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Studying law but have no ALevels

Hi,
I am really interested in sutudying law however am not very achedmic .
I have 6 GCSEs , 4 B's in Dance, drama, expressive arts and music . I have a C in maths and English.

I have a triple distinction in btec performing arts extended diploma.

I know you can do foundation years in law if you don't meet entry requirements but looking at my current grades does anyone have any advice if they think it's possible for me to do?

Am very dedermined and up for a Challenge.
Many thanks

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Do you just want to study it, or are you also hoping to practice as a lawyer?
Reply 2
Ideally becoming a barrister but am hoping a foundation year would be a way to see what's it's all about and a possible foot print if if I wanted to continue it later on in life :smile:
Reply 3
Im sorry but how do you expect this to happen?
Do A levels rather than taking a foundation year at a meme tier university.
I think it's great that you're interested in studying law, but I'm a little perturbed by your comment that you are not very academic. Law is highly academic, and the reading load both at university and for the rest of your career is very heavy.

But if you think you can cope with that, then yes a foundation year may be the place to start and test the subject out.
Reply 6
Original post by Crumpet1
I think it's great that you're interested in studying law, but I'm a little perturbed by your comment that you are not very academic. Law is highly academic, and the reading load both at university and for the rest of your career is very heavy.

But if you think you can cope with that, then yes a foundation year may be the place to start and test the subject out.


Thanks so much for your helpful comments!
I think I'll give the foundation year ago!
Reply 7
Original post by VCBCCVBN
Im sorry but how do you expect this to happen?


Thanks for your comment.
To be honest with dederminatioin and perseverance it could happen!
Thanks for your opinion tho :wink:
Read an entire book relevant to the study of law. If you enjoy it I say ignore everyone and find a way to get yourself in a good situation for university.
Applied law is a good start. It is vocational and equivalent to AS as a certificate (1 year) I think not too sure.
Reply 10
Original post by Ganjaweed Rebel
Do A levels rather than taking a foundation year at a meme tier university.


Thanks for your advice I don't really want to do 2 more extra years at college as I know my btec is accepted on the foundation year
Thanks so much tho
As above, Law is necessarily an academic area, both in university and professionally. However, this doesn't necessarily mean you need to pursue a typical academic path to working in Law - provided you are able to cope with the accademic nature of the work.

A foundation is an option, as is a relevant Access to HE course. For the latter option, be sure to check with the universities you're planning to apply to that they will accept the specific Access course you're thinking of doing.

Beyond that, there are various routes in through apprenticeships and related work based learning. There are formal level 7 solicitor apprenticeships, wherein you typically earn an LLB through BPP or UoLaw, over 6 years while also working and fulfilling the (current) LPC and training contract requirements, subject to performance in a summative exam. Typically apprentices are recruited internally to the teams/departments they had been working in previously.

You can also pursue a paralegal apprenticeship, which normally takes 2-3 years and typically covers similar academic content to the first year of the solicitor apprenticeship. Theoretically you can work as a paralegal with no legal background or qualification but realistically this is no longer the case due to the very high number of law grads competing for these positions to pay for LPC/BPTC courses etc.

You can also qualify through CiLEX, which I don't know much about but essentially allows you to work in the same capacity as a paralegal or, with further training, solicitor, although you'll be formally a legal executive.
I'm doing Access to HE in Humanities and just got an offer form Exeter :smile: waiting to hear from Birmingham and I'm doing the LNAT for Bristol and Kings in January! it's doable but remember that law is a highly academic subject

You will be expected to achieve all distinctions in Access if you want to go to a top uni
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 13
Original post by Dragon5555
Read an entire book relevant to the study of law. If you enjoy it I say ignore everyone and find a way to get yourself in a good situation for university.


Thanks so much
Reply 14
Original post by artful_lounger
As above, Law is necessarily an academic area, both in university and professionally. However, this doesn't necessarily mean you need to pursue a typical academic path to working in Law - provided you are able to cope with the accademic nature of the work.

