Want to become a lawyer or solicitor with an international education? Here are your pathways

"Can my child become a barrister or a solicitor abroad?" is one of the questions Bangladeshi families ask us most. The answer depends less on the country and more on where you are starting from. A student who has just finished HSC, a graduate in business or English, and a lawyer who already holds an LLB from Dhaka all have different doors open. This guide is a map: find your starting point, then see the realistic route in each country.

The pathway map: find your starting point

Law has two degree systems, and most confusion comes from mixing them up.

• Undergraduate law. You go straight from school to a 3–4 year law degree, usually called an LLB (Bachelor of Laws). Ireland also uses the name BCL (Bachelor of Civil Law). This is the normal system in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Malta, the UAE and Bangladesh.
• Graduate law. You first finish a bachelor's degree in any subject, then study a JD (Juris Doctor), usually three years. This is the only route in the United States and the main route in Canada. Australia offers both.

A third degree, the LLM (Master of Laws), is for people who already have a law degree. It is a specialist degree, not a qualifying one in most countries. More on that below.

Take three examples. Nabila has just finished HSC with GPA 5.00 and IELTS 7.0. Rafi has a BBA from Dhaka with a 3.2 CGPA. Tanjim has an LLB from a Bangladeshi university and wants international experience. Each of them is on a different pathway.

Pathway 1: straight after HSC or A-levels

This is the most common route. You study an undergraduate law degree, then take the professional steps in the country where you want to practise.

What universities look for

• Strong grades. Law is competitive at well-known universities, but most do not insist on particular subjects. Humanities, science and commerce students can all apply.
• Excellent English. Law means reading long judgments and writing clear arguments. Expect high IELTS requirements, often with minimum bands in writing. The University of Auckland, for example, asks international students for IELTS Academic 7.0 with no band below 6.5 to enter Part II of its LLB.
• An admissions test at some UK universities. The LNAT (Law National Aptitude Test) is a test of aptitude, not knowledge. Section A has reading passages with multiple-choice questions, scored out of 42; Section B is one essay from a choice of three. Universities that use it include Oxford, Cambridge, King's College London, LSE, UCL, Bristol and Durham.

For 2027 entry, LNAT registration opened on 1 August 2026 and testing began on 1 September 2026. Oxford and Cambridge applicants must sit the test by 15 October 2026. For King's, LSE and UCL the deadline is 31 December 2026. For most other LNAT universities you must sit it by 25 January 2027, but Bristol and Durham want it by 13 January 2027. In 2025/26 the fee was £75 at UK and EU test centres and £120 outside the EU; check the current fee before you book.

Law degrees after school, country by country

Germany is not in the tabs because German law is taught and practised in German, with two State Examinations. It is a realistic choice only if you plan to become fluent in German first. Our longer guide explains it.

Pathway 2: after a bachelor's in any subject

If you already have a degree in business, English, economics or even engineering, you have not missed your chance. Several countries are built for graduates.

United States: the JD

In the US, law is only a graduate degree. You apply to a three-year JD at a law school approved by the ABA (American Bar Association). Most schools ask for the LSAT (Law School Admission Test), run by LSAC (Law School Admission Council). It has four multiple-choice sections plus a written part, LSAT Argumentative Writing. From August 2026, LSAC is moving almost all test takers, including international ones, to in-centre testing, with limited exceptions. Many schools now also accept the GRE, so check each school's page.

After the JD you sit the bar exam of the state where you want to practise. The exam itself is changing: the new NextGen bar exam started in some states in July 2026, and New York will use it from July 2028.

Canada: the JD, then provincial licensing

Canadian common-law schools also teach a three-year JD. At UBC's Allard School of Law, for example, every applicant must submit an LSAT score, and applicants without English-medium post-secondary education may need IELTS 7.0 overall with 7.0 in writing. After the JD comes provincial licensing, such as the Law Society of Ontario's licensing exams plus articling or its Law Practice Program. International JD places are limited and fees are high, so compare carefully.

