JD Rankings

Indicative ranking

Indicative rankings, a ranking for current JD students based on their current WAM (Weighted Average Mark) and the intake year of their currently admitted course, can be generated if an indicative ranking is required for an application (eg to apply for a degree partnership program at New York University).

Indicative rankings requests can take up to 21 business days to process. Please ensure that you submit your indicative ranking request in a timely manner, as we cannot guarantee that an indicative ranking can be processed in less than 21 business days in order for you to meet an application deadline.

Request ranking

Graduate ranking

JD students who pass their degree between 1 April and 31 March will be grouped together as a graduating cohort and ranked based on WAM (Weighted Average Mark).

Recognition of Academic Excellence

Students who rank within the top 30% of their graduating cohort will automatically receive a Recognition of Academic Excellence letter confirming their JD graduating rank in late April/May after the end of their graduating period.

ACTION: Students should ensure their preferred mailing address is updated prior to completing their final subject so they will receive their Recognition of Academic Excellence letter, should they rank in the top 30% of their graduating cohort.

(for students commencing the JD in or after 2008)


  • A system for recognising academic excellence exists for all students completing the JD.
  • A student's aggregate performance will be calculated on the basis of results in all graded subjects offered by the Law School.
  • Each individual student's statement of performance will be confidential with the placement of only the top 30% of students in each graduating year documented according to the following model: the top 10 students commended numerically followed by the remaining students in 5% bands until the 30th percentile
    is reached.
  • Upon request, a student below the 30th percentile may receive a statement as to his or her position in the graduating class.
  • Commended students will be notified of their standing by letter from the Melbourne Law School on appropriately watermarked letterhead.
  • In general, accelerating students will be included, for these purposes, with the group with which they are completing rather than that with which they commenced. Students included are those who complete in the 12-month period running from 1 April of their final year of study to 31 March of the following
    year. Only students who have completed all subjects, including the finalisation of assessment, will be included.
  • This exercise will be conducted once a year in late April and statements mailed shortly thereafter.
  • Please note that students finishing their degree on exchange, study abroad, while studying at the Center for Transnational Legal Studies or undertaking a combined degree partnership will only be included in the final ranking calculations if their transcripts are received by the Academic Support Office
    before 31 March.

Ad hoc rankings

Students who do not rank within the top 30% of their graduating cohort can request graduate rankings after the Recognition of Academic Excellence process, starting in June. Rankings requests can take up to 21 business days to process.

Request ranking