July 2021 or March 2022 (Part One)
February 2022 or September 2022 (Part Two)
Part One: 20 weeks Part Two: 24 weeks
22 weeks
Part One:
July registration: July - December
March registration: March - August
Part Two:
February registration: February – August
September registration: September - February
Full-time: £14,000 (£2,500 (Part One only - online); £11,500 (Part Two only)
Full-time: £14,000 (£2,500 (Part One only - online); £11,500 (Part Two only)
Full-time: £14,000 (£2,500 (Part One only - online); £11,500 (Part Two only)
From Mid/late Autumn (expected)
Northampton Square
Designed to replace the BPTC, this two-part Bar Vocational Studies programme option is best suited for students who are self-motivated and disciplined in their approach to their studies, have stamina, are able to perform well under tight time pressures.
You will be confident in own ability to study for knowledge examinations with the assistance of a carefully designed online course but with no face-to-face classroom teaching.
Bar Vocational Studies programmes also available:
See also: Bar training at City
Part One is an online course which has been carefully designed to enable you to study in your own time from any location and at times which suit you, but with the support of an experienced team of tutors. The focus is on the centrally-assessed modules of Civil Litigation, Evidence and Dispute Resolution, and Criminal Litigation, Evidence and Sentencing via our easy to use virtual learning platform.
Part Two brings you back to the classroom to transform your skills in the remaining compulsory modules required for Call to the Bar.
We have an impressive record of students gaining pupillage and they are strongly supported by our award-winning Pupillage Advice Service (PAS) which has close links to the Bar.
If you are interested in pursuing an LLM in Bar Vocational Studies, you may consider our other BVS programmes:
The Vocational Component is accredited by the Bar Standards Board. The BSB sets out the education and training requirements for becoming a barrister, which means once you graduate, and provided you complete the Inns qualifying sessions, you are qualified for Call to the Bar.
Entry requirements for Part One:
The minimum entry requirement is an undergraduate degree classified as not less than a lower-second class honours (2:2) or equivalent. This can be either a law degree or a non-law degree plus further graduate/postgraduate study in Law and in either case must cover the seven foundations of legal knowledge and satisfy the Professional Statement competence
The Bar Standards Board can advise on non-standard qualifications.
For admission to Part Two:
In addition to the entry requirements for Part One, you must have been accepted as a member of one of the Inns of Court by the time of registration on Part Two.
If you have successfully completed Part One at another institution you may apply for Part Two only. You will be required to provide evidence of having passed Part One as a condition of entry.
You do not need to have passed Part One in order to start Part Two.
The Bar Course Aptitude Test is designed to assess your critical reasoning skills, which are an essential attribute to success as a barrister. It is taken before the Bar Vocational Studies programme, and is a pre-condition to starting on the course.
It is administered by the Bar Standards Board. Details of the opening and closing dates of the test are set by the Bar Standards Board and vary from year to year but please note that you must have passed it in order to start the course. Places to take the test also fill up so it is important to register to take it as early as possible.
For further details and to sign-up for the BCAT, please visit Bar Standards Board Bar Course Aptitude Test.
Applicants to the Two-part Course must also apply for membership of one of the four Inns of Court prior to registration for Part Two. The Inns of Court have well-established scholarship schemes, with closing dates on the first Friday in November of the year preceding study. The deadlines for membership of the Inn and scholarships may be subject to change.
For further details please check the website of the Inn you wish to join.
Applicants need to be able to demonstrate that their oral and written English ability is equivalent to at least one of the following:
If you are completing your qualifying law degree overseas (even if at a UK university) you will need to provide IELTS, Pearson or TOEFL results meeting the minimum scores required by the Bar Standards Board as proof of English language proficiency. If you are made an offer further details will be provided.
International Students (EEA and Non EEA) coming to study in the UK, may need to apply for a visa or entry clearance to come to the UK to study. The way that you apply may vary depending on the length of your course. There are different rules for:
For more information see our main Visa page.
