Break Through The Bar

MEGAN HODGSON

I’m going to go through the real figures of what it actually cost me to study the Bar, real talk.

When I was applying, I found it so hard to get clear, honest information from people who had actually done the course. If I had this breakdown from someone in my shoes, I could have financially planned so much better.

Here is the truth: you cannot ideally work during the Bar course. The workload is huge, the pace is intense, and if you want any real hope of passing, you need full focus. That means financial planning becomes crucial, especially if you do not have family members or a partner who can fully support you.

My course fees were £15,650. I was lucky that my dad helped me here, but the cost is relevant because many people do pay this themselves. I split mine over six instalments.

Travel costs: I got the train to Uni with two contact days a week. By the end of the course, my train fees totalled around £3,000.

Buying tickets a month in advance saved me a lot of money, sometimes £10 to £15 per trip. I also had a £30 railcard, which paid for itself many times over.

For the Tube, I spent about £4 per day, two days a week, for eight months. That comes to roughly £260 to £280 total, depending on the month length.

Food and coffee: I had a Pret subscription, paid for by my dad, because coffee is a necessity. It was £30 a month at the time, although it is not offered anymore.

Qualifying sessions: I completed all of mine that year. Most cost £10 to £15 each, and I did eight of these. I also did an Advocacy Weekend, which was £100, but it counted for four sessions, and it was genuinely a life-changing experience. Worth the extra £40 when you break it down.

Equipment and study tools: I already had a good laptop that I bought in 2019 when I started my LLB. It was expensive at the time, but it saved me from needing a new one.

If you do not have one, budget around £500 unless you find a good second-hand option.

Then there were the tabs for my White Book. I used so many. I highly recommend the Post-it paper tabs. Do not buy the plastic ones; they smudge. The branded ones last and are worth it. I bought more than five packs at £5.85 each.

I also recommend bible highlighters because they are gentle on thin pages. If not, the Stabilo pastel highlighters are a good alternative. Avoid dark colours as they bleed through the pages.

Alongside all of this, I still had my normal bills. I went into the course with healthy savings, and they carried me through.

All in all, studying the Bar is expensive and it is hard on your finances, but good planning does make it more manageable.