you to learn vital core skills that can be used in a variety of different careers.

If you’re interested in becoming a lawyer, it’s a good idea to study at least one facilitating subject at A level. Some universities may specify A-level subjects they require (eg, English literature), while others look for a broad spread of subjects, so it’s worth checking for each university you’re interested in applying to.

There are also many other rigorous and respected subjects to choose from that don’t fall into the 'facilitating' category because not many university courses specifically require them. This gives you the flexibility to choose a subject such as religious studies/philosophy or music, if that’s one of your interests.

Don’t choose subjects just to impress admissions tutors. You’re likely to do much better in subjects that you enjoy and can talk passionately about in your personal statement or at interview.

Achieving good grades at A level is important if you want to become a lawyer. Law is an intellectually demanding career, so law firms and barristers’ chambers often have high minimum academic requirements for applicants. Aim for As and Bs. This also means that it’s far preferable to get As and Bs in three subjects than Bs and Cs in four, so don't give yourself too much to handle.

That said, with a growing focus on diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, many firms are adopting contextual recruitment to look beyond grades to assess academic potential and identify candidates they may otherwise miss.

If you have genuine mitigating circumstances, read this Oracle for advice on how to disclose them in training contract applications.

Don’t forget that if you don’t want to study law at university, you can still become a lawyer by studying another subject at undergraduate level and then taking the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (with relevant preparation course) after university. To become a barrister you can take a law conversion course after first studying a non-law degree. Find out more about converting to law with our Non-law hub, sponsored by Shoosmiths.

Finally, it's great that you’re thinking about your career at such an early stage. You've got a head start over some of the competition, so take full advantage – start now with your research into the profession and try to gain some work experience in law firms and/or sets of chambers. To help kick off your research, check out the ‘first steps’ checklist and the legal career paths, and read our Beginner’s Guide to a Career in Law.