LNAT for Singaporean students planning to study law in the UK, everything you need to know.

LNAT, which stands for the Law National Aptitude Test is a test which aims to assess your verbal reasoning skills, your ability to understand and interpret information, inductive and deductive reasoning abilities, and your ability to analyse information and draw conclusions.  

Many universities that provide undergraduate law courses select students based on their LNAT score, in conjunction with their application, as part of their admissions process.

Not all schools require you to take LNAT. As of 2024, it is mainly used by UK universities including the most prestigious ones. You may be surprised to know that even locally, SUSS (Singapore University of Social Sciences) uses the LNAT as part of their admissions process for their law courses.

As of 2024, the following institutions require LNAT:

UK Universities 

• University of Bristol 

• University of Cambridge 

• Durham University 

• University of Glasgow 

• King’s College London 

• London School of Economics 

• University of Oxford 

• SOAS University of London 

• University College London 

Non-UK Universities 

• Singapore University of Social Sciences, Singapore 

• IE School of Law, Spain 

*Please note that as of current writing, the University of Nottingham has dropped their LNAT requirement for AY 2024 entry. 

** To find the updated list of institutions that require LNAT, please visit the LNAT website. 

Taking the LNAT can feel a little like taking your A or O-Levels all over again, but hey, just another exam on your journey to law school right? If you’ve made it this far, it’s just one more hurdle to cross in getting your law degree.  

The LNAT consists of a 2-hour 15-minute test done in one sitting. It contains 2 sections:

Section A 

This section consists of 42 multiple-choice questions. The questions are based on 12 short argumentative passages, with 3 or 4 multiple-choice questions on each. You will be given 95 minutes to answer all of the questions*. The LNAT website has a guide with sample questions. 

*You’ll be able to review your answers at any time during the 95 minutes, but you will not be able to return to the multiple-choice section once you begin Section B. 

Section B 

In section B, you will have 40 minutes to answer one of three essay questions on a range of subjects to demonstrate your ability to argue economically and to come to a conclusion. You will need a good command of written English. To compare it with a local context, it’s like the GCE A-Level General Paper, but shorter. The guide on the LNAT website has sample questions too. 

Section A, which consists of multiple-choice questions, holds a score ranging from 0 to 42. Section B, the essay component, is not officially scored. It is, however, given high emphasis while markers are considering the applications of students as it evaluates your analytical, reasoning and writing skills.  

It is important to note that different universities have different weightage percentages for the different sections, and your LNAT score is considered holistically together with your pre-existing exam results and application. Some universities may also use it as a basis for their interview questions or compare it with personal statements also known as a statement of purpose and school/college reports. As such there is typically no specific ‘failing grade’.

LNAT is managed by Pearson VUE. You’ll need to set up an online account to book and pay for your test. If taken within the EU or UK, the test will cost approximately £75. If taken outside the EU or UK, using Singapore as a proxy, it’ll cost £120. There are currently 2 test centres in Singapore located at Cuppage Road and Bras Basah Road.  

Registration and booking for the LNAT opens on 1 August for next year’s September/October intake. Do note that you can only take the LNAT once per year (cycle). This means that if you do not get a satisfactory score, you’ll need to wait another year to retake the test.  

As universities each have their own specific deadlines to meet, it is important to check your university’s requirements on the timelines for LNAT completion and UCAS submission. Please speak to an IDP education counsellor if you need assistance with university applications and timelines.  

You do not need your UCAS application in order to register for LNAT, but it is important for your university to have your UCAS application by the time they review your LNAT results. As such, once you get your real UCAS number, you will need to enter it into your LNAT profile.  

LNAT results are released twice a year, in mid-February and mid-August. If you have taken your LNAT on or before 26 January, you will receive your results in mid-February. If you have taken your LNAT after 26 January, you will receive your results in mid-August.

Given that you can only take the test once per cycle, it makes sense to ensure that you’re adequately prepared for it. The LNAT website states that there are ‘no prior facts to learn in preparation for the test’ and that 'candidates can prepare for the LNAT by exercising the relevant parts of their brain by reading a quality newspaper in English'. That probably is not the best reassurance to those of us, who have had to struggle with English. Not to worry, as there is a plethora of online coaching options and resources. However, do note that none of these are endorsed by LNAT. We’ll break down a couple of options here for you.

Take the practice test  

Ask any Singaporean and you’ll know that the road to A-Levels is paved with 10-year series and reams of past year exam papers. Online mock exams and practice questions are one of the best ways to prepare.  

The LNAT website provides a free online LNAT practice test. This will help you get familiar with the navigation and system. This is especially useful if you’re more used to paper-based examinations and essay writing. There are also several practice test papers with subsequent commentary which can be downloaded. The commentary highlights areas of the passage which are relevant to the questions and further explains how you would arrive at the answer.  

In addition to these, there are lots of LNAT guidebooks available for purchase online, with hundreds of practice questions and solutions. A quick search on Amazon will allow you to find the most popular options. 

Online courses and coaching 

If you’re looking for more guided options, there are lots of 3^rd party options from basic online preparation courses to more intensive 1 to 1 coaching options. The costs of these services range from a few hundred dollars for more basic online preparation courses, to thousands of dollars for intensive tutoring. 

This may be particularly useful if you want to practice your writing skills for Section B of the LNAT.  

Speak to seniors  

Speaking to university seniors or others who have gone through the exam process will probably be useful as well. They’ll be able to give you exam day tips and tricks, as well as what kinds of preparation materials have worked for them, or how they went about with their own preparations.  

Besides everything shared, the most important thing is to stay positive during the preparation process. There are many pathways to study law abroad. IDP Singapore provides education counselling and guidance for Singapore-based students looking to study abroad, whether in the UK or in other destinations. Our services are free.