Australia: graduate-entry JD

Australia offers a JD for graduates of other subjects. The University of Melbourne JD, for example, no longer asks for the LSAT; selection is based on your university results, and it wants IELTS band 7. Melbourne says an average of at least 2.7 out of 4.0 (70%) makes you competitive, according to its JD entry page. An approved JD, followed by PLT, leads to admission.

United Kingdom: conversion, then the SQE or the Bar

The UK route for graduates changed with the SQE (Solicitors Qualifying Examination). According to the SRA (Solicitors Regulation Authority), to qualify as a solicitor you need:

1. a degree in any subject, or an equivalent level 6 qualification;
2. passes in SQE1 (legal knowledge) and SQE2 (practical legal skills);
3. two years of full-time, or equivalent, qualifying work experience (QWE);
4. to pass the SRA's character and suitability checks.

So a law degree is no longer required for solicitors. In practice, most non-law graduates still take a conversion course, often called a PGDL (Postgraduate Diploma in Law), or an SQE preparation course, because SQE1 tests a lot of law. Another option is a senior status LLB, a two-year law degree for graduates, offered by universities such as York and Queen Mary. From September 2026 the SQE fees are £2,006 for SQE1 and £3,086 for SQE2, according to the SRA.

The barrister route is different. The Bar Standards Board sets three parts: an academic part (a law degree, or a non-law degree plus the GDL, the Graduate Diploma in Law, with at least a 2:2), a vocational part (a Bar course, after joining an Inn of Court), and pupillage, which is 12 months of supervised training. Pupillage places are few and competitive, so think hard before paying for a Bar course.

Rafi, with his BBA and a 3.2 CGPA, has two realistic choices: a UK conversion course and the SQE if he wants to work in England, or an Australian JD if he prefers Australia. For the US or Canada he would need a strong LSAT score and a large budget.

1. 1
   18 months beforeChoose your practice country

   The US and Canada need a JD. The UK accepts a conversion course. Australia offers a JD. Decide first.

2. 2
   12–18 months beforeBook the right test

   The LSAT for the US and Canada. Most UK conversion courses and Melbourne's JD do not need one.

3. 3
   12 months beforeRaise your English

   Aim for IELTS 7.0 or more, with a strong writing score. Try our IELTS level check.

4. 4
   During the courseGet legal experience

   Clinics, pro bono work and internships. In England, suitable work can count towards QWE.

5. 5
   After the courseTake the professional exams

   SQE, a state bar exam, provincial licensing or PLT, depending on the country.

Pathway 3: you already have an LLB

If you are already a law graduate, including from a Bangladeshi university, you do not need to start again. But you need to be clear about one thing.

The honest truth about the LLM

An LLM usually does not qualify you to practise on its own. It is an academic degree that builds expertise in areas such as international commercial law, arbitration, human rights or technology law. That is valuable for your career, but in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Ireland it does not replace the regulator's exams and training.

Where an LLM helps most:

• US bar eligibility. In New York, a foreign law degree can qualify if it is substantially equivalent to a US degree and your country's law is based on English common law. If there is a gap, a US LLM can cure it: at least 24 credits over at least two semesters, in person at an ABA-approved school, including set subjects such as professional responsibility and legal writing, according to the New York Board of Law Examiners. Apply for an advance evaluation first. If you need an LLM, the deadlines are 1 May for the February exam and 1 October for the July exam, in the year before, and processing can take six months.
• Academic, policy and compliance careers, where specialist knowledge matters more than a licence.

Routes for law graduates and qualified lawyers

• England and Wales: qualified lawyers from other countries use the SQE route. The SRA says they do not need two years of QWE, and they may pass SQE2 or apply for an exemption. You still need a degree in any subject and the character checks. Read the SRA's qualified lawyers page before you book.
• Canada: the NCA (National Committee on Accreditation) assesses foreign law degrees and tells you which exams or courses you need. When you finish, you get a Certificate of Qualification, which lets you apply to law societies outside Quebec. The assessment costs CA$400 and each exam CA$500, according to the NCA.
• Australia: state admission boards, such as the LPAB (Legal Profession Admission Board) in New South Wales, assess overseas lawyers and may set extra subjects or PLT.
• New Zealand: the NZCLE (New Zealand Council of Legal Education) assesses overseas qualifications case by case and may set extra papers or exams.

