Do I need to know any law for the LNAT?

No. The LNAT tests reading, reasoning and writing, not legal knowledge.

Is the LNAT essay marked?

Not by the test centre, and it does not count towards your score. Universities receive it and use it in their own way, for example at interview or to separate close candidates.

What is a good LNAT score?

Your score is out of 42 and there is no pass mark. Universities weigh it differently and cut-offs vary each year, so aim for your best Section A score and a clear, well-argued essay.

Can I take the LNAT twice?

No. You may sit it once per admissions cycle. If you sit it again, the later result is invalidated.

When is the LNAT deadline for KCL, LSE and UCL?

You must sit the LNAT on or before 31 December 2026 for 2027 entry.

How much does the LNAT cost?

£75 at UK and EU test centres and £120 at centres outside the EU. Bursaries are available, and UK/EU students on certain benefits can have the fee waived.

When will I get my LNAT result?

Universities can see it within 24 hours. You are emailed in mid-February if you tested on or before 26 January, or mid-August if later.

LNAT Guide 2026–27: Scores, Deadlines

What is the LNAT and who needs it?

The National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) helps universities choose between strong applicants for undergraduate law. It is taken on computer at Pearson VUE test centres. You do not need to know any law. It tests whether you can read closely, understand an argument and write a clear, reasoned essay.

The LNAT's own list of courses names these UK universities:

Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Glasgow, King's College London, LSE, Oxford (including the Foundation Year in Law), SOAS and UCL.

Some universities outside the UK also use it under certain conditions, including IE University, O.P. Jindal Global University, Singapore University of Social Sciences and NUI Maynooth. Cambridge requires the LNAT for Law for 2027 entry. The list is set course by course, so check the LNAT site and each university's law page.

LNAT format, section by section

Section	What you do	Questions	Time
Section A	Read 12 argumentative passages and answer 3 or 4 multiple-choice questions on each	42	95 minutes
Section B	Write one essay from a choice of three questions on a range of subjects	1 essay	40 minutes

You can move back and forth within Section A during its 95 minutes, but once you start Section B you cannot return to Section A. That gives you a little over two minutes per question, including reading time, or just under eight minutes per passage. Typical questions ask what the author is arguing, what is assumed, what follows, or which statement would most weaken the argument.

Section B rewards an essay that argues economically and reaches a clear conclusion, in good written English. Do not end your session before your essay is complete.

How the LNAT is scored and what a good score looks like

Your LNAT score is your mark out of 42 from Section A, marked by computer. There is no pass or fail.
Section B is not marked by the test centre and does not count towards the score. Universities receive your essay and use it in their own way: some use it at interview, some compare it with your personal statement, and some use it to separate borderline candidates.
Your score and essay are available to your chosen universities within 24 hours of the test, before you see your result.
You receive your result by email: in mid-February if you test on or before 26 January, or mid-August if later.

The LNAT consortium does not publish pass marks, and universities weigh the score differently alongside grades, the essay and the rest of your application. Cut-offs vary by university and by year, so aim to do as well as you can in Section A and treat the essay as equally important.

LNAT deadlines and fees for the 2026–27 cycle

Registration opened on 1 August 2026 and testing began on 1 September 2026. The key deadlines depend on where you apply:

Universities	Deadline
Oxford and Cambridge	Booked by 15 September and sat by 15 October 2026 (passed). Oxford Foundation Year in Law: sit by 13 January 2027.
KCL, LSE and UCL	Sit the LNAT on or before 31 December 2026
Bristol and Durham	Register, book, submit UCAS (6pm) and sit by 13 January 2027
All other LNAT universities	UCAS by 13 January 2027 (6pm); book by 20 January; sit by 25 January 2027
Late applicants (usually international)	Book by 25 July 2027; sit by 31 July 2027 (some universities may not accept late results)

Fee: £75 at test centres in the UK and EU, £120 at centres outside the EU. The fee depends on where you sit, not your nationality. UK and EU students on certain state benefits can have the fee waived through the LNAT bursary; apply before you book and allow at least a week. You may only sit the LNAT once per cycle; a second attempt is invalidated.

How to prepare: a 3-week LNAT plan

Days 1–2: Take a timed practice test of Section A and write one essay in 40 minutes. Read the sample essays on the LNAT site.
Week 1: Read one long opinion piece every day and summarise its conclusion and main reasons in two sentences. Do three passages a day at about eight minutes each, and explain to yourself why each wrong option is wrong.
Week 2: Two full Section A mocks at 95 minutes. Write three essays: plan for 8 minutes, write for 30, check for 2. Pick questions you can argue, not just ones you know about.
Week 3: Two complete mocks (Section A then B) in one sitting. Review every wrong answer: did you misread, bring in outside knowledge or fall for an extreme option?

Practising with Principly: each of our 13 LNAT mocks follows the real structure: 42 questions on 12 passages in 95 minutes, then one essay from a choice of three in 40 minutes, with no return to Section A, and explanations for every answer.

Try a LNAT mock now. The free practice test gives you a decile estimate in one short sitting; the full set is 13 timed mocks with worked solutions.

Take the free practice test Get all 13 mocks · £29

What a Section A question looks like

Here is the kind of reasoning Section A tests, using a short example of our own. A passage argues: "Cities that built more cycle lanes saw fewer road deaths. So every city should build cycle lanes to save lives." A typical question asks which assumption the argument depends on.

A tempting wrong answer: "Cycling is healthier than driving." True, perhaps, but the argument is about road deaths, not health.
Another wrong answer: "All cities have too few cycle lanes." Too strong; the argument does not need this.
The best answer: "The fall in road deaths was caused by the cycle lanes, not by something else that changed at the same time." Without this, the conclusion does not follow.

The skill is to find the gap between the evidence and the conclusion. Train yourself to ask "what else could explain this?" and "what must be true for this to follow?"

Common LNAT mistakes

Answering from your own views. Every answer must come from the passage.
Picking strong, sweeping options. Answers with "always", "never" or "proves" are often too strong for the text.
Spending too long on early passages. Aim for about eight minutes per passage and leave time to finish.
Essays that sit on the fence. Take a clear position, deal with the best objection and conclude.
Booking too late for your deadline. KCL, LSE and UCL need the test by 31 December; slots near deadlines fill fast.

LNAT FAQ

Do I need to know any law for the LNAT?: No. The LNAT tests reading, reasoning and writing, not legal knowledge.
Is the LNAT essay marked?: Not by the test centre, and it does not count towards your score. Universities receive it and use it in their own way, for example at interview or to separate close candidates.
What is a good LNAT score?: Your score is out of 42 and there is no pass mark. Universities weigh it differently and cut-offs vary each year, so aim for your best Section A score and a clear, well-argued essay.
Can I take the LNAT twice?: No. You may sit it once per admissions cycle. If you sit it again, the later result is invalidated.
When is the LNAT deadline for KCL, LSE and UCL?: You must sit the LNAT on or before 31 December 2026 for 2027 entry.
How much does the LNAT cost?: £75 at UK and EU test centres and £120 at centres outside the EU. Bursaries are available, and UK/EU students on certain benefits can have the fee waived.
When will I get my LNAT result?: Universities can see it within 24 hours. You are emailed in mid-February if you tested on or before 26 January, or mid-August if later.