Overseas law graduates
Information for overseas law graduates and practitioners seeking to meet New Zealand admission requirements through study at Auckland Law School.
Assessment of overseas legal qualifications
Overseas law graduates who wish to practise law in New Zealand must apply to the New Zealand Council of Legal Education (NZCLE) for an assessment of their qualifications and professional experience.
The NZCLE is solely responsible for determining the comparability of overseas qualifications to New Zealand law degrees and for identifying any additional study or assessment required for admission.
Contact details
New Zealand Council of Legal Education
PO Box 5671, Lambton Quay, Wellington, New Zealand
Phone: +64 4 471 1166
Email: OverseasAdmissionsAdministrators@nzcle.org.nz
Website: NZCLE
Who needs to apply
You must apply to the NZCLE for assessment before you can be admitted to the High Court of New Zealand to practise law if you are:
- An overseas practitioner - admitted as a barrister, solicitor, advocate or attorney of a superior court
- An overseas graduate - holding an LLB or equivalent law qualification, but not admitted to practise
Assessment process
The assessment process involves submitting an application with supporting documentation, such as:
- Academic transcripts
- Course outlines (if requested)
- Proof of admission to practice (for overseas practitioners)
The NZCLE will assess your qualifications and determine whether you meet the requirements for admission to the New Zealand legal profession.
After completing its assessment, the NZCLE may recommend that you:
- Complete specific courses at a New Zealand law school, or
- Sit the New Zealand Law and Practice Examination
The assessment process can take several months. Requirements for admission vary depending on your background, so we recommend reviewing the Assessment of Overseas Law Qualifications Information and contacting the Council directly for further guidance.
Studying NZCLE recommended qualifying courses
If the NZCLE advises that you need to complete New Zealand law courses, you can apply to study the recommended qualifying courses at Auckland Law School through one of the following programmes:
| Programme | Best for |
|---|---|
| Certificate of Proficiency (COP) | If you only need to complete one or two courses. |
| Graduate Certificate in Law (Grad Cert in Law) | If you need to complete UoA LLB Part II and Part III courses. |
| Graduate Diploma in Law (Grad Dip in Law) | If you need to complete UoA LLB Part II, Part III and law elective courses. |
| Master of Law (LLM) |
If you need to complete 120 points of electives only. |
Applicants who need to complete more than one law course are encouraged to consider the GradCertLaw or GradDipLaw. These qualifications allow you to meet NZCLE professional requirements while also gaining a formal academic credential, and you can choose to specialise in a new area of law if you wish.
Applicants who have not yet completed their overseas law degree are not eligible to transfer. Please refer to the University of Auckland transfer information.
Applications
To apply, you must:
- Submit an application for the GradCertLaw, GradDipLaw, or COP via the ‘Apply Now’ portal
- Provide all required supporting documents
- Include a copy of your NZCLE assessment
- Complete the Course Selection Form
Applicants must also meet any prerequisite, corequisite or other conditions of admission and enrolment.
Note: Incomplete applications may delay processing. Please ensure your NZCLE letter and supporting documents are submitted together.
Application deadlines
- We strongly encourage you to apply by 1 October of the year prior to your intended start.
- Applications close 1 December for the following academic year. Applications received after this date will not be accepted.
Course information
LLB Part I Courses
| Code | Title | Points | Available Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAW 121G | Law and Society | 15 | Semester One Semester Two |
| LAW 131 | Legal Method | 15 | Semester One |
LLB Part II Courses
LLB Part II consists of four full-year courses with limited entry.
Students must apply to enrol for both A and B components (Semester One and Two) before the second Friday of Semester One.
| Code | Title | Points | Available Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAW 201AB | Criminal Law | 30 | Semester One start |
| LAW 211AB | Public Law | 30 | Semester One start |
| LAW 231AB | Law of Torts | 30 | Semester One start |
| LAW 241AB | Law of Contract | 30 | Semester One start |
Entry into LLB Part II courses is based on your Law GPE (Grade Point Equivalent), calculated from 120 points (or equivalent) of your most recent year of law study.
The required Law GPE varies from year to year and is set by the Law Selection Committee in December.
In recent years, the minimum has ranged from GPA of 5.0–6.7 (equivalent to B to A-).
Students who meet the Law GPE requirement are enrolled in January of the admission year.
LLB Part III/IV Courses
As part of the University’s shift to 15-point courses, the following 2026 courses will have updated points and new codes:
- LAW 304 Equity (replacing LAW 306AB)
- LAW 305 Land Law (replacing LAW 301AB)
| Code | Title |
Points |
Available Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAW 304 | Equity | 15 | Semester One only |
| LAW 305 | Land Law |
15 | Semester One only |
| LAW 458 | Legal Ethics | 10 | Semester One Semester Two |
| LAW, LAWCOMM, LAWENVIR, LAWGENRL, LAWPUBL |
Law Electives | 15 | Semester One Semester Two |
Find more information about academic dates and enrolment deadlines.
Enrolment timeline
Once you have submitted your application and all required documents, your application will be processed. If your application is accepted, the Law School will enrol you within the following timelines:
- Semester One: Mid-February
- Semester Two: Early July
If you have any questions, please contact undegradlaw@auckland.ac.nz