Frequently Asked Questions - General Diploma in Law Course Information

The Diploma in Law is a unique pathway to admission into the Legal Profession established under the NSW Admission Board Rules 2015. 

A continuation of first NSW Supreme Court examinations to enter the legal profession which started in 1848, the course is the oldest path to joining the legal profession in NSW.  For the purpose of meeting the academic requirements for admission as a lawyer under the Uniform Law the Diploma in Law is equivalent to a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctorate from an accredited University Law School.

Tuition is provided by the Law Extension Committee of the University of Sydney (the LEC) which has been preparing students-at-law for the Boards examinations for sixty years.

The Diploma in Law provides an affordable, flexible, accessible pathway to the study of the law.  The LPAB and LEC are committed to fostering inclusion and diversity within the legal profession through the Diploma.

The curriculum demonstrates a practical emphasis on the professional life of a lawyer. This is reflected in the large compulsory core which includes those subjects such as Conveyancing and Succession that often form the basis of legal practice.  

The Diploma in Law is the name of the course offered by the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) of New South Wales. While the term “diploma” might suggest a lower-level qualification, this course is equivalent to a university law degree—such as a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD)—for the purpose of becoming a lawyer in Australia

A Historic Legacy

The name “Diploma in Law” has been retained for historical and professional recognition reasons. The origins of the course date back to 1848, when the Supreme Court of New South Wales first introduced legal examinations for those seeking admission to the legal profession. This was before any Australian university offered a law degree.

In 1859, the responsibility for legal education and examinations was transferred to the Solicitors Admission Board and the Barristers Admission Board, which later merged to form the current Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB). The course has continued under the LPAB’s stewardship ever since, maintaining a strong tradition of rigorous legal education outside the university system.

Modern Recognition

The Diploma in Law is assessed by the LPAB to the same academic standards as all accredited law schools in NSW. It is fully recognised under the Legal Profession Uniform Law, which governs legal admission in New South Wales, Victoria, and Western Australia. Tuition for the Board’s Diploma in Law is provided by the University of Sydney Law Extension Committee.

Many respected members of the legal profession—including current and former Supreme Court Justices—have qualified through the Diploma in Law program. Despite its name, the Diploma is a well-established and respected pathway to legal practice in Australia.

The LPAB is not a university or Higher Education Institute and the LPAB Diploma in Law does not come under ASQA or TEQSA and therefore it is not assessed under the AQF.   

The practical result of this is that while the emphasis is on teaching and high academic standards are maintained, not all the services and assistance that a tertiary institution may offer are available to the Board’s students. Individual attention is not available and students are required to have initiative and motivation to succeed. This allows for the Diploma to continue to be offered at an affordable rate. 

This also means that Diploma in Law Students are not eligible for student visas. 

Diploma in Law Handbook 

For detailed information about the curriculum, suggested study sequence, subject descriptions and enrolment advice please review the Diploma in Law Handbook.

Lecture Timetables and examination schedules can be located on the Law Extension Committee website here.

Important dates regarding registration and enrolment deadlines are available on the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) website here.

Costs

There is a one-off registration fee of $330. 

Each subject is currently $1089. This means the total cost of the course is just over $20,000 

Duration

Students usually complete the course in 4 years.

The course is designed to be studied part time, around work and family commitments.

Scheduling & Important Dates

Lecture Timetables and examination schedules can be located on the Law Extension Committee website here.

Important dates regarding registration and enrolment deadlines are available on the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) website here.

There are two sessions a year (Summer and Winter) and you would usually do two subjects per session in the first year.

Lectures

Students attend one 3-hour evening lecture per subject per week for 13 weeks

All students have the option to attend classes in person on Campus or via Zoom as LEC live stream the lectures in real time. You just need to keep in mind that the lectures will be in Sydney Time 6pm-9pm (AEST).

All students (both local and distance) attend a seminar for each subject at the Weekend School

About Us

The Diploma is administered and issued by the LPAB and taught by the Law Extension Committee of the University of Sydney.

