Aptitude test introduced for prospective BPTC students

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has announced that aspiring barristers wishing to take the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) will now have to pass an exam - the Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT). Applicants can register to take the BCAT from 1 March 2013 and sit the exam from 3 April.

The BCAT examines core skills such as critical thinking rather than knowledge, so no revision is required. However, practice tests are available to help students get used to the BCAT's style of questions. The test costs £150 for UK and EU applicants, and £170 for non-EU nationals. The price of the BCAT has been criticised by some students because the official fee is double the £67 sum that was originally proposed in the BSB’s consultation to establish the new test.

Baroness Ruth Deech, chair of the BSB, said: "Most students who fail the BPTC do so because they struggle with the critical thinking and reasoning required for practical elements of the course. Students role-play court room and client interactions and if someone on the course finds this difficult, it impacts on the learning of all students. The BPTC is a unique course that moulds future barristers, so it is right that we only allow those who can demonstrate key fundamental skills to sign up. The BCAT is a significant intervention to improve the quality of learning for all students on the BPTC. It will also save prospective candidates the cost of sitting an expensive course they are unlikely to pass."