New figures reveal wide differences in pass rates, pupillage outcomes and training fees across providers.
Bar Training Statistics Show Only 41% Gain Pupillage
New Bar training statistics published by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) show that just 41% of UK students obtain pupillage within five years of enrolling on a Bar training course, highlighting significant differences in outcomes across training providers.
The figures were published on 15 October 2026 as part of the BSB’s Bar Training Stats report, which examines course pass rates, progression to pupillage and the costs of training.
The report found that the proportion of UK students securing pupillage within five years ranged from 11% at the lowest-performing provider to 67% at the highest. The overall pass rate across providers was 78%, with individual provider rates ranging from 63% to 100%.
Degree results linked to different pass rates
The BSB also reported differences in course pass rates according to students’ undergraduate degree classifications.
For the 2024/25 student cohort, 92% of those with a first-class degree passed the Bar course. The figure fell to 78% for students with a 2:1 and 56% for those holding a 2:2.
The figures provide an overview of how outcomes vary across providers and between students with different undergraduate degree results.
Bar training costs remain a consideration
The report also examined tuition fees. The average fee for Bar training in 2025/26 was £17,600.
After adjusting for inflation, the BSB reported an average fee of £16,700 in 2024/25, compared with £21,100 in 2019/20. The latter was the final academic year before the new Bar training courses were introduced in 2020/21.
The regulator said students should carefully consider their choice of training provider and develop a realistic understanding of their prospects of passing the course and securing pupillage before enrolling, given the financial commitment involved.
BSB plans review of the training system
Professor Christopher Bones, Chair of the Bar Standards Board, said that completing Bar training represented a significant financial and personal commitment, while obtaining pupillage remained highly competitive.
The BSB has established a new Education and Training Committee to oversee standards of Bar training. It also announced plans to launch a full review in the coming year to consider the fitness and purpose of the current system, citing the disparities highlighted in the report.
The published findings therefore place emphasis on differences in student outcomes, the cost of training and the importance of understanding pupillage prospects before committing to a course.