Choosing A-level subjects: what do universities want?

Dear Oracle

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

The Oracle replies

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You don’t need to study A-level law to become a lawyer, and you definitely don’t need it to undertake a law degree at university or to 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.

Are there recommended subjects?

The facilitating A-level subjects are:

• sciences – biology, chemistry and physics;
• maths and further maths;
• languages (modern and classical); and
• humanities – English literature, geography and history.

Studying any of the above subjects will help you to learn core skills that can be useful in your legal studies and future legal career.

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. As such, it’s worth checking the entry requirements for the universities and courses 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.

How important are A-level grades?

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.

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.

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

If you have genuine mitigating circumstances, learn how to include extenuating circumstances in training contract and vacation scheme applications. Plus, find out about upReach and contextual recruitment in this LCN Says as Fara Asra debunks the myths associated with it.  

What’s the route to a legal career without studying law?

Don’t forget that if you don’t want to study law at university, you can still become a lawyer.  

Solicitor

Non-law degree

After studying a non-law subject at undergraduate level, you’ll then need to complete a law conversion course and/or preparation course for the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) before passing the SQE assessments. Although neither a conversion or preparation course are compulsory before attempting the assessments, they’re very much recommended to ensure you have the skills and knowledge required to pass the assessments. Plus, many law firms will require their future trainees to complete a law conversion course before starting SQE prep and the practical training.

Find out more about becoming a solicitor via the Solicitors hub and career path section.

Apprenticeship

Legal apprenticeships have become increasingly popular over the past few years. They offer an alternative route into the legal profession, without the cost of going to university and you can still pursue a career as a solicitor.

Find out more about the various apprenticeships on offer, the entry requirements and duration via The Law Apprenticeship Guide.

Barrister

If you’re a non-law graduate wanting to become a barrister, you must take a law conversion course before completing the Bar course and passing the assessments.

Find out more about becoming a barrister via the Barristers hub and career path section.

Keep an eye on LawCareers.Net’s News section for updates to apprenticeships at the Bar.

You can also find out more about converting to law with our Non-law hub, sponsored by BARBRI.

What’s next?

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