Juris Doctor
The UNSW Juris Doctor is the most flexible postgraduate legal training of all Go8 universities, offering a customisable combination of face-to-face and online learning for students with the option to complete up to half of weekly lectures online. You'll have the ability to study part-time and quickly turn up or down your study load term to term, allowing you to shape your timetable to suit your priorities outside of university.
The Juris Doctor offers a pathway to become a legal practitioner for graduates of disciplines other than law, or those with an undergraduate degree in law from an overseas institution.
Our world-class researchers and teachers are leading critical debate in some of today's greatest challenges, bringing the Faculty's founding ethos and commitment to justice to their teaching. You'll be part of a cohort of students who are engaged with social justice initiatives and driven to be the next leaders in legal practice.
To learn more about potential pathways to a career in Law, read our blog: How to Become a Lawyer.
When you study law at UNSW, you won't sit in a lecture theatre among hundreds of students. We are proud to have pioneered a small classroom, seminar-style of teaching that allows a strong focus on each student. That's because we believe our students learn best when they're actively engaged. You'll be challenged through discussion and debate to develop practical skills such as reasoning, legal research, analysis, argument and negotiation - the skills required to succeed in your future career.
The Peer Tutor Program is a free program open to all first-year Juris Doctor students. Senior students work with a small group for about one hour per week to develop and practice legal skills such as case reading and statutory interpretation.
Tailor your learning to suit your goals and interests in law. The UNSW Juris Doctor offers an extensive list of electives, unique opportunities to engage directly with legal practice through internships and specialist clinics, as well as a variety of local and international mooting and other competitions
You'll have the opportunity to experience clinical legal practice by working at our Kingsford Legal Centre (KLC)
Gain global perspectives by studying other countries' legal systems through overseas electives in China, USA, Switzerland, India, Vanuatu and Chile. Or you may wish to immerse yourself abroad through student exchange at one of UNSW's more than 300 exchange hosts across 38 countries.
You'll set yourself apart with a degree from UNSW Law & Justice, ranked 1st in Sydney and 12th globally*. Benefit from Juris Doctor-only classes throughout the compulsory component of the degree to enable you to establish a strong collegial network with classmates from various backgrounds and experiences. You'll be encouraged to explore global perspectives and legal systems through international exchange at leading law schools around the world.
*QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024
UNSW Law & Justice and Oxford University Faculty of Law have signed a memorandum of understanding to allow UNSW Juris Doctor students to graduate with two internationally recognised qualifications in just three and a half years - the UNSW Juris Doctor and the Oxford Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) or Master in Laws and Finance (MLF). Students can apply directly to Oxford upon completion of 96 Units of Credit (UOC) at UNSW.
UNSW Law & Justice and Hong Kong University Law Faculty have signed a memorandum of understanding that provides UNSW Law & Justice students studying for a Juris Doctor degree an opportunity to gain an LLM degree from HKU.
UNSW Law & Oxford students will need to follow the standard student exchange application procedure and must indicate their interest in the Pathway Program on the application for the First Semester of study at HKU.
Entry into the UNSW JD is based on academic merit. Students must have completed a tertiary qualification at Bachelor, Masters or PhD level in a discipline other than law, or a degree in law from an overseas institution.
Domestic Applicants
UNSW offers domestic applicants both Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) and full-fee places in the JD. CSP are offered to the most competitively ranked applicants and the remaining eligible applicants will be offered a full-fee place in the JD program. You should list both CSP and full-fee codes in your UAC preferences if you wish to be considered for both places. For further information on eligibility and academic merit required, please refer to the admission criteria.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people considering the Juris Doctor may be assessed under the Indigenous Alternative Entry Scheme pathway. In addition to your UAC application please submit an Indigenous Alternative Entry Scheme application form.
If you're in your final year and about to complete your bachelor's degree, please refer to the UAC guide for Admission Requirement Deadlines.
Indigenous entry into UNSW Law & Justice Juris Doctor program
The Postgraduate Indigenous Entry Scheme for the Juris Doctor at UNSW is one of many support schemes to grow the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people entering the legal profession.
You'll be part of a cohort of students that are engaged with social justice initiatives and driven to be the next leaders in legal practice.
The scheme is competitive and students who best meet the selection criteria, outlined below, will be considered under the alternate entry scheme and have access to a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). The scheme is open to those who meet specific requirements.
Transfer from a full-fee place to CSP (UNSW JD Awards)
UNSW JD students enrolled in a full-fee place can apply to transfer to a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) after completing a minimum of 48 units of credit (UOC). Applications will be assessed on the results of your UNSW JD study only. Awards will be offered to those students with the highest overall JD WAM and a minimum WAM of 75.00 is required.
