Degree Partnerships

Melbourne JD students have the option to intermit from their course in their final year to complete an additional degree at a partner university. Melbourne Law School has a growing number of partnerships, each with their own areas of expertise, that allow students to further specialise in their chosen field of interest.

General Information

Successful applicants will depart in their sixth and final semester of the Melbourne JD to complete the one-year program abroad.

Students are responsible for applying, paying for, and obtaining the appropriate visas required.

Students are required to pay the fees for their program directly to the partner university and will be fee exempt for the equivalent component(s) at the University of Melbourne.

Students are liable for all remaining travel/transportation, living expenses, textbooks, passport, visa, and personal expenses associated with the Degree Partnership Program during the academic semester abroad.

Students interested in other (or shorter) programs may refer to International Opportunities.

Eligibility

All applicants must:

  • consult with the Academic Programs Coordinator (law-global@unimelb.edu.au) who will provide a Letter of Nomination.
  • apply directly to the partner university's program of study
  • complete all core and all elective subjects except 3-4 elective subjects (37.5 or 50 points, depending on the chosen program) of the Melbourne JD prior to departing for any Degree Partnership Program.
  • commit to adhere to the admissions policies, procedures and standards of each partner university for which they are applying.
  • have (and maintain) a 65% average or above, however applicants with an average of 75% or greater are considered competitive. Applicants may need to provide transcripts at the completion of their fourth semester, as they will provisionally be assessed on three semesters of academic results at the time of application.

Students are advised to seek appropriate course planning advice if they are considering a Degree Partnership Program as early as possible (ideally in the first year of their studies, or as soon as they decide to pursue this opportunity).

Current Degree Partnerships

National University of Singapore

By joining the Master of Laws (LLM) program students will be led by experts in the field in a global conversation about the study and practice of law.

Melbourne Juris Doctor (JD) + NUS Master of Laws (LLM)

Further details

New York University

NYU Law’s reputation for academic excellence is grounded in the scholarship of their faculty, which routinely draws accolades from the legal academy and beyond.

Melbourne Juris Doctor (JD) + NYU Master of Laws (LLM)

Further details

University of British Columbia's (UBC) Peter A. Allard School of Law

The Peter A. Allard School of Law at UBC is one of the world’s leading centres for legal education and research. Its faculty members engage in research with local, national, and global impact and provide students with some of the most extensive and innovative curricular opportunities of any Canadian law school.

Melbourne Juris Doctor (JD) + UBC Master of Law (LLM)
Melbourne Juris Doctor (JD) + UBC Master of Law, Common Law (LLM CL)
Melbourne Juris Doctor (JD) + UBC Master of Law, Taxation (LLM Tax)

Further details

University of Cambridge

The one-year Master of Laws (LLM) offers highly qualified and academically outstanding students the opportunity of pursuing their legal studies at an advanced level in a challenging, but supportive, environment. The course, with its rich historical traditions, attracts students of the highest calibre, from both common law and civil law jurisdictions.

The Master of Corporate Finance (MCL) has been structured to combine academic rigor with a diverse curriculum. It is flexible enough to allow those who seek to focus on corporate issues in their legal studies to tailor their course selection.

Melbourne Juris Doctor (JD) + Cambridge Master of Law (LLM)
Melbourne Juris Doctor (JD) + Cambridge Master of Corporate Law (MCL)

Further details

University of Oxford

Many legal practitioners and academics regard the Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) as the best masters-level qualification in the common law world. The University of Oxford prides itself on offering BCL students closer contact and interaction with its scholars than is offered by any other masters program in the world.

The Master of Science in Law and Finance (MSc LF) is a degree offering from the University of Oxford that marries the expertise of the Law Faculty with the financial and commercial acumen of the Saïd Business School in Oxford.

Melbourne Juris Doctor (JD) + Oxford Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL)
Melbourne Juris Doctor (JD) + Oxford MSc in Law and Finance (MSc LF)

Further details

Awarding Credit Upon Completion

Upon completion of the overseas program, students must ensure their overseas transcript is sent to the Academic Programs Coordinator (law-global@unimelb.edu.au) so credit from the program can be applied as Advanced Standing to the students Melbourne JD. The generic study abroad subject will then be removed as a placeholder from the student's record.

The result(s) gained at the host institution will not be recorded on the student's University of Melbourne transcript and will not affect the student's Weighted Average Mark (WAM). Students are advised to retain a copy of their overseas transcripts to demonstrate the obtained result(s).

Scholarships and funding

Opportunities may be available from the following:

Students requiring a letter for Centrelink confirming their participation in the overseas program must contact the Academic Programs Coordinator at law-global@unimelb.edu.au no less than 3 weeks before departure. Failure to do so may result in loss of payments such as Austudy, Youth Allowance and Disability Support Pension.

Insurance

Participating students may be eligible for free University of Melbourne travel insurance.

Graduation and Final Rankings

Melbourne Law School students who undertake international opportunities in the final semester of their course will often have to delay their graduation. Melbourne Law School advises students not to make any plans to attend a graduation ceremony until they have received a formal invitation to graduate.

Final rankings can only be calculated after all transcripts have been received and the student has graduated from their Melbourne Law School program.

Please note, however, Advanced Standing received from undertaking an overseas program is not included in final rankings.

Admission to Practice

Students seeking Admission to Practice in Victoria are required by the Board of Examiners to provide a Student Conduct Report (SCR) from each university in which they have been enrolled, including those based overseas, for each completed course.

Students should firstly approach their host institution's program contact to request the SCR. If the host institution is unsure of the wording to use in the SCR, students may provide them with a template (DOC).

  • In the event an SCR request has been made and rejected (for whatever reason) students will need to provide evidence of the original request and the host institution's response.
  • In the event an SCR request has been made to which no response has been received, students will need to provide evidence of the original request and a follow-up request.

Enquiries

For enquiries regarding international opportunities at Melbourne Law School, please contact the Academic Programs Coordinator at law-global@unimelb.edu.au. Please provide 2-3 dates and times when requesting an appointment.