Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT)

What is the LNAT?

The National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) is intended for students who want to study law at university level. Increasingly, admissions teams have found that applicants to oversubscribed courses such as law were impossible to differentiate based on A-Level grades alone. Therefore, the LNAT was created in order to assess students’ verbal reasoning skills to shortlist those most suited to a career in law.

As of 2026, not all universities use the LNAT, but below is a list of the 12 universities that do (3 of which are based outside of the UK): 

• Durham University
• IE School of Law, Spain 
• Jindal Global Law School
• King’s College, London (KCL)
• London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)
• Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS), Singapore 
• SOAS University of London
• University College London (UCL)
• University of Bristol
• University of Cambridge
• University of Glasgow
• University of Oxford

Do you need the LNAT to study law?

If you are applying to study law at one of the universities listed above, then you will need to take the LNAT to be considered for entry. That said, some exceptions are made for those whose Examination Access Requirements are not met (for example, if you are admitted to hospital and are unable to reach a test centre). In these circumstances, the LNAT Consortium can support your request for an exemption; however, there is no guarantee that this will be granted as admissions teams will evaluate each request on a case-by-case basis. 

What does the LNAT involve?

The LNAT is a computer-based exam that students have 2 hours and 15 minutes to complete, consisting of two sections.

In Section A, all applicants must read 12 passages and answer three to four multiple-choice questions per passage, totalling 42 questions. For this part, you are allocated 95 minutes, which equates to about seven minutes per passage.

Section B is a writing task where you have 40 minutes to produce an essay on any one out of a selection of three topics given. This section is not scored in the same way as Section A and does not contribute to your final LNAT score. However, admissions teams will still review your essay. To showcase your writing abilities as well as your critical thinking skills, it is essential to prepare thoroughly for both sections and complete them to the best of your ability.

LNAT essay  

Section B, the essay, is important as admissions teams will use it to shortlist applicants according to their ability to construct a compelling argument. Therefore, it is important to be prepared.  

You will have just 40 minutes to decide on a question, plan and write an answer.  Don’t panic though, it needn’t be a dissertation. In fact, answers are limited to 750 words and most students end up writing 500-600. Remember to prioritise quality over quantity and think about your answer carefully before you start writing. 

Example questions: 

• How should judges be appointed? 
• “Is it right that students should contribute to the cost of their degrees?’ Do you agree? 
• Should the law require people to vote in general elections? 
• Should private cars be rationed? If so, how? 
• Make the best case you can for public funding of the arts. Exemplar response:  https://lnat.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/sample_arts.pdf 
• Does it matter if some animal and plant species die out? Exemplar response: https://lnat.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/sample_species.pdf
• What is ‘political correctness’ and why does it matter? Exemplar response: https://lnat.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/sample_political.pdf

Grade boundaries

Unlike exams such as GCSEs or A-Levels, the LNAT does not have a set grade boundary that guarantees progression to the next stage or ensures an interview. LNAT scores are considered alongside other elements of your UCAS application, including your personal statement, academic achievements, and work experience. While Section A of the test is numerically scored, universities evaluate these scores relative to those of other applicants. Therefore, although there is no fixed score that categorically defines a high-achieving candidate, achieving an above-average mark can significantly enhance your chances in the admissions process.

What is a good LNAT score? 

Each of the 42 questions in Section A is worth one mark. In 2023, the average score was 22 out of 42, although those accepted into Oxbridge achieved a higher average of 28. Therefore, you should not feel disheartened if your score seems low. The LNAT is intentionally challenging, but what matters most is how well you perform relative to other applicants.

How to get the test results

After sitting the LNAT, you will not be able to see your results for Section A until mid-February, after they are sent to the universities that you applied to. If you choose to review your score then you can log into your LNAT account on the official LNAT website after they are released. Note that Section B is not given a grade so you will only be able to see your graded score for Section A. 

Can you retake the LNAT?

Regardless of what score you achieve, students may only take the LNAT once each test cycle. So if you do not finish the test with a grade that will enhance your application then you may need to wait until the following year to re-sit the exam, this also means that you will need to pay the fee again. 

It is therefore essential that you prepare well for the exam and perform to the best of your abilities and avoid having to wait for the next test cycle in order to try again.

LNAT vs. UCAT

The LNAT and the UCAT (University Clinical Aptitude Test) are both admissions tests. However, the LNAT is intended for students wanting to study law whereas the UCAT is used for entry into medicine, dentistry, and healthcare programmes. The skills that these assessments aim to challenge also differ accordingly. The LNAT evaluates your verbal reasoning skills such as comprehension, interpretation, analysis, synthesis and deduction as well as your essay-writing abilities. On the other hand, the UCAT is more focused on students’ cognitive abilities such as problem-solving, decision making, and situational judgement and does not include a writing task. Instead, UCAT students are faced with 184 multiple-choice questions to be answered over four sections (in 2025 the UCAT was shortened, and the Abstract Reasoning subtest was retired – for more information please see here). The LNAT also has a multiple-choice section comprising 42 reading-based questions in addition to a 40 minute essay to complete. 

Since one test is for medical courses and the other is for law courses, it is unlikely that students will need to take both. However, comparing the two can help you to understand what exactly is being asked during the exam and what specific skills you should be aiming to convey through your responses. 

 

 

How to prepare for the LNAT

As with any exam, one of the most effective ways to prepare is to go through past papers and aim to complete them under timed conditions, limiting your access to research materials when answering essay questions to give yourself the best idea of what the exam will be like when you sit it on the day. 

For Section B, a good way of helping you produce a compelling response is to broaden your knowledge of current affairs and commercial awareness. This can be achieved by pursuing reliable news sources such as the Guardian, the Financial Times, The Economist, the New York Times, The Scotsman and The Irish Times. Start by selecting an article that interests you and ask yourself: What issue is being raised? What assumptions is the author making? How could I present a counterargument? Developing the habit of critically analysing articles in the lead-up to your LNAT will help you cultivate the skills needed to produce a well-rounded essay response.

Also it is important to give yourself enough time to prepare, keeping an eye on your test date and managing revision alongside your other commitments. Scheduling one-on-one sessions with an experienced SLT tutor can not only help students to manage their time effectively but also to guide productive revision that will make the most of the time you have. 

Official LNAT guidance to exam preparation can be found here. 

Past LNAT papers can be found here.

 

How can Simply Learning Tuition help?

Simply Learning Tuition offers expert, personalised support across all stages of Law school applications. Services include:

• Academic tutoring in how to express critical thinking and using rhetoric for LNAT answers
• LNAT preparation and practice
• Guidance on university selection and application timelines

Enlisting the help of an experienced tutor can vastly improve chances of success in the exam. Simply Learning Tuition offers a range of tutors specialised in getting students a head start on their preparation, feeling confident to take on the LNAT, and ultimately achieving their desired results.