Let us take a quick look at the Best Law Schools and the Top Law Universities in the UK, as per various annual rankings. Specifically those requiring LNAT scores for admission.
The comparative rankings in this article seeks to quickly address four of the most frequently asked questions about Law Universities or Law Schools in the UK :
- What is the best law school in the UK?
- What are the best universities in the UK for law?
- Where should I study law in UK?
- Which are the Best Law Schools and Universities in UK requiring LNAT scores?
Click here to check out the latest version of the article – Top Ranked Law Universities and Colleges in the UK, which require LNAT scores for admission.
Focus of this article
Our focus is on the Universities requiring LNAT scores. Thus, the ranking lists are limited to the nine Law Universities & Law Schools from across the UK.
An interesting aspect is that eight of the nine institutions on this list are part of the prestigious Russell Group of Universities. This group represents twenty-four of the best Universities in the UK as per various rankings.
Not all the Russell Group institutions require LNAT, as they may have their own separate tests or shortlisting processes.
Why are these Top Universities and Law Schools using LNAT?
Primarily, to shortlist candidates from among a large pool of applicants with similar scholastic achievements.
Many of the Law Schools on this list are positioned within the top ten in various rankings. This would explain the high applicant to position ratio of almost 15:1 or even higher in some cases.
The LNAT is used as an additional shortlisting criteria.
All of these Law Schools will use the scores from the Objective – Comprehension part of LNAT. Some Universities also use the essays to evaluate the candidate’s writing, analytical and presentation skills.
The Best UK Law Schools Ranked – The LNAT list
| University | TG | THE | TCUG | QS |
| Oxford | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| UCL | 2 | 4 | 3 | 5 |
| LSE | 4 | 3 | 9 | 3 |
| Glasgow | 5 | 9 | 5 | 9 |
| Kings | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 |
| Durham | 7 | 7 | 10 | 8 |
| Bristol | 20 | 11 | 19 | 9 |
| SOAS | 46 | – | 43 | 12 |
| Nottingham | 49 | 15 | 12 | 9 |
Table Abbreviation Keys
Rankings Sources:
- The Complete University Guide – TCUG
- Times Higher Education – UK Rankings – THE
- The Guardian Rankings – TG
- QS Top Universities Global Ranking – QS
Institutions Column:
- Oxford – Oxford University – Faculty of Law
- UCL – UCL – Faculty of Laws
- Kings – King’s College London – The Dickson Poon School of Law
- Glasgow – University of Glasgow – School of Law
- LSE – London School of Economics – Department of Law
- Durham – Durham University Law School
- Nottingham – University of Nottingham – School of Law
- Bristol – University of Bristol Law School
- SOAS – SOAS – School of Law
How was the UK Law School ranking table compiled?
The four ranking sources are not only the most dependable compilations, they also use robust methodologies and data sources to arrive at their final lists.
They mostly use similar parameters – but the weights may differ. One ranking may focus more on academics and research, the other may look at employment prospects. By looking at all the four rankings together, it gives us a more holistic picture.
In rankings such as QS Top Universities, the comparison is done on a global level. In such cases, we have extracted the UK universities and re-ranked them separately. Next, the LNAT list was culled out from the UK rankings. These rankings are specifically for Law subjects and courses.
The University rankings do fluctuate year to year; especially in international rankings. But these UK Law schools have been in the top bracket for a long time. Minor variations will not affect the demand for their Law courses.
What is the average LNAT Score in the Top Law Schools in the UK?
The table below lists the recent average LNAT scores from among the ‘Offered’ candidates for each of the LNAT Universities. These numbers were compiled from the data published by the Universities and also from FOI query responses by the Law Schools.
Law School | Average LNAT score – Offered |
Oxford University – Faculty of Law | 29 |
UCL – Faculty of Laws | 28 |
King’s College London – The Dickson Poon School of Law | 27 |
University of Glasgow – School of Law | 25 |
London School of Economics – Department of Law | 29 |
Durham University Law School | 29 |
University of Nottingham – School of Law | 27 |
University of Bristol Law School | 25 |
SOAS – School of Law | 25 |
The average global scores for the year among all LNAT test takers stood at around 22. Which indicates that applicants to these schools scored higher than the global average.
The higher scores roughly correlate with the higher ranking of the Law Schools. However, the story is so no simple.
For some Law schools, the LNAT score may carry a weight of as much as 40% of the overall selection criteria. Others may give it a lower consideration.
Another factor to consider is that while some Universities totally disregard the essays, others give it a significant importance. For example, Bristol University uses the following weightings: 60% multiple choice questions and 40% essay.
However, the bottom line would be that a higher LNAT score will definitely increase the probability of selection.
Why should you take your LNAT Prep seriously?
By the time you are applying to various Law Schools, you cannot change your previous academics. But your LNAT scores are still within your control.
You cannot retake the LNAT in the same year, and your scores are not carried forward to the next year.
If you don’t do well in the test or if your Law school applications are not successful, you have to retake the LNAT and submit the results along with a new UCAS application form in the next years.
Read our other LNAT related articles that explore how each University uses the LNAT test scores for their admissions process.
For any questions or comments, feel free to drop us a line at : hello@lawmint.com
