Your route to qualification depends on whether you have a background as a law student or a non-law student.
LAW BACKGROUND
The process is fairly straight forward.
During your time in university, I would recommend applying for mini-pupillages These are two days work experience in barrister’s chambers to get a glimpse into their life. This will help inform what type of law you are interested in practising (e.g. crime, commercial, family). It was also give you an idea of what working in a particular chamber is like. Click on this link to see the cover letters that helped me land eight mini-pupillages.
Tip: where a solicitor works is called a “law firm”, where a barrister works is called a barrister’s “set” or “chamber”.
After you finish the Bar Training Course (BTC), you would have to get pupillage. This is 12 months of work experience in a barrister’s chamber which would then allow you to qualify and represent clients in court.
NON LAW BACKGROUND
It’s pretty common in the UK for people to study a subject like history, english, chemistry or even music in their undergraduate degree, and then decide to a pursue a career in law. If they decide to go down this route, usually all they would need to do is apply to study for the Graduate Diploma in Law (the GDL). This is a one-year fast track conversion to law course.
During this time, i’d recommend aspiring barristers apply for mini-pupillages for the same reasons as above. They would then need to do the BTC and then apply for pupillage.
Hope this helps!
Arooj