Path to the Bar Exams

The journey from a Bachelor of Laws degree to enrolment on the Roll of Lawyers of Ghana, set out in the Legal Education Act, 2026.

Routes to eligibility

Pathways to the National Bar Examination

There are three roadmaps by which a candidate may become eligible to sit the National Bar Examination.

Roadmap to the National Bar Examination

Standard Pathway

For the standard pathway, a person must complete both the LLB and the Law Practice Training (LPT) programme with the required certifications from an institution accredited by the Council before sitting the National Bar Examination.

  1. 1

    Obtain an LLB from an Accredited Institution

    Complete the Bachelor of Laws programme and receive the LLB qualification from an institution accredited by the Council.

    LLB foundation
  2. 2

    Complete Law Practice Training (LPT)

    Undertake the one-year Law Practice Training programme and satisfy the practical training requirements prescribed for legal education.

  3. 3

    Receive the Law Practice Training Certificate

    After successfully completing LPT, obtain the Law Practice Training Certificate from the accredited institution.

  4. 4

    Sit and Pass the National Bar Examination

    Use the LLB and LPT Certificate to qualify for the NBE, then successfully pass the examination administered by the National Bar Examination Committee.

  5. 5

    Receive a Qualifying Certificate and Become Eligible for Enrolment

    Once you pass the NBE, the Council issues a Qualifying Certificate, after which you may apply to be enrolled on the Roll of Lawyers.

Alternative Roadmap to the National Bar Examination

Post-Call Law Course Pathway

A person who has successfully completed the Post-Call Law Course conducted by the Ghana School of Law may use that route to become eligible to sit for the National Bar Examination. This is mainly for foreign-trained lawyers or those who qualify to be lawyers in jurisdictions outside Ghana.

  1. 1

    Complete the Post-Call Law Course

    Successfully complete and be awarded a certificate for the Post-Call Law Course conducted by the Ghana School of Law.

  2. 2

    Become Eligible to Sit the National Bar Examination

    Upon successful completion of the course, the person becomes eligible to write the National Bar Examination.

    Eligibility pathway

Supplementary Roadmap to the National Bar Examination

Top-Up and LPT Pathway

This pathway is for students who completed their LLB before the law came into force but could not enter the Ghana School of Law. They may take top-up courses at an accredited institution, proceed to LPT, and then become eligible to write the National Bar Examination.

  1. 1

    Hold an Earlier LLB Qualification

    The candidate completed an LLB before the current law was passed but did not gain entry to the Ghana School of Law.

    Transitional route
  2. 2

    Take Top-Up Courses at an Accredited Institution

    Undertake the required supplementary courses at an institution accredited by the Council.

    Top-up requirement
  3. 3

    Complete Law Practice Training (LPT)

    After the top-up stage, proceed to LPT and successfully complete the programme.

    LPT pathway
  4. 4

    Become Eligible to Write the NBE

    Once LPT is successfully completed, the candidate becomes eligible to write the National Bar Examination.

    NBE eligibility

Re-sit of the National Bar Examination · s.73. A person who fails the National Bar Examination may, subject to the payment of the prescribed fee, re-sit the National Bar Examination. The Council shall prescribe rules to govern the re-sit of the National Bar Examination.