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Bachelor of Laws, LLB, The University of Hong Kong

Hong Kong

The University of Hong Kong

Study options for this course

The award How you will study Study duration Course start Domestic course fees International course fees
LLBFull-time4 yearsfind outHKD 42100 per yearHKD 171000 per year

About Bachelor of Laws, LLB - at The University of Hong Kong

Programme Aims and Features

The Bachelor of Laws (LLB) offers an education in fundamental legal concepts and subjects, as well as a wider liberal-arts education. In 2004-05, the LLB became a four-year programme, in line with recommendations made by government-appointed consultants. Under the 2012 curriculum reform, the LLB remains as a 4-year progrmme. The four-year LLB provides students with greater opportunities to address the following challenges:

  • Acquiring a solid foundation in legal knowledge, transferable critical and analytical skills, and broadening of intellectual horizons
  • Developing a high level of language proficiency
  • Preparing for vocational training in the new skill-based PCLL
  • Understanding globalisation and the changing international scene
  • Understanding the close interaction between the systems of China and Hong Kong
  • Developing maturity

The LLB comprises a professional core which equip students with a solid foundation in legal knowledge, and elective courses which allow students exposure to the broader context in which the law operates. Students will have the opportunity to obtain a minor in a non-law area, or to obtain specialization in a specific area of law.

In addition to our 4-year LLB, students may also consider choosing to study on one of the following related programmes:

  • a 5-year Integrated Double Degree Programme that is jointly offered with the Faculty of Arts, the Faculty of Business and Economics or the Faculty of Social Sciences; or
  • the 4-year and 5-year Dual Degree Programme jointly offered with UCL and PKU respectively, which will enable graduates to obtain two LLBs from two top-ranking law schools in the world (HKULLB and UCLLLB / PKULLB), and open paths to legal qualifications in both jurisdictions. Applicants may refer to the programme information on the relevant website and submit an application through the online application system.

Professional Recognition

To practise law in Hong Kong, LLB graduates must pass the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL), a one-year full-time or two-year part-time course taught by the Faculty of Law at HKU or other universities Thereafter, to become a solicitor a graduate must spend two years as a trainee solicitor in a law firm, or in the Department of Justice, while prospective barristers must undertake 12 months of pupillage. Admission to the PCLL offered by the Faculty of Law is open to law graduates from the University and other approved universities and similar institutions in Hong Kong, and also to and holders of other recognised law qualifications acceptable to the PCLL providers who can demonstrate competence in the required core subjects. Admission is competitive: the selection criteria include the standard and origin of the applicant's first degree in law.

The LLB degree has also been recognised by professional bodies and universities overseas. The Law Society of England accepts it for exemptions from Part 1 of the Common Professional Examination, and exemptions may also be granted from certain papers in Part 1 of the Bar Final Examinations in England. Law graduates of the University regularly go on to study for higher degrees at prestigious universities such as Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, London and Stanford.

Notes about fees for this course

You (or your parents) only need to pay a fraction of the cost of education in Hong Kong, even though our educational standards are at an international level. We value what you bring to HKU, in terms of your background and culture, and our fees are set at a level that students everywhere can afford, as long as your academic results are good enough!

Entry requirements

If you take the International Baccalaureate Diploma, GCE A-level/International A-Level, SAT/AP or All India Senior School Certificate Examination and Indian School Certificate, please take note of the standards as below:

  • International Baccalaureate Diploma - 37 (not including the core/bonus points), candidates should have completed the full IB Diploma, including CAS, TOK, and the Extended Essay.
  • GCE A-Level/International A-Level - 2A*'s and 1A, candidates should present at minimum of 3 A-level subjects, excluding English and Chinese language.
  • SAT Reasoning Test/ACT plus Writing and SAT Subject Test/Advanced Placement Test - Redesigned SAT: 1500, SAT Subject Tests: 700 in each of the 3 subjects, AP Exams: Level 4 in each of the 3 subjects
  • All India Senior School Certificate Examination and Indian School Certificate - 95%, Candidates should present a minimum of 5 subjects in the Grade 12 Indian Board examinations.

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Related Information

Find out more about studying in Hong Kong