Bar Training Course (PgDip)

Please note if you require a Student Visa to study in the UK you will not be permitted to transfer between the Diploma and LLM courses once you have arrived in the UK due to Home Office visa rules. You should decide which course you wish to pursue at the time you make your application, otherwise you will be required to apply for another visa at further cost. In light of this, you should consider carefully which programme of study you wish to apply for.

Before application please ensure you have completed the Academic Stage of Bar training as laid out by the Bar Standards Boards here: https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/training-qualification/bar-qualification-manual-new.html. Applicants with non-UK or Ireland Law degrees or non-UK or Ireland conversion degrees will need to apply to the Bar Standards Boards for a Certificate of Academic Standing before applying for the Bar Training Course.

To be considered for an offer for this programme you will need to meet all of the entry requirements. Your application will not be progressed if the information and evidence listed is not provided.

With your online application you will need to provide:

1. A copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have achieved a 2:1 honours degree in law, or an equivalent international degree. Or, a copy of your degree certificate and transcripts which show you have achieved a 2:1 honours degree in any subject and have achieved a Common Professional Examination (CPE) or Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). If your degree certificate or result is pending, please upload any interim transcripts or provisional certificates.
2. Evidence you meet the English Language requirements outlined below. Please include the date of your expected test if this qualification is pending. If you have alternative acceptable evidence, such as an undergraduate degree studied in the UK, please supply this in place of an IELTS.
3. Evidence of your commitment to the legal profession, specifically practice at the Bar (e.g. via placements, mooting competitions, public speaking).
4. An academic reference which demonstrates your suitability for the programme and includes details of results received to date. References should be signed, dated and less than six months old at the time you submit your application.

If you do not have a 2:1 honours degree you may still apply but should provide additional evidence to support your application such as a CV and references.

Please note that prior to enrolling on the programme you will need to provide evidence that you have been admitted as a student member of one of the four Inns of Court.

English language requirements

In order to meet regulatory body requirements, this programme has specific English language requirements. You must complete either IELTS or Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic or meet the exemption criteria. No other tests or evidence can be accepted.

• IELTS with an overall score of 7.5 with at least 7.5 in all subskills
• Or, Pearson Test of English (PTE) Academic with an overall score of 80 with no less than 80 in all communicative skills.

You must have taken the test within two years of the course start date and all required scores must have been achieved in one sitting of the test.

Exemptions to English language requirements

If you graduated no more than three years prior to the course start date, you will not be required to provide evidence you meet the English language requirements if you have completed a full degree or a 1- or 2-year top-up degree through the medium of English in one of the following countries: Antigua & Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Ireland, Jamaica, New Zealand, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, United Kingdom and Northern Ireland, USA.

Application Deadline

We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible.

Selection Process

We will review your completed application and if you meet the entry requirements, your application will be scored against a set of evaluative criteria taking into account academic achievement, the quality and content of your responses to the questions posed, and your written English and communication skills. If you meet the minimum score required, you will be made an offer.

Find out more about English language requirements.

Applicants who require a Student visa to study in the UK must present an acceptable English language qualification in order to meet UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) requirements.

Criminal convictions

You are not required to complete a DBS (Disclosure Barring Service) check or provide a Certificate of Good Conduct to study this course.

If you are currently subject to any licence condition or monitoring restriction that could affect your ability to successfully complete your studies, you will be required to disclose your criminal record. Conditions include, but are not limited to:

• access to computers or devices that can store images
• use of internet and communication tools/devices
• curfews
• freedom of movement
• contact with people related to Cardiff University.