Compare routes: Chartered legal executive (CILEX lawyer)

Compare what matters before you decide. Routes are shown side by side, not ranked: an unknown is marked “Not enough data”. England & Wales only.

Choose 2 or 3 routes

Route A: Work in a legal job and study the CILEX Professional Qualification
Route B: Chartered legal executive apprenticeship (Level 6)
Route C: Law degree, then CILEX study with possible exemptions

Comparing 3 routes. Nothing here is ranked or scored.

Comparison of 3 routes. Unknown values are marked Not enough data and are not ranked.
Route	Route AWork in a legal job and study the CILEX Professional Qualification	Route BChartered legal executive apprenticeship (Level 6)	Route CLaw degree, then CILEX study with possible exemptions
Entry requirements	CILEX lists no formal academic entry requirements for the CPQ You can start studying without a legal job, but you need legal employment to complete the professional experience at each stage Employers set their own requirements for legal support roles	You apply for an apprenticeship job; each employer sets its own entry requirements The National Careers Service suggests 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship Some people start with a Level 3 paralegal apprenticeship first	Universities set their own entry requirements for law degrees CILEX reviews your degree for exemptions; graduates of CILEX-recognised universities get enhanced exemptions A legal job is needed to complete the professional experience
Official mandatory credentials	Practice rights for reserved legal activities must be authorised by CILEx Regulation	Practice rights for reserved legal activities must be authorised by CILEx Regulation	Practice rights for reserved legal activities must be authorised by CILEx Regulation
Time	About 4 to 5½ years CILEX's typical stage durations: Foundation and Advanced 18 months to two years each; Professional 12 to 18 months. Learners go at their own pace.	About 5 years Find apprenticeship training lists the Level 6 Chartered legal executive apprenticeship at 60 months.	About 4 years or more A typical 3-year degree, then at least the CPQ Professional stage (12 to 18 months) if earlier stages are exempted. Without exemptions it takes longer.
Cash costs	Fees charged: At least £13,495 to £14,131 Paid up front by you: At least £13,495 to £14,131 Not included: CILEX charges an exam fee per exam entry but does not publish the amount on its CPQ page	Fees charged: Up to £27,000 of training (funding band maximum), paid for you Paid up front by you: £0 — training and assessment are funded	Fees charged: £42,565 to £43,201 Paid up front by you: £1,803 to £2,439 Up-front figure assumes a Tuition Fee Loan pays the tuition. The loan is repaid from future earnings above a threshold, so it is shown separately as a loan balance.
Employer-funded possibilities	Possible but not guaranteed — some employers pay fees or give study leave. Ask before you accept an offer.	Yes — training and assessment are paid by the employer and government; you must not be asked to contribute.	Possible but not guaranteed — some employers pay fees or give study leave. Ask before you accept an offer. University tuition is usually covered by a Tuition Fee Loan (England), which is repaid from future earnings.
Work while studying	Yes Part-time study alongside work. From your first legal support job.	Yes Work-based, with at least 20% off-the-job training. From day one — apprentices are employees and are paid a wage.	Possible Full-time study, then part-time study alongside work. Usually once you start a legal job after graduating.
Salary evidence	Legal executive: £33,000 to £60,000 a year (starter to experienced, England) National Careers Service, checked 12 Oct 2026. Typical range for comparable roles — indicative, not guaranteed.	Legal executive: £33,000 to £60,000 a year (starter to experienced, England) National Careers Service, checked 12 Oct 2026. Typical range for comparable roles — indicative, not guaranteed.	Legal executive: £33,000 to £60,000 a year (starter to experienced, England) National Careers Service, checked 12 Oct 2026. Typical range for comparable roles — indicative, not guaranteed.
Competition and availability	Legal support roles are advertised widely; study support varies by employer Studying alongside a job and family commitments takes time and energy	Only a few providers offer this apprenticeship (6 on Find apprenticeship training), and vacancies are competitive You balance a demanding job with study and assessments	Exemptions depend on your degree and university; CILEX decides Graduate legal jobs are competitive
Geographical constraints	Applies in: England & Wales only Moving region changes which legal employers are near you	Applies in: England & Wales only Apprenticeship funding rules shown are for England Moving region changes which employers offer apprenticeships	Applies in: England & Wales only Tuition fees and student finance shown are England's Moving region changes which legal employers are near you
Alternative exits	You could stop after an earlier stage and keep working as a paralegal You could later look at qualifying as a solicitor — a separate route with separate rules	You could stop and work as a paralegal if you leave part-way You could look at the solicitor apprenticeship — a separate route with separate rules	A law degree is useful in many careers outside law You could qualify as a solicitor through the SQE instead — a separate route with separate rules You could work as a paralegal
Source freshness	Evidence checked 14 Oct 2026 Oldest source check: 12 Oct 2026	Evidence checked 14 Oct 2026 Oldest source check: 12 Oct 2026	Evidence checked 14 Oct 2026 Oldest source check: 12 Oct 2026

Costs are published fees only (lower and upper ends of official ranges). To change assumptions such as funding, loans, pay or living costs, use Compare costs.

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