Law admissions tutors want to know you understand what you’re applying for, you’re articulate and well read and that you’ve got the skills and dedication you need to study for a degree in law and the exciting career beyond.
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Think about why you want to study the subject
- Have you been inspired by someone, a news story, a documentary, or a podcast?
- Do you have career aspirations in this area of study?
- What interests you about the subject – be specific; rather than saying you enjoy it or are good at it, try to explain the ‘why’ behind your reasoning.
- What do you already know about the subject and what are you looking forward to learning more about?
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What makes you suitable to study the subject?
- Have you done projects or essays in this subject at school or college?
- Think about who you are as a person; your personality, your strengths, your experiences in life – how do these make you suited to study the subject?
- How have you shown an interest in the subject outside of school or college – have you done extra reading, online courses, been part of clubs or competitions?
- Your current subjects and grades will be included elsewhere in your application, so try to think about specific things you’ve learned during your studies that relate to the subject, rather than listing your grades and subjects.
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Look at the bigger picture
- Have you done any work experience, an internship or had a part-time job in this subject area or related? Most job or work experience will give you transferable skills, even if it’s in a different industry.
- Do you have any hobbies you can mention that might relate to your chosen subject? Many hobbies show that you can be motivated outside of school to achieve and succeed in something you’re interested in.
- Think about how your life and personal experiences have helped make you the person you are today, and how these challenges and experiences can support your application by evidencing essential qualities for certain subjects.
- If you’ve got ambitions and goals for your life and career, can you express how this subject will help you reach these goals?
Guidance and examples you can use
Question 1: Why do you want to study this course or subject?
This is your opportunity to showcase your passion and knowledge of your chosen subject area and to demonstrate to universities and colleges why it’s a good fit for you and your future ambitions.
Examples:
- Focus in on aspects of law that are of particular interest to you, whether that’s criminal, contract or international human rights law, how it relates to your current studies, and what additional reading you've embarked on.
- If you haven't studied law at A level or equivalent, demonstrate your engagement with law through a book you’ve read that had a legal dimension to it, such as In Your Defence, The Sentence, or In Black and White.
- The University of Cambridge (and many other universities) like applicants who keep up-to-date with current affairs and who are interested in the legal implications of the latest news stories. Maybe you’ve been following changes to employment law or the rights of consumers when their personal details are stolen. How did that make you want to study law further?
- Don’t forget, if you're applying for law in combination with a different subject, make sure you demonstrate something relevant to the other subject too.
Question 2: How have your qualifications and studies helped you to prepare for this course or subject?
This is your chance to shout about the relevant or transferable skills you’ve gained from your formal education and highlight your understanding of how they will help you succeed in this subject area.
Examples:
- What projects or coursework have you done that’s relevant, such as analytical essays or a critique of something? If you have the opportunity to conduct a personal project or the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ), consider giving it a legal focus.
- If you’ve studied English, drama, or sciences, explain how they’ve helped you with public speaking, persuasive writing, or attention to detail.
- What have you done outside school to learn more about law? Maybe you got work experience at a law firm or visited your local magistrates’ court. Explain how those experiences informed your decision to study this subject.
- Have you done any online courses to boost your knowledge in the subject? For example, why not try Subject Spotlights or Virtual Work Experiences from Springpod to grow your skills and interest?
Question 3: What else have you done to prepare outside of education, and why are these experiences useful?
This is your chance to talk about any other activities you have undertaken outside of your formal education, or personal experiences which further demonstrate your suitability for the course. This section is likely to be highly personal to you and anything you do include should reflect on why you’re including it.
Examples:
- Whether you’ve done a mini-pupillage, or shadowed at your local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), mention any relevant work experience and what you gained from it.
- Think laterally too – if you do shifts in a supermarket or a Saturday job in a shop, you’ll have picked up communications and sales skills, which can be important as a solicitor.
- What have you drawn from your extracurricular activities? Maybe teaching yourself to code or crochet has taught you attention to detail. Maybe you’re an avid cook or reader of fiction and you can scan texts and take information in quickly.
- Do relate any examples back to the subject you’re applying to – make it relevant
- Do make it personal – admissions staff want to get to know who you are
- Do use a spell-checker and grammar-checker to ensure there are no errors
- Do ask people for feedback, whether that’s family members or teachers
- Do your research to find out what universities are looking for, and make sure you include evidence to show how you are suitable for the course
- Don’t just list out examples, subjects you study, or experiences you’ve had without any evidence
- Don’t copy something you’ve seen online or use AI to write something for you
- Don’t make things up just because you think they’ll make you look good on paper
- Don’t leave it until the last minute – you need time for several drafts
- Don’t worry about making each section the same length; as long as you hit the minimum character count, you can use the 4,000 characters across each answer in the way that suits you best
How to set yourself apart
The key to setting yourself apart in your application is to remember how important the ‘personal’ bit is to your personal statement. What makes you, you?
If you love perusing charity shops for rare books and first editions, or just for the joy of reading, explain how your love of literature will lend itself to studying for a law degree.
Think about your personal life experiences too. If a parent or family member had to go through an employment tribunal, for example, explain how that made you interested in knowing more about employment law. If you volunteer for a local gardening club, or a food bank, think of the skills you’ve gained such as working well with others, empathy, listening skills and effective time management.
Some more tips to consider
- Do your research: Make sure you’ve researched the course you’re applying for. All that talk of your passion for company law won't impress a uni that doesn't offer it as an option. Portray why you want to study this subject, what specific aspects of the course interest you, how it relates to your academic studies, and what additional reading or other activities have led you to apply.
- Make what you mention relevant: If you read the law section of The Times, that’s great, but make sure you elaborate on why it's relevant to your application. Try reflecting on a specific article or feature, for instance.
- Transferable skills: Whether through extracurricular or supercurricular activities, work experience or a part-time job, you’ll have lots of skills that will be relevant to your course. Try to think outside the box – ok, so you play paddle ball three times a week; can you explain how that has helped with your self-motivation, time management and as a stress relief from your studies?