Juris Doctor
Duration
Three years full-time. Up to 10 years part-time.
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
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.
Student experience
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.
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. See here for more information.
Careers
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
Our academics have particular expertise in constitutional and administrative law, international law, environmental law, governance and national security. Some also provide national research leadership on the most important legal, regulatory and governance challenges facing Australia and the rest of the world.
Throughout your studies, you’ll experience world-class teaching from our academic experts who will mentor and guide you successfully through the program. You’ll also have the opportunity to meet many of the high-profile visitors we welcome to the College, including judges, barristers and legal scholars from around the world.
Admission to practice
Completing a Juris Doctor and the requisite practical legal training (PLT) qualifies you to practise law anywhere in Australia. You can also practise 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.
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.
To apply for the ANU Juris Doctor, visit the following webpages:
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.
For information on admission requirements, fees, courses, electives, suggested study patterns and more see Programs and Courses »
