Student Profile: Gabrielle Theunissen-Blackshaw

Gabrielle Theunissen-Blackshaw is a 2nd year LLB student at Birmingham Law School.

• Transcript

Birmingham Law School requires applicants for the following programmes to sit the Law National Admissions Test (LNAT):

• LLB (M100)
• LLB with Business (M1N1)
• LLB with French (MR11)
• LLB with German (MR12)

Video transcript

What is the LNAT?

The National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) gives you the opportunity to enhance your application by demonstrating your aptitude for Law. This means that, if your A-Level predictions are below our requirements you will have an additional opportunity to prove that you would make an excellent student. If you do well on the LNAT test you are more likely to receive an offer to study with us, and more likely to succeed on our degree programmes.

We are looking for students with good analytical skills; students who can perform well at basic comprehension because these are the skills that make good lawyers.

What does the test involve?

The test takes the form of a multiple choice section and an essay section.

The 42 multiple choice questions give you a choice of five answers to a question about a passage of text, often taken from a newspaper, book, or other piece of literature. This part of the text examines whether you can comprehend and analyse written material.

In the essay component of the test you will write a 500-600 word essay. You are given a choice of three essay titles to choose from. We are looking for a well-structured essay with good spelling and grammar. It needs to be clear, concise and give a balanced argument including introduction, arguments for and against, and a conclusion.

There are practice tests available on the LNAT website and we recommend you do these several times to get a good feel for the test. The structure of the test means that last-minute coaching is unlikely to help. The only other way we recommend you prepare is to read a quality newspaper every day. In any event, this is the best preparation for a law degree: good journalism will familiarise you with the language likely to be used in the multiple-choice section of the LNAT and for the essay component of the test.

Our LNAT deadlines

All home/European Union applicants must submit a UCAS application form by 15 January and must sit the Law National Admissions Test (LNAT) by 20 January. 

After this date you will be considered as a LATE applicant and we are under no obligation to consider you.

If you sit the LNAT after the deadline we will not consider the result until August.

All overseas-based applicants must submit a UCAS application form before 30 June, and sit the LNAT by the same date. Provision has been made for the location of test centres across the world. However if a prospective applicant finds that it is impossible or impractical to sit the LNAT, an exemption may be requested. Please contact Law-LLB@bham.ac.uk for exemption.

Further information on the LNAT, including details of how to register, can be found at www.lnat.ac.uk

My predicted grades are below the course requirements, can I still get an offer?

We are happy to make offers to applicants predicted lower grades than our stated requirements as long as we believe you have the potential to improve upon your predictions and AS results.

What happens if I don't meet my offer?

Although we cannot guarantee you a place if you fail to meet the conditions of our offer we will always try to accommodate those students who have placed Birmingham as their firm choice.

In previous years we have had some spaces available for students who have narrowly missed the AAA requirement so if this happens there is still a chance that you will be offered a place in August.

How many students do you accept?

Across our range of undergraduate programmes we  take around 250 students each year, which makes Birmingham Law School one of the larger law schools in the country.

What subjects should I study at A-level?

We do not accept General Studies or Critical thinking. Aside from those we accept all A-Level subjects which have at least 70% academic content.

We advise that you should study those areas which you are most interested in as there are no major advantages to studying any particular subjects.

I’ve already started a law degree elsewhere. Can I transfer to Birmingham?

We do not accept transfers into the School from any other Law programme.

Can I take a gap year?

We feel that a gap year, used constructively, can be a positive benefit to a candidate. You should indicate on your UCAS form that you intend to take a gap year and explain what you plan to do during your year.

Do you accept mature students?

The School welcomes applications from mature students. However, we would expect mature applicants to have undertaken some recent academic study at an appropriate level.

It is common for mature applicants to study A-levels, Open University qualifications, or to pursue a validated Access course. Please note that mature applicants are expected to take the LNAT in the same way as other applicants.

What assistance do you offer to students with disabilities?

We welcome applications from students with disabilities. Students with mobility problems need to be aware that parts of the main Law building are not as accessible as we would like. Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to enter details of their disability on their UCAS form, together with the facilities required by them. Prospective applicants are welcome to look at our Disability and Learner Support website or email disability@bham.ac.uk