The awards offer a fee reduction up to a maximum of the difference in fees between a full-fee place and a Commonwealth Supported Place for the remaining duration of the awardee's JD program. Up to eight awards are available per year. Applications can be made through UAC Postgraduate. For further information please contact Future Students
Transfer from another university
We welcome applications from law students wishing to transfer to the UNSW JD from other universities. You may be eligible for advance standing, however a maximum of 48 UOC (1 year full-time) may be awarded for completed law studies. Only completed Bachelors, Masters or PhD qualifications will be considered for admission purposes.
Students who have completed more than 48 UOC may receive an exemption for the additional completed law subjects but no credit. This means they will have to choose elective law courses at UNSW to make up these additional UOC. Students should apply via UAC Postgraduate (also refer to the apply section below).
Credit Transfer Policy
If you've completed prior learning at another tertiary institution or in another UNSW degree, you may be eligible for a credit transfer. Find out more in the Credit Transfer Rules and Regulations.
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on your educational background and citizenship. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If you're completing an Australian Year 12 qualification (e.g. NSW HSC or equivalent), you do not need to provide anything extra to prove your proficiency. Your qualification will be used as evidence of your English proficiency.
If you do need to provide evidence of your English proficiency, this will be indicated in your application. You can prove this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College's Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
Entry into the UNSW JD is based on academic merit. Students must have completed a tertiary qualification at Bachelor level in a discipline other than law, or a degree in law from an overseas institution.
International Students
The UNSW JD is open to international applicants who have completed or are about to complete a bachelor's degree in any discipline. Those who have a degree in law from a different legal system may also apply for the UNSW JD. To be eligible, you generally need to have achieved an overall average of 70% or higher as determined by the UNSW Postgraduate Coursework Entry Calculator. You may also be eligible for advanced standing.
International applicants who have completed a tertiary qualification at Masters or PhD level in a discipline other than law or law from a different legal system, and have achieved an overall average of 70% may be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
Please note: Applicants from non-211 Chinese Universities interested in studying this program must achieve a minimum overall average of 84 in their current university's grading system. This is equivalent to an 80% scaled average using the UNSW Postgraduate Coursework Entry Score Calculator."
Transfer from another university
We welcome applications from law students wishing to transfer to the UNSW JD from other universities. You may be eligible for advance standing, however a maximum of 48 UOC (1 year full-time) may be awarded for completed law studies. Only completed Bachelors, Masters or PhD qualifications will be considered for admission purposes.
Credit Transfer Policy
Credit Transfer Rules and Regulations information.
You may be asked to provide evidence of your English proficiency to study at UNSW depending on whether you are from an English-speaking background or non-English speaking background. English language skills are vitally important for coping with lectures, tutorials, assignments and examinations - this is why UNSW requires a minimum English language competency for enrolment.
If English is not your first language, you'll need to provide proof of your English proficiency before you can be given an offer to study at UNSW. You can do this by providing evidence that you meet one or more of the following criteria:
If you need to improve your English skills before you start your degree, UNSW College's Academic English Programs are for you. The programs are suitable for various English levels and help you prepare for university studies and life in Australia.
A Juris Doctor degree can take you just about anywhere in the legal sector. When you study at Sydney's #1 Law faculty*, where excellence is achieved through hands-on experience, you'll be equipped to tackle tomorrow's big challenges. Ranked 25 globally for employment outcomes**, your future employers will immediately recognise UNSW as a top place to study law.
Graduates of the UNSW Juris Doctor have a broad range of career options after university. You'll be equipped to enter the legal profession or pursue a career in a range of industries that benefit from the skills you'll learn in the Juris Doctor, including law firms, business, media, the arts, science, education, engineering, government and the not-for-profit sector, and many more.
*QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2024
**QS World University Rankings, 2024
End-to-end Legal Education at UNSW
Our interactive educational approach immerses you in the real-world practice of law and justice, we shape sharp minds through the exploration of complex ideas, and our faculty is underpinned by an ethos of justice for all.
Upon completing a Juris Doctor, you'll take a step towards becoming a lawyer, followed by Practical Legal Training (PLT). All law graduates in Australia must complete PLT to practise as a lawyer. UNSW's PLT is the Graduate Diploma in Legal Professional Practice (GDLPP), so you can graduate from one place with all the qualifications you need to launch your legal career.
Becoming a Legal Practitioner
Study
Step 1 - Complete Tertiary Qualification UNSW Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor (JD).
Step 2 - Practical Legal Training - UNSW PLT (20 weeks of coursework and workplace experience)
Practice
Step 3 - Admission to Legal Practice - Apply to the Supreme Court for Admission
Step 4 - Practising Certificate (2 years) - Supervised legal practice
Step 5 - You're a Solicitor
For more information on the pathways to becoming a legal professional, visit UNSW Practical Legal Training.
AccreditationThis program is accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board and satisfies academic requirements for admission to legal practice.