NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenya School of Law (KSL) has opened applications for the 2027/2028 Advocates Training Programme (ATP), offering law graduates three admission routes depending on their secondary school qualifications and academic background.
The programme is scheduled to begin on February 1, 2027, with applications closing on November 13, 2026.
Applicants are required to submit their applications through the KSL online application portal.
The School’s official notice lists three routes for admission, including a pathway for candidates who must first sit and pass the Pre-Bar Examination.
All Applicants Must Have 16 Core Law Subjects
KSL said all applicants must have completed the 16 mandatory core subjects prescribed for the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree under the Second Schedule to the Legal Education Act.
The requirement applies regardless of the admission route used by an applicant.
“All applicants must have passed, as part of their course units in the Bachelor of Laws Degree (LL.B.), the mandatory sixteen (16) core subjects as stipulated in the Second Schedule to the Legal Education Act, Cap. 16B,” the notice states.
Route One: C+ Mean Grade and B in English or Kiswahili
The first admission route is available to applicants who have completed the relevant university examinations and hold, or are eligible for conferment of, an LL.B. degree.
Applicants must have met the minimum requirements for admission to a university in Kenya before enrolling for their law degree.
They must also have obtained at least a B (Plain) in English or Kiswahili and a minimum C+ (Plus) mean grade at KCSE, or its equivalent.
Route Two: C Mean Grade With Higher Qualification
The second route applies to LL.B. graduates who obtained at least a C+ in English or Kiswahili and a minimum C (Plain) mean grade at KCSE.
Applicants under this route must also hold a qualifying higher credential.
This may include a Diploma in Law, another undergraduate degree obtained before the LL.B., or a higher degree in Law.
The route also covers applicants with the specified Kenya Advanced Certificate of Education (KACE) qualifications.
Route Three: Pre-Bar Examination
The third pathway targets LL.B. graduates who attained at least a C- in English and a C- mean grade at KCSE, or an equivalent qualification.
Candidates under this category must first sit and pass the KSL Pre-Bar Examination before they can be admitted to the ATP.
KSL’s official ATP guidance similarly provides for Pre-Bar as a condition of admission for candidates falling within this category.
Documents Required for Application
Applicants must upload their LL.B. degree certificate or proof that they are eligible for conferment of the degree.
They must also provide academic transcripts covering the four years of their law degree.
KSL said provisional transcripts will only be accepted where they demonstrate that the applicant is eligible for conferment of the LL.B. degree.
Other required documents include:
- Secondary school certificate;
- National identity card or valid passport;
- Passport-size colour photograph;
- Proof of payment; and
- LL.B. admission letter.
Foreign-trained law graduates must also provide a clearance letter from the Council of Legal Education.
Applicants whose secondary school qualifications were obtained outside the KNEC system must submit an official equation of their qualifications.
KSL Sets Sh2,000 Application Fee
Applicants will pay a non-refundable Sh2,000 application processing fee to the Kenya School of Law.
The fee is payable through Co-operative Bank of Kenya using account number 01129706350500.
Payments can be made at the bank’s Karen Branch or any other Co-operative Bank branch across the country.
KSL said only applications that meet the admission requirements and are submitted before the deadline will be considered.
Final-Year Students Given March 2027 Deadline
Law students applying on the basis that they are eligible for conferment of their LL.B. degree must complete their graduation by March 31, 2027.
KSL warned that applicants who fail to graduate by that date will have their admission automatically deferred to a subsequent intake.
“Applicants who apply on the basis that they are eligible to be conferred with a Bachelor of Laws degree must graduate not later than 31/03/2027,” the notice states.
ATP Runs for 18 Months
The Advocates Training Programme runs for 18 months, comprising 12 months of in-house training followed by six months of pupilage.
KSL said prospective applicants should ensure they meet the applicable academic requirements and submit all required documents before the November 13, 2026 deadline.
The 2027/2028 intake will provide the next group of law graduates with the professional training required before proceeding through the subsequent stages of admission to legal practice in Kenya.
