Pathway to Law
Explore our Pathway to Law Programme
What is the Pathway to Law Programme?
Delivered in partnership with Shoosmiths, our Pathway to Law programme has been designed to expand knowledge, develop skills, and give an insight into what life is really like for those students with ambitions to study and practice Law.
During the eighteen-month programme, which students will complete alongside studying for their A Levels and Level 3 qualifications, successful applicants will be given the opportunity to take part in various enrichment activities delivered by Shoosmiths and Aston University staff which will help to develop those all-important skills needed to succeed in studying and practicing Law. Shoosmiths will be specially delivering three core modules within the programme.
- Routes into Law
The legal sector does not just consist of lawyers and there is no single pathway into law. In the first module of the programme, Shoosmiths will be discussing the different ways that a student can come to work in the legal sector and what to expect in their journey. - Professional Skills and Employability
Building upon the first module, Shoosmiths will be running a workshop centred around the skills that are needed to apply for a career in law, how to develop those skills and how to get those skills across in an interview. - Professional Networking
In the final module, students will be invited to attend the Shoosmiths Birmingham offices to get a feel for what a real working law firm is like. There will be opportunities to speak to and ask questions of both lawyers and non-lawyers who work at the firm in a friendly and relaxed environment.Students will also be exposed to a range of leading experts from Aston University delivering Law subject taster sessions and university preparation workshops, as well as meeting current Aston University Law students. Learners will be expected to attend all compulsory Year 12 events to successfully progress onto the second year of the programme in Year 13 and be eligible for a Pathway Contextual Offer if they apply to Aston University on our undergraduate Law degrees.
- Key dates
Students must have support from their teachers or careers advisers to apply, including approval for time off school/college where necessary to attend events. Learners will be expected to attend all compulsory Year 12 events on their stream to successfully progress on to the second year of the programme in Year 13.
Year 12
When Activity Location October Student and Parent Launch (half term) Aston University Continuous Unibuddy Peer to Peer Platform Online January Shoosmiths - Routes into Law Module Aston University April UCAS Application Day Online May Work Experience Preparation Day Online May Shoosmiths - Professional Skills & Employability Module Aston University July/August Summer School Residential Aston University Year 13
When Activity Location Continuous Unibuddy Peer to Peer Platform Online October Interview Preparation Day Aston University November Shoosmiths - Professional Networking Event Shoosmiths Offices, Birmingham February Study Skills & Revision Techniques Module Online June Pathway Graduation Aston University - Who is eligible for the Pathway to Law?
The Pathway to Law is open to students entering Year 12 in September who have a genuine interest in pursuing a career in Law. Students must have support from their schools to apply, including approval for time off where necessary to attend events. Students who are interested in applying to the Pathway to Law programme must meet the following criteria:
- Entering Year 12 in September at a school/college in the West Midlands
- Meet the GCSE and A level/BTEC requirements for Law as listed on our website.
- Have achieved at least five GCSEs at Level 9–4. This must include Maths grade C/Level 4 and GCSE English Language OR GCSE English Literature grade C/Level 4
As well as the above academic grades, students must also meet at least one of the following widening participation criteria to apply for the Pathway to Law programme.
- Live in a POLAR 4, Quintile 1 or 2 area (check if your home postcode is eligible)
- Attend a school or college in a POLAR 4, Quintile 1 or 2 area (check if your school/college postcode is eligible)
- Come from a home where neither parent has attended a university in the UK or abroad
- Have a disability or are in receipt of a personal independence payment
- Is a care leaver or has experience of being looked after by a local authority
- Have been in receipt of free school meals at any point over the last three years
- Belong to any of the following groups: Gypsy, Roma, Traveller communities, refugees, children of military families
Please note, places on the programme are limited. If the programme is oversubscribed, then places will be offered by random allocation to all eligible applicants until the programme is full. Students who enter the Pathway to Law programme are not guaranteed a place on our degree programmes. On successful completion of the Pathway Programme, students who wish to apply to Aston University, who fulfil all our admissions and other entry criteria and are successful with their application, will be eligible for a Pathway Contextual Offer.
- Why choose Aston's Pathway to Law
- Tailored events and workshops delivered by Shoosmiths to help students develop important skills needed to study and work within law.
- Access to a wide range of experts to help you decide on your future career path and enhance your UCAS application.
- Professional networking opportunities
- Help with making an informed decision about your future career choices.
- A single point of contact at Aston University who will support you throughout the university application process and your time at school or college.
- Eligible for a Pathway Contextual offer if your application to Aston University is successful
“We are keen to develop a pathway which widens the social profile of candidates in the legal profession and is representative of the community it serves. These activities will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the students and will help level the playing field for their progression into higher education and the legal profession.”
Alex Bishop, Partner and Head of Office at Shoosmiths Birmingham
- How to apply
Students must have support from their teachers and careers advisers to apply, including approval for time off school/college where necessary to attend events. Learners will be expected to attend all compulsory Year 12 events on their stream to successfully progress on to the second year of the programme in Year 13 and be eligible for a Pathway Contextual Offer and the chance to apply for an Alumni Undergraduate Scholarship worth £5,000 if applying to Aston University.
Applications for our next cohort on the Pathways to the Professions programme close at 5pm on Friday 6th October 2023. Applications must be submitted by 5pm on the above date. Any applications made after the above time and date will not be considered.
Please note, students who enter the Pathways to the Professions programmes are not guaranteed a place on Aston University degree programmes, or an Alumni Undergraduate Scholarship. On successful completion of the programme, students who fulfil our admissions entry criteria, apply to Aston University, and are successful with their application, will be eligible for a Pathway Contextual Offer and the chance to apply for an Alumni Undergraduate Scholarship.
- Contact us
Any questions?
Contact us directly at Pathways.
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @AstonPathways for the latest information, top tips, and guidance to support your journey into Higher Education #TeamAston
- Find out more
If you are interested in finding out more about the Outreach events and activities which we run at Aston University, please visit our central Student Recruitment and Outreach webpages, or email us.