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.
BPC
Bar Practice Course (BPC)
Our Bar Practice Course (BPC) provides an environment that develops confidence and the advocacy, communication and leadership skills you’ll need to thrive at the Bar. At The University of Law, with our experienced academic team and advanced learning technology, you’ll gain the expertise needed to start your career as a barrister.
16 days until application deadline for July 2026 domestic students
Course length
from 8 months to 20 months
Study mode
Full-time or Part-time Weekend
Method
On Campus
Overview
Why choose our Bar Practice Course (BPC)?
- Small class sizes with selective entry – Study alongside the brightest legal minds, as all students undergo a live selection process* before being offered a place.
- Blended learning with real support – Access an innovative online learning environment, including exclusive access to our Synap revision tool to track your progress, alongside face-to-face lecturer and peer support when you need it most.
- Taught by qualified lawyers – Learn from experienced legal professionals at The University of Law through a mixture of lectures and practical workshops, designed to prepare you for the realities of legal practice.
- Flexible study options – Choose the study mode that suits you, with full-time or part-time options available across multiple UK locations.
- Career-focused training with tailored pathways – Shape your route to pupillage with our Future Pupil Programme and choose three pathways on our Bar Practice Course LLM: including Pro Bono experience, a dissertation or additional modules.
About our Bar Practice Course (BPC)
Benefits of our selection process
Our virtual selection process* identifies the brightest and most able students, creating a focused and stimulating learning environment that encourages 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"
- Compete for Advocacy Scholarships
- Get vital practice for pupillage interviews
*If you successfully complete one of our 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.
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're 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.
For further guidance, please refer to the Bar Standards Board information for prospective Bar students.
Possible study locations and start dates
Bar Practice Course (BPC)
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Bar Practice Course (BPC)
| Full-time | Part-time Weekend |
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Bar Practice Course (BPC)
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Course Content
Modules
| 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 |
| 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 |
Choose to study this award and you'll 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:
| Master of Laws (LLM) |
Complete real-life work experience via our Pro Bono clinicsYou'll advise, manage and represent clients on a variety of cases across a number of legal areas. You'll also be paired with a Master’s Supervisor, who will guide you through a reflective learning process so you can complete your reflective assessment and obtain your master’s degree.
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Study additional modules*Increase your knowledge of legal practice areas which interest you and help shape the direction of your career. You'll sit the exams once you’ve finished your Bar Practice Course. View the elective module guide for more information.
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Write a dissertationImmerse yourself in an area of law and become expert in it, allowing you to demonstrate your knowledge in your applications to chambers and beyond.
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*Please note: if you're 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 (one-two days per week) at our Manchester campus for a single semester. Students studying additional modules at our Newcastle campus will have to attend regular sessions (one-two 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.
Teaching and Assessment
How you'll learn
You'll learn through a combination of face-to-face tuition in small classes as well as a wide range of self-study materials and other support services.
Our Bar Practice Course has its own structure, with different assessments to suit. Download our course structure for more details.
Assessment
There are ten 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.
Classes are approximately two hours long and are delivered over two or three days per week, supplemented by online learning. Full-time students are typically timetabled for up to two days of on-campus teaching per week, while part-time students attend on both weekend days every second or third weekend.
The University of Law is committed to supporting your journey to pupillage through our unique Future Pupil Programme, which helps you prepare from the moment you accept your place. Here are the types of support that are available to you:
- CV starter pack: Your guide to ensuring your CV is Bar-focussed.
- Employability platform: Access job opportunities, work experience and event listings.
- Pupillage health check: Meet a Specialist Careers Advisors to review your CV and receive strategic application advice.
- Pro bono and advocacy opportunities: Take part in award-winning pro bono activities, advocacy competitions, workshops and mock trials before real barristers and judges.
- One-to-one appointments: Receive tailored support via in person, email, Teams or Zoom sessions, including advice, feedback and mock interviews.
- Pupillage interview workshops: Prepare in small groups with specialist Careers Advisors and BPC lecturers.
- Pupillage panel events: Attend practice panels, Bar networking events and sessions on non-legal skills such as tax.
- Bar Mailing List: A newsletter run by Future Pupils that ensures students are kept up to date on mini-pupillage openings, job opportunities and more.
- Post BPC advice: Access guidance on scholarships, internships, employment and further study, plus careers support for five years after graduation.
Course dates
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.
Fees and Applying
Course fees
| Location | Fees |
| 2026/27 Course Fees (from 1 July 2026) | |
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London |
£18,100 (BPC) / £21,100 (BPC LLM) |
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Outside London |
£16,450 (BPC) / £19,200 (BPC LLM) |
Total fees above include BSB fee of £840.
| Location | Fees |
| 2026/27 Course Fees (from 1 September 2026) | |
|
London |
£18,100 (BPC) / £21,100 (BPC LLM) |
|
Outside London |
£16,450 (BPC) / £19,200 (BPC LLM) |
Total fees above include BSB fee of £1,190.
All fees include a deposit amount of £250.
For the 2026/27 academic year, we are offering students studying at Newcastle University a £500 award for our postgraduate courses and a £3,000 award for our BPC LLM and a £1,000 Postgraduate Award to students studying at our Nottingham Campus. Dependant on start date. Terms and conditions apply.
International students may be eligible for an International Bursary of £1000 for the BPC and £1500 for the BPC LLM offered as a fee reduction. Terms and conditions apply.
If you’re a ULaw alumnus, you may be eligible to receive our £1000 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.
Plus, if you choose to study the Bar Practice Course LLM you may be eligible for a Postgraduate loan.
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.
Entry Requirements
2:1
QLD Degree2:1
UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE WITH LAW CONVERSION COURSEUK entry requirements
Students must possess a 2:1 or above from a Qualifying Law degree (QLD) or a 2:1 in any undergraduate degree along with a Law Conversion course.
Applicants with a 2:2 from a non-law degree will be required to achieve a commendation or distinction from their GDL/MA Law/PgDL/MA Law (Conversion) or MA Law (SQE1) studies. Some students with a 2.2 but other qualities such as additional higher education qualifications, relevant work experience etc may also be considered.
From January 2027 onwards, applicants with a 2:2 from a Qualifying Law degree (QLD) will be considered, taking into account the overall strength of their application, including academic profile, personal statement, professional experience, and other indicators of capability. They will also take an enhanced selection interview.
Students must comply with the requirements set out by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).
Applicants meeting the academic eligibility criteria will also be required to attend and successfully pass an online Selection Interview.
International entry requirements
An English Language level equivalent to IELTS 7.5 with a minimum of 7.5 in each component or equivalent.
Applying
Apply to The University of Law
Applications are made directly to The University of Law.
International students will have a deadline of six weeks prior to the course start date to submit applications, with the last selection event taking place five weeks prior to the course start date.
Home students have a deadline of four weeks prior to the course start date to submit applications, with the last selection event taking place three weeks prior to the course start date.
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.
Apply now
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