Gain up to 50 hours of advocacy training: test your skills in front of real barristers and judges at mooting competitions and also at mock trials in court.
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BPC
Bar Practice Course (BPC)
The Bar Practice Course (BPC) is the qualifying postgraduate course allowing graduates to prepare for practise as barristers in England and Wales. It is the vocational stage of training which you’re required to pass before you can go on to complete the final, practical stage of training: pupillage.
Our Bar Practice Course provides an ideal environment for developing confidence and the advocacy, communication and leadership skills you’ll need to thrive at the Bar. With our experienced academic team and advanced learning technology, you will gain the expertise needed to start your career as a barrister.
Key Facts
Entry requirements
A Qualifying Law Degree at 2:1 or above
or
A postgraduate law conversion course
Entry requirementsLocations
Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, London Moorgate, Manchester, Newcastle and NottinghamAPPLY
Course Details
Bar Practice Course (BPC)
We pride ourselves in offering the best legal training, and our Bar Practice Course (BPC) is no exception.
It is designed to help you secure pupillage and prepare you for life as a barrister. You'll receive dedicated support from our specialist careers service from the moment you accept your place, giving you the best chance of securing pupillage and acquiring as much varied experience as possible.
When you study the Bar Practice Course with us you will receive:
- Tuition in small classes alongside the brightest students: we require all students to undergo a live selection process* before being offered a place.
- Access to an engaging and innovative online learning environment, plus face-to-face lecturer and peer support when you need it most.
- Taught by qualified lawyers, with lectures and practical workshops to develop your legal skills, so you’ll know what to expect in a real-life work environment.
- Flexible study options to suit you: choose to study with us full-time or part-time at a number of locations across the UK.
- Success in pupillage applications and beyond with our Future Pupil Programme, part of our award-winning Careers and Employability Service, available from the moment you accept your place.
- A choice of three pathways to success with our Bar Practice Course LLM: complete real-life legal work experience via our Pro Bono clinics, write a dissertation or study additional modules and sit the exams after you finish your Bar Practice Course.
- Exclusive access to our Synap learning and revision tool: complete multiple-choice questions to monitor and review your progress.
- All of the course materials you need: hard copies of the White Book (Civil Procedure) and Blackstone’s (Criminal Practice) are included in your course fee.
Benefits of our selection process
Our virtual Selection Process* allows us to identify the brightest and most able students, creating a stimulating learning environment for all. As a result, when you undertake our BPC you can guarantee that you will be studying alongside committed, focused and intelligent students, which in turn will push you to succeed.
- Gain confidence in knowing whether a career at the Bar is right for you
- Practise your advocacy skills in a 5-minute "plea in mitigation"
- Take the opportunity to compete for Advocacy Scholarships
- Get vital practice for pupillage interviews
*If you successfully complete one of our Master of Laws (LLM) programmes and achieve 55% or above in the Advocacy and Bar Skills, Civil and Criminal Litigation, and Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution elective modules, you could be eligible for exemption from our BPC Selection Process.
Important Information
The University of Law fully complies with equal opportunities legislation and actively encourages diversity within the legal profession. Our admissions process acts fairly and aims to enable students to make the best use of their talents. You are encouraged to tell us about any special requirements at the earliest opportunity. This will allow us to discuss how we may go about meeting your requirements.
Please see important information issued by the Bar Standards Board for those wishing to study for the Bar of England and Wales.
Go to Important BPC 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 January 2025.
Future Pupil Programme
The University of Law is committed to ensuring you have the advice and support you need to make successful pupillage applications. Our unique Future Pupil Programme means that you’ll be able to prepare for pupillage applications from the moment you accept your place.
Future Pupil Programme support services
Here's a list of the support you’ll receive from moment you accept your place until after you graduate:
CV starter pack
Sent as soon as you accept your place on our Bar Practice Course. This will be your guide to ensuring your CV is Bar-focussed.
