Barrister–at–Law Entrance Examination
Page last updated: Friday, November 29, 2024
Eligibility to sit the Entrance Examination
Admission as a student to the degree of Barrister–at–Law course is by an entrance examination, which takes place in August each year. To be eligible to apply to sit this examination, an applicant must hold either a King’s Inns approved law degree/approved postgraduate diploma or the Diploma in Legal Studies from King’s Inns.
The applicant must show that, in the course leading to the approved degree/postgraduate diploma, that the following Irish core subjects have been passed:
- Irish Land Law (including the Law of Succession)
- Company Law
- Equity & Trusts
- Law of the European Union
- Jurisprudence
- Administrative Law
The Examination
The subjects for the entrance examination are as follows:
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law
- Irish Constitutional law
- Law of Tort
- Law of Evidence
The Entrance Exam 2024 is an in–person (taking place at King’s Inns), laptop–based exam on Moodle. The exam is closed book and human invigilated. Candidates use their laptops and type their answers into the online exam paper. The Lockdown Browser used prohibits access to the internet and all other files and folders on your laptop during the exams while allowing access to Moodle.
Candidates should note that all students on the degree of Barrister–at–Law course must type their answers to written assessments, so an ability to type is essential.
The entrance examination syllabus, reading list, timetable and past examination papers are available below*. All candidates should be familiar with the rules relating to the entrance examination.
Information regarding marks and standards, deferrals, eligibility to retake exams, dates of examinations along with all the education rules may be found below.
* Entrance Examination syllabus and reading list for each year is usually published in April/May. The 2024 timetable for exams can be viewed below.
Timetable, Syllabi and Reading Lists
Results and Acceptance of Offers
To pass the Entrance Examination, candidates need at least a 50% mark in each subject. If you fail one subject with a 45% or more failure mark, your aggregate mark in all subjects must be at least 50% of your total marks.
King’s Inns does not offer supplementary Entrance Exams. Candidates must sit all subjects again the following year. Candidates can sit the exams a maximum of three times and must reapply and pay the full non–refundable application and entrance examination fee each year.
Offer of places on the degree Barrister–at–Law professional course must be accepted in accordance with the timeframe laid down by King’s Inns. Such candidates will be required to submit an acceptance form and the appropriate tuition fee within a specified period. There is no cap on the amount of people who can be accepted on the degree of Barrister–at–Law professional course each year.
Results and Offer of Place: Early September 2024
Acceptance and Payment of Tuition Fees: Friday, September 13, 2024.
The Application Process
Closing date for applications: Midnight (Irish time) on Friday, May 31, 2024. Late applications accepted until midnight (Irish time) on Sunday, June 30.
In order to verify your personal details, you must first create an account on the Application Portal through the ‘apply here’ button below. Once you verify your email address in the Portal, you can then proceed with your application.
An applicant that satisfies the eligibility requirements to sit the Entrance Examination must apply and pay the non–refundable application fee of €600, which includes the Entrance Examination fee.
Payment is done through our online application portal on or before midnight on May 31 in the year in which an applicant intends to take the examination.
A late application may be submitted by midnight on June 30 and is subject to a non–refundable late application fee of €1,000.
Application and Supporting Documents
- Student Admission Declaration: The applicant must complete and sign the Declaration by scanned signature or e–signature. Please download the form below and the guide to submitting an e–signature.
- Certificate of Standing: Two certificates signed by persons of standing in the community who has known the applicant for two years and is not related to the applicant which must be completed in accordance with instructions in the Student Application Declaration. Please download the form below.
- Transcript: A original transcript of a King’s Inns approved legal qualification which must show that the applicant sat and passed the six core subjects: Land Law (including Law of Succession); Company Law; Equity & Trusts; Law of the European Union; Jurisprudence; Administrative Law. In the case of an applicant who will be sitting final degree examination in the summer 2024, a provisional application may be lodged conditionally, and the result should be submitted via the Application Portal as soon as it becomes available but not later than 1 July 2024. Failure to submit a transcript by this date will result in forfeiture of the candidate’s right to take the entrance examination. No refund of the entrance examination fee will be available except in the circumstances indicated in the Terms and Conditions as agreed in the Application Portal.
- Passport / Driving Licence Scan: Copy of detailed information page with photograph from one of (a) current passport; (b) EU passport card, or (c) valid EU or UK driving license.
- Photo for Student Card: Image file of passport size photo of the applicant – to be used for insertion in the King’s Inns student card on being admitted to the course.
- Special Requirements (optional): Any supporting documents for a request for Reasonable Accommodations at the Entrance Examination, as provided in the King’s Inns Document of Disability Support 2024–2025 – see below.
- Application Fee: The non–refundable application fee of €600 must be submitted with the application through the Portal.
Enquiries
If you have any questions about the Entrance Examination or the degree of Barrister–at–Law course, contact the Office of the Admissions at admissions@kingsinns.ie.
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