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Home > Graduate Recruitment > Recruitment Process > Eligibility

Minimum Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible to apply for a legal trainee post, you must meet these essential criteria; nationality, immigration status and academic.

Nationality

The GLS is part of the wider Civil Service and therefore the Civil Service nationality rules apply.

Applications can be accepted from nationals from:
• the United Kingdom
• the Republic of Ireland
• the Commonwealth
• the European Economic Area (EEA) & Switzerland

(Please note that there are may be some conditions/restrictions on the entitlement of nationals of those member States who acceded to the EU in 2004 and 2007. Nationals of the Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia may be affected by the Worker Registration Scheme; Romanian and Bulgarian nationals by the Workers Authorisation Scheme)

Turkish nationals are required to meet certain conditions which are detailed in the Civil Service nationality rules.

Certain family members of EEA, Swiss and Turkish nationals who are not themselves EEA, Swiss or Turkish nationals, may also be eligible to apply. Please see the nationality rules for details of the provisions.

Individuals with dual nationality are in principle eligible for employment in the Civil Service provided that they meet the requirements of these rules in relation to one of their nationalities.

Full guidance on the requirements can be found at the website below:

http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/who/nationality.aspx


Immigration Status

Please note that it is possible to meet the Civil Service nationality requirements and still not be legally entitled to work in the UK. The UK Border Agency operates a points-based immigration policy which applies to migrants from outside the European Economic Area, Switzerland and Turkey - details are provided on the UK Border Agency’s Website

Applications will be accepted from those who meet the Civil Service nationality requirements. Applicants will also be required to provide information about their immigration status.

Document checks will be undertaken and any offer of employment will be subject to confirmation that the applicant meets the nationality requirements and is both lawfully entitled to reside and to work in the UK. In accordance with the rules set down by the Home Office/UKBA, sponsorship for a work permit will only be considered where no suitable settled worker is identified to fill the available positions.

Academic

Candidates studying law cannot apply any earlier than the penultimate year of their degree. Candidates studying a non law degree cannot apply any earlier than their final year. Please note that Scots law students should apply in their final year of study.

You should have, or be predicted to obtain, a minimum 2:1 degree in your first degree discipline (i.e. an undergraduate degree below a masters degree), which does not have to be in law.

Please note that we are willing to consider applications from candidates who did not achieve a 2.1 degree but where there is evidence of mitigating circumstances e.g. serious illness. In such circumstances applicants will be required to complete a mitigating circumstances form and submit the required written evidence from their university/ exam board.

Please note that non-law graduates will also need to have completed the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) before commencing their training.

Legal Practice Course (LPC)/Bar Vocational Course (BVC)

You must be in a position to have successfully completed the Legal Practice course (LPC) or Bar Vocational Course (BVC) examinations by the time you are due to start your training contract / pupillage. You should bear in mind that the GLS tends to recruit for legal trainee positions two years in advance.

UK/ Equivalent degree Qualifications

If you hold a non-UK or other qualification which is equivalent to a UK 2.1 degree you will be eligible to apply provided that you meet the other minimum eligibility criteria (i.e. the Civil Service nationality requirements). You will be asked to provide full details of any overseas degree or equivalent qualification.

Please note that we cannot accept applications from candidates who have an ILEX qualification, as it is not possible to equate this to a 2.1 degree level classification.