If you are considering applying for Law, it is important to know what A-Levels are needed to secure your place at a top university.
To help you best understand your choices, we will go through the A-Levels that the top universities desire.
essential A-Levels For Law
To be accepted onto a Law degree you will usually require a minimum of two A-Levels, with three A-Levels and A grades needed for the most popular courses.
Entry requirements range from BCC to A*AA, with the most common offer applicants receive being ABB.
It is not a requirement to have studied Law at A-Level; generally speaking, there are no A-Levels required to apply for Law.
According to universities’ entry requirements, A-Level Law is not a must-have which is highly beneficial if you are not 100% certain that it is the degree path you wish to pursue. Further to this, it means you can keep your A-Level choices open rather than restrict them to meet any Law course entry requirements.
This does not mean you cannot take A-Level Law to get a feel for what the subjects involves before committing to study it for three years.
Certain A-Level choices can help you prepare for your Law degree, with A-Level English one such subject. Both Oxford and Cambridge strongly recommend taking A-Level English, as an essay-based subject can be helpful for Law.
| Recommended | Facilitating |
|---|---|
| English | Geography |
| History | Religious Studies |
| Politics | Music |
| Languages | Philosophy |
| Maths | Economics |
| Science | Law |
Taking facilitating subjects such as Geography or Religious Studies will neither be advantageous nor disadvantageous. It is more important that you achieve high grades for them and can explain why the skills you developed whilst studying them will help you during a Law degree.
Critical Thinking may help with skills required when sitting the LNAT but to keep your options open, the subject is best done as an extra AS-Level.
In addition, you will also need five GCSEs – at A-C grades – including Science, English, and Maths.
Law A-Level Requirements At Cambridge
Students applying for Law at Cambridge will typically receive an offer of A*AA.
The Faculty of Law itself does not have any specific requirements for which subjects you study at A-Level. As well, there are no specific subjects required by any of the colleges at the time being but do check the website of the college you wish to apply, for any additional guidance they may have.
Cambridge highly recommends taking essay-based subjects such as English and History as they are good preparation for the critical reading and writing applicants will be asked to do as Law students.
Do keep in mind that these are just recommendations and are not required, and many students who have other backgrounds go on to do very well.
As previously stated, A-Level Law is not required, and in fact, the majority of students do not encounter it before starting their degree.
Cambridge has generally recommended that English Literature, History, Languages, and Mathematics are good core subjects – meaning choosing one or more of these can provide a good foundation for your subject combination.
Other good choices to combine these subjects with include: an additional language, Ancient History, Classical Civilisation, Economics, English Language, Further Mathematics, Geography, Government and Politics, History of Art, Law, Music, Philosophy, Religious Studies, Sciences, and Sociology.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) request submitted against the University of Cambridge provides us with a helpful and clear breakdown of the subjects applicants for 2021 admission of Law applied for.
From this information, we can see that the most valuable combinations are:
- English Literature, History, Politics
- English Literature, History, Religious Studies
- English Literature, French, History
- English Literature, History, Psychology
- English Literature, Politics, Mathematics
Additionally, Cambridge sees the Extended Project Qualification (EPQ) as a valuable way to explore your interest in legal ideas and gives you something to write about in your Personal Statement or talk about in your Interview. However, as not all schools offer the option to complete an EPQ, it will never be part of your formal offer.
Law A-Level Requirements At Oxford
Applicants hopeful of attending Oxford to study Law will typically receive offers of AAA.
Just as with the University of Cambridge, the Faculty of Law at Oxford has no specific A-Level requirements to be admitted to the course.
However, there are two Law courses available at Oxford.
Course I is a three-year course, which has no specific subject requirements.
Course II is a four-year course that follows the same syllabus but with a third-year abroad at a university in either France, Germany, Italy, or Spain. Applicants can also study in the Netherlands, where you will study European and International Law.
As such, to study in France, Germany, or Spain, candidates will be expected to have the appropriate modern language at A-Level. To study in Italy, candidates may be admitted without A-Level Italian. However, they would be expected to demonstrate sufficient language aptitude to be able to achieve the standard required to study successfully in Italy.
Intensive language training will be offered during the first two years of the course to assist with gaining a sufficient level of competency.
Whichever of these courses you opt to take, the University of Oxford recommends taking an essay-based subject at A-Level as they have proven helpful for the content of the course.
Just as with Cambridge, History, Mathematics, and English Literature are the most popular A-Levels studied by applicants to Oxford.
From this, we can assume that applicants are choosing these subjects as they enable degree options to remain open rather than restricting them.
Conclusion
With no A-Level subjects required to apply for Law at university, you have the freedom to study whatever you want.
If you are wanting to apply for Oxbridge, do keep in mind the A-Levels subjects which have time and again proven to be the most beneficial to applicants. These are English Literature, History, Politics, Religious Studies, a language, Psychology and Mathematics.
However, do carefully consider your options, so you do not end up restricting yourself if you decide Law is not the path you wish to take.
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