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The LPC is still an active professional qualification course for those who began their legal study before 1 September 2021, until 2032 (when the new SQE qualification becomes compulsory). It’s the compulsory course for aspiring solicitors in England and Wales. If you’re considering taking the LPC route for now, the next step is to consider which provider you’d like to complete your preparation course with – there are a range to choose from.
Deciding where to do an LPC in the UK depends on several factors. For example, do you want to study an accelerated/full-time LPC, or would you prefer a part-time LPC (enabling you to work at the same time)? Where you want to study is also a consideration – for example having to relocate from another city to London. The cost of the LPC preparation course is a major factor that many will put at the top of their priority list. Entry requirements are another factor that can vary between law schools. Finally, you could also consider the reputation of your awarding institution.
When choosing an LPC course, the cost is likely to be a big factor. LPC course fees vary between LPC providers and depend on whether you want to study a full-time LPC or a part-time LPC. The full-time Legal Practice Course tend to cost tens of thousands, while LPC course fees for part-time study are lower initially, but are charged per year, meaning a part-time LPC will ultimately cost a similar amount.
You will also have to think about any travel, accommodation and living costs while you’re studying, which can vary depending on where you study your LPC in the UK. If you are an international student, LPC course fees are significantly higher compared to UK students (as they are with standard university tuition as well).
In short, the LPC is always going to be an expensive course and thus a significant investment in your education and future career – but costs will vary between institutions (see our comparison table below). It’s also worth remembering that many institutions will offer scholarships/bursaries to cover some of the costs (see individual websites below for exact details), whether means-tested or based on academic ability.
The length of an LPC course might be another important factor in where you choose to study the LPC. An accelerated LPC takes 7 months to complete, a full-time LPC takes one year and a part-time LPC takes two years. Most aspiring lawyers who are already on training contracts will be asked to complete an accelerated LPC course (if their providers have not already changed to the SQE as the compulsory route). If you’re interested in a longer course, you’d be able to work part-time as well (thus making it a potentially more affordable route for some).
Many will feel that they would like to (or need to) relocate from more rural hometowns to cities with law school campuses (this no longer just means London – there are a variety of northern campuses too, for example). Not only is this an important decision in regard to your lifestyle (for example being close/further away from family and friends), but this will also significantly affect your living costs during the LPC – thus feeding into the cost point again.
There is some debate over whether law school reputations are important. It’s certainly felt that, in the eyes of an interviewer at a law firm training contract assessment centre, for example, the law school you went to is far less important than the university you attended for your undergraduate degree. However, going with trusted name brands such as BPP or the University of Law is favoured by some applicants over smaller independent courses elsewhere. This is not to say that you shouldn’t apply elsewhere, of course, but it is something to be aware of.
Different LPC courses will sometimes have different entry requirements – although there isn’t usually a huge difference. Most courses are going to want you to have completed a bachelor’s degree (plus a conversion course like the GDL or PGDL if it wasn’t a qualifying law degree) and achieved a minimum of a 2.2 (or sometimes 2.1, especially if you’re looking at the accelerated courses). You should also note that, given the intensive nature of reading and writing within these courses, English language requirements are often set by law schools as well.
The information in the table below is regularly updated, but is subject to change. Therefore, we cannot guarantee information accuracy at all times. We recommend contacting LPC providers directly for the most up to date details.
LPC courses in the UK are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) – the courses listed below are the only ones officially approved by the SRA on their website. Our LPC course comparison table outlines details of LPC university course providers – such as the LPC University of Law course – including cost, length, location, and entry requirements.
Finally, note that the list of providers offering the LPC is gradually dwindling as the SQE takes over – many of the institutions that would have been on this list have now moved to embrace the SQE instead (or LLM courses which fuse elements of multiple courses), and so it’s more important than ever to complete thorough research.
