Last updated · Researched from official sources · By Studyforge Labs
The LNAT (National Admissions Test for Law) is a 2¼-hour computer-based aptitude test used by a group of UK and international universities to help select applicants for undergraduate law degrees. It has two parts: Section A, 42 multiple-choice questions on 12 argumentative passages in 95 minutes, and Section B, one essay from a choice of three in 40 minutes. For 2027 entry, testing opened on 1 September 2026, and each university sets its own deadline for sitting the test.
LNAT 2026/2027 key facts
| Key fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Run by | The LNAT Consortium, with the test delivered by Pearson VUE. |
| Total time | 2 hours 15 minutes (95 minutes for Section A, 40 minutes for Section B). |
| Score | Your Section A mark out of 42. There is no pass mark, and the essay is sent to universities unmarked. |
| Fees | Currently listed as £75 at UK and EU test centres and £120 elsewhere, with bursaries available for eligible UK and EU students. |
| Once per cycle | You can sit the LNAT only once in each admissions cycle. |
Practise with LNAT Prep
LNAT Prep offers Section A practice on classic passages, timed mock tests and Section B essay guidance, with 2,000+ questions, flashcards and spaced repetition to build reading and reasoning speed.
What is the LNAT?
The LNAT measures aptitude for the skills needed to study law, not knowledge of law or any other subject. It tests how well you read closely, analyse arguments and build your own. Universities use it alongside your UCAS application, qualifications and personal statement.
Which universities require the LNAT?
The official site currently lists nine UK universities: Bristol, Cambridge, Durham, Glasgow, King’s College London, LSE, Oxford, SOAS and UCL. Three universities outside the UK, O.P. Jindal Global University, Singapore University of Social Sciences and IE University, use it under certain conditions. Requirements apply to specific course codes, so check the official list.
LNAT test format
Section A: multiple choice
Section A contains 12 argumentative passages, each followed by 3 or 4 multiple-choice questions, giving 42 questions in 95 minutes. That is roughly eight minutes per passage. You can move between questions and review answers during the 95 minutes, but once you start Section B you cannot go back.
Section B: the essay
In Section B you choose one of three essay questions and have 40 minutes to write your answer. You need to argue concisely and reach a conclusion in clear written English. Topics are not about current affairs, and you are not judged on factual knowledge.
LNAT dates and deadlines for 2027 entry
Registration opened on 1 August 2026 and testing began on 1 September 2026. The key deadlines for the 2026/2027 cycle are:
| Topic | Details |
|---|---|
| Oxford and Cambridge | Register and book by 15 September 2026; sit the test and submit your UCAS form by 15 October 2026. The Oxford Foundation Year in Law has a later sitting deadline of 13 January 2027. |
| King’s College London, LSE and UCL | Sit the LNAT by 31 December 2026. |
| Bristol and Durham | Register, book, sit the test and submit your UCAS form by 13 January 2027. |
| All other LNAT universities | Submit your UCAS form by 13 January 2027, book by 20 January 2027 and sit the test by 25 January 2027. |
| Late applicants (usually international) | Book by 25 July 2027 and sit the test by 31 July 2027, although universities may not accept results from such late sittings. |
Booking, fees and Pearson VUE test centres
You register and book online through the official LNAT website, not through a test centre. Booking closes at 12 noon UK time two working days before your test, and you can reschedule free of charge until then. The fee depends on where you sit, not your nationality: currently £75 at UK and EU centres and £120 elsewhere. Fees are not refunded if you miss the test, so check the current fee before booking.
UK and EU students on certain state benefits can apply for a bursary before booking. The test is taken at Pearson VUE centres, with over 500 worldwide and about 150 in the UK. Bring accepted photo ID (a passport is preferred) and declare any access requirements when you register.
How LNAT results are used
Universities download your score and essay automatically using the UCAS personal ID you give when registering, so enter it accurately. They see your result before you do; candidates who sit on or before 26 January receive results by email in mid-February.
How to prepare for the LNAT
- Read quality journalism daily. Read opinion pieces as well as news, and ask what the writer assumes and how you would argue back.
- Use the official practice tests. Free sample tests on the LNAT site show the real question style and on-screen layout.
- Learn the question types. Practise finding conclusions, assumptions, and statements that strengthen or weaken an argument.
- Practise under time pressure. Aim for about eight minutes per passage in Section A so you finish all 42 questions.
- Write timed essays. Plan briefly, take a clear side and deal with the strongest counter-argument within 40 minutes.
Common mistakes in the LNAT
- Bringing in outside knowledge. Answer Section A from the passage alone, even if you disagree with it.
- Choosing true but irrelevant options. An answer can be accurate yet fail to address what the question asks.
- Running out of time. Unanswered questions cannot earn marks, so keep moving and avoid getting stuck on one passage.
- Sitting on the fence in the essay. A balanced survey with no conclusion is weaker than a reasoned argument that reaches one.
LNAT practice questions
Read this original practice passage, then answer the questions. The real test has 3 or 4 questions per passage.
