Which A Levels Are Needed for Law?

Law degrees are highly sought-after and the competition for entry, especially at the top universities and law schools, is intense. Selecting the right A Levels to impress university admissions teams is a key component of a successful application.

But which A Levels are needed for Law and how can you make the right selection? This guide will walk you through the top choices, considering the entry requirements of leading universities, as well as recent application data, to provide you with expert advice.

NB: if you’re a younger student, you may find our guide on which GCSEs you need to become a lawyer useful.

Universities’ A Level Entry Requirements for Law

Most universities do not have strict requirements on which A Level subjects are needed for Law. However, several leading universities do recommend certain subjects, which can give an excellent indication of the best to take.

Let’s take a look at what some of the top universities for Law recommend.

Cambridge

The University of Cambridge states that while there are no compulsory A Level subjects to take, they “recommend certain subjects for a strong application”. These are English, History and ancient or modern languages.

Most of their applicants take at least one of these three subjects, while the rest take at least one of:

• Economics
• Law
• Mathematics
• Psychology
• A science subject

Oxford

The University of Oxford gives a little less information for their prospective Law applicants. They say that “an essay subject can be helpful when completing this course but is not required for admission.”

LSE

The London School of Economics and Political Science is one of the top-ranked universities for Law in the UK. While “there is no set subject combination” required by applicants, the university notes that Law “requires a significant amount of reading, research and attention to detail. So, we expect to see a high level of literacy reflected in your post-16 subject choices and evidence of your ability to cope with a demanding workload.”

If you’re not studying many essay subjects at A Level, LSE would expect you to “demonstrate these skills in your personal statement, teacher’s reference, extra-curricular activities or performance in GCSE.” Finally, they note that students can take both A Level Maths and Further Maths “if combined with an essay-writing subject.”

What Does This Mean for Your A Level Choices?

What we can tell from this survey is that top universities want applicants to demonstrate the key skills needed to succeed on a Law degree, and that your A Level subject choices and performance are one of the best ways to do this.

Essay-writing or humanities A Levels are recommended for Law by all three of these universities, as a Law degree requires the research, argumentation, and critical thinking skills that these subjects develop. However, non-humanities subjects can still be useful: Maths and Economics, for instance, can teach the logic, reasoning, and attention to detail which all great lawyers have in spades.

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A Levels Needed for Law: Top Recommendations

Although no specific A Levels are needed for Law in the strictest sense, a couple of subjects in particular stand out as the most valuable for applicants: English and History.

For instance, in recent years, Cambridge revealed the five most common A Level subject combinations of applicants for its Law degree. Of these five, four involved both History and English. So what makes these subjects stand out?

English

English A Level requires students to analyse texts and interpret their meaning. Students also learn to think critically, write well organised essays, and construct persuasive arguments. All of these skills will be immensely useful on a Law degree.

History

History will develop similar skills to English in students who take it at A Level. In addition, through the analysis of sources and the weighing of different historians’ perspectives against one another and against historical data, students will learn to conduct detailed research and evaluate competing claims to arrive at the truth. Law schools and universities value these skills very highly.

Other Good Options

A number of other A Level subjects would make good choices for prospective Law applicants. Each of these has its own strengths which would help you to succeed in Law.

Languages

Cambridge University particularly recommends ancient or modern languages to applicants, but they are useful for law applicants to any university. These subjects require you to pay close attention to linguistic detail, which is very important for lawyers: just think of poring over the terms of a contract with a fine tooth comb, for instance.

Furthermore, in the modern world, developing language skills is a useful career advantage. If you speak a second language, you may well be more attractive to employers, especially big law firms which operate internationally.

Maths

Non-essay subjects like Maths can still be an excellent A Level subject choice for Law. Doing well in Maths requires you to think clearly and logically, reason well from accepted principles, and pay close attention to detail. Law schools really value this.

Economics / Business Studies

These subjects are good choices, especially if you are interested in specialising in corporate law. Knowing how the economy is structured or businesses operate is crucial for understanding the context to which so much modern law applies.

Politics

As well as providing all the usual benefits of an essay subject, studying Politics will help you understand the systems underpinning how laws are created and enforced. This A Level is especially recommended if you are interested in human rights or constitutional law.

Religious Studies/Philosophy

Religious Studies and Philosophy help you evaluate the merits of arguments. They can also encourage you to reflect critically on the ethical frameworks governing the law.

Psychology/Sociology

These A Levels are useful for understanding how individuals behave within society, a good structure for thinking about the purpose of laws and how they are intended to regulate human behaviour.

Factors to Consider When Choosing A Levels for Law

Now you know the best A Levels to take for Law, you will need to think about which combination of three or four subjects will work best for you. Here are some key things to consider:

Balancing your subjects

Most of the recommended A Levels for Law are essay subjects. However, many students find that taking three or four arts/humanities subjects places a heavy workload burden on them, given the time they have to spend writing essays for homework.

If this sounds like it might be a drawback for you, then consider balancing one or two essay subjects with a quantitative A Level like Maths or a Science.

Getting high grades

Perhaps the most important consideration is how good you are at the subject you’re considering. If you’re aiming for leading universities, it’s far better to get a higher grade in a less recommended subject, provided it’s a traditional academic subject, than a lower grade in a recommended A Level. (Though of course, it is best practice to take at least one of the most recommended subjects.)

So, let’s say you struggle a bit with History, but are very good at Maths and Chemistry. A combination of Chemistry, English, and Maths, in which you are predicted A*AA, will stand you in much better stead than a combination of English, Maths, and History, in which you are predicted AAB.

What about A Level Law?

You might have noticed that we’ve hardly mentioned A Level Law at all in this guide! That’s because no university requires it for applications. The vast majority of Law undergraduates won’t have formally studied the subject before, and universities place more importance on your skills than on existing knowledge of Law gained through taking it at A Level.

Demonstrating your skills by excelling in one of the other recommended A Levels is much more important. That said, if your school offers A Level Law and you’re interested in taking it, then it will certainly do your application no harm.

How We Can Help

If you’re considering a Law application, we provide expert support every step of the way.

For personal advice on which A Levels would be best for your specific circumstances, as well as guidance on all other aspects of your application, book a Law admissions consultation with one of our expert advisors.

We also offer first-class preparation for the following:

• LNAT
• Personal statement
• Oxbridge interviews

If you’re not sure where to start, book a free consultation with an admissions expert today. We can discuss your options and advise you on how best we can support your application.

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