The Bursary Fund

The Bursary Scheme

The Law Society’s bursary scheme is funded by several trusts and scholarships that were established to encourage the development of new solicitors. Awards from the fund are available for students who have a place on the Common Professional Examination course (CPE), the Graduate Diploma in Law course (GDL) or the Legal Practice Course (LPC) for the academic year 2006/2007.

In order to qualify for consideration for an award, you will need to be able to demonstrate that:

• your financial position would make it difficult for you to further your legal studies
• you are able to complete the course for which you are registered or have applied
• you are committed to completing the course and to a career as a solicitor

You should be aware that in some cases bursary awards will only cover a proportion of your course fees.
The fund is limited and competition for awards is strong. Simply meeting the criteria will not result in you being granted a financial award. The allocation of awards will depend upon

• the number of applications received each year
• the size of the fund available
• the relative merits of each application

Your application will be considered, in the first instance, on a paper basis so you are advised to include as much information as possible in support of your application. Applications will be considered and scored against the criteria for the scheme and short listed candidates will be invited to attend an interview to discuss their application further.

In order to maximise your chances of being considered for an award, you are advised to address in full how you believe you meet the criteria. Only those applicants who demonstrate on the application form and provide evidence that they meet the criteria and include all of the requested supporting information will be considered.

Eligibility and criteria for selection

As already mentioned, competition for awards is strong. In order to qualify for consideration for an award you will need to demonstrate that you are eligible and that you meet the criteria for awards. Evidence will be required in support of your application and you will be asked to expand on the information if you are called for interview.

Eligibility

In order to be considered for an award, you must have a confirmed place on the Common Professional Examination course (CPE), the Graduate Diploma in Law course (GDL) or the Legal Practice Course (LPC). A copy of the letter confirming the offer of a place must be submitted with your application.

Your character and suitability will also be assessed in the application. You must declare any information that might affect your suitability to be a solicitor. Such information includes:

• Any criminal conviction, including official cautions, even if they are “spent”.
• Any instance of cheating in examinations or plagiarism during a course of study.
• Any county court judgments against you, declarations of bankruptcy (even if they have been satisfied) or evidence of inability to manage your financial affairs.
• Any other incident in which your character has been called into question.

If you do have convictions or other issues, you should know that every application is considered on its merits.

Criteria for selection

Your application will be considered against the criteria below.

Academic ability

You must be able to demonstrate that you are academically capable of completing the course for which you are registered or have applied. You will be asked to provide:

• Details of your educational and vocational qualifications to date.
• A copy of the certificate for the relevant professional or vocational qualifications.
• A copy of your degree certificate or transcript of your marks to date. Transcripts must be on official university or institution headed paper and must be verified by the academic registrar by way of stamp or signature.
• Two references to support your application, from people such as teachers or employers who can attest to your ability to solve problems and present arguments clearly. Both references must be submitted at the same time as your application. They cannot be sent on at a later date and they cannot be submitted electronically or by fax. Your application will not be considered unless both references are included when the application is submitted.

Examination results will not be the only indicator of intellectual ability taken into account, however. You will also be required to submit a short written exercise which will demonstrate your academic ability. The exercise takes the form of a question which requires an argument to be constructed and presented. The argument can be presented in the form of a letter or an essay and should not be more than 500 words.

If you feel that there are reasons why your academic achievements do not reflect your full potential you will be given the opportunity to comment on this in the application form or, if short listed, when called for interview.

Commitment to a career as a solicitor

You will be required to provide details of your commitment to a career as a solicitor. You can submit any information which you feel demonstrates this but the following, in particular, will be looked for:

• Evidence of the efforts you have made to gain experience and understanding of the legal profession. This might include time spent on work experience or vacation placements which have given you an insight into legal practice and the demands for legal services.

• Evidence of your interest in the law and the legal profession.
• Evidence of the characteristics and attributes of a solicitor, including honesty and integrity and a wish to serve the wider community. This might include voluntary or community work that you have undertaken. Your referees will also be required to comment on such characteristics.