Tanjim, with his Bangladeshi LLB, could do a one-year LLM in New York to become eligible for the bar exam there, or use the SQE route in England. If he wants to return to a corporate career in Dhaka, an LLM in commercial or technology law plus Bangladesh Bar Council enrolment may serve him better.

Pathway 4: coming back to practise in Bangladesh

Many families plan for study abroad followed by a legal career in Bangladesh. Read the rules before you choose a degree.

Under Article 27 of the Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order 1972, a person can be admitted as an advocate if they are a Bangladeshi citizen, at least 21 years old, and hold a law degree from a Bangladeshi university, a bachelor's law degree from a foreign university recognised by the Bar Council, or are a barrister. They must also pass the examination set by the Bar Council, and the Bar Council may require a course of training first.

In simple terms:

• Being called to the Bar in England does not let you appear in Bangladeshi courts straight away. You still sit the Bar Council exam.
• Your foreign LLB must be recognised by the Bar Council. Ask the Bar Council, in writing if possible, whether your chosen university and study mode are recognised before you pay a deposit.
• The UK Bar route stays popular with Bangladeshi students because "Barrister" is a respected title at home. That is a fair reason, but compare the cost with a UK or Bangladeshi LLB followed directly by the Bar Council exam.

We could not confirm the Bar Council's current exam format, fees or its list of recognised foreign universities from an official online source. Check the latest notices with the Bangladesh Bar Council before you plan.

Pathway 5: legal careers that do not need admission

Not every law graduate becomes an advocate or solicitor. Many good careers use legal skills without a licence to practise, and they are often easier to enter in a new country:

• Compliance and risk in banks, fintech and multinational companies.
• Paralegal and legal assistant roles in law firms and in-house legal teams.
• Policy and regulation in government, NGOs and international organisations.
• Legal technology and legal operations, where people who understand both law and software are in demand.
• Contract management and data protection in large companies.

An LLM or a law degree is a strong base for all of these. See our criminology, justice and compliance pathway for job titles.

Use our course list

Our lawyer and solicitor course list shows a label on each course card: "After HSC", "After a bachelor's" or "After an LLB", with a short note on the entry route. You can also use the filter buttons, "Apply after HSC / A-levels" or "Apply after a bachelor's", to see only the courses that match your stage. The notes are general guidance; each university's own page decides the entry rules.

A note for parents: compare the whole journey

When you compare countries, look beyond the first offer letter.

• How many years until a salary? An LLB takes 3–4 years. A JD adds three years on top of a first degree. After either, there are professional exams and often two years of supervised work or training.
• What do the professional steps cost? Add exam fees, preparation courses and living costs while your child studies for them. In England, the SQE fees alone are over £5,000.
• Where will your child practise? A degree that works well in England may need an extra assessment in Canada or Australia, and the Bar Council exam at home.

Ask your child to explain, in their own words, where they want to practise and why. A clear answer makes every other choice easier.

What to do next

1. Name your starting point: after HSC or A-levels, after a bachelor's, or after an LLB.
2. Choose the country where you want to practise first, then work backwards to the right degree: LLB, JD, conversion course or LLM.
3. Read the regulator's page: the SRA or Bar Standards Board for England, the state bar for the US, the NCA for Canada, or the admission board in Australia and New Zealand.
4. Book any test early. LNAT deadlines for 2027 entry fall between 15 October 2026 and 25 January 2027.
5. Check your English with our IELTS level check.
6. If you may come home, confirm with the Bangladesh Bar Council that your foreign degree will be recognised.
7. Browse matching courses on our lawyer and solicitor course list, and see how we work. For visa questions about your own case, use official government pages or a licensed adviser.