Cambridge is a recent and important change in the LNAT landscape: it now requires the LNAT for undergraduate Law, having previously used its own written assessment. If you are applying to Cambridge, this is one of the most significant things to get right, and a lot of older guidance online is now out of date.
Does Cambridge require the LNAT?
Yes. For 2027 entry, Cambridge requires all Law applicants to sit the LNAT as a pre-interview admissions assessment. This is confirmed on Cambridge’s own Faculty of Law and undergraduate admissions pages, not just the LNAT consortium list. If you see guidance saying Cambridge does not use the LNAT, it is describing the old system.
Did Cambridge use a different test before?
Yes. Cambridge previously used its own Cambridge Law Test, typically sat at interview. That is no longer the entry assessment. The LNAT has replaced it as the required pre-interview test, which is why applicants who prepared under the old guidance need to update their plans. Register for the LNAT and indicate Cambridge so your results are sent directly.
How does Cambridge use your LNAT score?
Heavily, and at two stages. Cambridge uses both sections of the LNAT: the score helps decide which applicants are invited to interview (deselection), and it is used again in final selection. Notably, the essay is marked centrally at Cambridge rather than left aside, so Section B is a real part of the assessment, not a formality.
What LNAT score do you need for Cambridge?
Cambridge does not publish an average or target LNAT score. Given that Cambridge is among the most competitive law courses in the country and uses both sections to shortlist for interview, the sensible aim is a strong all-round performance rather than a specific number. Any figure quoted on third-party sites is not from Cambridge.
When is the Cambridge LNAT deadline?
Cambridge is a 15 October university, earlier than most. For 2027 entry you must register for the LNAT by 15 September 2026 and sit it by 15 October 2026, which is also the UCAS application deadline. This is well before the January deadlines used by most other LNAT universities, so if Cambridge is a choice, its October dates set your timetable. Confirm on lnat.ac.uk.
Because Cambridge uses both the multiple-choice and the essay to shortlist for interview, prepare the whole test seriously and early. Start with our free practice paper, study our LNAT essay examples, and use the practice bundles to be ready by the October deadline.
Source: Cambridge Faculty of Law’s official LNAT admissions page.