For most of the last century, public libraries charged fines on overdue books, on the theory that a small penalty would make borrowers return items promptly. Some library services have now scrapped fines, and critics warn that shelves will empty as books vanish into private homes. The critics’ mistake is to assume that fines were what brought books back. For most borrowers, the reason to return a book is simpler: they have finished it, or they want another. A charge of a few pence a day is too small to change the habits of a careless borrower, yet large enough to put off a family on a tight budget from using the library at all. Fines therefore punished the people libraries most wanted to serve while barely troubling those they were meant to discipline. None of this means libraries should never ask for anything back. A borrower who keeps a book for months deprives other readers of it, and charging for lost items remains fair. But the purpose of a public library is to spread reading, not to raise small sums of money. A policy that keeps readers away in order to collect a few pounds has confused the means with the end.
Question 1
Which of the following best expresses the main conclusion of the passage?
- A. Library fines should be raised so that careless borrowers take them seriously.
- B. Charging overdue fines works against the main purpose of a public library.
- C. Most borrowers return books because they want to borrow another.
- D. Charging for lost books is unfair to families on low incomes.
Answer: B. The passage builds towards the claim that fines keep readers away and so undermine a library’s purpose. Option C is a supporting reason, not the conclusion.
Question 2
According to the author, critics of scrapping fines wrongly assume that:
- A. fines were the main reason borrowers returned books.
- B. families on tight budgets do not use libraries.
- C. charges for lost items will also be scrapped.
- D. libraries depend on fines for most of their income.
Answer: A. The author says directly that the critics’ mistake is assuming fines were what brought books back.
Question 3
Which of the following, if true, would most weaken the author’s argument?
- A. Many borrowers return books as soon as they have finished reading them.
- B. Where fines were scrapped, borrowers kept books much longer and waiting lists grew sharply.
- C. Most libraries still charge for books that are lost.
- D. Some critics of scrapping fines rarely visit their local library.
Answer: B. The argument rests on fines not really affecting when books come back, so evidence that scrapping them delayed returns undermines it. Option D attacks the critics, not their argument.
Question 4
In the final sentence, “confused the means with the end” suggests that libraries charging fines have:
- A. treated a tool for managing loans as more important than the goal of spreading reading.
- B. failed to explain to borrowers why fines exist.
- C. set fines too low to raise a meaningful amount of money.
- D. lent books to people who had no intention of reading them.
Answer: A. The “end” is spreading reading and the “means” is the fine system meant to support it; the author says the means has come to matter more.
Question 5
With which of the following would the author be most likely to agree?
- A. Libraries should never ask borrowers to return anything.
- B. A borrower who keeps a book for months harms other readers.
- C. Fines are the most effective way to discipline careless borrowers.
- D. Public libraries should aim to make a profit for local councils.
Answer: B. The author concedes that keeping a book for months deprives other readers. The passage contradicts A, C and D.
Practise for the LNAT on your phone
LNAT Prep by Studyforge Labs. LNAT Prep offers Section A practice on classic passages, timed mock tests and Section B essay guidance, with 2,000+ questions, flashcards and spaced repetition to build reading and reasoning speed.
- Section A practice on classic passages
- Timed mock tests
- Section B essay guidance
- 2,000+ questions, flashcards and spaced repetition
Free to download for iPhone and iPad. Full access is unlocked with an in-app purchase; the price is shown in the App Store before you buy.
Frequently asked questions
How hard is the LNAT?
The LNAT is challenging mainly because of time pressure: Section A gives you 95 minutes for 42 questions on 12 passages. It does not test legal knowledge, so success depends on careful reading and logical reasoning. Timed practice helps you get used to the pace.
What is a good LNAT score?
The LNAT has no pass mark. Your score is the number of Section A questions you answer correctly, out of 42. Each university weighs the score and essay differently alongside your grades, personal statement and sometimes interview.
Can I retake the LNAT?
You can sit the LNAT only once in each admissions cycle; a second sitting in the same cycle is void. If you reapply to university in a later year, you must sit the test again in that year’s cycle, because results do not carry over.
How much does the LNAT cost?
The official site currently lists the fee as £75 at UK and EU test centres and £120 at centres elsewhere. The fee depends on where you sit the test, not your nationality. UK and EU students on certain state benefits can apply for a bursary before booking. Check the current fee on the LNAT website before you book.
When should I sit the LNAT?
Sit it by the earliest deadline of the universities you are applying to. For 2027 entry, that is 15 October 2026 for Oxford and Cambridge, 31 December 2026 for King’s College London, LSE and UCL, and January 2027 for the others.
Is the LNAT essay marked?
The essay is not marked by the test centre and does not count towards your LNAT score. It is sent to each LNAT university you apply to. Some use it at interview, some compare it with your personal statement, and others use it to decide between borderline applicants.
Official resources
- LNAT test format
- LNAT dates and deadlines
- Do I need to sit the LNAT? (participating universities)
- LNAT test centres
This guide is published by Studyforge Labs Ltd for study purposes and was last reviewed on 6 November 2026. Studyforge Labs and its apps are independent and are not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the LNAT Consortium or Pearson VUE. Exam details, fees and dates can change, so always confirm them with the official sources above before you book.
