Practical Legal Training Part Program

Completion of practical legal training (PLT) requirements is generally a prerequisite for admission as a lawyer in Australia.  Each state and territory in Australia has different requirements and processes for admission. See the table for links to the relevant admission authorities.

Overseas practitioners, who are seeking admission as a lawyer, may apply to the relevant admitting authority of a state or territory for full or partial exemption from completion of practical legal training requirements.   

The College of Law offers Part PLT Programs, for those lawyers who are required by the admitting authorities in NSW, Queensland, Victoria or Western Australia, to complete some subjects of the PLT program but who have been granted exemption from other subjects of practical legal requirements for admission in those states.

How are the subjects for the Part Program taught?

Subjects in the part programs are taught mostly online. Some attendance is required for face to face activities and/or assessment in some subjects. You will have online access through the College’s Learning Portal to course materials, interactive activities and reference materials including the College of Law’s Practice Papers.  Your lecturer will be contactable via email or telephone during business hours. 

How long will it take?

The time you take to complete the program is determined by how many subjects you are required to do and your individual work and other commitments.  You may enrol and work through the subjects at your own pace.  As a guide, the subjects Professional Responsibility and Trust and Office Accounting usually take six to eight weeks to complete. Note the information below about admission dates. Please contact the College for advice on how soon you may expect to complete requirements in order to be eligible for admission. 

How much will it cost?

Fees are payable by subject and you will pay the total of the single subject fees in which you enrol. See Program Fees.

What do I receive at the end of the program?

You will receive a Certificate of Completion which identifies the individual subjects passed. This document, with the admitting authority’s notice of exemption, must be included with your application to the admitting authority for admission as a legal practitioner.

You will not qualify for the Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice as this is only awarded to those students who complete the whole of the College’s PLT Program in order to satisfy the practical legal training requirements for admission. You do not need a Graduate Diploma to be admitted as a legal practitioner. If you would like to undertake the complete PLT Program and receive the Graduate Diploma, please visit the Future Students sections of this website under Practical Legal Training.

How do I become admitted?

The relevant admitting authority is responsible for making rules for, and approving, the admission of legal practitioners. Once you have completed your study and wish to apply for admission, you will need to contact the admitting authority.

When will I be admitted?

You should check the website of the admitting authority  for admission dates. If you are aiming to be admitted by a particular date, you must ensure that you have adequate time to satisfactorily complete all the coursework before undertaking the assessments. You must also allow 3 weeks for marking assessments and processing results.

Do I have to commit to dates for assessments I nominate?

No, however there are transfer fees which must be paid by students who transfer programs or change exam dates. See Program Fees. Please be careful when selecting programs, subjects or exam dates.  

How do I enrol?

• Select the subjects which you are required to complete. Make sure you have read the letter from the LPAB carefully.
• Choose how many subjects you wish to complete concurrently. We strongly advise against undertaking too many subjects if you have work and other commitments.
• Decide when you wish to undertake assessments. We can advise you of the available dates.
• Complete the Part Program Enrolment Form and return to Student Services with:

o    all sections completed,

o    your course fees

o    a copy of the letter from the admitting authority which details the subjects for which you have received exemption.

Further Enquiries

If you have further enquiries, please contact the Exemptee Program on 1300 856 111 or exemptees@collaw.edu.au