SOAS treats the LNAT differently from every other university on this list, and the difference is worth understanding before you decide whether to sit it: for most applicants the LNAT at SOAS is optional, and taking it can actually earn you a lower offer.
Does SOAS require the LNAT?
It depends on your qualifications. If you are applying with standard qualifications, A levels, the IB, or equivalents, SOAS does not require you to sit the LNAT. If you are applying with non-standard qualifications, such as an Access to HE Diploma, a Foundation course, or Level 3 BTECs, then the LNAT is required. The LLB Senior Status route is exempt entirely. So unlike most LNAT universities, at SOAS the test is compulsory only for some applicants.
Is the LNAT optional at SOAS?
For standard-qualification applicants, yes, and here is the interesting part: taking it can help you. SOAS says it will consider making lower offers, for example AAB or ABB instead of its standard offer, to candidates who sit the LNAT and perform promisingly. So even though it is optional, a strong LNAT score can turn into a reduced grade requirement. That makes it worth considering rather than dismissing.
What LNAT score do you need for SOAS?
SOAS does not publish an average or minimum LNAT score. There is no official threshold, and the numbers you may see on tutoring sites are not from SOAS. Because the test can earn a lower offer, the aim is simply to perform well enough to be “promising,” which SOAS assesses in the round rather than against a fixed cut-off.
When is the SOAS LNAT deadline?
SOAS follows the standard UCAS January equal-consideration deadline, not the October Oxbridge one. If you are sitting the LNAT for SOAS, do so within the test cycle that runs from September, and check the exact current-cycle dates on lnat.ac.uk. The LNAT board advises sitting before Christmas to be safe.
How does SOAS use the Section B essay?
SOAS does not publish a specific policy on the essay. Under the general LNAT process, the essay is not scored by the test centre but is sent to universities alongside your multiple-choice result as evidence of your ability to build an argument. If you sit the LNAT for SOAS, a clear, well-argued essay can only help.
If the LNAT could earn you a lower offer at SOAS, it is worth doing properly. Sit our free practice paper to see how you score, and use the practice bundles to build a performance strong enough to count.
Source: SOAS’s official LLB course page.