Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
We are interested to know about you as an individual and why you want to study Law at Warwick. We look for an academic interest in the study of Law in its social context. We have a reputation for a critical approach to the law at Warwick, which involves not only learning the legal rules, but also studying them in their social, economic and political context. This means that we are especially interested in applicants who seem prepared to question the effect that law has in society. We do not see ourselves as educating students who simply see a law degree as a necessary stepping stone to professional practice. We are of course interested in your academic ability but also in your potential to enjoy studying at Warwick. There is more to university life than study in the class room. We are keen to foster a diverse and flourishing community within the Law School so we are interested in your potential to contribute to this community both within the School but also the University as a whole.
There are no fixed rules but it should be 'personal'. It is normally our only chance to 'hear' an applicant and is an alternative to us interviewing you. We want to learn about you, your reasons for choosing to study law, your academic interests, and what you do outside school that has broadened your experience. We do not want to hear what your school or your parents think we should hear. Such statements can often sound false. We see hundreds of forms each year and many sound as if written by the same computer programme. It is the real you that we want to know about. Be honest. Don't oversell yourself to try and make an impression. We just need an honest assessment of your abilities.
No, it is not necessary. Legal work experience can show a commitment to pursuing legal studies and it gives you a taste of what work in the legal profession may be like.However it is perfectly possible to illustrate your commitment to doing law, especially in a contextual law school, in many other ways. Just don't talk about John Grisham. We are interested in hearing whether your work experience provided you with any insights which might be of relevance to your legal studies.
No. Warwick, along with some other leading Law Schools, does not require the LNAT. We are satisfied at the moment that our existing selection process enables us to consider fully the wide range of applicants who wish to study with us.
We have no preference. We believe that legal skills have to be taught to all new undergraduates, and that no pre-University subject gives you any better preparation than any other. Analytical skills learnt in science based subjects are as valuable as those learnt in discussion based subjects such as English or History. We would much rather you chose subjects you enjoy doing, rather than forcing you to do prescribed subjects. In particular, do not be put off doing science or mathematics at A2/AS level. Some of the best lawyers have scientific backgrounds.
Yes. We treat Law in the same way as any other subject. We have no preference either way. It is neither an advantage nor a disadvantage.
We do not normally make an offer that includes it. We however like to see a wide range of skills in our applicants and General Studies is a good way of showing this.
No, we do not require a further AS subject in addition to your 3 A-levels.
Yes. We may not make an offer that includes them but we do consider the wider picture of what you are studying when deciding to make an offer.
Only if the applicant was adversely affected by circumstances beyond their control.
Yes. We welcome applications from mature students.
First a commitment to academic study and secondly evidence of academic or potential, most of our mature students have done a kite marked Access to Law course. Otherwise you will need to have recently completed or be taking examinations in at least two A-Level subjects
As well as the qualities expected of a traditional school leaver, we look for evidence of good time management and study skills as the additional pressures of family life can affect many students.
We recruit a number of mature students every year and in most cases the students enjoy being with us. Mature students are taught alongside all other students and are encouraged to take an active part in all aspects of student life.
At the moment, we are not offering part-time studies.
We treat all applications in the same way. We are happy to receive such applications. We would also like to know your plans if you are taking a gap year.
No. We have too many applications to do it properly. We normally only interview mature applicants.
We do not normally take students wishing to transfer directly either from another law degree or another related course. You can apply through UCAS for entry into our first year but we do give first priority to candidates applying for our courses from the outset.
Sometimes we are asked by students who have just completed their first degree at a UK university whether they can apply to take an undergraduate law degree. If you want to be lawyer then you need to take the required professional 'conversion' courses to enable you to practise law. If you are interested in law related further study then a masters course with legal content might be an option. If however you are sure that you want to take another undergraduate degree then while you can of course apply through UCAS we do give preference to applicants who do not have a very recent first degree. Please note that we welcome mature students who may have obtained qualifications in the past.
While we try to build in a little flexibility to enable us to consider applicants who narrowly miss the conditions of their offer unfortunately it is impossible for this to be an exact science so if the course is full we have no alternative but to reject. If, when you receive your results you find that you have dropped by a grade on one subject it is recommended that you contact the undergraduate admissions office. At this stage we re-read your UCAS form (particularly your personal statement). We would sooner give a place to someone who has shown an interest in the way we teach law and the University and dropped a grade, than someone who has only just thought of us.
A good question that only you can answer. Most law students will tell you that it is a hard and rigorous subject that needs effort from the start, but the vast majority find it very rewarding.
You will spend about ten hours a week in classes and are expected to do about thirty hours a week of private study as well. It is a full time course and you will be expected to be at the university every day.
Students on the Law/German programme have the opportunity of obtaining a German masters degree if subsequently they register with the same German University where they spent their third year of study and then complete a dissertation. We are discussing with our French partner institutions the possibility of obtaining a licence.
We invite everyone made an offer to an open day. We also have Open Days in the autumn for pupils about to fill in their UCAS form to help them decide whether Warwick would be a suitable University to put on their form.
We normally expect applicants to attend an Open Day when they will have an opportunity to learn more about the School and meet members of staff. However applicants who are unable to attend an Open Day are welcome to visit the department at any time during normal hours. It is not possible to book appointments with the Director of Admissions or to give guided tours.
Unfortunately, many candidates will not receive an offer from us. Most of you will have very good GCSE and A/S level results and be predicted to do equally well at A level. We know that you have worked really hard to achieve these results and we know that you will be disappointed. Again unfortunately, we have many candidates chasing a limited number of places.
If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact us. We will do our best to answer them.