Canada

We are a world-leading Law School offering academic excellence and real-world legal experience, with a long history of welcoming Canadian students to study common law in a globally recognised degree, perfectly based for travel across Europe.

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Programme information

LLB Law (or Bachelor of Laws)

This is an undergraduate direct-entry degree in law and is the most common form of law degree obtained by UK students. Choosing the LLB in Law at Bristol will enable you to progress onto the Bar Practice Course or prepare, in part, for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), helping you to develop core legal skills and understanding of the seven foundations of legal knowledge. 

MA Law

This graduate course is designed for students with an undergraduate degree in any discipline who aspire to pursue a legal career.  It is similar to a ‘Graduate LLB’ or a 'Law Conversion Course (GDL)' but studied over two years at a masters level providing a greater depth of study and comprehensive legal grounding. 

Entry requirements

LLB Law

There are no subject specific requirements for this programme. We accept a range of Canadian provincial grade 12 qualifications with the Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT) for entry. For specific details please contact us at americas-office@bristol.ac.uk.

MA Law

The Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT) is not required for the MA Law programme. 

Applications for the MA Law are via the University of Bristol online application form. Applicants from outside the UK are normally expected to hold an undergraduate degree in any academic subject, equivalent to an upper second-class honours degree.

Required documents:

  • One academic reference,
  • Degree certificate(s) and academic Transcripts,
  • English language certificates/other evidence.
  • Optional: Personal statement, Curriculum Vitae (CV). 

Accreditation

Graduates of the University of Bristol’s LLB Law and MA Law programmes have successfully had their qualifications assessed by the Federation of Canadian Law Societies’ National Committee on Accreditation (NCA), enabling them to sit the NCA examinations and pursue legal qualification in Canada. The University of Bristol Law School maintains strong ties with the Canadian legal community through regular visits, fostering relationships with alumni, law firms, and other legal professionals across the region.

Pathways to practice

Follow these steps for legal qualification in Canada*:

  • Apply to the NCA 
  • Complete NCA requirements 
  • Complete your articles 
  • Get called to the Bar 

*Always check the NCA website for official updates.

New partnerships for 2026

Western Law (Ontario, Canada)

A degree pathway has been established for current Bristol LLB graduates with the Faculty of Law at Western University in Ontario. University of Bristol Law graduates who achieve a 2:1 or higher will be eligible to be considered for the Western Law JD program. Upon admission, students will receive 1 year of advance standing. This creates a 5-year pathway where students receive both an LLB and JD (3+2). Western University's Faculty of Law is highly regarded in Ontario, Canada, and is consistently ranked among the top law schools in the country. This pathway strengthens career prospects in Canada by facilitating degree recognition, connections with local employers and access to professional preparation support. An additional benefit of this pathway is that students completing the Western JD are exempt from writing NCA related examinations.

University of Guelph (Ontario, Canada)

A degree pathway has been established for students at the University of Guelph from the following programmes:

  • Honours Bachelor of Arts
  • Honours Bachelor of Arts & Sciences
  • Honours Bachelor of Creative Arts, Health, and Wellness

Graduates from these programmes at Guelph will be allowed entry into University of Bristol’s MA Law programme. This 4+2 pathway is perfect for Canadian students interested in an efficient progression to Law studies in the UK. The postgraduate MA Law programme is a two-year accelerated Master of Arts in law, suitable for non-law graduates of any discipline. It is particularly attractive to those who wish to enter the English and Welsh legal profession. If looking to return to Canada to practice law, students can go through qualification process via the National Committee on Accreditation.

Find out more

Read more about joining the University of Bristol from Canada on our Canadian students page.