A foundation is an option, as is a relevant Access to HE course. For the latter option, be sure to check with the universities you're planning to apply to that they will accept the specific Access course you're thinking of doing.

Beyond that, there are various routes in through apprenticeships and related work based learning. There are formal level 7 solicitor apprenticeships, wherein you typically earn an LLB through BPP or UoLaw, over 6 years while also working and fulfilling the (current) LPC and training contract requirements, subject to performance in a summative exam. Typically apprentices are recruited internally to the teams/departments they had been working in previously.

You can also pursue a paralegal apprenticeship, which normally takes 2-3 years and typically covers similar academic content to the first year of the solicitor apprenticeship. Theoretically you can work as a paralegal with no legal background or qualification but realistically this is no longer the case due to the very high number of law grads competing for these positions to pay for LPC/BPTC courses etc.

You can also qualify through CiLEX, which I don't know much about but essentially allows you to work in the same capacity as a paralegal or, with further training, solicitor, although you'll be formally a legal executive.



Thanks so much for the info very much appreciated!
It's also something I could possibly do when am older too so am just keeping my options open.
Thanks again really helpful
Reply 15
Depending on your age there are many options open to you, if you are under 19 then I would highly recommend that you go to college and complete either A-Levels or BTEC qualifications, this is because they are a much broader base for you. For example, if you change your mind in the future about what you want to study or what you want to be as a professional, then qualifications like A-Levels and BTECs leave more doors open.

You could also try apprenticeships, however, securing one in a legal field could be very very difficult.

If you are over 19, then you have many options, the best would be to complete an Access to HE course, as a previous commenter has stated, be sure that you Email chosen universities first with a link to the specific access course, so that they can confirm that they will accept it. You can do Access courses in Law, Law & Criminology, Law & Politics etc. and they are all great to get you ready for university, especially if you are not so academically inclined as they include study skill modules.

Then there is the pathway of more vocational qualifications such as NVQ’s, however again, legal subjects are not really covered by this, but you could perhaps find relevant areas that would be useful as a legal professional.

You also have professional experience entry, some universities will allow you entry on a course if you have relevant work experience, but again like many of the previous options, getting relevant work experience in a law field is insanely hard.

As you mentioned foundation years are also a possibility, but you should be prepared that most universities still want you to have some A-Levels or BTEC qualifications to get on a foundation course (they are just lower than the base course)

Your best bet is to stick to either A-Levels/BTECs or if over 19 go down the Access course route.

Right now, with just the GCSE’s you have stated, I can’t see you getting onto a LLB, unless it was with a ‘bad’ university, as you said you wish to be a Barrister then you are going to need to go to a top university and graduate with a first degree to even be considered for the BPTC let alone a pupillage.

My best advice is to research law, research the careers, research JUST how hard it is to be a barrister (there are only 15,000 in the entire UK), research what is needed and what is expected. Because law is not what it is on TV, go to your local courts and spend a few days watching cases and seeing how real life trials really work. Law is 90% paperwork and reading and research and stereotypically ‘boring’ things, it is monotonous and draining and SO confusing and often does not follow common sense or logic…

If reading all of this has not put you off, then go for it! Just know it is a challenge, but never ever let anybody tell you that you cannot do It, or that you should not do it! If it is what you want, if it is what you can really see yourself doing, then try your best and just go for it 😊 Another bit of advice for you is to go to university open days (even if they are unis you don’t want to go to), because you can experience law lectures and truly see what it is like learning law, they also offer ‘taster days’ where you spend the day as a law student. Just spend about a week researching the legal field and what it’s like learning law; it isn’t a subject to just jump into because ‘why not’ or ‘it looks fun’, you should really know what it is that you are getting into

I wish you the best of luck 😊
Reply 16
Original post by Avaia
Depending on your age there are many options open to you, if you are under 19 then I would highly recommend that you go to college and complete either A-Levels or BTEC qualifications, this is because they are a much broader base for you. For example, if you change your mind in the future about what you want to study or what you want to be as a professional, then qualifications like A-Levels and BTECs leave more doors open.

You could also try apprenticeships, however, securing one in a legal field could be very very difficult.

