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The key dates to be aware of if applying for a university course starting in 2024 are:
1st August 2023: UCAS registration opens – LNAT registration opens at the same time
1st September 2023: LNAT tests begin
Mid-September 2023: UCAS applications can be sent off from now onwards
Most UK university applicants:
20th January 2024: Register and book a test before this date
25th January 2024: Sit the LNAT by this date at the latest
31st January 2024: Submit your UCAS form by this date
King’s College London and LSE (London School of Economics) applicants:
31st December 2023: Sit the LNAT by this date at the latest
Oxford and Cambridge applicants:
15th September 2023: Register and book a test before this date
16th October 2023: Submit your UCAS form by this date (at the latest) and also sit the LNAT test by this date (at the latest)
It is only possible to sit the LNAT once between September 1 2022 and July 31 2024. We advise taking the LNAT early on in the academic year to ensure that you meet admissions deadlines for the universities that you are applying to.
The LNAT is the Law National Admissions Test – an aptitude test widely used for university admissions onto law degree courses. It is not a test of memorised content knowledge – rather, it functions more like a critical thinking test (not dissimilar from the Watson Glaser test aspiring solicitors applying for vacation schemes or training contracts will face a few years down the line), examining how you think rather than what you know.
The test is 2 hours 15 minutes in length, and divides into two sections. Section A runs through 42 multiple-choice questions in 95 minutes, and Section B gives you 40 minutes to write an essay on a topic of your choosing (from a shortlist of options given).
Only Section A officially counts towards your LNAT score, but your Section B answer will also often be studied by admissions tutors at some universities (especially if you’re applying for Law at Oxbridge).
There are around 150 centres in the UK at which you can book to take your LNAT (and 500 all over the world if you’re taking the test elsewhere).
While your school may offer some guidance, it is important that you take responsibility and be proactive in arranging your own registration for the test. Particularly important are the key dates to be aware of, which change significantly based on which universities you are applying to. While most universities follow the same calendar, King’s College London and LSE (London School of Economics) ask for applicants to sit the LNAT slightly earlier, and Oxbridge asks its applicants to sit their LNATs much earlier.
The LNAT cost varies depending on which country you live in. 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. Be sure to consider any international transaction fees that your bank may charge if taking the latter option (e.g. transfer fees, exchange rate fees since the amount must be paid in GBP, etc).
If you are struggling to pay for the exam, you could apply for the LNAT bursary. However, you must ensure that you apply for the bursary before booking the LNAT (it is unlikely that they will reimburse your fee afterwards). More details on this funding can be found here.
If you are a UK or EU student in receipt of certain state benefits, the LNAT test fee will be waived altogether. If you don’t have access to a major credit or Visa debit card, you can apply for an LNAT voucher, which will enable your exam booking to be processed online.
You can send a cheque, make a bank transfer or pay by cash for a voucher. You can then use the voucher number online at the time of registration.
If you’re applying from certain countries (for 2024 entry: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Benin, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Iran, Kenya, Lebanon, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda), you’ll need to pay via the LNAT voucher scheme rather than paying by card.
You must book the LNAT in advance via the Pearson VUE website. All you need to do is create an account, book and pay.
If they can’t meet your Examination Access Requirements, the LNAT Consortium will help you contact your LNAT universities and request them to exempt you from taking the test. For example, if you’re admitted to hospital, you won’t be able to sit the exam because it has to be taken in a secure test centre.
Please note that the LNAT Consortium can’t grant an exemption on behalf of LNAT universities; you will need to ask each university individually, and the decision is made at their discretion.
If you require access arrangements for your LNAT exam, for example additional time, you still need to create an LNAT login online via the Pearson VUE website as normal, but you will need to apply for Examination Access Arrangements by submitting an online form with supporting evidence. You can find out more about this on the LNAT website.
There are over 500 LNAT test centres in the world, 150 of which are in the UK. Test centres are usually based in high street locations and new test centres are being added to the directory all the time. When you log onto the system on the LNAT (Pearson VUE) site, you’ll be able to see the range of centres available near you.
If, for any reason, you think you won’t be able to make your test date at your selected test centre, you can reschedule your booking without additional cost until noon (UK) two days before the date you are due to take your LNAT.
After this point, if you need to cancel or are unable to take the test for any reason (including, for example, not bringing the correct documentation to your test centre or family emergencies), you will have to pay to book another test. It’s important that LNAT bursary candidates keep in mind that they won’t be eligible for another bursary in this situation.
You may be forced to pay to reschedule if you turn up to the LNAT more than 15 minutes late, so make sure to plan your journey to the test centre in advance and leave yourself lots of extra time. After 15 minutes, it is at the discretion of the staff at your test centre whether it would be too disruptive for you to join the other test takers.
There are over 500 LNAT test centres in the world, 150 of which are in the UK. Test centres are usually based in high street locations and new test centres are being added to the directory all the time.
Your registration for the LNAT is a very important part of your admissions process for a law course at a UK university. Be sure to take a proactive approach to mapping out all the dates relevant to you (taken from our list above for 2024 entry), and ensure that you’re comfortable with the booking process. Once this has all been taken care of, you can move onto preparing for your LNAT exam in order to maximise your score.
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