🇬🇧 United Kingdom · Admissions

Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) Syllabus

Aptitude test that must be passed before enrolling on a Bar training course to become a barrister.. The complete Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) outline — 7 subjects, 23 chapters and 84 topics — laid out so you can see exactly what has to be covered and tick each item off as you go.

7Subjects

23Chapters

84Topics

92Sub-topics

355Flashcards

~80hEst. first pass

Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) subjects

Each subject below has its own page with the full chapter → topic → sub-topic tree and a set of real exam-style flashcards.

The BCAT and Watson Glaser Framework

3 chapters · 13 topics · 28 sub-topics

~15h first pass · 50 flashcards Inference

3 chapters · 11 topics · 15 sub-topics

~10h first pass · 52 flashcards Recognition of Assumptions

3 chapters · 10 topics · 11 sub-topics

~10h first pass · 51 flashcards Deduction

3 chapters · 10 topics · 11 sub-topics

~10h first pass · 50 flashcards Interpretation and Evaluation of Arguments

3 chapters · 12 topics · 13 sub-topics

~10h first pass · 50 flashcards Critical Reasoning Foundations

4 chapters · 14 topics · 6 sub-topics

~10h first pass · 51 flashcards Test Preparation and Exam Strategy

4 chapters · 14 topics · 8 sub-topics

~10h first pass · 51 flashcards

Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) flashcard decks

355 question-and-answer cards across 7 decks, written against this syllabus. Preview any deck free.

How to work through the Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) syllabus

The outline on this page is arranged the way the syllabus itself is: subject, then chapter, then topic, then sub-topic. That last level is what most study plans skip, and it is where coverage actually goes wrong — a chapter marked "done" often has three sub-topics inside it that were never touched.

Weight your plan accordingly: Critical Reasoning Foundations carries 14 topics while Deduction carries 10. Giving both the same number of weeks is the most common planning mistake for Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT).

The ~80 hour estimate above is a first pass only: roughly 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic. Revision cycles, past papers and mocks sit on top of that number.

Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) syllabus FAQ

What subjects are in the Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) syllabus?

Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) covers 7 subjects: The BCAT and Watson Glaser Framework, Inference, Recognition of Assumptions, Deduction, Interpretation and Evaluation of Arguments, Critical Reasoning Foundations and Test Preparation and Exam Strategy. Together they contain 23 chapters and 84 named topics.

How much do you have to study for Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT)?

The full Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) outline breaks down into 23 chapters, 84 topics and 92 sub-topics. Critical Reasoning Foundations is the largest single subject with 14 topics across 4 chapters.

How long does it take to cover the whole Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) syllabus?

Roughly 80 hours for one full pass. That estimate allows about 45 minutes per topic plus 12 minutes per sub-topic, so it is first-pass coverage — revision, past papers and mock tests sit on top of it. At 3 hours a day that is about 4 weeks.

Are there Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) flashcards?

Yes — 355 question-and-answer flashcards across 7 decks, one per subject, written against this syllabus. A sample of every deck is readable on this site for free, and the complete decks are in the Examius app.

Is this Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) syllabus free to use?

Yes. Every page here is free to read, and importing the Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) syllabus into the Examius app to tick off topics as you finish them is free too, in United Kingdom and everywhere else. No account is needed to start.

Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) syllabus

Standardized test taken by applicants to UK MBA and business master's programmes.

6 subjects · 23 chapters · 80 topics · 305 cards Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) syllabus

Standardized graduate admissions test accepted by various UK postgraduate and business programmes.

8 subjects · 28 chapters · 94 topics · 405 cards International English Language Testing System (IELTS) syllabus

English language proficiency test required for university admission and UK visas for non-native speakers.

7 subjects · 28 chapters · 116 topics · 352 cards Mathematics Admissions Test (MAT) syllabus

Subject-specific admissions test for mathematics and computer science applicants at Oxford, Imperial and Warwick.

8 subjects · 25 chapters · 76 topics · 396 cards Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) syllabus

Computer-based English language proficiency test accepted by UK universities and for visa applications.

7 subjects · 27 chapters · 88 topics · 366 cards Sixth Term Examination Paper (STEP) syllabus

Advanced mathematics exams used as an admissions requirement for maths courses at Cambridge, Warwick and other universities.

7 subjects · 27 chapters · 148 topics · 355 cards Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) syllabus

English language proficiency test accepted by many UK universities for international applicants.

6 subjects · 21 chapters · 79 topics · 302 cards Test of Mathematics for University Admission (TMUA) syllabus

Mathematics aptitude test used by some UK universities for maths, economics and computer science applicants.

7 subjects · 24 chapters · 80 topics · 353 cards Thinking Skills Assessment (TSA) syllabus

Critical thinking and problem-solving test used by Oxford and some other universities for courses like PPE and economics.

6 subjects · 22 chapters · 81 topics · 305 cards

Browse all 21 Admissions syllabuses → · All United Kingdom exams →