Career changers: how can I fund my legal studies?

Dear Oracle

I’m 40 years old and interested in changing careers. I want to become a solicitor but don’t know what my funding options are – can you help?

The Oracle replies

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Pursuing a career as a lawyer, following years working in another industry, isn’t unusual. It’ll take some hard work and perseverance but that’s not to say that it can’t be done.

By now, you’ve hopefully identified your motivations for this decision. If you haven’t, find time to research the legal profession to pinpoint what’s attracted you to a career as a solicitor. Even with the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE), it remains expensive to qualify.  

Read our five tips for switching careers to the legal profession in this Oracle.

SQE

The SQE is now the route that all aspiring solicitors must take to qualify as a solicitor. It was introduced in September 2021 to replace the Legal Practice Course (LPC).

To qualify as a solicitor, you must:

• have a degree in any subject (law or non-law) or equivalent;
• pass the Solicitors Regulation Authority’s (SRA) character and suitability assessment;
• pass SQE1 and 2; and
• have two years’ qualifying work experience (QWE).

You can find out more about the SQE, its format, what it covers and more via the SQE hub.

Funding your legal studies is a significant factor to consider for all aspiring lawyers. We’ve outlined the options available to you as a career changer below.

“I don’t have a degree”

If you haven’t yet completed a degree, you could be eligible for an undergraduate student loan which will help to finance your studies at this stage. You should visit the government website to find out what you’re eligible for. Some education providers are now incorporating elements of SQE preparation into their undergraduate law degrees.

“I have a degree”

Non-law degree holders are no longer required to complete a law conversion course (like the Graduate Diploma in Law) to take the SQE. That said, a conversion course is recommended for non-law graduates to ensure any gaps in legal knowledge are covered before embarking on the SQE.

Find out more about the various SQE preparation courses on offer with LCN’s guide.

Regardless of your degree (law or non-law), all aspiring lawyers should complete SQE preparation to give them the best chance of passing the two-part assessment. This could take the form of a standard SQE prep course, which you’ll most likely have to fund yourself, or an LLM including SQE preparation.

Several universities have developed master’s in law courses, which include preparation for SQE1 and 2 assessments. These courses will be eligible for the usual postgraduate master’s loan funding.

There are also alternative, cheaper SQE prep courses but these can’t be covered by a student loan.

Training contract

If you’re successful in securing a training contract, many firms will continue to sponsor trainees to complete the SQE preparation and exams (similar to the way they’ve done for the LPC in previous years). You should check what your shortlisted firms are doing in this case.

Scholarships

The University of Law offers an undergraduate and postgraduate Career Changer Scholarship to support those wanting to go back into education and re-train.

The undergraduate scholarship is available for all undergraduate degrees at the university, except apprenticeship programmes, while the postgraduate scholarship is applicable for all postgraduate courses, except short courses.

There are a finite number of full and partial scholarships available for the 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025 intakes. According to The University of Law, there are 10 full-fee scholarships, with the remainder of successful applications being offered a partial scholarship. The value of which will based on the merit of your scholarship application.

Find out more about the university’s Career Changer Scholarships via its website.

Apprenticeships

Alternatively, there are a number of apprenticeships on offer that avoid the debt that comes alongside university, with apprentices now being assessed by the SQE. The split between studying and working is 20% and 80%, respectively. Entry requirements might vary depending on the employer, but the government has put together some recommended criteria. Applicants must have:

• five GCSEs, including maths and English (grade C or above – or equivalent);
• three A levels (or equivalent – minimum grade C); and/or
• relevant employer-led work experience (among other requirements).

Apprentices will start to earn a salary earlier than those qualifying via the traditional route. The apprentice levy will part-fund the training, with SQE training and assessments funded by the firm.

Some firms have also introduced graduate solicitor apprenticeships, which act in much the same way as the training contract and, like a normal apprenticeship, involve studying and on-the-job training.

Don't forget to check for legal apprenticeship vacancies via LCN's apprenticeship board!

Training to become a lawyer is expensive so it’s crucial that you’re confident that your leap of faith and change in career direction is exactly what you want. Before embarking on the change, it’s worth seeking out any legal work experience to identify whether a career as a solicitor is for you.

Find out more about becoming a lawyer as a career changer in our Feature. And, for updates on the SQE, visit our dedicated hub.