Commitment to completion of the academic study

You should be able to demonstrate that you are committed to the course of study for which you are registered or have applied. For example, you will be required to demonstrate how you have calculated the funding you will need to complete the course and the level of bursary award you require.

You will also be required to demonstrate other sources of funding which you have already explored. Any bursary award paid by the Society will contribute to your course fees but you will still be required to fund the remainder of the course fees and your living expenses. You will be required to demonstrate how you will fund these additional fees and expenses.

Financial hardship

You should be able to demonstrate that you are experiencing significant and exceptional financial hardship. Bear in mind that most students finish their undergraduate study with a certain amount of debt and this, on its own, will not qualify you for consideration for an award from the Society’s bursary scheme.

Details of your current financial status will be requested on application. Information on the steps you have taken to alleviate your financial hardship should also be supplied – awards are not simply made to applicants with the highest debts.

The application process

In order to apply for consideration for a Law Society bursary, you must complete the application form, enclose the necessary documentation and submit the written exercise. Incomplete applications, applications which do not contain the necessary supporting documentation including references or do not include the written exercise, will not be considered. In addition, applications received after the closing date or received by fax or email will not be considered.

The following documentation will be required in support of your application:

• A copy of the letter confirming your place on the Common Professional Examination Course, Graduate Diploma in Law course or the Legal Practice Course.
• A copy of your degree certificate or if you have not yet completed your degree a copy of your transcript marks to date.
• A copy of the certificate for any other relevant professional qualifications that you hold.
• Two references from people such as employers or teachers who can confirm that you have the characteristics and attributes of a solicitor, including honesty and integrity and can confirm your intellectual ability.
• Any evidence that you have investigated other sources of funding.
In addition, the following information will be requested on your application form:
• Details of your educational achievements and academic ability.
• Details of any work experience or vacation placements you have undertaken or sought.
• Why you became interested in a career in the legal profession.
• Attempts you may have made to secure a training contract.
• Any voluntary/community work you have undertaken.
• Details of your current financial situation.
• Details of any other sources of funding you have investigated.
• Why you wish to join the legal profession and the contribution you think you could make to it.
• How you think you might benefit from support.

The closing date for receipt of applications for the academic year 2006/7 is Thursday 13 April 2006. After this date, applications will be assessed against the criteria for the scheme, written exercises will be marked and applicants will be short listed for interview by the selection panel.

Interviews

Interviews will take place in the summer at the Law Society’s offices in Chancery Lane, London and reasonable travelling expenses will be reimbursed by the Society.

If you are called for an interview, you will be interviewed by a panel of Law Society representatives who will ask you to expand on the information provided on your application form and to explain why you feel you should be granted an award from the Law Society’s bursary scheme and how you might benefit from it.

Any award will be available for courses starting in the academic year 2006/7 and will be payable directly to the educational institution providing your course.

Submitting your application

Application forms will not be posted out and are only available via the Law Society’s website at www.lawsociety.org.uk. Applicants must submit two copies of the application form and all supporting documentation. Forms must not be stapled or bound in any way and preferably typed.

Please return your completed application form by Thursday 13 April 2006, together with the relevant documentation and references to:

Chanel Camilleri Chanel Camilleri
Education & Training Unit or Education & Training Unit
The Law Society The Law Society
Redditch DX 19114
Worcestershire Redditch
B98 0TD.

Please note - applications which are hand delivered or posted to any of the other Law Society offices will not be considered. Further, any application received after the deadline for receipt or any application sent by fax or e-mail will not be considered.

If you require any further information about the Law Society’s bursary scheme, please contact Information Services at the Law Society on +44 (0) 1527 504433. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.30 hours – 17.00 hours. Alternatively, you can email bursaryapplications@lawsociety.org.uk. An application form can be found in the bottom right hand corner of the screen.