Number of places: 50 FT

Fees (2011/12):£8,500 (includes law society registration fee of £100) with a discount for Aberystwyth and Bangor alumni

2010 was a difficult year for Aberystwyth, with only 18 students reportedly enrolled on its LPC; numbers have picked up in 2011. The majority of this provider’s LPC students were undergrads in Aberystwyth, which was once voted the UK’s favourite university town for its sense of community and facilities. There's guaranteed accommodation at the school thereby liberating students from headache-inducing searches for shelter. Some at the school reckon that “the law library has the best view in the country” and with its location overlooking Cardigan Bay, it's hard to disagree.

All teaching staff are former solicitors or barristers, and the school believes in face-to-face teaching. Students are taught mostly in small groups of up to 15 and normally have one day off per week. They can choose between morning and afternoon study. Electives include Personal Injury & Medical Negligence and Private Client. The school is also able to offer a Welsh module in advanced criminal litigation, if there is enough interest among native speaking students. From September 2011 LPC students can add an LLM in legal practice to their name by submitting a 20,000-word dissertation after completing the course. Careers advice starts in the foundation week, with sessions on how to seek training contracts, fill in applications and ace interviews. A local judge is a former Aber student, and he offers students the chance to sit beside him for a day’s marshalling. Students can apply for a variety of work placements, including at high street firms, local authorities and the Welsh Assembly. Placements within the university itself are equally available. Many students at Aberystwyth will go on to high street practices in Wales and elsewhere. Working pro bono with charities such as Women’s Aid, Mind and Age Concern enables students to demonstrate to potential employers that they have held positions of trust and responsibility. A range of prizes are awarded for students who excel in such voluntary work.