The Student Room Group

Switching to a law course when you get to uni

Hey there, I'm an applicant for 2021 entry. I've applied to study languages at RG unis, gotten an offer. I enjoy languages and it's definitely my passion but lately I've become interested in law too. I can't change any of my choices or my language-oriented PS now so I'm "stuck" with languages (still love em though). Would be it be possible for me to change the course I'm doing from languages to law once I get to the uni? I know that I'd have to talk to various departments and other people to do that and they'd have to agree but do you think I've got a chance? Is there even a point to doing it?

I know I can do a GDL or a postgrad law course (some don't require a law undergrad) but that's extra time and money spent and I can't help but feel like I'd be a less desirable job applicant than someone who just did a law undergrad.
Original post by DeadChairSwinger
Hey there, I'm an applicant for 2021 entry. I've applied to study languages at RG unis, gotten an offer. I enjoy languages and it's definitely my passion but lately I've become interested in law too. I can't change any of my choices or my language-oriented PS now so I'm "stuck" with languages (still love em though). Would be it be possible for me to change the course I'm doing from languages to law once I get to the uni? I know that I'd have to talk to various departments and other people to do that and they'd have to agree but do you think I've got a chance? Is there even a point to doing it?

I know I can do a GDL or a postgrad law course (some don't require a law undergrad) but that's extra time and money spent and I can't help but feel like I'd be a less desirable job applicant than someone who just did a law undergrad.

Hey @DeadChairSwinger :colondollar: I'd check this with the individual universities you've applied for as there's no way to say for sure. At Strathclyde, it would be unlikely you'd be able to transfer from languages to an LLB degree, and I would certainly refer you to the department in the first instance to ask them about this. If you decided to start next September, you could pick up Law alongside your languages with us (BA Hons- not an LLB) and then pursue the graduate route you've already noted but if you're not keen on this option it might not suit. If you had applied to us and really didn't want to do languages anymore and had exhausted your options speaking to our admissions team, you could perhaps look in to receiving an offer through Extra/Clearing (although there is nothing that says you'd definitely be guaranteed one so think about it carefully). It's a tricky decision for you to make!!

I can only really speak from what I know of our process, and the unis you've applied for may be totally different. Reach out to the admissions teams now and see what they say. If you don't ask you'll never know :smile:

- Caitlin :h:
Official University of Strathclyde Rep

p.s. I did languages as part of my degree! Keep them up even if you do go down the Law route! :awesome:
Original post by DeadChairSwinger
Hey there, I'm an applicant for 2021 entry. I've applied to study languages at RG unis, gotten an offer. I enjoy languages and it's definitely my passion but lately I've become interested in law too. I can't change any of my choices or my language-oriented PS now so I'm "stuck" with languages (still love em though). Would be it be possible for me to change the course I'm doing from languages to law once I get to the uni? I know that I'd have to talk to various departments and other people to do that and they'd have to agree but do you think I've got a chance? Is there even a point to doing it?

I know I can do a GDL or a postgrad law course (some don't require a law undergrad) but that's extra time and money spent and I can't help but feel like I'd be a less desirable job applicant than someone who just did a law undergrad.

Languages typically have lower entry requirements than Law, so your lowest risk option would be wait and see if you get any offers from your current choices, then approach them to see if you could be considered for Law instead, (offer to provide a new PS as there's little chance you can be considered if they score the PS as part of their process). Do that before you enrol on a course, the earlier, the better.
Original post by DeadChairSwinger
Hey there, I'm an applicant for 2021 entry. I've applied to study languages at RG unis, gotten an offer. I enjoy languages and it's definitely my passion but lately I've become interested in law too. I can't change any of my choices or my language-oriented PS now so I'm "stuck" with languages (still love em though). Would be it be possible for me to change the course I'm doing from languages to law once I get to the uni? I know that I'd have to talk to various departments and other people to do that and they'd have to agree but do you think I've got a chance? Is there even a point to doing it?

I know I can do a GDL or a postgrad law course (some don't require a law undergrad) but that's extra time and money spent and I can't help but feel like I'd be a less desirable job applicant than someone who just did a law undergrad.

Depends if they have space and how good your application is. 50% of NQs are non law grads.
Original post by Admit-One
Languages typically have lower entry requirements than Law, so your lowest risk option would be wait and see if you get any offers from your current choices, then approach them to see if you could be considered for Law instead, (offer to provide a new PS as there's little chance you can be considered if they score the PS as part of their process). Do that before you enrol on a course, the earlier, the better.

