Funding
There are considerable costs involved in completing the process to become a solicitor and you need to weigh these up as you plan your path to qualification.
At present, the Government’s Student Loan Scheme is not available for post-graduate study but a number of other funding options are available, including the Professional Studies Loan and a range of scholarships and trust funds which may be able to assist you, see details below.
Law Society schemes
Local authority grants
Loan schemes - high street banks
Career development loans
Awards and scholarships
Other funds
Law Society schemes
The Law Society operates two schemes offering assistance with fees for the Legal Practice Course (LPC) to exceptional, aspiring entrants to the solicitors’ profession.
Law Society bursary scheme
The bursary scheme is funded through a number of trusts established to support the development of individuals who can demonstrate exceptional academic ability and potential as a solicitor.
Applicants can specify the amount of the bursary they wish to apply for up to the total course fees but must have a confirmed place on an LPC course before an application can be submitted.
Law Society Diversity Access Scheme
The Diversity Access Scheme supports individuals who will have to overcome exceptional obstacles to qualify as a solicitor. These may be of a social or personal nature, relate to difficult family circumstances or to a disability that makes the goal of qualifying as a solicitor a particularly challenging one.
The scheme provides scholarships to cover LPC course fees and successful applicants will also automatically qualify for support through the Law Society’s mentoring scheme.
Please note that the application process for both schemes in the academic year 2009/10 has closed. Details of the application process for 2010/11 will be published here in early 2010.
Local authority grants
Your local authority will be able to provide you with details of mandatory and discretionary award policies. This will include courses which the authority considers suitable for the purposes of financial support.
The CPE, Post Graduate Diploma in Law and Legal Practice Course are categorised as discretionary awards. These awards are limited, and you should check with your local authority when to apply. The authority will decide whether you qualify for an award, using a series of criteria established by the officers and elected members.
The Department for Children, Schools and Families also publishes information about funding on the Directgov website.
Loan schemes – the high street banks
Major high street banks are a popular source of finance for those considering a career in law. A number of these banks offer special schemes for the CPE/GDL and LPC, with lower interest rates than normal and delayed repayment arrangements, see below for details.
NatWest Professional Trainee Loan
Full time students studying on the GDL or LPC can apply to borrow up to £25,000. More information is available on the NatWest website.
Lloyds TSB Professional Studies Loan
TSB loans are available for CPE/PgDL and LPC students, in a lump sum or stages. Loan amount is up to £10,000 or two-thirds of previous salary if in employment. Repayment is over a period of five years maximum, beginning six months after completion of course.
Contact your local branches for information and application details.
Royal Bank of Scotland Law Student Loan Scheme
Loan amount available for:
- CPE/PgDL - £5K
- LPC - £10K (or £15K if no CPE loan has been made)
Applicants should be existing RBS customers or should transfer their account. Repayment period up to seven years, including study period. No repayments in year one and interest only in years two and three. £100 fee payable.
RBS also offer student account terms while studying, including a £2,000 interest-free overdraft. Schemes for Barristers may differ.
Contact your local branch or apply to Royal Bank of Scotland, Commercial Banking Services (Marketing), PO Box 31, 42 St Andrews Square, Edinburgh EH2 2YE. Tel: 0131 523 4145
Career development loans
The career development loan has been replaced by the Professional and Career Development Loan.
Read more
Awards and scholarships
LSC 2008 Training Contract Grants scheme
The Legal Services Commission (LSC) has awarded 150 grants, available under the 2008 Training Contract Grants scheme, to solicitor firms and Not for Profit organisations across England and Wales.
Each grant represents a commitment to support a student/trainee and an organisation for up to four years, through the LPC and training contract.
If you are interested in a training contract with one of the organisations who has been given an LSC grant, contact the organisation directly. Applicants will need to go through their internal recruitment process, and cannot apply via the LSC. Organisations have until 30 January 2009 to recruit a trainee.
More information about how the scheme works and a full list of the organisations [PDF 110KB] who have been awarded a grant, and their contact details, is available on the LSC website.
HRLA Bursary Award 2008
The Human Rights Lawyers’ Association (HRLA) bursary scheme enables law students (either currently studying recently graduated) to undertake work placements in the field of human rights. In 2008, the HRLA offered between three and five awards from a maximum bursary fund of £5,000.
Successful applicants are funded to undertake work related to human rights law that they would otherwise be unable to afford to do. Work can take place outside of the UK but must have direct relevance to developing human rights law, practice and procedure in the UK, and applicants must demonstrate that they are committed to finding employment, or practising as a lawyer, in the UK in the human rights field in the future.
For more information see the HRLA website.
Overseas students
Overseas students who are able to obtain work permits may apply for sponsorship with firms to support their studies for the CPE, Post Graduate Diploma in Law and the Legal Practice Course. The British Council provides information and assistance to overseas students seeking to qualify as solicitors in England and Wales.
H M Hubbard Law Scholarship
This scholarship is for trainee solicitors and recently admitted solicitors. You may apply for a scholarship if you plan to study the law and legal procedures in France, Spain or Canada.
Further information can be obtained from the scholarship administrator – see the H M Hubbard Law Scholarship website for details.
The Inderpal Rahal Memorial Trust
The Trust makes one, or occasionally two, grants per year towards legal training for women from an immigrant or refugee background who intend to practise or teach law in the UK. Candidates are required to complete an application form and those shortlisted, attend an interview.
Contact the trust administrator for further details, either by email irmt@gclaw.co.uk, or by writing to:
Inderpal Rahal Memorial Trust
Garden Court Chambers
57-60 Lincoln's Inn Fields
London WC2A 3LJ
BPP scholarships
BPP Law School offer a number of scholarships. Details can be found on the BPP website.
Other Funds
Charities and grant-making trusts
Your local authority awards officer will have information about local charities and any grant-making trusts for which you may qualify. Details may also be available from your local reference library. Qualifications for these awards vary enormously. Usually, they provide only small amounts of money and should not be relied upon to provide full financial support for either tuition or maintenance.
College access funds
These funds are available to post-graduate students at universities and publicly funded colleges mainly to provide additional assistance to meet living costs. The funds are used at the discretion of your college. Students should contact the student support or student services officer of their institution for further details.
Sponsorship
A number of firms will sponsor students, mainly those applying for Legal Practice Courses and those intending to take the CPE or Post Graduate Diploma in Law Course. In the circumstances, you would normally expect to serve your training contract with the firm. Occasionally, commitment to employment with the firm over a longer period is required. This will form the subject of a covenant in the training contract.
You will also find sponsorship information in the CSU publication, PROSPECTS Legal, again available from your university or careers service, or available from CSU.
Twice yearly The Lawyer magazine publishes a ‘Student Special’ supplement which contains a list of firms who are willing to sponsor students. Further information is available from The Lawyer. Copies are usually kept in university careers services.