Employability platform
From the moment you accept your place, you’ll be able to register with our employability platform to gain access to relevant job and work experience opportunities as well as event listings.
Pupillage health check
Once you accept your place, you’ll be invited to meet one of our Specialist Careers Advisors to review your CV and get strategic advice on future pupillage applications. This is followed by our preparing for the BPC workshop, which is a chance to hear from our Future Pupils.
Pro bono and advocacy Opportunities
Participate in our award-winning pro bono activities and test your skills in front of real barrister and judges at prestigious national and international advocacy competitions. We also run internal competitions and workshops, including mock trials in court.
One-to-one appointments
One-to-one appointments are available in person, by email, via Teams or Zoom. These can cover anything from general strategic advice to feedback on your applications, and mock interviews tailored to you.
Pupillage interview workshops
Prepare for pupillage interviews in groups of four with a Specialist Careers Advisor and BPC Lecturers ready to grill you.
Pupillage panel events
We run a range of events from practice-specific panels to How to Succeed at the Junior Bar, and our celebrated Pupillage Application Question Time and Pupillage Interview Question time events. We also run Bar networking events as well as events on the non-legal aspects of your practice such as taxes.
Bar Mailing List
A newsletter run buy Future Pupils that ensures students are kept up to date with relevant information on topics such as mini-pupillage openings, job opportunities, volunteering opportunities, pupillage application pointers, scholarship information and events.
Post BPC advice
Even if you obtain pupillage whilst you’re on the BPC, you are likely to have a year to fill before you start. We can help you with scholarships, internships, employment and further education decisions. You’ll have access to our careers service for 5 years after graduating.
Setting students up for pupillage success
Hear from our expert lecturers about the skills you’ll learn with our BPC course.
Course Structure
Knowledge areas
- Civil litigation, evidence and resolution of disputes out of court
- Criminal litigation, evidence and sentencing
Core skills
- Advocacy, including examination-in-chief, cross-examination and civil applications
- Conferencing
- Drafting
- Opinion writing
- Professional Ethics
- Legal Research
Mock trials
We give you as many opportunities as possible to hone your essential advocacy skills and put what you learn into practice:
- Participating in mock trials in real courtrooms with real judges and senior barristers
- Online advocacy skill demonstrations with feedback from practising barristers
- Visits to the High Court, Magistrate’s Court, Crown Court and County Courts
Master of Laws (LLM)
Choose to study this award and you will have the opportunity to add an internationally recognised LLM qualification to your CV and pupillage applications.
You can complete your Master of Laws (LLM) qualification via three routes:
- Complete real-life work experience via our Pro Bono clinics - you will advise, manage and represent clients on a variety of cases in legal areas. You will also be paired with a Master’s Supervisor, who will guide you through a reflective learning process so that you can complete your reflective assessment and obtain your Master’s Degree.
- Study additional modules** - increase your knowledge of legal practice areas which are of interest to you and can help shape the direction of your career. You will sit the exams once you’ve finished your Bar Practice Course. Select Data Protection and Intellectual Property as an elective module within the BPC LLM, and you’ll get access to exclusive certification and training discounts through the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). View the elective module guide.
- Write a dissertation - immerse yourself in an area of law and become expert in it, allowing you to demonstrate your knowledge in your applications to chambers and beyond.
If you study our Bar Practice Course LLM, you could also be eligible for a SLC Postgraduate Loan.
**Please note: if you are studying our BPC LLM part-time (weekend), our optional module subjects are only taught on mid-week days. Students studying additional modules at our Liverpool campus will have to attend regular sessions (1-2 days per week) at our Manchester campus for a single semester. Students studying additional modules at our Newcastle campus in will have to attend regular sessions (1-2 days per week) at our Leeds campus for a single semester. International students cannot study the additional module route in Liverpool or Newcastle, as they must complete all of their studies at one campus.
Hear from our lecturers
Hear from our Programme and Student Experience Lead, Nigel, as he reveals his route to teaching law.