In addition to administering the Diploma in Law the LPAB is the NSW government body which determines whether people may be admitted as lawyers in NSW and is responsible for the accreditation of all academic and practical legal training courses in the State.

The course is the oldest path to joining the legal profession in NSW and for the purpose of meeting the academic requirements for admission as a lawyer under the Uniform Law is equivalent to a Bachelor of Laws or Juris Doctorate from an accredited University Law School.

We look forward to welcoming you as a student-at-law

Please contact us or submit an Enquiry via your STEMS portal if you have any further questions. 

Ready to Get Started? 

Step 1: Register as a new student by signing up to the LPAB Student Tuition and Examination Management System (STEMS) and submit your registration application. 

Step 2: Once approved login to the student portal

Step 3: Enrol into your subjects on the student portal

The Diploma in Law operates on a two-semester system each year: the Summer Semester runs from November to March, and the Winter Semester runs from May to September.

Exams are held in March and September. Each subject has compulsory assignments that must be submitted for students to be eligible sit the exam

Lecture Timetables and examination schedules can be located on the Law Extension Committee website here.

Important dates regarding registration and enrolment deadlines are available on the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) website here.

The course structure is designed to be completed in four years part-time.

Most students typically complete the course in four to five years. 

Students registered after 1 July 2024 will be excluded from the course if they have not completed the prescribed examinations within ten years of enrolling in their first subject.

No. While tuition is provided by the Law Extension Committee established by the University of Sydney students are not considered graduates or students of the University of Sydney.

Students will be able to access the Sydney University library but have limited access to other Sydney University resources. 

The Diploma in Law is issued by, and you will be a student of the Legal Profession Admission Board of NSW .

The Diploma in Law is not designed as an online course. However, there are provisions for online participation.

If you reside outside of Australia you will only be able to participate in the course if you are an overseas trained lawyers participating in the course from overseas for the purpose of completing subjects required for admission as a lawyer in Australia. Please see the Request for Exemption to Rule 29(1) – Australian Residency Declaration Form for more information. 

Attending Lectures 

All students have the option to attend classes in person on Campus or via Zoom as LEC live stream the lectures in real time. You just need to keep in mind that the lectures will be in Sydney Time 6pm-9pm (AEST). While all students are provided with lecture recordings at set points in the tuition the expectation is that students will attend lectures. 

Attendance at Weekend Schools

Distance students are strongly encouraged to attend in-person, the two relevant Weekend Schools each term. The Weekend Schools provide important opportunities for interaction with lecturers and other students, and for networking generally. Weekend School activities are not recorded and are not available online. Although in-person attendance at Weekend Schools is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended.  

Attendance at Exams 

Distance students must make reasonable efforts to attend an exam centre in person. A list of exam centres is listed on the Legal Profession Admission Board website. Students may make an application on STEMS to sit the examinations online ($210 fee per semester). Please refer to the Online Examinations by Exception Policy for more information and eligibility criteria.

The NSW Admission Board Rules 2015 set out the curriculum for students-at-law. To be eligible for the award of the Diploma in Law students must pass a total of 20 subjects, all the 'Group A' subjects and 3 of the 'Group B' subjects as listed below. 

Group A Subjects -  Compulsory Subjects:

• 01 Foundations of Law 
• 02 Criminal Law and Procedure
• 03 Torts
• 04 Contracts 
• 05 Real Property 
• 06 Australian Constitutional Law
• 07 Equity 
• 08 Commercial Transactions 
• 09 Administrative Law
• 10 Law of Associations
• 11 Evidence
• 12 Taxation and Revenue Law
• 13 Succession 
• 14 Conveyancing
• 15 Practice and Procedure
• 17 Legal Ethics
• 24 Jurisprudence

Group B - Elective Subjects: 

• 16 Insolvency
• 18 Conflict of Laws
• 19 Family Law
• 20 Planning & Environmental Law
• 21 Industrial Law
• 22 Intellectual Property
• 23 Public International Law
• 25 Competition and Consumer Law
• 26  Advanced Statutory Interpretation
• 27 Health Law