Kathmandu University Law School Admissions Test (KULSAT)
Every student applying to Kathmandu University School of Law (KUSL) must take the Law School Admission Test, the KULSAT. The KULSAT, which carries 120 marks, is designed as a means to evaluate a student's ability and standard to study law.
The KULSAT assumes no prior knowledge of any particular area. In other words, it does not test any subject matter that you presumably have studied. The KULSAT examines English proficiency (vocabulary and grammar), reading and writing skills, and general knowledge that a lawyer must utilize on a daily basis. The scoring and timing of the test are unique. Examination time allotted for the KULSAT is 120 minutes.
The KULSAT is composed of the following sections and contents:
- Written Test (100 points)
- English: 50 points
- Legal Motivation: 50 points
- Interview/Personality Test: 20 Points
Eligibility
Nepali and non-Nepali national with a 10+2 or intermediate degree or equivalent of at least two years duration in any discipline with a minimum of 50% aggregate or CGPA of 2 on a scale of 4.0 and minimum 'C' grade in each subjects from universities/boards recognized by Kathmandu University.
Syllabus
The KULSAT is composed of the following sections and contents:
WRITTEN TEST (100 POINTS)
A. English (50 points)
1. Grammar/Vocabulary (multiple choice)
Students are tested on their skills in grammar and the breadth of their vocabulary. Exercises in this section will include improving or editing paragraphs by understanding context or sentence completion questions that test vocabulary and sense of sentence structure.
2. Reading Comprehension (passage-based multiple choice)
Students are tested on their ability to distinguish between major points and supporting evidence, to draw inferences from factual information, and to detect the logical strengths and weaknesses in passages.
3. Analytical Writing (essay)
The Analytical Writing section tests your critical thinking and analytical writing skills through essay-writing. It assesses your ability to articulate and support complex ideas, construct and evaluate arguments, and sustain a focused and coherent discussion.
B. Legal Motivation Test (50 points)
This section is relatively open-ended, in that it can test students on a variety of specified subjects/issues to understand the candidate’s legal motivation. Short answer questions will be asked to test the student’s ability under this section.
2. Interview/Personality Test (20 points)
After passing the written examination, students will attend a Personality Test, which is an interview based on their latest educational achievements. This interview is graded and impacts their overall KULSAT score, with previous academic achievements taken into consideration. Students who fail the written examination will not be invited for the Personality Test.
SCORING
The total score of the KULSAT is 120. The score is built entirely on the number of questions students answer correctly and their performance on the Personality Test. There is no penalty for wrong answers.
The KULSAT is deliberately a "speeded" exam. The score earned under such timed conditions is designed to be an indication of a student's ability to make logical, critical decisions under pressure. The best defense against the skewed timing of the KULSAT is to calculate how much time to allocate to each individual question.
HOW TO PREPARE
While the entrance exam does not directly test what students have learned in school, students are encouraged to review on their own before they take the test.
For the English section, we encourage students to brush up on their vocabulary, practice passage-based comprehension questions, and review how to write 5-paragraph argumentative essays.
For the General Knowledge section, students will be tested on Grade 10 standard mathematics as well as generic questions from other subjects, like science and history. For the Personality Test section, please make sure you can answer questions about your goals, motivations, and ambitions, and how the KUSL can help you realize them.
Note: Using the past entrance exam questions might not be very helpful for this year’s examination, as questions have been changed and the level of difficulty has been increased.
Past Questions
How to Prepare
Although the entrance exam does not directly assess what students have learned in school, it is recommended that they review independently before the test.
For the English section, students should enhance their vocabulary, practice passage-based comprehension questions, and review the structure of five-paragraph argumentative essays.
The Legal Motivation section will feature general questions about the abovementioned subjects. In preparation for the Personality Test, applicants should be ready to discuss their educational achievements, personal goals, motivations, and how KUSOL can help them achieve these aspirations.
Note
- After the two-hour written exam, students must write a personal statement (200 words or fewer) in Nepali, outlining their motivations for pursuing the integrated BBM, LL.B, or BEc-LL.B degree and detailing their academic achievements. This personal statement will be used during the interview session. Applicants should also include a current resume highlighting their educational background and any community service or volunteer experiences.
- It is important to note that previous entrance examinations may not be very helpful for this year's test, as the questions have changed and the difficulty level has increased.