Students with an overseas law degree – not yet practising
If you have a law degree from outside Australia, before completing your Practical Legal Training (PLT), you need to check your requirements with the relevant Admitting Authority before you can undertake your PLT in Australia. For further information about studying in Australia, please visit www.studyinaustralia.gov.au
New Zealand students
For practical legal training in New Zealand, The College of Law New Zealand offers the Professional Legal Studies Course for admission in New Zealand. This course is not currently available to international students in New Zealand.
Alternatively, you can undertake the College's Australian Practical Legal Training program and pay the local fee rather than the International Student fee. You need to check your requirements with the relevant Admitting Authority before you can undertake your PLT in Australia. For further information about studying in Australia, please visit www.studyinaustralia.gov.au
If you are already admitted in New Zealand and you wish to seek admission in Australia, you can do so under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Scheme. We recommend that you contact the Admitting Authority in your intended jurisdiction for further details.
Overseas students on student visa with Australian law degree
The College of Law in Australia is registered to provide the Practical Legal Training program to overseas students studying in the Australian Program on student visas.
Overseas students who seek a student visa via the College for the purpose of completing a Practical Legal Training Program can only undertake the CRICOS approved course, which is the full-time face-to-face course at our St Leonards (Sydney) campus (CRICOS Provider Code 03155A). CRICOS is the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students.
The College of Law's Practical Legal Training Program is accredited as a Higher Education course in every state and territory and graduates are entitled to receive the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice.
Students living outside Australia with an Australian law degree
Overseas students with an Australian law degree who are studying within their own countries may undertake any of the online PLT Program streams.
Please note, however, that the online course has onsite attendance requirements. These can be undertaken in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, London*, Melbourne and Perth. It is up to the student to ensure their travel documents allow them to study in Australia for these onsite periods.
*International Students are not required to pay the additional onsite charges for onsites in London.
Already admitted practitioners
If you are already admitted outside Australia or New Zealand, please see our Lawyers Crossing Borders information.
Additional Information
The College of Law is situated in St Leonards, which is a 10 minute drive from the Sydney CBD. St Leonards is a medium density housing and business area with access to all facilities including shops, restaurants, schools, hospital and railway station.
The cost of living in Sydney is probably higher than anywhere else in Australia, but the cost of living in Australia, generally, compares very favourably with most OECD countries. Students should be aware that any accompanying school-age dependants enrolled in a government or non-government school in Australia will be required to pay full fees at that institution for the duration of the enrolment.
The College building at St Leonards contains numerous small-group classrooms, plus mock courtrooms, a law library and a large lecture theatre. Additional facilities include computer rooms , wi-fi hotspots and access to all necessary audio-visual technology.
The course fee covers all course related materials, including The College of Law Practice Papers and online access to the College’s student intranet.
Students must be proficient in written and spoken English in order to undertake the College PLT Program, leading to the award of the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice. In cases where the intending student’s undergraduate legal qualification was obtained in a country where English is not the primary language spoken, the College requires that student to supply a certificate demonstrating English proficiency in accordance with the IELTS standard at level 8.0 (writing), 7.5 (speaking) and 7 (reading). For more information see www.ielts.org
Overseas Student Policies
Overseas students are referred to the College’s refund policy in the Program Manual. It should be noted that the College’s refund policy does not remove the right to take further action under Australia’s consumer protection laws. In the event of default by the College, the Education Services for Overseas Students Act requires that any refund due to the student be paid within two weeks of default.
Overseas students are also referred to the College’s complaints and disputes policy in the Program Manual. In cases where the College’s dispute resolution processes are inadequate to resolve the problem, the student may refer the matter to the Overseas Student Ombudsman. The Overseas Student Ombudsman is free and independent. Find out more at www.oso.gov.au or phone 1300 362 072. It should also be noted that the College’s dispute resolution processes do not circumscribe the student’s right to pursue other legal remedies.
The College provides or arranges counselling services where necessary. Overseas students requiring counselling should consult their lecturers in the case of academic problems, or the Manager, Student Services in respect of any other problems. The Manager, Student Services is located at the St Leonards Campus on Level 1.
Overseas students should be aware that the information provided by the student to the College may be made available to Commonwealth and state agencies and the Fund Manager of the ESOS Fund pursuant to the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 and the National Code. The College is required to tell the relevant government departments of changes to enrolment or any breach of visa conditions relating to attendance or satisfactory academic performance.
Accommodation
The College of Law does not provide student accommodation. However, for accommodation available locally or within the metropolitan region see: Accommodation Options.