Qualifying to Practice Law
To be admitted as a lawyer in Australia, you are required to:
- Complete a tertiary academic law program
Covering the 11 prescribed areas of legal knowledge (known as the Priestley 11) as specified in the Uniform Admission Rules 2015.
- Complete Practical Legal Training (PLT)
Also known as, the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (GDLP), which equips you with practical legal skills and qualifies you for admission to practice law.
- Meet character requirements
You must be considered a ‘fit and proper person’ for legal practice.
Note: Each jurisdiction may have specific requirements. Always check with the Admitting Authority in the State or Territory where you plan to seek admission.
Practical Legal Training Providers
Some recognised PLT providers include:
- The College of Law
- Leo Cussen Centre for Law
- Flinders University
- Bond University
- University of Technology, Sydney
- Queensland University of Technology;
- Law Society of South Australia Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice (This program is offered with Adelaide University);
- University of Tasmania
Note: Practical Legal Training (PLT) and the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice (GDLP) refer to the same additional training required alongside your law degree to become a practicing lawyer. PLT is the practical training program, and the GDLP is the qualification you receive once you have completed it.
Steps to apply for admission
Contacting the admitting authority
Once you have completed your PLT course, you can apply directly to the admitting authority in the State or Territory where you wish to practice. Each has its own process:
- New South Wales - Legal Profession Admission Board
- Australian Capital Territory - Admissions, ACT Supreme Court
- Queensland - Admission Board, Queensland Law Society
- Victoria - Victorian Legal Admissions Board
- Western Australia - Legal Practice Board of Western Australia
- South Australia - Law Society of South Australia
- Northern Territory - Law Society NT
- Tasmania - Legal Profession Board of Tasmania
Documents you may need
- Completion Letter (Dean’s Certificate) / Student Conduct Report / GDLP Letter
If required, please complete the Request for Law Letter form.
Please be advised that these documents can take up to 10 business days to prepare and will be sent to the email in your student record.
- Official Transcript
Order through the Student Centre or share directly with the relevant admissions body through My eQuals (the Canberra Law School cannot provide this).
What is a Letter of Completion?
A Letter of Completion (also known as a Dean’s Certificate) is issued by the Canberra Law School as evidence that you have successfully completed the Priestley 11 core subjects and your University of Canberra Law degree (the Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctor). This document is required by Admitting Authorities for admission.
To receive a Letter of Completion, you must have finished all units in your law degree, had all marks released, and been approved for graduation (or have already graduated).
Please complete the Request for Law Letter form.
When to apply for a Letter of Completion
Submit your online application at least two weeks before the last day for filing documents, bearing in mind that documents can take up to 10 business days to prepare. Do not wait until all courses are completed to submit this form.
When should you apply for a GDLP Letter?
In most states, you may start Practical Legal Training (PLT) before completing your law degree if:
- You have completed the Priestley 11 core subjects
- You have no more than two elective units remaining and are currently enrolled in those units
You must apply to your local admitting authority, which will confirm if you meet the requirements to begin PLT before finishing your degree. Please complete the Request for Law Letter form.
Special registration requirements
If you need additional course completion details for industry, legislative, or professional body requirements, submit your request through AskCLS. We will confirm whether the University can provide the necessary details.
Proof that you have graduated from UC
If you require proof that you have graduated from the University of Canberra or a letter from UC confirming the topic of the degree you completed, you can get this information by contacting the UC Degree Verification team.