If you are over 19, then you have many options, the best would be to complete an Access to HE course, as a previous commenter has stated, be sure that you Email chosen universities first with a link to the specific access course, so that they can confirm that they will accept it. You can do Access courses in Law, Law & Criminology, Law & Politics etc. and they are all great to get you ready for university, especially if you are not so academically inclined as they include study skill modules.

Then there is the pathway of more vocational qualifications such as NVQ’s, however again, legal subjects are not really covered by this, but you could perhaps find relevant areas that would be useful as a legal professional.

You also have professional experience entry, some universities will allow you entry on a course if you have relevant work experience, but again like many of the previous options, getting relevant work experience in a law field is insanely hard.

As you mentioned foundation years are also a possibility, but you should be prepared that most universities still want you to have some A-Levels or BTEC qualifications to get on a foundation course (they are just lower than the base course)

Your best bet is to stick to either A-Levels/BTECs or if over 19 go down the Access course route.

Right now, with just the GCSE’s you have stated, I can’t see you getting onto a LLB, unless it was with a ‘bad’ university, as you said you wish to be a Barrister then you are going to need to go to a top university and graduate with a first degree to even be considered for the BPTC let alone a pupillage.

My best advice is to research law, research the careers, research JUST how hard it is to be a barrister (there are only 15,000 in the entire UK), research what is needed and what is expected. Because law is not what it is on TV, go to your local courts and spend a few days watching cases and seeing how real life trials really work. Law is 90% paperwork and reading and research and stereotypically ‘boring’ things, it is monotonous and draining and SO confusing and often does not follow common sense or logic…

If reading all of this has not put you off, then go for it! Just know it is a challenge, but never ever let anybody tell you that you cannot do It, or that you should not do it! If it is what you want, if it is what you can really see yourself doing, then try your best and just go for it 😊 Another bit of advice for you is to go to university open days (even if they are unis you don’t want to go to), because you can experience law lectures and truly see what it is like learning law, they also offer ‘taster days’ where you spend the day as a law student. Just spend about a week researching the legal field and what it’s like learning law; it isn’t a subject to just jump into because ‘why not’ or ‘it looks fun’, you should really know what it is that you are getting into

I wish you the best of luck 😊



Hi thanks so much for all this information I have been to college and I have a BTEC in performing arts and I know the foundation course I want to apply for accepts btecs! I am aware of how hard it is but is it also something I’m thinking of continuing later on in life. I am also looking at taking a degree in acting so at the moment I’m trying to keep my options open. At the end of the day my main goal is to be a barrister but I do know how hard it is however I’m determined and don’t expect it to happen straight away and to become one at the start of my career like I said earlier on it is something that I may continue later on in my life am only 18 :smile: Thanks again x
Reply 17
Original post by MiaAnn21
Hi thanks so much for all this information I have been to college and I have a BTEC in performing arts and I know the foundation course I want to apply for accepts btecs! I am aware of how hard it is but is it also something I’m thinking of continuing later on in life. I am also looking at taking a degree in acting so at the moment I’m trying to keep my options open. At the end of the day my main goal is to be a barrister but I do know how hard it is however I’m determined and don’t expect it to happen straight away and to become one at the start of my career like I said earlier on it is something that I may continue later on in my life am only 18 :smile: Thanks again x


Well, you can do a degree in any subject you like, the after you can do a 'Postgraduate Diploma in Law', which brings you up to the equivalent of having a law degree :smile:
Reply 18
Original post by Avaia
Well, you can do a degree in any subject you like, the after you can do a 'Postgraduate Diploma in Law', which brings you up to the equivalent of having a law degree :smile:


Really? That's amazing! I never knew that was an option thanks so much that's very helpful ☺️
Reply 19
Original post by MiaAnn21
Really? That's amazing! I never knew that was an option thanks so much that's very helpful ☺️


Yeah :smile: Some law firms actually prefer this, because having experience in a different field can actually help with certain clients/cases etc :smile: For example having an IT expert who is also a Lawyer is invaluable :smile:

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