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Quick Facts

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Overview

Programme Overview

This diploma is an excellent choice for law graduates from both New Zealand and overseas who wish to further enhance their legal knowledge.

You can focus on an area of specialisation according to your own interests or professional requirements, while updating skills and continuing professional development. (The programme meets the requirements of the New Zealand Law Society's Continuing Professional Development.)

Becoming a barrister and solicitor

Overseas practitioners or graduates who wish to be admitted to practise as a barrister and solicitor in New Zealand will need to apply to the New Zealand Council of Legal Education to have their overseas legal qualifications assessed.

For more information please visit NZCLE.org.nz.

Programme Careers

Potential Careers

A Graduate Diploma in Law is an excellent choice for LLB graduates from both New Zealand and overseas who wish to further enhance their legal knowledge. It enables law graduates to focus on a new area of specialisation, update skills, continue professional development and gain an academic qualification while fulfilling professional requirements required by the NZCLE.

Jobs related to this programme

  • Private practice – barrister, solicitor
  • Public service – prosecution, defence
  • Mediation
  • Judiciary
  • Law reform
  • Private companies – in-house legal counsel, tax, property, management consultant, regulation, compliance, human resources
  • Government – policy work, resource management, parliamentary drafting
  • Academia – lecturing, research

Student career planning services

Once you become a student at the University, you can get help with planning and developing your career from Career Development and Employability Services.

Key Information for Students

Key Information for Students

Compare qualifications and academic information across different New Zealand institutions.

Entry Requirements, Fees and Dates

Programme Entry Requirements

You must have completed a Bachelor of Laws or an undergraduate law degree from a recognised university (or similar institution). Law graduates from both New Zealand and overseas are able to apply.

Further Programme Entry Requirements

There is no grade requirement for admission into the Graduate Diploma in Law.

If you are an international student and are taking undergraduate law courses, whether compulsory or elective, on the recommendation of the Council of Legal Education, you may take those courses for the Graduate Diploma or Graduate Certificate (but please note that there are limits on enrolments in courses at LLB Part II level).

English language requirements

If you are an international applicant whose first language is not English you will need to provide evidence of your English proficiency.

You will require an IELTS Academic score of 7.0 with no bands less than 6.5. See alternative English language requirements.

Fees and scholarships

Fees

Fees Disclaimer

Fees are set in advance of each calendar year and will be updated on this website. Fees are inclusive of 15% GST, but do not include the Student Services Fee, course books, travel and health insurance, or living costs. Fees will be confirmed upon completion of enrolment into courses. For more information, please see Fees and Money Matters.

*Please note: amounts shown are indicative and estimates only.

Scholarships

Scholarships and awards

Find out about the scholarships you may be eligible for.

Loans and Allowances

Student loans and allowances

Are you a New Zealand citizen or resident? You could be eligible for a student loan or allowance.

Cost of Living

Cost of living

Get an idea of how much accommodation and general living in Auckland will cost.

Key Dates

Application Advice

Please note: we will consider late applications if places are still available. International students should start the application process as early as possible to allow sufficient time to apply for a visa.

Key Dates

SemesterApplication Closing DateSemester Start DateSemester End Date
2026 Summer School01 December 202505 January 202618 February 2026
2026 Semester One08 December 202502 March 202629 June 2026
2026 Semester Two08 June 202620 July 202616 November 2026

Other Important Dates

See important dates for the academic year, including orientation, enrolment, study breaks, exams, and graduation.

Regulations

Preamble

The regulations for this graduate diploma are to be read in conjunction with all other relevant statutes and regulations including the Academic Statutes and Regulations.

Admission

1 In order to be admitted to this programme, a student needs to have completed the requirements of:

either

a the Degree of Bachelor of Laws

or

b the Degree of Bachelor of Laws (Honours)

or

c an equivalent qualification in law as approved by Senate or its representative.

Duration and Total Points Value

2 A student enrolled for this graduate diploma must follow a programme equivalent to two full-time semesters and pass courses with a total value of 120 points.

Structure and Content

3 Of the 120 points required for this graduate diploma, a student must pass at least 120 points from courses listed for Parts II, III and IV of the Bachelor of Laws Schedule, including at least 75 points from Parts III and IV.

4 With the approval of the Dean of Faculty of Law, in lieu of courses required under 3, up to 30 points may be substituted from courses listed in the Master of Laws Schedule. In this case, the Dean may require a student to take LAW 700.

5 With the approval of the Dean of Faculty of Law, a student may take up to 30 points from courses at Stage II or higher in other programmes offered at this University, provided they are relevant and suitable for inclusion in this graduate diploma.

6 The programme for each student requires the approval of the Dean of Faculty of Law.

7 A student admitted to this programme under Regulation 1c may be required to take LAW 131 Legal Method for a Certificate of Proficiency as a condition of enrolment, or to include LAWGENRL 443 or LAW 701.

8 A student admitted to this programme must complete the University of Auckland Academic Integrity course as specified in the Enrolment and Programme Regulations, Academic Integrity, of the University Calendar.

Credit, Cross-credit and Reassignment

9 A student who has passed for a Certificate of Proficiency courses that are available for this graduate diploma, and has enrolled for this programme, may apply to reassign those courses to this graduate diploma in accordance with the Credit Regulations.

10 Cross-credits will not be granted toward this graduate diploma.

Variations

11 In exceptional circumstances Senate or its representative may approve a personal programme which does not conform to these regulations.

Regulation Commencement or Amendment

12 These regulations have been amended with effect from 1 January 2019.

Schedule

Schedule Notes

  • The programme for each student requires the approval of the Dean of Faculty of Law.
  • A student admitted to this programme under Programme Regulation 1c may be required to take LAW 131 Legal Method for a Certificate of Proficiency as a condition of enrolment, or to include LAWGENRL 443 or LAW 701.


Programme Schedules

Complete 120 points comprising:

  • 90 to 120 points from Courses from the Bachelor of Laws Schedule, and
  • 0 to 30 points from Courses from the Master of Laws Schedule , and
  • 1 item from Academic Integrity Course

Selected courses must include exactly 120 points at level 200 or higher.

Courses from the Bachelor of Laws Schedule

Complete 90 to 120 points from the following:

Selected courses must include at least 75 points at level 300 or higher.

With the approval of the Dean of Faculty of Law, a student may take up to 30 points from courses at Stage II or higher in other programmes offered at this University, provided they are relevant and suitable for inclusion in this graduate diploma.

Courses from the Master of Laws Schedule

Complete 0 to 30 points from the following:

The Dean of Faculty of Law must approve the selection of courses from the Master of Laws Schedule. In this case, the Dean may require a student to take LAW 700.

Academic Integrity Course

Complete exactly 1 of the following:

Graduate Profile and Programme Capabilities

Graduate Profile

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Programme Capabilities

#Programme Capability

Programme Capabilities to Graduate Profile Map