The LNAT is used by some UK law schools to help assess applicants beyond their predicted grades. It tests how well you can read a complex argument, identify its logic, and communicate your own reasoning in writing. Understanding the format and practising correctly can give you a significant advantage.
What the LNAT is
The Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT) is a two-part online test. Section A contains 42 multiple-choice questions based on 12 reading passages. You have 95 minutes to complete it. Section B asks you to write one essay from a choice of three prompts. You have 40 minutes for the essay. Your Section A score is the one used by most universities for initial screening. Your essay is marked separately by each university you apply to, and the weight given to it varies by institution.
Who needs to take the LNAT
You need to take the LNAT if you are applying to law at Bristol, Durham, Glasgow, Kings College London, Nottingham, Oxford, SOAS, or UCL. Requirements change so always check the current list on the official LNAT website. You must register and pay for the test yourself. The test window usually opens in September and runs until January, but many universities have earlier deadlines, so check carefully.
What Section A tests
Section A tests comprehension and reasoning, not legal knowledge. You will be asked to read a passage and answer questions about what the argument claims, what it assumes, what can be inferred, what weakens or supports it, and what the author's purpose or tone is. The key skill is reading the passage carefully and answering only what the question asks — not what you personally believe. Incorrect answer choices are often plausible-sounding but are not supported by the text.
What Section B tests
Section B asks you to write a discursive essay in 40 minutes. Prompts are typically contentious statements about law, society, ethics, or politics — for example, questions about freedom of speech, criminal justice, or human rights. You are not expected to have specific legal knowledge. You are expected to argue a position clearly, acknowledge counterarguments, and write fluently. Practise writing timed essays from different kinds of prompts. Read them back critically and ask whether you have actually argued something or just described different views.
How to prepare
Start by completing the official practice test on the LNAT website. This is free and gives you an accurate sense of the format and difficulty. Then work through past papers, which are also available officially. Time yourself from the start — do not practise without a timer. After each practice session, go back through every question you got wrong and understand exactly why you were wrong. For Section B, practise writing an essay under timed conditions at least once a week in the weeks before your test. Read broadsheet opinion pieces and editorials to build fluency and exposure to argument structures.
Six-week preparation plan
Week 1: Read the official format guide and take one untimed practice test to understand the question types. Week 2: Work through one passage per day with full review. Week 3: Begin timing yourself. Complete two full Section A practice tests with review. Week 4: Focus on your weakest question types. Complete one Section B essay per week. Week 5: Full mock tests under exam conditions. Review carefully. Week 6: Light review only. Focus on timing and confidence. Rest before the test.
Checklist
- Register for the LNAT before the deadline for your chosen universities
- Complete the free official practice test
- Work through official past papers with full review
- Practise Section A under timed conditions
- Write at least four timed Section B essays
- Review every wrong answer to understand your errors
- Know the test centre location and what to bring on the day
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using your own knowledge or beliefs instead of the passage to answer Section A questions
- Not practising under timed conditions
- Spending too long on difficult Section A questions instead of moving on
- Writing a description of different views in Section B instead of arguing a position
- Starting preparation in December when university deadlines are in October or November