Legal Practice Course (LPC)

What is the Legal Practice Course?

The LPC provides trainee solicitors with the basics of how to conduct client meetings, complete watertight contracts, and much more. It's a postgraduate course known for its intensity and the volume of material that students must deal with.

The LPC is now only available to candidates who fall within the SRA's transitional arrangements. Typically, candidates will have completed, or be eligible to complete, a qualifying law degree or a recognised law conversion course such as the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). Those who do not meet the transitional requirements must qualify through the SQE route.

The route to qualifying as a solicitor in Scotland is different to the rest of the UK. In Scotland, the equivalent of the LPC is the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice (DPLP). This one-year course is available at six Scottish universities. Find out more about qualifying as a solicitor in Scotland.

What does the LPC involve?

The course is broken into two freestanding stages.

Stage one covers the three essential practice areas:

• business law and practice
• litigation, including civil and criminal
• property law and practice.
• Then there are the skills of:
• advising and advocacy
• interviewing
• practical legal research
• writing and drafting.

In addition are the areas of:

• professional conduct and regulation
• solicitors' accounts
• taxation
• wills and administration of estates.

Stage two is made up of three vocational electives. This includes choices for those heading to City firms:

• private acquisitions
• public companies
• debt/banking.

There is also a range of choices relevant to small and medium-sized firms, such as commercial property, commercial law and employment, and family, immigration and welfare law.

Most courses use a mixture of workshops, lectures and private study. This is often combined with online tests and tutorials. You may be assessed through:

• coursework
• open and closed book knowledge assessments
• oral presentations
• written assignments.

To find a course in your area, search for legal practice courses.

How long does the LPC take?

Courses generally start in September. The length of courses can differ depending on where you study.

Full-time courses usually take one year to complete, while part-time courses take up to two years. The electives can be taken over a longer period, either studied together or separately.

Stage one must be completed with a single course provider, while you can undertake stage two with more than one authorised provider.

Where can I study the LPC?

As the SQE has become the standard route to qualification, LPC provision has reduced significantly.

Many universities have already withdrawn their LPC programmes and only a limited number of authorised providers continue to offer LPC study options.

BPP no longer recruits students onto an LPC programme, while the University of Law's final LPC intake will be an online-only, part-time cohort beginning in September 2026.

Prospective students should check directly with providers, as course availability is continuing to change.

When do I apply for the LPC?

Applications for full-time courses go through LawCab (Central Applications Board) starting from September onwards. Prospective part-time students apply directly to their chosen provider.

There is no closing date and applications are processed as they're submitted. However, each institution may have its own admissions procedure, so you need to check individual providers for course start dates and application deadlines as they may not consider late applications.

When applying through LawCab, you can rank three choices of law school. There are no interviews, so success hinges on the application form.

Applications are only released to the course providers once the form has been submitted, references received, and the £30 application fee has been paid.

Student enrolment with the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) is no longer required.

However, you are required to disclose any issues related to character and suitability before beginning your training contract. If this applies to you, you'll need to apply to the SRA at least six months before you start training.

Do I need to secure a training contract before applying?

Not necessarily. Many students start an LPC without having a training contract and then go on to secure one during the programme or shortly after graduation.

To see what's available, search for a training contract.

How much does the LPC cost?

Fees vary depending on where you choose to study and whether you take the course as a whole or as two separate stages.

For example, for the final intake of the 2026 online LPC at the ULaw costs £17,100. While the University of South Wales charges £14,000 for it’s LPC for home students.

Is funding available for the LPC?

The firm you're doing your training contract with may pay your LPC fees. You will need to check what this involves, as it could mean you're tied into the firm for a number of years after graduation.

If your fees aren't being paid, you will need to use other funding sources, including:

• a scholarship from your chosen institution
• self-funding through savings or part-time work
• schemes such as The Law Society Diversity Access Scheme.

You aren't eligible for the government-backed Masters loan, but take a look at other postgraduate funding options.

Find out more

• Discover what you can do with your law degree.
• Take a look at how to become a lawyer.
• Learn more about the reality of working in law.