Law Admission Test LNAT Guide

What is the Law Admission Test (LNAT)?

The LNAT is a computer-based law entrance exam. Achieving a strong score is critical to winning a place at some of the most prestigious universities in the UK (many of which have chosen to use the LNAT as part of their admissions process for many years) and also some overseas universities. The test assesses your verbal reasoning skills, your ability to understand and interpret written information, your inductive and deductive reasoning abilities, and your ability to analyse information and draw conclusions. 

The LNAT is not a test of legal knowledge and does not require you to memorise a lot of content. The emphasis is on your critical thinking skills, applying logical reasoning to different problems, which will be useful to you in your law degree and future legal career.

The LNAT is Split into Two Sections:

Section A contains 42 multiple-choice questions, which count towards your final LNAT score. The questions are based on 12 argumentative passages, with 3 to 4 multiple-choice questions each.

Section B contains 3 essay questions to choose from – you must answer 1. The essay questions will cover a range of subjects, so it is useful to have some knowledge of current affairs, though the test is not of knowledge but of your reasoning and communication skills.

It’s worth noting that only section A is technically counted within your quantitative overall ‘score’. However, section B answers are also available for universities to look through and they often do in order to see a sample of your essay writing skills.

Which Courses Require the LNAT?

Oxford University sets the LNAT as a mandatory requirement for students applying for the following subjects: Law; Law with Law Studies in Europe.

Cambridge University requires that all students applying for Law sit the LNAT.

Which Universities Require the LNAT?

The LNAT is required by some of the UK’s top universities, including

• University of Bristol
• University of Cambridge
• Durham University
• University of Glasgow
• King’s College, London (KCL)
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
• University of Oxford
• University College London (UCL)
• SOAS University of London

How is the LNAT Used?

The LNAT is used by universities to help admissions tutors choose between different applicants if the rest of their applications are broadly similar on paper as it offers a standardised, objective comparison of candidates. It is also useful to compare different candidates who may have sat different exams or have different educational backgrounds. It is a crucial part of your academic portfolio and admissions tutors take your LNAT score as a serious indicator of your potential as a law student.

What is a Good LNAT Score?

Your LNAT score is a mark out of 42 for Section A. You don’t receive a formal score for Section B, which is the essay section, though admissions tutors may well look at it and take it into  consideration. The average score for everyone who took the test last year was around 22. However, the average score for students accepted into LNAT universities was significantly higher (27/28 for Oxford and Cambridge).

Do Universities Automatically Find out your LNAT Test Score?

Results from the LNAT are automatically emailed to your chosen universities within 24 hours of you taking the test.

How is the LNAT Structured?

Section A contains 42 multiple-choice questions, which count towards your final LNAT score. The questions are based on 12 argumentative passages, with 3 to 4 multiple-choice questions each.

Section B contains 3 essay questions to choose from – you must answer 1. The essay questions will cover a range of subjects, so it is useful to have some knowledge of current affairs, though the test is not of knowledge but of your reasoning and communication skills.

What Skills & Knowledge Does the LNAT Evaluate? 

The test doesn’t test your knowledge of law or any other subject. Instead, it helps universities assess your aptitude for the skills required to study law. However, students are strongly advised to practise and prepare for the test. The multiple choice section assesses your ability to interpret information and evaluate arguments carefully. The essay section assesses your skills of communication, organising information and arguments into a logical and compelling structure, and your ability to evaluate these arguments and take a reasoned position.

Law Admissions Test Scoring and Criteria 

Section A offers an objective score of your critical thinking abilities, attention to detail, and ability to read thoroughly and efficiently. The evaluation criteria for LNAT Section B are wider and include:

Close Attention to the Question: Your ability to address the essay prompt effectively.

Critical Judgement: Your capacity for analytical thinking and critical reasoning.

Distinctions: How well you distinguish and elaborate on key points.

Clarity: The clarity and coherence of your writing.

Relevance: The relevance of your arguments and examples to the essay topic.

Sustained and Focused Treatment of Issues: Your ability to maintain a focused and in-depth discussion.

Awareness of Multiple Lines of Argument: Whether you consider and explore various perspectives on the issue.

How to Register for the LNAT 

You must book the LNAT in advance via the Pearson VUE website. All you need to do is create an account, book, and pay.

When is The Deadline for the LNAT Registration?

For more information on the registration deadline for the LNAT, please see the University of Oxford  and University of Cambridge admissions pages.

How Much Does it Cost to Take the LNAT?

The fee for the LNAT at UK and EU test centres is £75. For test centres outside of the UK and the EU, the LNAT cost is £120.

How to Prepare for the LNAT?

Students sometimes wrongly assume that because the LNAT is a test of aptitude rather than knowledge, they cannot prepare for it as they would for their subject exams. While it is true that content memorisation is not necessary for the LNAT, it is absolutely possible to practice and improve the skills the LNAT is testing. For this reason, it is advisable to start preparing as early as possible.

LNAT Preparation Tips

To prepare for the LNAT you should start by familiarising yourself with the test. The test is made up of two sections, requiring different skills, so it’s important to prepare for both the multiple-choice questions and the essay.

You can use our LNAT practice test questions to help you practise completing the exam under timed conditions.

You can work on your test skills and approach with our LNAT workshops or a self-paced online LNAT course. If you want to work on specific skills or target areas of weakness, our one-to-one tutoring can help you prepare.

There are also more general preparations you can start doing – for example, understanding current affairs is very useful when approaching the LNAT (particularly section B). Reading the news regularly (this could be either political news or more towards the commercial awareness side of things that solicitors are often tested on further down the line) from a reputable news source such as The Guardian, Financial Times or Economist is a great starting point. 

Many of the skills you are developing through your own studies will also be generally relevant here – for example if you chose humanities subjects for your A Levels, pay close attention to the idea of essay structure and think about how to implement that in section B of the LNAT.

See Past Papers & Examples of LNAT 

The most effective way to prepare for the LNAT is to practise using mock tests. Explore our resources here to get started

Get an Admissions Test Tutor

Working with an experienced subject tutor can help you improve your score significantly as they are skilled in the techniques that matter for the LNAT, and importantly, can tailor their guidance to you so that you can address your weaknesses and develop your strengths even further.

Speak to an Admissions Expert

If you’d like to know more about Law, we also have interview preparation and Law personal statement advice readily available.