Bar Vocational Studies (Part-time) City St George's, University of London

Whichever of the three routes you take, the part-time course is perfect if you want to study for the Bar alongside other commitments, whether as a first career choice or as a career change. It can also be a perfect platform for combining legal skills with other professional qualifications.

The Bar Vocational Studies part-time programme will particularly appeal if you want all the benefits of the full-time course, but the ability to choose when and where you study.

You will have a regular class structure to motivate your study and help you achieve your goals and access to a carefully designed digital platform to enhance your learning experience.

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirement is an undergraduate degree classified as not less than a lower-second class honours (2:2) or equivalent. This can be either a law degree or a non-law degree plus further graduate/postgraduate study in Law and in either case must cover the seven foundations of legal knowledge and satisfy the Professional Statement competence.

The Bar Standards Board can advise on non-standard qualifications.

Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT)

The Bar Course Aptitude Test is designed to assess your critical reasoning skills, which are an essential attribute to success as a lawyer. It is taken before the Bar Vocational Studies Course, and is a pre-condition to starting the Course.

It is administered by the Bar Standards Board. Details of the opening and closing dates of the test are set by the Bar Standards Board and vary from year to year but please note that the final opportunity to take the test before the full-time course is usually in late August and you must have passed it in order to start the course. Places to take the test also fill up so it is important to register to take it as early as possible.

Inn membership

Applicants to the Bar Vocational Studies Course must also apply for membership of one of the four Inns of Court by the last working day of May. The Inns of Court have well-established scholarship schemes, with closing dates on the first Friday in November of the year preceding study. These deadlines may be subject to change.

For further details please check the website of the Inn you wish to join.