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The University of Western Australia (UWA)

  • 22% international / 78% domestic

Law Pathways

  • Non-Award

UWA's Juris Doctor (JD) provides a challenging, intellectually engaging and focused environment for the study of law. The Juris Doctor (JD) is an internationally recognised, three-year postgraduate qualification that opens up a world of possibilities.

Key details

Degree Type
Non-Award

Career pathways

Pathway details

The Juris Doctor (JD) is an internationally recognised, three-year postgraduate qualification that opens up a world of possibilities. Following completion of an undergraduate degree, the JD leads you to a career in legal practice. You can pursue a JD at UWA after completing a bachelor's degree in any discipline. UWA's Law School is the fifth oldest in Australia and ranks in the top 150 for Law and Legal Studies, according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024.

6 years to be a
Lawyer
Lawyer To become a lawyer you need to study a three-year bachelor's degree followed by a three-year master's degree LAWYER = 3 MASTER'S 3+ BACHELOR'S
6 years to be a
Lawyer
Juris Doctor fee categories explained
A number of different fee categories exist for the Juris Doctor. The UWA Juris Doctor Bursary is also available for eligible fee-paying students. Find out more about your fee category eligibility.
Juris Doctor fee categories explained

1. Australian Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP)


What is it?
High-achieving students who are awarded a UWA Juris Doctor Assured Pathway Place will be automatically allocated a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP). A Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) reduces the overall tuition fees payable by the student (student contribution) through a monetary contribution made by the Australian government (Commonwealth Support).

CSP places may not be deferred. Students who choose to defer their studies will go back into the pool for allocation of a CSP.

Who is eligible?
For 2025, Commonwealth Supported Places (CSP) will be offered to all Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia and New Zealand citizens with a Juris Doctor Selection Grade Point Average (sGPA) of 5.70 or above.


Students with an Assured Pathway to the Juris Doctor will automatically be awarded a CSP.

What will I be charged?
Students with a CSP will be charged a Student Contribution based on the units they enrol in. You can expect your fees to be well below the rates charged for Australian Fee Places. Information on individual unit fees can be found on the Fee Calculator



2. Australian Fee-paying Places
What is it?
Students who receive an Australian domestic fee-paying place will be charged the full course fee. Domestic fee-paying places in the Juris Doctor may be deferred for 12 months. Australian citizens are eligible for FEE-HELP, a Government loan scheme which allows most of the course fees to be deferred.

Who is eligible?
Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia and New Zealand citizens are eligible for an Australian domestic fee-paying place. Eligible applicants with a sGPA of 5.5 to 5.69 will receive an offer for a domestic fee-paying place which may be converted to a CSP or Australian Fee Place with Juris Doctor Bursary subject to availability.

What will I be charged?
The Domestic Fee-paying rates for the Juris Doctor can be found on the Fee Calculator

3. Australian Fee Places with UWA Juris Doctor Bursary
What is it?

The UWA Juris Doctor Bursary will provide financial support to students who are offered a fee-paying place in the Juris Doctor. Eligible students will be awarded a fee reduction of up to $5,000 p.a.* (maximum $15,000 over the duration of the course).

CSP and Juris Doctor Bursary places may not be deferred. Students who choose to defer their studies will go back into the pool for allocation of a CSP or Juris Doctor Bursary at a later date.

Who is eligible?
Domestic students who meet all entry requirements for the Juris Doctor; and students who have been offered a fee-paying place in the Juris Doctor (students offered a Commonwealth Supported Place are not eligible for the Bursary); and students who have not previously commenced and not completed the Juris Doctor at UWA. The UWA Juris Doctor Bursary will be awarded by a Selection Committee in January based on academic, equity and access considerations.

Find out about the UWA Juris Doctor Bursary Terms and Conditions



What will I be charged?
The annual fee for an Australian Fee Place will be reduced by $5,000 when the Juris Doctor Bursary is awarded.






















VIDEO
Meet our law students
Meet our law students

About this course

By choosing to pursue a career in law through the UWA JD, you will:

  • benefit from the Law School's longstanding and deep links with the legal profession which contribute to consistently high rates of employment for our graduates
  • learn from the very best of the legal profession and academic staff recognised nationally for excellence in teaching and research
  • join the ranks of nationally and internationally renowned alumni including Queen's Counsel and Senior Counsel barristers, solicitors, academic lawyers and Rhodes and Fulbright Scholars. Six of Australia's High Court judges graduated from the University
  • have the opportunity to participate in practical skill-building programs, such as the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, the world's largest of its kind.

Find out more about the UWA JD

About this course
Juris Doctor graduate attributes
UWA JD graduates are:



Problem solvers who have a deep practical and theoretical mastery of subject matter; are critical and creative thinkers; and understand the ways in which local, national and global contexts influence and shape the law.


Culturally competent legal professionals who have engaged throughout their degree with Indigenous knowledges, cultures and perspectives and are well equipped to work respectfully across cultural contexts.



Relationship builders who listen with empathy; communicate effectively; and create constructive and collaborative connections with colleagues, clients and communities.



