Bar Training Course (LLM)

at Cardiff University

The LLM Bar Training Course is a one-year course studied over two semesters. All modules within this programme are compulsory and comprise knowledge areas, core skills, an option and a research module. An attendance record is kept and 100% attendance at teaching sessions is expected.
 

You will complete compulsory modules (that cover practice areas and course skills) and one elective. On successful completion of the taught stage of the programme, you will submit an 8000-word Research Project or Reflective Portfolio. The Research Project is available to all students on the LLM Bar Training Course, but only students with significant pro bono or legal work experience will be able to pursue the Reflective Portfolio.
 

Students are expected to attend all classes and timetabled activities but must attend a minimum of 80% of sessions to achieve a pass on the BTC. A student who falls below 80% attendance shall fail the BTC and/or may be required to withdraw from the course. This requirement may be relaxed or adjusted by the provider in an individual case where this is necessary in order to comply with the Equality Act 2010 (or any replacement of that Act).
 

To pass the LLM in Bar Professional Training you must pass both the BTC (the Postgraduate Diploma Stage) and the Research Module (the Master’s Degree Stage) within no more than two years beyond the normal duration of the Programme.

Please note: The BSB is currently reviewing the BCAT as a requirement for enrolment on the vocational component of Bar training and a decision on the future of the BCAT is scheduled to be taken in March 2022. Until a final decision has been taken and a timeline set out for the implementation of that decision, the BCAT remains a requirement for entry onto a Bar training course. We will communicate our decision to everyone concerned and provide clear instructions for those intending to apply for a Bar training course once the implementation timeline is set.

The LLM Bar Training Course (LLM BTC) is suitable for graduates in Law or any other subject in combination with the relevant ‘conversion course’ (CPE/GDL). Applicants should show a commitment to the legal profession, specifically practice at the Bar (e.g. via placements, mooting competitions, public speaking).
 

To enrol on the course you need to have:

• completed your academic stage;
• obtained a 2:1 class degree or higher (a 2.2 class degree will be considered on a case-by-case basis taking into consideration the application in its entirety);
• been admitted as a student member of one of the four Inns of Court;
• satisfied the English language requirement; and
• passed the Bar Aptitude test.
   

Application deadline

We allocate places on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend you apply as early as possible. Applications overall close on 31st July. 
 

Selection process

Applications will only be treated as having been received by Cardiff University when both the application and the reference supporting the application have been received. 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.

English language requirements 

• 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 73 and at least 73 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

If you graduated no more than three years prior to the course start date, you will be able to self-certify that you meet the English language requirement if you:
 

• Have completed a full degree or a 1 or 2 yea 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.
   

Please note that applicants requiring a Student visa to study in the UK will not be permitted to transfer between the Diploma and LLM courses once they have arrived in the UK due to Home Office visa rules. Applicants should decide which course they wish to pursue at the time they make their visa application, otherwise they will be required to apply for another visa at further cost, as they will be unable to change course once their visa has been granted. In light of this, applicants should consider carefully which programme of study they wish to apply for

Fees for home status

Tution Fees - £18,700
Deposit - £1000

Fees for overseas status

Tution Fees - £20,700
Deposit-£1,000
 

After completion of the BTC, you will be able to be Called to the Bar and undertake pupillage. The BTC may also lead to legal work in some other capacity, e.g. paralegal, with the option of obtaining pupillage at a later date.
 

The option to complete a research project or reflective portfolio has the potential to increase your engagement in pro bono activities within the School or further your skills of independent research thereby increasing your preparedness for practice.
 

In addition, there is a growing need in the public and private sectors for students who can demonstrate being different to other graduates and who can offer something more to potential employers. You will learn important skills that will set you apart in the job market: resilience and the importance of being a reflective practitioner, how to write and critically reason, how to write for and engage the reader, and how to understand the impact of your research.
 

Placements
 

You may have the opportunity to marshall with a Judge and/or undertake a mini-pupillage, subject to availability of professional partners

Please note: availability of placements may be affected by the ongoing effects of the global pandemic.