I am a pupil barrister

First six

This is your non-practising period. You’ll be shadowing a barrister in chambers and will be assessed against key competencies set by the Bar Standards Board (BSB), the Bar’s regulator which sets the education and training requirements for becoming a barrister.

Second six

This is when you enter your practising period. You’ll apply for a provisional practising certificate and can now take on your own work. You’ll be assessed again and be expected to fulfil a second criterion. Once passed, you’ll apply for a practising certificate and then apply for a tenancy in chambers and become a self-employed barrister or you can apply for a position in an organisation as an employed barrister. If you did pupillage at the employed Bar, you can then apply for a permanent position. 

Pupillage funding awards

In January 2025, the minimum pay (known as the funding award) for pupillage will be:

• £24,203 for 12-month pupillages in London
• £22,019 per annum for pupillages outside London

The minimum funding award for pupillage is currently:

• £23,078 for 12-month pupillages in London
• £21,060 per annum for pupillages outside London

Probationary tenancy

If you don’t gain tenancy in the chambers where you completed your pupillage, you can apply for a probationary tenancy (commonly known as third six pupillage), or a fixed-term period of practise at another set. 

Check out our probationary tenancies page that features current advertisements from Authorised and Education Training Organisations (AETOs) who are seeking to recruit pupils for probationary tenancy.

Look for probationary tenancy vacancies

Pupil survey

Our annual survey tells us about pupils’ experiences and helps us identify the areas where support and solutions are needed.

View the survey

Support 

Advice and guidance

Counsel: Insight into an employed pupillage

Counsel: What can the Pupil Survey 2024 tell us about pupillage?

Counsel: Advice to my younger pupil self

Counsel: Making the most of your whirlwind first six

Counsel: Pupillage: Making the first 9 months count

Pupillage: the game where no one explains the rules…. Until now (Part One)

Part one of Jaime Hamilton KC's 30 tips for pupillage