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Admissions Information

This page gives details of the requirements for admission to undergraduate law programmes (LLB degrees) at Lancaster, and tells you how to go about applying. There is also an FAQ section at the bottom of the page.

Undergraduate (LLB) Admissions

All applications, without exception, for undergraduate programmes must be made through UCAS, the applications clearing house. You can apply online at the UCAS website. Evidence of recent academic study and attainment is required for admission to Lancaster. Our typical (but by no means invariable) offers are as follows:

• LLB Single Honours in Law (M100): A Levels at AAA; IB at 36 including 16 at Higher Level; Cambridge Pre-U at D3/M1.
• LLB Single Honours in Law (International)(M101): A Levels at AAA; IB at 36 including 16 at Higher Level; Cambridge Pre-U at D3/M1.
• LLB Single Honours in European Legal Studies (M120): A Levels at AAA; IB at 36 including 16 at Higher Level. One A Level must be in Spanish, French, German or Italian; Cambridge Pre-U at D3/M1 (including one of the above languages).
• LLB Joint Honours in Law & Criminology (MM12): A Levels at AAA; IB at 34 including 16 at Higher Level; Cambridge Pre-U at M1.

For information about the acceptability of other qualifications, see below under Other Qualifications. For information about the acceptability of specific A Level and IB subjects, see below in Frequently Asked Questions - Do I need to study specific subjects at A Level?, Do you accept General Studies? and What is your position on A Level Law?

If you are about to enter sixth-form or college, and are looking for guidance on the best subjects to choose with a view to reading Law at university, there is advice below in Frequently Asked Questions - What are the best subjects to study if I want to read Law?

Applicants from countries where the usual language of instruction is not English will also require an English language qualification. See below under Other Qualifications.

Other Qualifications

We accept a range of alternative qualifications, including Scottish Highers, International A Levels, the European Baccalaureate, and national qualifications from around the world. Please email the admissions team for advice on acceptable alternative qualifications.

BTEC - DDD

English Language qualifications will be required from overseas applicants coming from countries where the normal language of instruction is a language other than English. The following are acceptable: IGCSE at grade C; O Level at grade C; A Level; Cambridge Proficiency at grade C; Cambridge Advanced at grade B; IELTS at 6.5 ; or TOEFL 93 (internet based).

Interviews

Normally, offers are made on the basis of the information in your UCAS form. However, sometimes we need to interview potential students to make sure they are right for us and we are right for them.

Typical reasons for inviting an applicant to interview include where the applicant:

• is studying only science/maths A Levels - we will want to be sure that the applicant will be able to adapt to the different type of analytical thinking involved in Law, cope with the large amount of reading, and has the necessary discursive skills for essay-writing;
• is appropriately qualified, but there has been a gap of several years since his or her last experience of formal study;
• has not made clear his or her reasons for wishing to read Law.

These reasons are not an exhaustive list, but cover most cases. If required for interview we will contact you and invite you for a specific date and time.

Fees and Funding

Please visit the university undergraduate pages for full information about tuition fees, as well as Lancaster's system of bursaries and scholarships. Please note that tuition fees do not cover accommodation or other living expenses. Find out more about accommodation at Lancaster.

Frequently Asked Questions

My predicted grades at A Level are below your standard offer - is there any point in my applying?

Answer: It depends how far below. Almost every university Law department accepts a number of students every year who do not quite meet the offer level. How far they will "dip" depends on a number of variables, but basically comes down to the number of applicants that year, which cannot be known until all applications are in, long after we start making offers, and the number who meet the offer grade in August. This obviously varies from year to year. The standard offer is set at a level that ensures that we do not exceed the number of students on the course . We will generally make offers (provided that all other factors on the UCAS form are acceptable to us) to students predicted a grade below our requirements in each A Level subject studied. Many students will in fact improve a little, sometimes enough to get over the grade boundary, compared with their predicted grades. Also, the difference between AAA and BBB may be just a few marks in each A Level.

When the A-level results are known in August, and if we have not filled all our places with students that have achieved their required grades, we will look to those applicants that had made Lancaster their Firm choice, but just slightly missed our offer. Students that have made Lancaster their Firm choice are those most committed to Lancaster and most likely to be happy here.

Do I need to study specific subjects at A Level?

Answer: At Lancaster we accept any A-level as a basis for the application. This includes General Studies if it is studied alongside 3 other A levels or equivalent.

Do you accept General Studies?

Answer: Yes - a high grade in General Studies is evidence of a flexible mind, a wide range of interests, and a willingness to engage with material outside a student's normal area of study. We will count General Studies A Level as one of your best three grades, but only if it is one of four A Levels taken in total.

What is your position on A Level Law?

Answer: We accept A-level Law on par with other A levels.

Must I take LNAT?

Answer: Lancaster is satisfied that careful consideration of UCAS forms, a discerning approach to subjects being offered at A level, and interviewing where appropriate, offer the most reliable way of selecting its law students. There is therefore no need to take the LNAT if you apply to Lancaster.

What are the best subjects to study if I want to read Law?

Answer: Although you might think of Law as "vocational", because it relates to professional activity and a Law degree qualifies you to proceed to the next stage of legal training, the study of law at University is done through an academic approach, and we are looking for students with high academic abilities. If you are in England and Wales, looking to go into sixth-form or college next year, and think you would like to study Law at university, you should choose A Levels, International Baccalaureate, A Level equivalent programme, or Cambridge Pre-U. Having chosen those schemes of study, you need to pick your specialist subjects. Law is analytical, so a choice that demands analytical skills is a good idea (Maths and Languages are good examples, but many other subjects require analytical skills, too). Law requires an awareness of society as it is now (think Economics, Politics, Religious Studies) and how we got here (think History), and how different societies might be organized (think human Geography, Anthropology,). it also requires the ability to read a lot of literature and analyse it (think English Literature) too, and you will have to write a lot (so it's best to avoid doing only maths/science subjects).

What about vocational qualifications?

Answer: Bear in mind that law at university is not a vocational qualification, it is an academic discipline and a very demanding one at that. The fact that you chose to pursue vocational rather than academic qualifications may mean that your talents lie in different directions than the academic, and it also means that we have little indication of your academic ability. Consequently, it is not usual for us to offer places on law programmes to those offering wholly or mainly vocational qualifications.

What is an unconditional offer and can I get one?

Answer: Unconditional offers are made to applicants we decide to make an offer to and who already meet all the requirements for entry. They cannot be made to those who do not yet have the requisite qualifications for entry. Applicants yet to complete their A-levels or equivalent qualifications will receive Conditional offers if their application satisfies our criteria.

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