| LPC Provider | Locations | Course Fees: UK & EU Students | Course Fees: International Students | Contact details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham City University | Birmingham | FT £10,000 PT £667 per 8 credits | FT £16,300 | +44(0)121 331 6697 |
| Bournemouth University | Bournemouth | Contact Admissions | Contact Admissions | +44(0)8456 501 501 |
| BPP University | London | FT/PT £19,300 | Contact Admissions | +44(0)333 123 604 |
| BPP University | Bristol | FT/PT £15,200 | Contact Admissions | +44(0)333 123 604 |
| BPP University | Leeds | FT/PT £14,200 | Contact Admissions | +44(0)333 123 604 |
| BPP University | Manchester | FT/PT £14,200 | Contact Admissions | +44(0)333 123 604 |
| BPP University | Birmingham | FT/PT £15,200 | Contact Admissions | +44(0)333 123 604 |
| BPP University | Cambridge | FT/PT £15,200 | Contact Admissions | +44(0)333 123 604 |
| Cardiff University | Cardiff | FT £16,200 | FT £20,450 | +44(0)29 2087 4941 |
| University of Central Lancashire | Preston | FT £10,500 / PT £5,250 | FT £15,500 | +44 (0)1772 892400 |
| City, University of London (formerly City University) | London | FT £15,350 | FT £15,350 | +44 (0)20 70 40 5787 |
| De Montfort University | Leicester | FT £11,000 PT Contact Admissions | FT £11,000 PT Contact Admissions | +44(0)116 257 7458 |
| Leeds Beckett University | Leeds | FT £12,000 PT £6,000 | FT £11,750 PT £5,875 | +44(0)113 812 6421 or 0113 812 6082 |
| Liverpool John Moores University | Liverpool | £11,230 or £12,600 (depending on mode of study) | Contact Admissions | +44(0)151 231 3936 |
| London Metropolitan University | London (Holloway) | FT £11,500 PT £5,750 per year | FT £11,500 PT £5,750 per year | +44(0)207 133 4202 |
| Northumbria University | Newcastle upon Tyne | FT £12,950 PT Contact Admissions | FT £12,950 PT Contact Admissions | +44(0)191 243 7211 or 0191 243 7090 |
| Nottingham Trent University | Nottingham | FT £12,200 PT £6,100 per year | FT £11,950 PT £5,975 per year | +44(0)115 848 4460 |
| University of South Wales | Pontypridd | FT £12,050 PT £6,025 | FT £14,500 PT Contact Admissions | +44(0)1443 482635 |
| Staffordshire University | Stafford | FT £10,900 PT £5,450 | FT £10,900 PT £5,450 | +44(0)1782 294000 |
| Swansea University | Swansea | FT £13,300 PT £6,650 | FT £15,600 PT Contact Admissions | +44(0)1792 602374 |
| The University of Law | Birmingham | FT/PT £15,350 | FT/PT £14,150 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | Bristol | FT/PT £15,350 | FT/PT £14,150 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | Chester | FT/PT £14,300 | FT/PT £13,200 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | Exeter | FT/PT £15,350 | FT/PT £13,165 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | Guilford | FT/PT £15,350 | FT/PT £14,150 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | Leeds | FT/PT £14,300 | FT/PT £13,200 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | Liverpool | FT/PT £14,300 | FT £12, 315 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | London Bloomsbury and London Moorgate | FT/PT £17,950 | FT/PT £17,950 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | Norwich | FT/PT £13,165 | FT/PT £13,165 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | Sheffield | FT/PT £13,200 | FT £11,950 PT £5,975 per year | +44(0)800 289 997 |
| The University of Law | Manchester | FT/PT £14,300 | FT/PT £13,200 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | Nottingham | FT/PT £14,300 | FT/PT £13,200 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| The University of Law | Newcastle | FT/PT £13,200 | FT/PT £13,200 | +44(0)800 289 997 |
| The University of Law | Norwich | FT/PT £14,150 | FT/PT £14,150 | +44(0)800 289 997 |
| The University of Law | Reading | FT/PT £15,350 | FT/PT £13,165 | +44 (0) 800289997 |
| University of Sunderland | Sunderland | FT/PT £8,000 | FT/PT £7,850 | +44(0)191 515 2000 |
| The University of the West of England | Bristol | Contact Admissions | Contact Admissions | +44(0)117 328 2709 |
| University of West London | Ealing | FT £13,500 PT Contact Admissions | FT £13,500 PT Contact Admissions | +44(0)208 231 2278 |
| University of Westminster | London | FT £12,500 PT £6,250 | FT £13,000 PT £6,500 | +44(0)207 911 5000 |
| York St John University | York | FT £10,400 PT Contact Admissions | FT £13,000 PT Contact Admissions | +44(0)1904 876976 |
| University of Wolverhampton | Wolverhampton | FT £11,000 PT £5,500 per year | FT £14,450 PT Contact Admissions | +44 (0) 1902 321000 |
In short, it’s worth doing thorough research into which provider you choose for the LPC. Considering factors such as location, cost, entry requirements, length and institution reputation are useful starting points for starting to compare your options, but ultimately the choice will come down to your own personal preferences and needs.
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