I'm confident that I could get good enough A levels to meet the offer of a law course (predicted 3 A*s), problem is I've got no work experience/further reading/extracurriculars/anything-law-related to get myself given an offer at a decent uni (especially not into any of the law courses at the unis I've applied to as they're really competitive). I'm happy doing languages but it just popped into my head like what if I did law.

I guess if they actually let people switch courses like this everyone would apply for an easy-to-get-onto course and then switch onto something like medicine or law lol.

Original post by University of Strathclyde
Hey @DeadChairSwinger :colondollar: I'd check this with the individual universities you've applied for as there's no way to say for sure. At Strathclyde, it would be unlikely you'd be able to transfer from languages to an LLB degree, and I would certainly refer you to the department in the first instance to ask them about this. If you decided to start next September, you could pick up Law alongside your languages with us (BA Hons- not an LLB) and then pursue the graduate route you've already noted but if you're not keen on this option it might not suit. If you had applied to us and really didn't want to do languages anymore and had exhausted your options speaking to our admissions team, you could perhaps look in to receiving an offer through Extra/Clearing (although there is nothing that says you'd definitely be guaranteed one so think about it carefully). It's a tricky decision for you to make!!

I can only really speak from what I know of our process, and the unis you've applied for may be totally different. Reach out to the admissions teams now and see what they say. If you don't ask you'll never know :smile:

- Caitlin :h:
Official University of Strathclyde Rep

p.s. I did languages as part of my degree! Keep them up even if you do go down the Law route! :awesome:


Thanks for the advice, I'd definitely want to keep doing languages in some capacity. I've applied to some Scottish unis so I'll email them asking if I could do law as my elective but I'd be surprised if they let me given how competitive law is and how far removed from languages law is. I think Glasgow (one of my choices) only lets you do an elective from the same faculty as your course, but there's no harm in asking
Contact the Unis you have applied to - many will let you switch to a different course application now.
Dont wait until you have started another course - thats far too late.

It may not matter about the PS. Bristol for instance does not read the PS for Law (it relies on LNAT results as a filter instead) : http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/2020/law/ Or some Unis will let you send them a separate PS given your change of mind.
Original post by McGinger
Contact the Unis you have applied to - many will let you switch to a different course application now.
Dont wait until you have started another course - thats far too late.

It may not matter about the PS. Bristol for instance does not read the PS for Law (it relies on LNAT results as a filter instead) : http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/2020/law/ Or some Unis will let you send them a separate PS given your change of mind.

Thanks for the response, I'm still undecided about switching to law, I'm probably 80/20 in favour of staying with languages especially given how late in the applications process it is. Do you know if Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Sheffield look at the PS? Can I also still take the LNAT?
Original post by DeadChairSwinger
1) Do you know if Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Sheffield look at the PS?
2) Can I also still take the LNAT?


1) Email them and ask - it wont impact your application.
2) https://lnat.ac.uk/registration/dates-and-deadlines/
unlikely especially if it's a selective law course
you will waste one year and have to start over in year 1 for law the next

edit: yes, you will be able to do either SQE or GDL/BPTC depending on whether you want to become a solicitor or a barrister. tonnes of non law grads in the profession
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by DeadChairSwinger
I'm confident that I could get good enough A levels to meet the offer of a law course (predicted 3 A*s), problem is I've got no work experience/further reading/extracurriculars/anything-law-related to get myself given an offer at a decent uni (especially not into any of the law courses at the unis I've applied to as they're really competitive). I'm happy doing languages but it just popped into my head like what if I did law.

I guess if they actually let people switch courses like this everyone would apply for an easy-to-get-onto course and then switch onto something like medicine or law lol.



Thanks for the advice, I'd definitely want to keep doing languages in some capacity. I've applied to some Scottish unis so I'll email them asking if I could do law as my elective but I'd be surprised if they let me given how competitive law is and how far removed from languages law is. I think Glasgow (one of my choices) only lets you do an elective from the same faculty as your course, but there's no harm in asking

You don’t need any work experience for Law - grades are most important plus LNAT for some. Have you thought about Law with a language? That is offered by certain Unis like Sheffield - don’t know about the Scottish ones but you could look it up.
Original post by harrysbar
You don’t need any work experience for Law - grades are most important plus LNAT for some. Have you thought about Law with a language? That is offered by certain Unis like Sheffield - don’t know about the Scottish ones but you could look it up.