Applications for this course are not open. They are expected to open in late autumn 2020. Applications can be made via the University’s online postgraduate application system.
You will be asked to confirm whether you wish to take Parts 1 & 2, Part 1 only or Part 2 only as part of your application and when you wish to start each Part. However, it will be possible to change this when you accept your offer.
In reaching selection decisions we will take account of the following:
In addition to your written application and references, you may be asked to take part in an additional selection exercise. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis throughout the year. We will consider applications either until the programme is full or until one month before the programme start date. If you require a Tier 4 (Student) Visa we would advise an earlier application to ensure you have sufficient time to obtain your visa.
In most cases we expect to be able to notify you of a decision within two weeks of references being submitted, and without the need to undertake a selection exercise. A decision will only be taken upon receipt of references.
Please also note that scholarship applications will be considered on a rolling basis so you are encouraged to apply early to maximise your chances of obtaining one.
If you have any enquiries please contact The City Law School Programmes Office:
Email: bvs@city.ac.uk
* Fees in each subsequent year of study (where applicable) will be subject to an annual increase of 2%. We will confirm any change to the annual tuition fee to you in writing prior to you commencing each subsequent year of study (where applicable).
What your fee includes
Fees are inclusive of:
You should consider the possible additional fees associated with the BVS:
Please note that there is an additional fee for assessment resits.
Ours are ethical Bar Vocational Studies Programmes: no fees are due until registration on your course, and there is a cooling off period until 31st October with full refund (less £400 deposit).
Investing in your future through education and training is important, and at The City Law School we understand how difficult it can be to make ends meet whilst you are studying.
Students who have successfully completed Part One of the Bar Vocational Studies Two-Part course at The City Law School will be automatically eligible for this discount if they wish to continue Part Two with us.
If you have already completed a course at The City Law School you will be eligible for the 10% loyalty discount. All you need to do is meet the minimum entry requirements for your second (postgraduate) course and we will automatically take 10% off of your tuition fees.
This can be received in addition to a scholarship.
As part of US Loan regulations, City is required to give Gainful Employment disclosures as part of our contract with the US Department of Education. Please refer to the following document for more information:
The City Law School is firmly committed to a generous programme of scholarships awarded on the basis of academic excellence. Our scholarships range in value and include both partial and full fee waiver awards.
Find out more about other scholarships offered to City Law School Students.
Sibel Dedezade Pro Bono Award
A prize is awarded to a Bar Vocational Studies (BVS) student for exceptional work on The City Law School pro bono programme as nominated by advice clinic supervisors or pro bono partners.
Placements are not a part of the programme, but we encourage you to spend time in chambers doing mini-pupillages. We also encourage you to participate in Pro Bono work and get involved in Mooting.
Pro Bono is an opportunity to use your time and knowledge to provide legal advice to those who may otherwise not have access to such services. It provides you with invaluable experience and a chance to develop your legal skills further. We have an award-winning Pro Bono Unit, which offers you a wide range of opportunities to get involved in Pro Bono work.
Mooting is a great way to develop important legal skills such as research and analysis whilst also learning how to structure a legal argument. At The City Law School, we offer wide range of mooting competitions and run an annual internal mooting competition where students act as a counsel to argue a point of law before a judge.
There is also an exciting programme of additional lectures given by senior members of the legal profession, and other opportunities to network with practitioners.
Our students have access to City’s extensive library and IT Facilities (including a dedicated law library), accommodation (including three dedicated Postgraduate Halls of Residence), health care and counselling, sport and leisure facilities; you also have access to some of the facilities of the University of London.
The Bar Vocational Studies programmes will be taught in our brand new facilities in Sebastian Street, Northampton Square Campus, from September 2020.
The City Law School has its own dedicated administration team and its own online legal resource portal - Lawbore.
Your course fee also includes copies of the textbooks used on the course. These include:
We offer a variety of accommodation options and support services for postgraduate students.
Read more about our postgraduate halls.
Our Accommodation Service can also help you find private accommodation.