Resilient and reflective learners who are adaptable thinkers; have developed skills for critical self-reflection and lifelong learning; and understand the importance of, and have developed practical tools for, managing their well-being and supporting the well-being of others.



Global citizens who understand the importance of the ethical and professional practice of law; are outward-looking in the search for solutions; and able to engage on national, transnational and international levels.






Juris Doctor graduate attributes
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Supportive Learning in the UWA Juris Doctor
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International recognition
The UWA Juris Doctor degree is recognised in China, Malaysia and Singapore.
International recognition
Graduates include six High Court judges
Graduates include six High Court judges
Law Pathways for mature-age students
If you will be aged 20 years or older on 1 March (for Semester 1 entry) or 1 August (for Semester 2 entry) you qualify for our mature-age-entry pathways.
Law Pathways for mature-age students
Meet the UWA Law School Course coordinator Rebecca Faugno

Rebecca Faugno is Director of the Juris Doctor and teaches Corporations Law (LAWS5104) and Professional Practice (LAWS5108).

Her research interests are in the areas of Corporate Governance, Regulation of Multinational Corporations, Corporations and Human Rights and Corporate Social Responsibility.

Meet the UWA Law School Course coordinator Rebecca Faugno
You may also be interested in these undergraduate courses
You may also be interested in these undergraduate courses
Write your future
Write your future

Law Standard entry
You can study law (via the Juris Doctor) by completing a bachelor's degree after high school. You also need to complete your studies with the equivalent of a Grade Point Average (GPA) of at least 5.5 (out of 7.0), across all completed tertiary studies. Applications will be ranked based upon the GPA score, weighted equally. Admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants who fall within the intake quota for that year.
Law Standard entry
Law Assured Pathways for high school leavers
Minimum ATAR
TISC Codes and Qualifications
  • UL001 (Arts) - BA + JD
  • UL002 (Commerce) - BCom + JD
  • UL050 (Criminology and Criminal Justice) - BCCJ + JD
  • UL034 (Human Rights) - BHumR + JD
  • UL004 (Science) - BSc + JD
  • UL005 (Philosophy [Honours]) - BPhil (Hons) + JD1
  • UL012 (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) - BPPE + JD
  • ULU30 (Psychology) - BPsych + JD
  • ULU58 (International Relations) - BIR + JD
  • *Students can take any UWA Bachelor's degree as part of their JD Assured Pathway, including those assigned a TISC Code and listed here. If your preferred undergraduate course is not included in the TISC listing, please contact our Future Students team here for application instructions.
Duration
Limited places for JD
  • 100 (Assured Pathway)
    250 (Standard pathway)
Selection criteria
  • ATAR only
Undergraduate major
  • None
Conditions for progress to Postgraduate Study
  • Completion of a UWA bachelor's degree with a minimum GPA of 5.5.

[1] This Assured Pathway is also available through the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours). Students taking this pathway require a minimum ATAR of 98.00 and will take an additional year to complete this course.

Law Assured Pathways for high school leavers
JD study plan

The JD curriculum has been purposefully designed to scaffold sequential knowledge and skills progression, and may be completed in three years full-time or on a part-time basis (up to nine years). Students with external commitments (including but not limited to work, travel, clerkships and sporting commitments) are expected to plan these commitments around their studies. External commitments are not regarded as valid reasons for timetable changes, swapping tutorials, the waiving of pre-requisites or variation from the prescribed course structure*.

In making a decision as to whether to complete the JD on a full or part-time basis, students should be aware that the estimated time commitment for a full-time (4 units) enrolment is approximately 46 hours per week excluding examinations. Some units are also offered as intensives, either in semester breaks or between semesters. Although the contact hours for these units are compressed into a shorter period of time, the time commitment of the unit remains the same.

* Students who undertake exchange, or other commitments which involve official representation of the Law School or the University, or which are recognised under University Policy, may seek approval from the Deputy Head of School (Students) for a variation in the prescribed course structure.

Full time course structure

Year 1
  • Foundations of Law and Lawyering# (Sem 1)
  • Criminal Law (Sem 1)
  • Contract (Sem 1)
  • Property (Sem 1)
  • Foundations of Public Law (Sem 2)
  • Torts (Sem 2)
  • Interpretation (Sem 2)
  • Land Law (Sem 2)
Year 2
  • Dispute Resolution# (Sem 1)
  • Constitutional Law (Sem 1)
  • Equity and Trusts (Sem 1)
  • Option 1 (Sem 1)
  • Corporations Law (Sem 2)
  • Remedies (Sem 2)
  • Administrative Law (Sem 2)
  • Option 2 (Sem 2)
Year 3
  • Professional and Ethical Practice# (Sem 1)
  • Evidence (Sem 1)
  • Option 3 (Sem 1)
  • Option 4 (Sem 1)
  • Procedure (Sem 2)
  • Option 5 (Sem 2)
  • Option 6 (Sem 2)
  • Option 7 (Sem 2)

# These units are taught intensively over a two-week period immediately preceding the start of Semester 1.

JD study plan