You must have a valid Diploma to be able to apply for an entrance certificate. An entrance certificate is required in order for you to commence a traineeship.
The timescale for commencing a traineeship has changed
New Admission as Solicitor (Scotland) Regulations came into effect on 1st November 2019.
Regulation 6(3) stipulates that a traineeship must commence within five years from the 1st January in the year after you gained the Diploma. For instance, if you were awarded the Diploma in June 2020, you have until 1st January 2026 to start a traineeship.
This Regulation also applies to a Diploma awarded prior to the new Regulations coming into force.
Applying for a waiver of Regulation 6(3)
If you have not commenced a traineeship within this five and a half year period, you may apply to the Admissions Sub-Committee for a waiver of Regulation 6(3) of the Admission as Solicitor (Scotland) Regulations 2019.
Advice and information about applying for a waiver is contained in this document and you should read it before making an application.
An application should take the form of a letter to the Admissions Sub-Committee mapping your work experience, both paid and voluntary, and CPD type training to the PEAT 2 Outcomes, and narrate where any work experience took place and whether it was under the supervision of a Scottish solicitor.
Contact us
If you have any questions, please get in touch with our Education, Training & Qualifications Team by emailing [email protected].
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We have a dedicated careers team, who provide advice on employability skills, entry to the profession and career growth.