We offer a free language course for City, University of London students.
Course timetables are normally available from July and can be accessed from our timetabling pages. These pages also provide timetables for the current academic year, though this information should be viewed as indicative and details may vary from year to year.
Please note that all academic timetables are subject to change.
We offer an extensive support network during your time here at City, University of London – from Learning Support (including disability support) and counselling to financial and career advice – leaving you free to enjoy every opportunity campus life has to offer.
Find out more about the different types of student support available.
Chat to our current students and read their blogs to gain an insight into studying at City and learn more about our undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
To make sure that you can begin or continue your studies with us during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have reviewed and adapted our courses to ensure a safe learning environment for our students and staff. We have modified the way some of our courses are delivered, with many programmes being made available online.
Contact us to find out more about how our programmes will be delivered.
The Bar Vocational Studies Two-part programme is delivered by practitioners with experience of delivering and designing training for the Bar, they are qualified experts who are specialists in their fields and with a wide range of expertise. Teaching for the course takes the following format:
Part One is taught wholly online using an innovative, interactive virtual learning platform that includes: test banks of questions with feedback, a module progress tracker, a discussion board, learning activities, and live tutor support.
Part Two is an exciting blend of interactive face-to-face small groups and workshops and online resources.
The programme is assessed by 10 summative (final) assessments, each of which is designed to suit the skill or subject being assessed.
Please note that it is not necessary to pass Part One (Centrally-Set Assessments) in order to progress to Part Two (Remaining assessments), although you may choose not to progress to Part Two until you have successfully passed Part One.
Part One and the CEB examinations
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) will offer three sittings of these assessments in each academic year, namely in April, August and December (the dates in each academic year will be published by the BSB on their website). All of the remaining assessments take place in Part Two of the programme.
Part Two and the remaining assessments
The remaining eight assessments are set by The City Law School, with the papers being approved by an External Examiner appointed by the Bar Standards Board and The City Law School. These assessments are as follows:
Part 1
In Part One, you will study Civil Litigation and Dispute Resolution and Criminal Litigation, Sentencing and Evidence. These modules are taught online rather than by face-to-face teaching. You will be able to study for these modules in your own time, and at your own pace, and access them from any location.
Part 2
Part Two is a taught course, in which you will study and be assessed in the remaining eight compulsory modules
You will study the following compulsory modules, the assessments for which are centrally-set by the Bar Standards Board:
The programme specification contains more information on how the course is organised, the requirements for progression for each part and credits required for awards.
The primary purpose of the Vocational Component is to enable you to progress to pupillage and thereafter to a career as a Barrister. Competition for pupillages is intense.
Other possible careers might include:
The City Law School runs an award-winning Pupillage Advisory Service which is staffed by members of the teaching team, with experience of pupillage selection. The service offers a wide range of opportunities, from CV advice, to panel events with speakers from a range of chambers and mock interviews.
Applications for this course are not open. They are expected to open in late autumn 2020. Applications can be made via the University’s online postgraduate application system.
You will be asked to confirm whether you wish to take Parts 1 & 2, Part 1 only or Part 2 only as part of your application and when you wish to start each Part. However, it will be possible to change this when you accept your offer.
In reaching selection decisions we will take account of the following:
In addition to your written application and references, you may be asked to take part in an additional selection exercise. Applications will be considered on a rolling basis throughout the year. We will consider applications either until the programme is full or until one month before the programme start date. If you require a Tier 4 (Student) Visa we would advise an earlier application to ensure you have sufficient time to obtain your visa.
In most cases we expect to be able to notify you of a decision within two weeks of references being submitted, and without the need to undertake a selection exercise. A decision will only be taken upon receipt of references.
Please also note that scholarship applications will be considered on a rolling basis so you are encouraged to apply early to maximise your chances of obtaining one.
If you have any enquiries please contact The City Law School Programmes Office:
Email: bvs@city.ac.uk
Find out more about City and all our postgraduate degree programmes.