Watch nowCourse Start Dates
January 2026
-
Bar Practice Course (BPC)
- Full-time: Birmingham, Leeds and London Moorgate
July 2026
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Bar Practice Course (BPC)
- Full-time: London Moorgate
September 2026
-
Bar Practice Course (BPC)
- Full-time: Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds, Liverpool, London Moorgate, Manchester, Newcastle and Nottingham
- Part-time Weekend: Birmingham, Leeds and London Moorgate
January 2027
-
Bar Practice Course (BPC)
- Full-time: Birmingham, Leeds and London Moorgate
New in 2025
A new financing option provided by third-party firm StepEx is now available for selected courses.
Find out more
Course requirements
The course demands show you the requirements, prior knowledge and commitments our course will involve.
eventsUpcoming Dates
Nov 18th
National Pupillage Fair
Postgraduate
16:00 - 19:00
Online
Nov 20th
Studying Abroad at The University of Law: Your Application Webinar for International Students
Postgraduate and Undergraduate
11:00 - 11:45
Online
next event
17d 7h 15m
Course Information
Application and booking deadlines vary by intake - take a look at our key application and enrolment deadline dates for more information.
You can choose to study the Bar Practice Course full-time or part-time. Get a full breakdown of how these different options work throughout the year.
There are 10 assessments in total with practice assessments held for every module spread across the course. Some prizes, sponsored by chambers, are available for the highest-scoring student in each subject.
Hear from our expert lecturers about what to expect when studying our Bar Practice Course and what exactly you’ll learn.
Our Bar Practice Course has its own structure, with different assessments to suit.
Employability We Set You Up For Success
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
Find a career that suits you
Fees and Applying
If you’d like to study full-time or part-time you can apply directly with us and must attend a Selection Event*.
Don't forget - you must be a member of an Inn of Court before you start our BPC. The deadline for applying is at least 12 weeks before you start the course. For more information about joining an Inn and the role of the Inns can be found in the Bar Qualification Manual.
*If you successfully complete one of our Master of Laws (LLM) programmes and achieve 55% or above in the Advocacy and Bar Skills, Civil and Criminal Litigation, and Mediation and Alternative Dispute Resolution elective modules, you could be eligible for exemption from our BPC Selection Process.
2025/26 Course Fee (for courses starting on or after 1 July 2025)
- Outside London (excl. Newcastle) - £15,635 (BPC) / £18,285 (BPC LLM)
- Newcastle - £13,500 (BPC) includes a £2,000 Newcastle Postgraduate Award / £13,650 (BPC LLM) includes a £4,500 Newcastle Postgraduate Award*
- London - £17,235 (BPC), £20,085 (BPC LLM)
Total fees (including BSB fee of £840)
2026/27 Course Fee (for courses starting on or after 1 July 2026)
- Outside London (excl. Newcastle) - £16,450 (BPC) / £19,200 (BPC LLM)
- London - £18,100 (BPC), £21,100 (BPC LLM)
Total fees (including BSB fee of £840)
If you’re a ULaw alumnus, you may be eligible to receive our £500 General Alumni Discount.
We also have a range of scholarships and bursaries available which make studying with us more affordable than ever, including our BPC Scholarships, available for BPC students (excluding those in receipt of our Newcastle Postgraduate Award).
Plus, if you choose to study the Bar Practice Course LLM you may be eligible for a postgraduate student loan.
*Please read our terms and conditions for more information.
Enhanced Instalment Options: Please note, domestic students joining our September ’25 BPC LLM course can now benefit from our enhanced instalment plans that allow you to pay your fees across 12 instalments if you are studying full time, or 22 instalments if you are studying part time.
For example, if you are studying our full-time course, that means each instalment post deposit could be reduced to £1,653 (London) or £1,503 (non-London) vs £1,984 or £1,804 if you were paying over 10 instalments.
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 120 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.