I think law with a language would be sick tbh but I cant really apply for law now as I sent my application off 3 weeks ago lol and I'm not 100% on doing now. at least now I got like 7 months to decide if I want to take a gap year and reapply next year or apply for law at international unis 🤷*♂️ thanks for the advice anyway though
Original post by DeadChairSwinger
I think law with a language would be sick tbh but I cant really apply for law now as I sent my application off 3 weeks ago lol and I'm not 100% on doing now. at least now I got like 7 months to decide if I want to take a gap year and reapply next year or apply for law at international unis 🤷*♂️ thanks for the advice anyway though

Seems like Sheffield have stopped offering a lot of their Law with Languages courses this year anyway, although they still did them last year.

Other unis still offer Law with Languages or Law with German/French Law like Oxford, Bristol, Warwick (which doesn't require the LNAT so you could potentially apply for the course in UCAS Extra in the unlikely event that you decide to decline your offers)

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/2021/law/llb-law-german/

https://warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses-2021/lawwithgermanlaw/

https://warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses-2021/lawwithfrenchlaw/

Although in a way, what's the hurry? If you have a passion for languages it might be better to do that followed by some sort of conversion course when you graduate - although the GDL is being phased out soon and being replaced by the SQE. You won't be a less desirable applicant for doing a non Law degree.
Original post by harrysbar
Seems like Sheffield have stopped offering a lot of their Law with Languages courses this year anyway, although they still did them last year.

Other unis still offer Law with Languages or Law with German/French Law like Oxford, Bristol, Warwick (which doesn't require the LNAT so you could potentially apply for the course in UCAS Extra in the unlikely event that you decide to decline your offers)

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/2021/law/llb-law-german/

https://warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses-2021/lawwithgermanlaw/

https://warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses-2021/lawwithfrenchlaw/

Although in a way, what's the hurry? If you have a passion for languages it might be better to do that followed by some sort of conversion course when you graduate - although the GDL is being phased out soon and being replaced by the SQE. You won't be a less desirable applicant for doing a non Law degree.

I feel like somehow I'd still be less desirable than someone who both got an LLB and passed the SQE. Btw can you replace your PS when you go through clearing?
Original post by DeadChairSwinger
I feel like somehow I'd still be less desirable than someone who both got an LLB and passed the SQE. Btw can you replace your PS when you go through clearing?

I know that is your feeling and it seems logical in a way but about 50% of people gaining training contracts come from non law degrees. And when you go through Clearing or Adjustment, you don't normally need a PS as most unis won't ask for one geared towards the new subject but you should prepare one just in case

https://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/law-solicitors/291241-becoming-a-solicitor-without-a-law-degree
Original post by harrysbar
I know that is your feeling and it seems logical in a way but about 50% of people gaining training contracts come from non law degrees. And when you go through Clearing or Adjustment, you don't normally need a PS as most unis won't ask for one geared towards the new subject but you should prepare one just in case

https://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/law-solicitors/291241-becoming-a-solicitor-without-a-law-degree

thanks, you've helped me loads :smile:
Original post by DeadChairSwinger
Thanks for the response, I'm still undecided about switching to law, I'm probably 80/20 in favour of staying with languages especially given how late in the applications process it is. Do you know if Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Sheffield look at the PS? Can I also still take the LNAT?

Hey I’d say pretty much every uni looks at the PS especially for law as this is a big factor in applications.
In all honestly you seem extremely passionate about languages and as you said you can do a GDL. Personally I don’t think this would be a waste of your time or money as it’s only an extra year. It is extremely hard work though as you are cramming the main components of a 3 year degree into 1 year but if you are serious about having a career in law this isn’t an issue. Also you won’t be look down upon for taking a GDL some law firms may even look favourably upon this as you would have 2 degrees and languages is especially a
good one as it’s extremely hard and you could act as a translator if ever needs be! The only time you may potentially be at a disadvantage for a GDL is in a bar exam, this is if you’re going down a barrister route however I think you’ll be fine as you’ve just faced the year doing the GDL. Ultimately it’s completely up to you!

make a list of any pros and cons to this and then see which is best fitted to you. If you think you’ll be at a disadvantage doing a GDL then don’t do it! It’s whatever makes you comfortable. Good luck hope you figure it out soon!

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