This guidance applies to you if:
- you have been required to sit papers of the BTT but have not yet had any attempts at the Test
- you have had one or two attempts at the BTT but have papers of the Test that you have not yet passed
- you would require an extension of time to complete any outstanding papers of the BTT
The last sitting of the BTT in its present form took place in Spring 2021. From August 2021, you will need to complete any outstanding BTT Part A or Part B requirements as either Law Conversion Module assessments or Vocational Bar Training assessments.
The table below shows the equivalent Law Conversion Module assessments and Vocational Bar Training assessments to the BTT papers and is intended to assist you in translating the terminology used in your original decision letter to the new terminology. If you have any queries arising from this, please contact us at [email protected].
- For example, if you have been required to complete Part B Paper 8 of the BTT (Advocacy), you will now need to complete an Advocacy assessment at an Authorised Education and Training Organisation (AETO) that has been authorised by the BSB to deliver Vocational Bar Training.
You will not need to re-sit any assessments under the new requirements if you have passed the equivalent papers of the BTT.
There are additional assessments available for both Law Conversion Modules and Vocational Bar Training (eg Another Area of Legal Study, Opinion Writing, Legal Research, etc). You will not need to pass any of these assessments if you are completing outstanding BTT requirements under the new system.
| Previous requirements | New requirements |
|---|---|
| BTT PART A | LAW CONVERSION MODULE ASSESSMENTS |
| Paper 1 – Public Law (Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, Human Rights) | Public Law |
| Paper 2 - Law of the European Union | Law of the European Union |
| Paper 3 - Criminal Law | Criminal Law |
| Paper 4 - Obligations (Contract, Restitution, Tort) |
Obligations I (Contract), Obligations II (Tort) |
| Paper 5 - Property/Land Law | Land Law |
| Paper 6 - Equity and the Law of Trusts | Equity and Trusts |
| Paper 7 - English Legal System | English Legal System |
| Another Area of Legal Study | |
| BTT PART B | VOCATIONAL BAR TRAINING ASSESSMENTS |
| Paper 8 - Advocacy | Advocacy |
| Paper 9 - Civil Litigation and Evidence | Civil Litigation |
| Paper 10 - Criminal Litigation, Evidence and Sentencing | Criminal Litigation, Evidence and Sentencing |
| Paper 11 - Professional Ethics | Professional Ethics |
|
Conference Skills, Drafting, Legal Research and Opinion Writing |
You will need to complete the equivalent Law Conversion Module assessments within a permitted maximum of three attempts.
You will be required to complete the assessments only rather than a full course of study for individual Law Conversion Modules.
You will need to complete the equivalent Vocational Bar Training assessments.
You will have unlimited re-sit attempts at each required element within a five-year period, regardless of any previous unsuccessful attempts at the equivalent BTT papers.
There will be a minimum of two opportunities to take Vocational Bar Training assessments, each year.
The only AETO currently authorised to register TQL applicants for Vocational Bar Training assessments is BPP University. Please contact BPP directly to register for assessments and for information on fees and any additional training or resources.
If you have already had three attempts at the Bar Transfer Test and have not had any of these attempts disregarded (eg due to mitigating circumstances), you will not be permitted to transfer into the new system to complete any outstanding subjects.
You will need to apply afresh as a Transferring Qualified Lawyer. You will then have unlimited attempts within a period of five years in order to complete any assessments assigned to you by the Authorisations Team.
If you have outstanding BTT requirements, you may apply afresh to the Authorisations Team for admission to the Bar and you will be reassessed for exemptions from all components of Bar training at that stage.
If you received your original application decision from us more than five years ago (regardless of any extensions of time that have been granted by us), you will be required to pay the full application fee to apply afresh as a Transferring Qualified Lawyer.
Please note that if you choose to apply afresh, you may be required to complete additional assessments under the new system (eg Conference Skills, Drafting, etc). This will depend upon our assessment of your qualifications and experience to date.
If you have not yet applied for admission to the Bar as a TQL, you may submit an application online via the MyBar portal. Please contact the Authorisations Team in order to set up a MyBar profile and gain access to the online application form.
For further guidance, please refer to:
