Can Americans study law at Oxford?

Asked by: Baylee Schimmel  |  Last update: February 5, 2026
Score: 5/5 (46 votes)

Yes, Americans can study law at Oxford for various programs, including undergraduate (BA in Jurisprudence), postgraduate (like the Magister Juris), and specialized summer programs, though it's highly competitive, requiring strong academics (often a 3.7+ GPA for US undergrads) and successful completion of tests like the LNAT for undergrads, with specific application routes for North Americans. You can pursue degrees or short-term study abroad, with many U.S. law schools partnering with Oxford for unique international law experiences.

How can an American apply to Oxford Law?

If you want to apply to study law at Oxford you must submit a UCAS application and take the Law National Admissions Test (LNAT). For further information about UCAS, the application process, how to take the LNAT, how to choose a college, and important dates and deadlines, please refer to the University website.

Can I go to law school in the UK as an American?

No matter what your grades we can find a route to Law school in the UK for you! Canadian and American students have the choice of studying a qualifying Law degree at a wide range of UK Universities immediately after high school or after they have completed an undergraduate degree.

Is it hard to get into Oxford as an American?

Getting into Oxford as an American is very difficult, similar to top US Ivies, with overall acceptance rates around 13-17%, but often harder for Americans due to a mismatch in educational systems, requiring near-perfect AP/SAT scores (mostly 5s and high scores), subject-specific entrance exams, and exceptional essays/interviews, focusing on deep subject knowledge rather than broad extracurriculars. US students face a ~9% acceptance rate, about half the overall average, needing to prove "narrow but deep" academic strength. 

Can an American go to the University of Oxford?

55% of graduate students at Oxford arrive from outside of the UK, representing over 150 different countries. The application process is the same for everyone regardless of nationality. Have more questions about the application process for graduate studies at Oxford?

how i ACTUALLY got into Oxford Law (no bullsh*t advice)

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Is Oxford harder than Harvard?

It's not definitively "harder," as difficulty depends on what you value: Harvard is generally harder to get into due to significantly lower acceptance rates (around 3-5%) compared to Oxford (around 14-17%), indicating higher selectivity on paper, while Oxford might be considered harder academically within a specific subject due to its intense, focused curriculum, contrasting with Harvard's broader liberal arts approach, notes Quora, Shiksha, and GeeksforGeeks. 

How hard is Oxford Law to get into?

Is Law at Oxford hard to get into? The process is highly competitive. Typically, around 31% of applicants will be invited to interview, and only 10% will ultimately be successful. In the 2024-25 academic year, this translated to the equivalent of nine candidates applying for every place.

Is it harder to get into MIT or Oxford?

MIT gets more than thirty three thousand applications and admits around thirteen hundred students. Oxford engineering sees roughly seven applicants per seat and accepts close to fifteen to twenty percent of them. Stanford engineering also has a very low acceptance rate, but it is still around four to five percent.

How do I get into Oxford law school?

All candidates must take the Law National Admissions Test (LNAT) as part of their application. A number of other universities also require candidates to sit this test, registration for the test is required and it is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that they are registered for these tests.

What is the #1 hardest school to get into?

There isn't one single #1 hardest school, as rankings fluctuate, but Harvard University, Stanford University, MIT, and Caltech consistently rank among the most difficult to get into globally, often with acceptance rates below 4-5%, seeking exceptional academic and extracurricular profiles, with some sources placing Minerva University even lower at 1%. The difficulty depends on the specific year and applicant pool, but these elite institutions remain extremely selective. 

Do US law firms pay more than UK law firms?

UK Partner Pay: Structurally Different Models. At the partner level, US law firms lead in both average pay and profit distribution, as highlighted by the 2024 Partner Compensation Survey, which revealed an average annual compensation for AmLaw 200 partners of $1.4 million.

What is the easiest Law school to get into in the UK?

Anglia Ruskin University London is the first Law school on our list and is one of the easier ones to get into. With a UCAS Tariff requirement of just 96 points, gaining entry to this degree may not be too difficult.

Is Law school harder than med school?

Medical school is generally considered harder due to its intense, fact-heavy curriculum requiring massive memorization and dealing with life-or-death stakes, while law school focuses more on reading, critical thinking, and analysis, though both are rigorous and demand significant commitment. Med school involves vast scientific knowledge and clinical rotations, whereas law school builds analytical "thinking like a lawyer" through heavy reading, writing, and case application, culminating in high-stakes final exams.
 

What is the #1 law school in the world?

While rankings vary by source, Harvard Law School consistently ranks as the #1 law school globally in major rankings like QS and Research.com, often followed closely by universities such as Yale, Oxford, Stanford, and Cambridge, with US schools dominating the top spots. Harvard is known for its prestige, extensive resources like the world's largest academic law library, and influential alumni network. 

What GPA do I need for Oxford Law?

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.7 out of 4.0.

Is law at Oxford worth it?

It's a fantastic degree to study anywhere, and Oxford and Cambridge are still considered two of the best places to do a law degree in the UK. It is however a big step to decide to apply for a new(ish) subject to you at university, especially one which is so obviously linked to a vocation.

Do you need all 9s for Oxford?

Yes, your grades will need to really dazzle. GCSEs are seen as evidence of work ethic – and you need a really strong one of those to cope with studying at Oxford or Cambridge. Our guesstimate is that the average successful applicant has around eight 8/9 grade GCSEs under their belt.

Is Oxford harder than the Ivy League?

Comparative Acceptance Landscape

Ivy League universities, particularly Harvard and Columbia, maintain acceptance rates that are substantially lower than Oxford's. This suggests that, on paper, the Ivy League schools are more selective in their admissions processes than Oxford University.

What is the easiest elite college to get into?

There's no truly "easy" elite college, as all are highly selective, but Cornell University often has the highest acceptance rate among Ivies, especially for certain colleges like the ILR School or Hotel Administration, while Dartmouth is also generally less selective than others. For broader elite options, some Top 20 schools like WashU or even some LACs (Liberal Arts Colleges) might have higher early acceptance rates, but "easiest" depends on your profile (GPA, scores, extracurriculars) and the specific program. 

Which is World No. 1 university?

There isn't one single "number 1" university as rankings vary, but the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is frequently ranked #1 globally by major organizations like QS World University Rankings (2026) for its excellence in science, technology, and innovation, while the University of Oxford often leads others like Times Higher Education (THE) in recent years. Other consistently top-ranked institutions include Stanford University, the University of Cambridge, and Harvard University.
 

What did Emma Watson study at Oxford?

On 25 May 2014, she graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English literature. In 2023, she began a course of Master of Studies in creative writing at the University of Oxford, where she matriculated at Lady Margaret Hall.

Which UK university is best for law?

Best Universities For Law UK: 8 Best Law Schools

  • University of Oxford.
  • University of Cambridge.
  • University College London.
  • Durham University.
  • King's College London.
  • University of Glasgow.
  • University of Edinburgh.
  • Queen Mary University of London.

How hard is it for Americans to get into Oxford?

Getting into Oxford as an American is very difficult, similar to top US Ivies, with overall acceptance rates around 13-17%, but often harder for Americans due to a mismatch in educational systems, requiring near-perfect AP/SAT scores (mostly 5s and high scores), subject-specific entrance exams, and exceptional essays/interviews, focusing on deep subject knowledge rather than broad extracurriculars. US students face a ~9% acceptance rate, about half the overall average, needing to prove "narrow but deep" academic strength.