The domestic application deadline for our May 2026 intake is Friday 1 May 2026 at 23:59pm (UK time).
Join the largest community of postgraduate law conversion students.*
Our Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) is a law conversion course that teaches you to think like a lawyer and prepare for the realities of life in legal practice. This course replaces our Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) and provides the foundation for the pathway into practice for non-law graduates who want to progress onto the SQE1 Preparation Course, and our LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) to qualify as a solicitor or the Bar Practice Course (BPC) to qualify as a barrister.
Our PGDL conversion course offers you a great chance to make the transition into legal study with excellent levels of support and guidance from our experienced, professional lecturers. Not only will you learn the academic law necessary for converting to law, but you will also focus on key skills and competencies crucial for your development as a lawyer.
*Central Applications Board (LawCAB) 2025
An undergraduate degree at 2:2 or above in any discipline (or equivalent).
Entry requirementsFull-time, Part-time Evening or Part-time Weekend
May 2026
See all Start Dates
If you're looking for a more flexible approach to your studies, why not consider our online study option?
If you’re looking to make the change into legal study and already have an undergraduate degree in another discipline then our PGDL is your pathway into legal practice.
In an increasingly competitive legal job market, many employers value the combination of a non-law undergraduate area of expertise combined with the solid grounding in core legal principles and legal skills. Through studying another degree subject, and building your career in another discipline, you will have gained many transferable skills. By choosing law at a later stage, you are showing motivation and determination to pursue a new career.
Why choose this PGDL conversion course?
Not sure if this course is right for you? Download our free Law Conversion Guide to discover everything you need to know about how to transition into the legal field.
Important Information
Progression for full-time PgDL and MA Law (conversion) students
Based on the projected end dates of our full-time Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PgDL) and Master of Arts in Law (MA Law conversion) courses, find out if you are eligible to commence our Bar Practice Course (BPC), LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) or SQE1 Preparation Course in September 2026.
Progression information - law conversion to SQE & BPC courses ➔
Please note: If you require a visa to study in the UK and wish to progress on to one of our on-campus vocational courses, please refer to our UK visa requirements page for information about applying for a Student Route visa.
"The teaching has been excellent; the lecturers are always willing to go above and beyond to help support understanding. All of them have studied law themselves, either at undergraduate level or through a conversion course, so they appreciate the complexity and pressure of learning new legal concepts. Their backgrounds allow them not only to teach the material clearly, but also to help us develop the mindset of a lawyer and learn how to approach problems as we would in practice, which is an invaluable benefit to us as students and future lawyers."
- Madelaine McDonald, Postgraduate Diploma in Law (conversion) student
You will undertake 25 hours of pre-course study as part of your English Legal System & Constitutional Law (including EU Law) module, through guided module units with all materials provided online.
You will learn the essentials of the key foundation areas of law that align to the Solicitors Regulation Authority specification of Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK) for the SQE. In each area, you will develop a practical and functional understanding of the foundations of English & Welsh Law, and core analytical and practical legal skills.
This course develops the key intellectual and personal skills required by lawyers, alongside skills required to pass professional examinations for qualification as a solicitor or barrister.
In all modules there is a focus on combining knowledge and understanding of core areas of law with the ability to analyse, evaluate and form critical judgements about the law. Study is centred on practical activities that enable students to learn by doing. Workshops involve students completing further practice based tasks, including an application of Functioning Legal Knowledge (FLK) to Single Best Answer Questions (SBAQs).
Alongside academic modules, students will engage in a Skills and Behaviours module, which allows you to recognise and develop key professional and personal attributes necessary to thrive as a lawyer in a work environment, and to manage your career.
The SQE is being phased in to become the new centralised way to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales
Find out moreStudy Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PGDL) Online - (conversion) starting September 2026 or January 2027
Hear from our lecturers about what makes law conversion a fascinating path to study leading to a fulfilling and dynamic career.
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A new financing option provided by third-party firm StepEx is now available for selected courses.
Find out more
Learn more about how the course is taught and how learning time is distributed by taking a look at our PGDL infographic. You can also look at the course demands document which shows the requirements, prior knowledge and commitments the course will involve.
We offer a number of law conversion courses, which offer you a pathway to progress onto become a solicitor or barrister.
View our law conversion guide to make the best choice for you and your career.
Hear from Annabel Hale, Graduate Recruitment & Development Manager at Wedlake Bell.
If you’re looking for the perfect combination of a flexible study programme to fit around your other commitments together with the benefit of our expertise, experience and employability focus, why not consider our online study option?
Application and booking deadlines vary by intake - take a look at our key application and enrolment deadline dates for more information.
With so many options for how and where you can study the PGDL, you can be sure to find a start date and study option to suit your needs.
60% of the credit for each module will vary according to the module. These will include:
40% of the credit for each module will be comprised of Single Best Answer Questions (SBAQs) to support any future progress onto SQE1 or Bar assessments.
We care about your career, which is why we offer support with job applications and other work experience opportunities as soon as you accept your place.
Discover more
If you’d like to study full-time you can apply through CAB. For part-time study you can apply directly with us.
2025/26 Course Fee (for courses starting on or after 1 July 2025)
London: £14,850
Outside London: £11,950
2026/27 Course Fee (for courses starting on or after 1 July 2026)
London: £15,450
Outside London: £12,450
All fees above include a deposit amount of £250.
Full-time international students may be eligible for an International Bursary of £1000 offered as a fee reduction. Terms and conditions apply.
See our full fee schedules here.
Discounts:
For the 2025/26 and 2026/27 academic year, we are offering a £500 Postgraduate Award to students studying at Newcastle University and a £1,000 Postgraduate Award to students studying at our Nottingham Campus. Dependant on start date. Terms and conditions apply.
If you’re a ULaw alumnus, you may be eligible to receive our £1000 General Alumni Discount.
Study Manuals: eBooks are included in the course fee, and you'll receive a 50% discount if you'd like to purchase print versions.
We also have a range of scholarships and bursaries available which make studying with us more affordable than ever.
StepEx: Financing options are now available for eligible postgraduate students through the third party provider StepEx. To find out more about their financing options and to check if this is suitable for you, visit their website.
We have students from over 126 different countries throughout our campuses, with a dedicated team to help international students.
If you are an international student and are coming to the UK to study, then you must apply to the Home Office for a visa. In most cases you will need to obtain a Student Route visa. In order to apply for this visa you must be sponsored by an education provider which is licensed by the UK Home Office.
The Home Office has also introduced a Graduate Work visa which allows Graduates to work flexibly, switch jobs and develop their career in the UK for 2 years post completion of a UK degree. The Graduate route is an unsponsored visa, meaning students will not need a job offer to apply for this visa.
Please note that the University does not currently provide visa sponsorship to students for part-time study. We also cannot sponsor students for online courses due to Home Office regulations.
