Center for Transnational Legal Studies

Melbourne Law School is associated with the Center for Transnational Legal Studies (CTLS). Taught by faculty from a consortium of the world's leading law schools, CTLS gives students from 20 schools the chance to come together to study transnational and international legal issues.

General Information

Melbourne JD students have the opportunity to attend the Center for Transnational Legal Studies (CTLS) for an intensive semester-long program (available in Semester 1 and Semester 2, equivalent to 50pts of study). The Center is coordinated by Georgetown University Law Center, taught by faculty from each of the law schools involved in the CTLS.

This program addresses the need for law graduates to have experience in, and be comfortable dealing with legal problems that cross national boundaries, legal systems and legal cultures. Regardless of the specialist Law area, graduates are looking to work in, international and transnational law will be an essential aspect of their work.

While attending CTLS, participants will undertake:

  • a core course focused on transnational legal theory,
  • several optional subjects from the suite of subjects on offer each semester (please refer to the CTLS),
  • a participatory exercise to introduce students to each other and to the different perspectives that they bring to the Center, and
  • a weekly workshop featuring some of the world's leading scholars and practitioners of international, transnational, and comparative law.

Please note:

  • Participants must complete minimum 12 credits of study at CTLS to satisfy the credit load transfer (which will be credited back to the Melbourne JD as 50pts of elective study).
  • Students continue to pay their University of Melbourne fees through their current arrangement while attending CTLS, and do not pay additional tuition fees to Georgetown University.
  • Students are liable for all  travel/transportation, living expenses, textbooks, passport, visa and personal expenses associated with CTLS during the academic semester abroad.
  • The academic coordinator for the CTLS program at Melbourne Law School is Professor Jianlin Chen.

Eligibility

All applicants must:

  • complete all first year compulsory JD subjects prior to applying,
  • complete all second year compulsory JD subjects prior to departing for CTLS, and
  • have (and maintain) a 65% average or above.

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

Application Process

Applications for the program are received based on the UK academic year. Details are available on the JD LMS Community.

JD LMS Community Login

Applicants need to provide a statement of interest, a curriculum vitae, permission to access their Melbourne JD academic transcripts, a written reference (from a personal referee), an academic referee (only name and contact details required), and passport details.

Places are limited to 14 per academic year and students are allocated to the semester offering that best fits their Melbourne JD study plan. However, for Semester 1, 2023 we will increase this allotment to 14 students as a one-off.

Please note: Deferrals of CTLS offers are subject to the availability of places for the requested semester.

For successful applicants, the Academic Programs Coordinator will enrol the student in a generic study abroad subject equivalent to four (4) elective subjects, which will appear on their student record and count towards their enrolment at the University of Melbourne.

Students are advised to seek appropriate course planning advice to ensure they have sufficient space on their Law School study plan prior to applying.

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

Participants are required to obtain Georgetown-approved overseas medical coverage and travel emergency assistance benefits. CTLS provides this coverage through the Georgetown University World Class Coverage Plan underwritten by ACE American Insurance Company. Participants will be automatically enrolled in this insurance and will be billed on their Georgetown student accounts.

This insurance is a mandatory part of participating in the program. Students who are purchasing their own insurance will not waive this requirement. The only exceptions are students who are United Kingdom citizens.

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 student's Melbourne Law School program. 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).

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.