The Costs of Qualifying as a Solicitor

Qualify as a Solicitor without a degree or training contract!

With the introduction of the Solicitor’s Qualifying Exam (SQE) there comes an opportunity for those without a degree and with a limited budget to qualify as a Solicitor – with no need to complete a training contract.

Until recently, the avenues available to qualify as a solicitor in the England and Wales were quite limited. The most common route to qualification was the ‘traditional’ Law Degree together with the Legal Practice Course, part-time or full time along with a Training Contract – for our purposes, we will assume all time scales are according to full-time study.

The traditional aspiring Solicitor would be required to attend university to study for three years, then undertake the Legal Practice Course (LPC) for a year. This would then be followed by staunch competition from other graduates to secure a two-year training contract and finally be deemed a qualified solicitor on the successful completion of all steps. However, for the year 2019-20, the Law Society revealed that, whilst 20,905 UK students were accepted to study law at undergraduate level in England and Wales, only 6,344 new training contracts were registered with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Alternatively, it has been possible to qualify through an extension to the traditional route if you obtain your degree in a subject other than law. To do this, you would need to additionally complete and fund the Graduate Diploma in Law or ‘conversion course’, which takes an extra year following the completion of your degree. This is followed by an undertaking of the LPC and then seeking an elusive Training Contract as above.

The introduction of the Solicitor’s Qualifying Exam (SQE) provides a shake-up of the traditional approaches to qualifying, offering additional flexibility and increased options for those seeking to become a solicitor, without the need for a training contract.

With the SQE route, you will be required to attain a degree in any subject OR a degree equivalent (Level 6 or above) qualification in any subject. You read that correctly – you no longer require a law degree, or even a degree at all in the traditional sense. The Council for Licensed Conveyancers (CLC) Level 6 Conveyancing or Probate Diploma is just one example of a qualification that would fulfil this requirement – for examples of other Law Training Centre qualifications that meet this requirement, click here. You do, however, need to pass both the SQE1 and then SQE2 exams, as well as complete two years of Qualified Work Experience. You will also be required to meet the SRA’s Character and Suitability requirements.

Whilst SQE2 can only be sat after passing SQE1, there is no prescribed order as to when you must complete your degree/degree equivalent qualifications, thus you can take them in the order that suits you or even simultaneously, provided you have completed them all by the time you wish to apply to be admitted as a Solicitor.

In addition, the SQE route will replace the ‘traditional/GDL’ route in the coming years; these legacy pathways will be completely phased out in December 2032. In the meantime, aspiring solicitors must decide which pathway is the best for them. In order to make an informed decision, students should be aware of the vast difference in costs that exists between the three methods of qualifying.

Take a look at our cost breakdown below:

• Traditional law degree
• Traditional degree followed by law conversion​
• SQE with Law Training Centre

Traditional law degree

Degree – £9,250/year for UK Students

(Over £20,000 if international student) = £27,750 in total (3 years full time study)

LPC – Between £9,000 and £17,000 = £13,000 average

Total: £40,750

For those living away from their main home whilst at University, additional living costs of 795/month or £9,540/year according to the UK average would need to be added.

For the average 3-year full time degree this would be an additional £28,620.

Total with additional living costs = as much as £69,370

Traditional degree followed by law conversion​

Degree – £9,250/year for UK Students

(Over £20k if international student) = £27,750 in total (3 years full time study)

GDL – Between £7,000 and £12,000 = £9,500 average (1 year’s full time study)

LPC – Between £9k and £17k = £13,000 average

Total = £50,250

For those living away from their main home whilst at University, additional living costs of 795/month or £9,540/year according to the UK average would need to be added.

For the average 3-year full time degree, plus a 1-year full time GDL this would be an additional £38,160.

Total with additional living costs = as much as £88,410

SQE with Law Training Centre

Level 6 (Degree Equivalent) Qualification –

For example CLC route:

CLC Level 4 Diploma in Law and Practice = £2,900**

CLC Level 6 Diploma in Law and Practice = £2,400

Total = £5,300

SQE –

SQE1 Prep Course – £2,890*

SQE1 Exam – £1,558

SQE2 Prep Course – Approx. £3,390*

SQE2 Exam – £2,422

Total = £15,560 (CLC route)

The above assumes no additional living costs, as there is no need for those studying with Law Training Centre to live away from their main home.

Ability to earn while you study through flexible learning options.

*Price does not include introductory offer discount or other available concessions.

**You may be exempt from this step if you already hold a law degree or other legal qualifications, contact us for details

All of the above routes are standardised, regulated, and valid pathways to qualifying as a solicitor.

To find out more about the SQE route with Law Training Centre you can view our SQE page

Find out more about Law Training Centre’s SQE1 Prep Course

Find out more about routes into becoming a qualified lawyer and different legal career options

Sources:

Law Society

Law Society source 2

Save The Student!

Which

Legal Cheek

Law Society source 3

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