Graduate Certificate or Diploma of Taxation Law

Graduate certificates and diplomas are cut from the same cloth, the only difference being duration. The former takes six months full time, whereas the latter takes a year. Part-time options range from one year to two respectively. Institutions like the University of Sydney or UNSW provide a broad range of units in myriad topics, including:

• Australian international taxation
• Comparative corporate legislation
• Economics of tax policy
• Public policy
• Tax litigation

Employment options

Becoming a tax lawyer as mentioned here isn’t possible with merely these qualifications; graduates ought to hold a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor to practice. Completion is, therefore, more prominently an avenue to further study. Embarking on a career in financial advice might be possible with just these, however; applying for positions at KPMG or PwC could prove fruitful.

Scholarships and funding

There are a variety of scholarships available in this field, but most law specific opportunities are available at the master’s level. The following general opportunities are still excellent for a graduate certificate or diploma students.

• The Indigenous Australian Graduate Scholarship, worth $27,082. This is exclusive to those who identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander students and requires no application; so long as aspirants attend ANU and meet the criteria, they have a chance to be admitted.
• The Westpac Future Leaders Scholarship, valued at $120,000 pa. This requires students to argue for why their line of study benefits one of three focuses:
  • Technology and innovation
  • Strengthening Australia-Asia ties
  • Enabling positive social change

Students of taxation law will likely have the easiest time arguing for the third point; a structured, well-administered tax system contributes to social cohesion. Ambitious applicants could also make the case for ‘technology and innovation,’ sharing the positive effects of tax reform or innovation in a legal capacity.

• General Sir John Monash Scholarships offer $65,000 pa to students planning to commence postgraduate study overseas. Entry is highly competitive; students are recommended to have at least a 6/7 GPA (distinction). They require students to argue for why their overseas institution of choice is worthy of their attention.

Prerequisites and selection process

Applicants need to have a bachelor degree in a cognate discipline to enter these programs. This means business, law, accounting or anything that’s conceivably related to this field. Those from other disciplines can still enter, provided they have at least two years of work experience in a relevant field. Relevancy of work experience is something applicants can make their case for to faculty should they harbour doubts.