Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
The CUHK LLB is a full-time, four-year academic journey designed to both expand students’ intellectual horizons and give them a platform for future success in any number of careers. The LLB is not only the first step into becoming a member of a well-regarded and influential profession, but also provides students with the tools and knowledge to be engaged members of the Hong Kong community in general. