TCLA Wiki

We’ve brought together some of the most useful advice from the TCLA forum, covering applications, interviews and Assessment Centres, alongside members’ training contract journeys.

Applying this year?​

Head to the 2026–27 vacation scheme applications discussion thread to ask questions, share updates and chat to others going through the process.

You can find this year's deadlines here:

• Vacation scheme deadlines 2026–27
• Open day and insight scheme deadlines 2026–27
• Training contract deadlines 2026–27

Application and assessment advice​

We've grouped the posts by topic:

• Writing applications and researching firms
• Building commercial awareness
• Interviews and assessment centres
• Video interviews
• Written exercises
• Case studies
• Group exercises
• Watson Glaser tests
• Situational judgement tests

Studying for the SQE?​

Our SQE guide brings together advice on revision, choosing resources and preparing for SQE1 and SQE2, alongside members' study diaries and links to the SRA's exam information.

Members' training contract journeys​

There are some really interesting threads where members document their applications, including the rejections, changes in approach and eventual offers. Here are a few worth reading:

• My Training Contract Journey — j.s.cox
  Jiya started this thread while applying and has continued updating it during her training contract. There's a lot here on choosing firms, preparing for assessments and what life as a trainee is actually like.
• A successful TC journey! — yasmars
  An honest account of applying alongside full-time work, coming back after rejections and eventually securing a TC. Their post on what helped them improve is particularly useful, covering applications, group tasks and interviews.
• Manifesting a TC: An international non-law's TC journey — Izzy1026
  An international non-law student's journey from a vacation scheme that didn't lead to a TC to an offer from Clifford Chance. Izzy shares the setbacks and small wins along the way.
• The Hunt for a Training Contract: Take Three — Aela_Nox
  If you're worried about your grades or starting another application cycle, this is worth a read. Aela writes about building confidence, making more of their work experience and securing a TC on their third cycle.

How to find more useful posts​

1. Sort a thread by reaction score
At the top of a thread, click Sort by reaction score. This link does that for last year's vacation scheme thread. The first few pages will include people posting their offers, but you'll also find useful advice as you work through them.



2. Use the filters in a subforum
Open a subforum, such as My Training Contract Journey, and click Filters above the list of threads. Under Sort by, choose Replies or First message reaction score. Keep Descending selected, then click Filter.



3. Bookmark a useful post
Click the bookmark icon at the top right of the post, next to the share icon. You can add a message or labels to help you remember it, then click Save. You can find your saved posts in your bookmarks. You'll need to be logged in to use this.



4. Search for posts by a member whose advice you like
In Advanced Search, try searching for “Written Exercises” from Andrei Radu, for example.