A brief guide to the admissions aptitude test for some undergraduate law courses
What is the LNAT?
The LNAT is an online exam which forms a compulsory part of the application process for some university law courses. It was developed by a group of universities to assess a candidate’s ability to demonstrate the skills needed as a law student, regardless of educational background. The exam is therefore not a test of legal knowledge, and instead tests a student’s general comprehension and reasoning skills.
The results of the LNAT are used as part of the university shortlisting process, alongside standard methods of selection such as A-Level predictions, applications and interviews.
Which universities require the LNAT?
As it stands for 2024 entry, 11 universities use the LNAT as a compulsory part of their application process. See the table below for a breakdown of which universities these are, and which courses require it.
UK universities:
| University | Course/Courses which require the LNAT |
| University of Bristol | LLB law, LLB law and French, LLB law and German, LLB law and Spanish |
| Durham University | LLB law, LLB law with foundation |
| University of Glasgow | Scots law LLB, common law LLB, common law LLB + LLM, and all combinations |
| King’s College London | LLB law, politics, philosophy and law LLB, English law and French law LLB, English law and German law LLB, English and Hong Kong law LLB |
| London School of Economics | LLB law |
| University of Cambridge | BA Law (hons) |
| University of Oxford | BA law (jurisprudence), BA law (jurisprudence) with European law, BA law (jurisprudence) with French law, BA law (jurisprudence) with German law, BA law (jurisprudence) with Italian law, BA law (jurisprudence) with Spanish law |
| SOAS, University of London | LLB law and all other course combinations including law |
| University College London | LLB law, LLB law for international applicants, LLB law with French law, LLB law with German law, LLB law with Hispanic law, LLB dual degree English and German law |
International universities:
| University | Course/Courses which require the LNAT |
| Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) | LLB programme |
| IE School of Law (Segovia, Spain) | LLB programme |
The exam
The LNAT online exam is a two-part test lasting 2 hours 15 minutes.
Section A: 42 multiple-choice style questions (95 minutes)
Section A of the LNAT exam is multiple-choice and consists of argumentative passages, followed by three or four questions. The subjects covered in these passages are general, and no prior legal knowledge is required. The candidate results from this are electronically processed and passed on to the universities.
Section B: Essay-type question (40 minutes)
Section B of the LNAT exam involves three essay questions, for which the student is required to answer one. The topic of the essay questions will be general, usually informed by current affairs. This is a chance for the candidate to demonstrate their ability to present a logical written argument in a clear and concise manner. The essay must not exceed 750 words. Between 500-600 words is advised.
Note: LNAT scores are not evaluated by the LNAT service provider (Pearson VUE). They are instead sent directly to the law school/university which assesses LNAT scores based on their own individual selection and scoring criteria.
How can I prepare?
There is limited revision which you can do prior to the LNAT exam. However, those taking it are advised to undertake practice LNAT papers in order to familiarise themselves with the format of the test.
Practice tests and sample essay questions are provided by the LNAT service provider themselves, alongside suggested reading material. Applicants are encouraged to visit the official LNAT website to access these sources.
Applying to take the LNAT
Information on how to register, pay and take the test is available on the LNAT website.
Key deadlines for 2024 entry:
LNAT registration opens — 1 August
LNAT testing starts — 1 September
Oxford deadline for having completed the LNAT — 15 October
LNAT registration closes — 20 January
Please not some UK universities (Cambridge, Oxford, LSE, UCL and KCL) have their own registration deadlines.
Costs
The cost of the LNAT exam is £75 for UK/EU test centres and £120 for test centres outside of the EU. There is also an LNAT bursary available for students.