Pupillage Gateway to open in January instead of April following calls from students and chambers

The Bar Council is moving the timetable of the Pupillage Gateway application system so that it will open in January instead of April from now on, starting in January 2017.

The change means that people applying for pupillage will know the outcome of their applications before having to decide whether to enrol on the highly expensive Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), and comes following calls for change from both students and chambers during a Bar Council consultation. The decision also means that pupillage interviews should no longer clash with exams. While the majority of students and chambers supported a change, some sets expressed concern at how the new timetable will affect them – the Bar Council has promised to work with these organisations to address their fears.

Chantal-Aimée Doerries QC, chairman of the Bar, said: “This is a common-sense decision by the Bar and students. Given the high costs associated with the BPTC, the new Pupillage Gateway timetable, which will run from January to April as of 2017, means that at least students applying through the Gateway will know if they have pupillage before committing to the BPTC. However, this was never going to be about simply changing the date of Gateway. The Bar Council has an ongoing and crucial role to play in supporting students and pupillage providers. Over the next year we will be raising awareness about mini-pupillages, providing support via the Bar Council’s Pupillage Fair and continuing to equip students with the knowledge they need before they commit to the BPTC.”