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The ANU Juris Doctor is an internationally-recognised program designed for graduates of non-law disciplines.

Program description

The ANU Juris Doctor is an internationally-recognised program designed for graduates of non-law disciplines.

It combines core foundational legal studies with a practical, hands-on approach. It incorporates practical clinical studies, internships and research projects, giving you the opportunity to experience law in action.

During your degree, you’ll study a range of compulsory courses in foundational areas such as international law, administrative law, corporations law, criminal law, contracts, evidence and litigation.

The ANU Juris Doctor program also enables you to tailor your degree to suit your interests and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to choose electives from a range of contemporary topics. Some of these include environment and climate law, international trade law, financial markets and takeovers, information technology law, international security law and human rights law.

To see the full range of courses available, visit the Programs and Courses webpage.

Mode of delivery

The ANU Juris Doctor program provides you with the flexibility to fit your studies around your professional and personal commitments. Courses are taught in a range of delivery modes, including on-campus, intensive, evening and online.

Some on-campus elective and compulsory courses are also taught in the non-semester teaching periods (summer and winter sessions), giving you more freedom during term time.

Please note that while some later-year electives for the program can be studied online (subject to availability), most compulsory courses in this program are delivered on campus.

Key facts

One of the world's top 20 law schools Times Higher Education Rankings (2024)

Five-star maximum rating for student demand, teaching quality, student–teacher ratio and staff qualifications Good Universities Guide 2022

Within four months of completing their courses, 89% of ANU Law graduates are employed full-time Good Universities Guide 2022

Duration

Three years full-time. Up to 10 years part-time

Make an enquiry

Call and chat to a member of our Future Student Experience team.

Future student enquiry

Apply

Apply for Juris Doctor as a domestic or international student.

Apply now

Course guide

View the Juris Doctor course guide for more information.

View course guide

Entry requirements

Entry to the Juris Doctor program requires a Bachelor degree or international equivalent, with a minimum GPA of 5.0/7 (any discipline). If you’ve undertaken more than one tertiary qualification, the GPA will be determined by the highest GPA of all completed qualifications.

HOW TO APPLY

Domestic applications

You are a domestic applicant if you are:

  • An Australian Citizen
  • A New Zealand Citizen
  • An Australian permanent resident
  • An Australian permanent humanitarian visa holder
Apply as a domestic student

International applications

International students should visit the International applications - ANU Undergraduate webpage to check the admission dates.

International applicants will be directed to apply through the relevant application process via the Direct Application Portals or Universities Admissions Centre (UAC).

You are an international applicant if you are:

  • Not an Australian or New Zealand Citizen
  • Not holding an Australian permanent resident or permanent humanitarian visa
  • You apply via Universities Admissions Centre (UAC) International if you are an International student who is undertaking:
  • Australian Year 12 inside or outside of Australia
  • An International Baccalaureate Diploma OR
  • A New Zealand National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)
Apply as an international student

Student Experience

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Canberra has been ranked in the top 25 Student Cities four years in a row. The nation’s capital offers a unique academic and cultural experience that you won’t find in other Australian cities.

As an ANU Law student, you'll learn from leading academics, world-renowned guest lecturers and industry experts from Australia and around the globe. You'll also benefit from real-world learning opportunities that are unique to studying law in the nation’s largest inland city where federal laws and policies are made.

Our location puts you in close proximity to the Federal Parliament, the High Court of Australia and government agencies. You’ll have unparalleled access to legal practitioners, members of the judiciary and government policymakers, many of whom are ANU Law alumni.

In the later years of your degree, you’ll have numerous opportunities to gain real-world experience through field trips, internships and mooting competitions. You can also spend a semester overseas studying in the USA, Europe, or over 130 other locations.

Careers

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This is an internationally-recognised graduate law degree, ideal for those who have completed a Bachelor’s degree in another discipline. Whether you’re looking to change or advance your career, the ANU Juris Doctor enables you to be admitted as a legal practitioner in Australia and some other jurisdictions.

Previous graduates from our Juris Doctor program have gone on to work in traditional legal roles, such as a solicitor or barrister, as well as in management, politics, international organisations, public service, commerce and communications.

A Juris Doctor degree from ANU will see you join a prestigious alumni network of over 21,000 professionals in Australia and around the globe.

Academic experts

With expertise in constitutional and administrative law, international law, environmental law, migration law, governance and national security, our academic staff are frequently called on to provide advice and analysis. They work closely with parliamentary committees, peak bodies, professional associations and the media, providing guidance on the law, and what might be done to improve it.

Many of our expert research staff are also award-winning teachers who make themselves fully accessible to students to ensure you successfully complete your studies. At the ANU College of Law, we have created a supportive and nurturing environment in which you can thrive.

Admission to practice

Completing an ANU Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and the requisite practical legal training (PLT) qualifies you to practise law anywhere in Australia and in some other jurisdictions, including New Zealand, India, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

PLT provides the practical skills and knowledge you’ll need as a legal professional, and allows you to be admitted as a lawyer.

Apply

To apply for the ANU Juris Doctor, visit the following webpages:

Domestic JD applicantsInternational JD applicants

CROSS-INSTITUTIONAL STUDY

If you’re currently enrolled at another university and wish to complete an individual course at ANU to count towards your degree, you can apply to study at ANU as a cross-institutional student.

Students who have undertaken previous study that is relevant to the JD at ANU, can request to receive course credit. For further information, please see the Credit (Status) Policies and Procedures webpage.

Fees

Tuition fees are calculated based on residency and the program of study. Check the Juris Doctor Programs and Courses webpage to find out more about fees for this degree.

Scholarships

There are a number of scholarships available to postgraduate law students to assist with the cost of your studies, including the Freilich Indigenous Student Scholarship in Law.

Visit the ANU Scholarships webpage to see the full range of available scholarships.

Programs and courses

For information on admission requirements, fees, courses, electives, suggested study patterns and more see Programs and Courses.

Programs and courses