1. Faculty of Social Sciences
  2. School of Law
  3. Undergraduate
  4. Admissions guidance

Admissions guidance

This information applies to the following courses:

  • M100 LLB Law
  • M101 LLB Law (2 year Graduate programme)
  • MR11 LLB Law with French Law
  • MR12 LLB Law with German Law
  • MR13 LLB Law with Hispanic Law
  • MM29 BA Criminal Justice and Criminology

All applications received by 25 January 2023 will receive equal consideration. Applications received between 26 January and 30 June will be considered at our discretion and subject to places remaining available. 

UCAS terms explained

The UCAS glossary of terms will help you to understand the application process.

Personal statements

The personal statement of the application form helps us to assess the nature of interest in the academic subject and is an important part of the selection process. It is essential that applicants take this opportunity to demonstrate their enthusiasm and aptitude for the academic subject.

The following examples are not exhaustive, and are designed as a guide, rather than a formal set of criteria:

  • Demonstrated interest in and commitment to the subject. The main focus of your personal statement should be course specific. Applicants should demonstrate that they have strong motivation for choosing the degree applied for and have taken steps to investigate what the degree entails. Applicants should normally be expected to identify what particular aspects of the degree programme are of interest and how it relates to their current academic programme. Applicants might support this through reference to wider reading or understanding of current affairs. In addition, applicants should also aim to be able to report some direct experience and understanding of legal practice or the criminal justice system (for example through work experience or ‘shadowing’ or through attending a court hearing) and what they have learnt from their experience. We are aware of the difficulties that students may experience in obtaining ‘work experience’ and applicants will not be disadvantaged on the basis of a lack of this kind of experience.   
  • Social and cultural awareness. Given the diversity within the University community, it is useful for applicants to have some experience beyond their immediate environment. Many applicants gain this insight through part-time employment, voluntary work, work experience, organised community schemes, and travel. Activities connected to, and independent of, school/college are given equal merit. 
  • Responsibility. All the degree programmes offered by the School of Law require students to demonstrate personal responsibility for their learning and lead to professional careers where individual practitioners carry significant responsibility to their clients, or within their organisation. Applicants should be able to demonstrate that they have begun to develop this aspect of their character. Demonstration of responsibility through paid employment, volunteering, within school, and through family, caring or leisure activities is desirable. 
  • Non-academic interests and activities. The School believes that people who have developed interests outside their academic studies and who try to lead a balanced life are more likely to contribute to the University community in its broadest sense. Successful applicants will have found time to pursue non-academic interests whilst still meeting the necessary academic requirements. The nature of those interests is a very personal matter, but successful applicants will describe potentially verifiable evidence of such achievements in, for example, community service, paid employment, performing arts or sports.   

Where applications show similar academic achievements and predicted grades, we may use the personal statement and reference in order to differentiate between applicants. 

UCAS also gives advice about writing a personal statement.

Interviews

The School of Law do not use interviews as part of our standard admissions process.

Will I receive an offer?

Courses in the School of Law receive a high volume of applications relative to the places available. This means that we cannot extend an offer to all applicants and that for some courses we may hold your application for a period in which applications are assessed relative to others in the given field. Offer decisions are made based on an overall review of applications including predicted grades, breadth of knowledge demonstrated through qualifications, personal statement, and contextual information.

See Application decisions section below for further information.

Applications may be unsuccessful based on an overall assessment or for specific reasons such as:

  • An incomplete UCAS form
  • Failure to respond to a request for more information before the given deadline (where information is missing from the application form or additional clarification is needed, an email request for this information will be sent to the email address provided in the UCAS application)
  • Low predicted or achieved grades
  • Poor personal statement (see personal statement guidance above on what to include). 

Please note that meeting, or being predicted to meet, the academic entry criteria does not automatically result in an offer being made.

Application decisions

Our courses in the School of Law are very popular and often oversubscribed. The number of applicants exceeds the number of places available and so, to ensure that we treat all applications fairly and equitably, we may review applications after the UCAS deadline before making a final decision.

This is a normal part of our process for these courses and may mean applicants have to wait longer than usual to hear from us. It takes time to thoroughly assess all applications, but we aim to make all decisions by the end of March. 

Offer decisions are made based on an overall review of applications including predicted grades, breadth of knowledge demonstrated through qualifications, personal statement, extra-curricular and work experience, and contextual information.

Qualifications taken early

We recognise that some applicants may have studied a more flexible curriculum, where applicants have been able to progress through their educational development at an appropriate rate according to ability. Where a Level 2 (for example, GCSE) or Level 3 (for example, A Level) qualification has been taken ‘early’ the academic reference should include the reasons for this so that it can be taken into consideration by the admissions team. 

Resits

The School of Law generally expects that applicants have completed 3 A Levels (or equivalent) in one sitting. However, if there are extenuating circumstances that mean resits cannot be completed as above, applicants should contact the admissions team. We may not be able to confirm a place in the upcoming academic cycle following an improved final grade after re-mark, in such cases applicants may be asked to reapply.

Deferral requests

We are not currently able to consider applications for deferred entry.

Advanced entry

Entry onto Levels 2 and 3 of courses within the School of Law is not permitted other than through agreed partnership agreements.

Internal transfers 

We will consider applications from those who wish to transfer internally from other programmes at the University of Leeds, providing places are available. Current students enquiring about a potential change of programme will be required to complete this Change of Programme Initial Enquiry Form in the first instance.  

Applicant assessment

Academic grades normally form only one part of the final decision and the section on personal statements gives examples of how applicants may demonstrate that they have the skills, knowledge and attributes that we consider will enable them to become successful students on our degree courses.

Admissions policy

Please see the University of Leeds Taught Admissions Policy.

Contact details

School of Law – email uglaw@leeds.ac.uk