What A-levels Do You Need to Study Law or Become a Lawyer?

You don't need any particular A-level to study law. Universities ask for high grades in traditional academic subjects rather than set subjects, and A-level Law isn't required. For 2027 entry, offers range from A*AA at the most competitive law schools to AAA at many Russell Group universities and BBB at others. A few also ask you to sit the LNAT.

That's good news if you're still choosing your A-levels. You can pick subjects you enjoy and are good at, as long as you avoid the handful that some universities won't count. Below you'll find what real law schools say on their own pages, the grades they ask for and when you'll need the LNAT.

Do you need A-level Law to study law?

No. Cambridge puts it plainly on its law faculty's qualifications page: Law at A-level is not required, and most of its students have never studied Law at school before they arrive.

None of the seven universities checked for this guide list A-level Law as a requirement. You can still take it if it interests you, and it can help you decide whether you enjoy the subject. It just isn't a requirement.

What law schools care about is whether you can read closely, build an argument and write clearly. Cambridge says essay-based subjects like English or History are good preparation for the critical reading and writing you'll do on a law degree.

Which A-levels are best for law?

There's no fixed list, but a clear pattern runs through the course pages. Law schools prefer traditional academic subjects.

• Cambridge has no subject requirements. It says its successful applicants have usually studied subjects like English, History, languages, Economics, Law, Maths, Psychology or a science.
• LSE wants at least two full A-levels in traditional academic subjects. It will consider Maths and Further Maths only if combined with an essay-writing subject.
• Leeds says two of your A-levels must be traditional academic subjects and has an accepted subjects document to check against.
• Nottingham wants at least two of the three A-levels in your offer to be traditional ones.

A mix like English Literature, History and a language, or Maths, Economics and History, suits almost any law school. So does a science alongside an essay subject.

Which A-levels don't count for law?

This is where people get caught out. Some subjects are welcome as extras but won't form part of your offer.

If one of your subjects is on a list like this, you don't have to drop it. Just make sure your other two are traditional academic subjects, and check each university's page before you apply.

What grades do you need for law?

Law offers vary more than people expect. Here's what seven universities say on their own course pages, all for 2027 entry and checked on 24 September 2026.

In UCAS Tariff points, the top offer works out like this:

And the AAA offer at universities like Leeds and Nottingham:

Most law schools make offers in grades, but some also quote points. Liverpool John Moores lists its offer as BBB alongside a Tariff total, so your points matter more there. Our page on UCAS points for law shows how offers spread across the country, and you can see what BBB is worth in UCAS points.

Work out your UCAS points

Do you need the LNAT for law?

Only for some universities. The LNAT (the Law National Aptitude Test) is used by a small group of UK law schools. Its own list names Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Glasgow, King's College London, LSE, Oxford, SOAS and UCL. Leeds, Nottingham and Liverpool John Moores don't mention it on their 2027 course pages.

The test takes 2 hours 15 minutes on a computer at a test centre. Section A has 42 multiple-choice questions based on 12 argument passages, and Section B asks you to write one essay from a choice of three.

For 2027 entry, the LNAT dates depend on where you apply:

Registration opened on 1 August 2026 and testing began on 1 September 2026. If you're applying to UCL, our guide to UCL Law entry requirements explains how UCL uses your score.

Can you study law with BTECs or an Access course?

Often, yes, though the rules differ a lot between universities.

• Bristol accepts D*DD in any Applied General BTEC Extended Diploma, and an Access to HE Diploma with 30 credits at Distinction and 15 at Merit or above.
• Durham asks for D*DD in a BTEC.
• Nottingham accepts the BTEC Extended Diploma in applied law at D*DD, and an Access to HE Diploma in Law with 36 credits at Distinction and 9 at Merit.
• Leeds considers BTECs only alongside two A-levels from its accepted list.
• Liverpool John Moores asks for DDM in a BTEC Extended Diploma, or a pass in an Access course with enough points.

If you're mixing qualifications, our guide on whether you can mix A-levels and BTECs shows how the points add up.

Can you become a solicitor without a law degree?

Yes. The University of Leeds says on its law course page that a law degree or diploma is no longer mandatory for solicitor qualification. To qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales you need to pass the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) and complete two years of full-time equivalent qualifying work experience.

Nottingham adds that anyone starting from 2022 must take the SQE, and a law degree doesn't give you any exemptions from it. A law degree is still a strong foundation for the SQE, but it's no longer the only route in.

What should you do next?

1. Choose subjects you'll do well in. At least two traditional academic subjects keeps almost every law school open.
2. Check your predicted grades. Put them into the predicted grades calculator and compare them with the table above.
3. Work out whether you need the LNAT. If any of your choices are on the LNAT list, book early. Oxford and Cambridge applicants have the earliest date.
4. Mind the UCAS deadlines. Oxford and Cambridge close on 15 October 2026. Most other law courses use the 13 January 2027 deadline. Our UCAS deadlines guide has every date.