HOW LONG DOES PRACTICAL LEGAL TRAINING TAKE?

Thinking about your next step in becoming a lawyer? Practical Legal Training (PLT) is a key part of the process. But how long does it take? And more importantly, how quickly can you complete it?

The good news? PLT is much shorter and more flexible than your law degree. At The College of Law, you can complete your coursework in as little as 15 weeks, and you don’t need to wait for semester intakes.

The total time to complete your Practical Legal Training depends on the pace you choose and when you do your work experience. Let’s break it down.

What You’ll Need to Complete

To complete your Practical Legal Training, you’ll need to finish:

• Coursework – Develop essential legal skills through workshops and online learning.
• Work Experience – Gain real-world legal experience, which is required for admission.

How long PLT takes depends on the length of your coursework and when you complete your work experience—you can do some before, during, and after coursework.

Coursework

At the College of Law, you can complete your coursework at a pace that fits your schedule. Here’s a quick guide:

Full-Time

• Duration: 15 weeks
• Workshops: 5 days
• Best for: Those who want to complete their PLT as quickly as possible and start their legal career.

Balanced

• Duration: 18 weeks
• Workshops: 10 days
• Best for: If you want a fast start but need to balance work and study. You begin full-time and then shift to part-time study.

Part-Time

• Duration: 30 weeks
• Workshops: 5 days or 12 evenings
• Best for: Those working or juggling other commitments.

On-Campus

• Duration: 15 weeks
• Workshops: 5 days in week one, then 3 days per week
• Best for: Students who prefer learning on campus with peers—or international students who need a student visa.

Work Experience

Your work experience determines how quickly you finish Practical Legal Training. The more work experience you complete before or during your coursework, the faster you'll finish your PLT.

You don’t need to decide upfront when enrolling —you can complete work experience when opportunities arise and when it suits you.

When you can do work experience:

• Before coursework – If you’ve already done eligible legal work while at university, you may be able to count it toward your PLT.
• During coursework – You can complete work experience while studying, so you won’t need extra time after PLT coursework.
• After coursework – If you finish coursework first and then complete work experience, then your PLT will take longer.

Want to know exactly how much work experience you can count and when? Read our Work Experience Guide for all the details.

The Bottom Line

If you want to finish Practical Legal Training as quickly as possible, aim to complete your work experience before or during coursework.

If speed isn’t a priority, or it doesn’t suit your schedule, you can complete your work experience after coursework. You have up to four years to finish everything.

No matter which option you choose, The College of Law provides the flexibility and support to help you complete your PLT—and take the next step in your legal career.