Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and Diploma in Law
“ I decided to study for the LLB because being a translator I felt really curious about legalese and needed to understand some of the basic principles of English law.
The programme was extremely useful. Now I think the way lawyers do, I feel confident in my legal English and am drafting contracts and overseeing negotiations. I hope to become a lawyer in the international oil business within a few years. ”
Nurgul Imaniyazova
LLB graduate, Kazakhstan.
Entrance requirements
LLB
In order to satisfy the entrance requirements for the LLB you must normally* be at least 17 years of age at the time of registration and have passes in:
- either two subjects at GCE 'A' level and at least three further subjects at GCSE/GCE 'O' level at Grade C or above
- or three subjects at GCE 'A' level (with one 'A' level at not less than Grade D)
- or three subjects at GCE 'A' level and one further subject at GCSE/GCE 'O' level at Grade C or above
- or two subjects at GCE 'A' level, plus two further subjects at GCE 'AS' level
English language requirement
The language of instruction, reading and assessment is English; success in the LLB requires a good level of English competence. Any candidates in doubt as to their abilities in written and/or oral English are strongly advised to undertake English language
courses and tests before enrolling on the programme.
The Undergraduate Laws Programme policy on English language requirements is that all applicants must:
- sign a statement on their application form acknowledging that they are aware of the required English language standard; and
- verify that they either have met the required standard or are undertaking examinations/proficiency tests to meet it.
Required standard
Candidates will usually be considered to meet the English language requirements on the basis that:
- their first language/mother tongue is English;
or they provide satisfactory evidence showing that they have had: - substantial (minimum of 18 months) education (secondary or higher) conducted in English; or
- substantial (minimum of 18 months) work experience conducted in English; or
- passed acceptable examinations in English equivalent to GCSE/GCE ‘O’ Level English Language grade C (please see page 37 of the full Undergraduate Laws prospectus); or
- passed, at an appropriate level, a test of proficiency in English acceptable to the University (please see page 37 of the full prospectus).
Graduate entry to the LLB
The following are eligible to apply for graduate entry:
- graduates holding a full first degree from a state university in the United Kingdom or another European country or in Australia, Canada, Hong Kong SAR, Israel, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Africa or the Caribbean
- graduates holding a full first degree from a regionally accredited institution in the USA
- graduates holding a full first degree from an Indian Institute of Technology or a four-year, full-time first degree from a recognised university or a three-year, full-time first degree from a limited number of acceptable universities in India
- graduates holding a four-year full-time first degree from a limited number of acceptable universities in Vietnam.
Note: Applications from students with other degrees not listed above will be considered at the discretion of the University. Professional qualifications cannot be considered for graduate entry.
Online access
Online access is now a requirement for registration to the LLB and Diploma in Law programmes. If you do not have appropriate online access you will not be able to undertake the compulsory online legal research exercises, complete the online Skills Portfolio or fulfil IT skills requirements. The technical specifications are given below.
| PC specifications | Mac specifications |
|---|---|
| Processor: Pentium 500 (Pentium 1 GHz) | Processor: G3 (G4) |
| Memory (RAM): 128 Mb (256 Mb) | Memory (RAM): 64 Mb (128 Mb) |
| Operating system: Windows 98 (Windows XP) | Operating system: OS9 or later (OSX) |
| Free space on hard disk: 100 Mb (200 Mb) | Free space on hard disk: 100 Mb (200 Mb) |
| Screen resolution: 800 x 600 colour (1024 x 768 colour) | Screen resolution: 800 x 600 colour (1024 x 768 colour) |
| CD/DVD-ROM drive: CD-ROM (24x CD-ROM) | CD/DVD-ROM drive: CD-ROM (24x CD-ROM) |
| Modem speed: 56 Kbps (Broadband) | Modem speed: 56 Kbps (Broadband) |
| Browser: Internet Explorer 5.5 (Internet Explorer 6) | Browser: Internet Explorer 5 (Safari) |
| Software requirement | |
| Adobe Acrobat Reader | |
Diploma in Law
To be eligible to register for the Diploma in Law you must:
- normally* be aged 18 years of age or older before 1 September in the year you register with the University and
- be admitted to a course of instruction at a teaching institution which has been given 'Permission to teach' the Diploma (for further details see the Institutions section of our website).
Notes:
- The University of London reserves the right to request applicants to provide evidence acceptable to the University of oral and written competence in English before an offer of registration can be made.
- There are many other acceptable qualifications [pdf: 6pgs, 87KB], both from the UK and overseas, which the University accepts instead of British 'O' and 'A' levels. Applicants with other qualifications not listed above and/or suitable work experience will be considered by the University on an individual basis.
- If you do not satisfy the criteria for automatic acceptance we will still consider your application on an individual basis under our Special Admissions procedures. If we cannot accept you with your current qualifications and experience, we will advise you what qualifications you could take in order to become eligible in the future.
- In all instances where an 'A' level examination is specified, two 'AS' level examinations can be accepted as equivalent to, and will replace, one 'A' level.
- The same subject may only be offered once and at one level.
- *Applications will be considered from applicants who do not meet the normal minimum age requirement for admission. Each application will be considered on an individual basis, and the decision taken at the discretion of the University of London.
Recognition of prior study
The University can recognise your prior study in one of two ways:
(a) On the basis of a completed first degree from an institution acceptable to the University for this purpose you can be given advanced standing and undertake the Graduate Entry LLB. This
means that you will only have to study nine subjects rather than 12. You must however, study all nine as you cannot be given any recognition for individual subjects previously studied
in the case of Graduate Entry.
(b) In the case of the 12 subject LLB, on the basis of an intermediate or equivalent examination of an appropriate degree at a university that is acceptable to the University for this purpose you can be given credit transfer for the credits undertaken as equivalent to the intermediate examination under Scheme A or the equivalent subjects undertaken in the first or second year under Scheme B.
The university will assess all requests for credit transfer on a case by case basis and a fee is payable. Please refer to pages 29-30 of the Undergraduate Laws prospectus for further details.