Where to study your law conversion course
updated on 26 March 2025
Use the sub menu above to find out more about who is eligible, what you learn, where to study and more!
Find out which institutions offer law conversion courses by using our Course search.
As a conversion course, the PGDL is only the first steppingstone on the way to becoming a lawyer for non-law graduates. The overriding criteria for choosing where to study the PGDL should therefore be the quality of the tuition and the subsequent impact on the likelihood of getting a place on an SQE prep course or Bar course. Some institutions may even guarantee a place on the subsequent course if you pass the PGDL.
Find out as much information as possible about the various institutions before applying. You should try to find out about not only the academic programme, but also any links with the profession, the level of individual career guidance, the facilities available and any relevant extracurricular activities.
It’d also be helpful to get an idea of the institution's reputation among both students and the profession.
If you don’t meet the SRA’s transitional arrangements, much of the same advice applies when considering which provider to choose for your SQE preparation courses. You should consider cost, location, content and study options.
It’s also worth noting that if you’ve secured a training contract at a law firm, many have a preferred education provider that they exclusively use and so this decision may be made for you.
LawCareers.Net’s guide to SQE preparation courses is a good starting point at this stage. You can also use the courses search tool to filter education providers based on course (eg, SQE or Bar course) and location.
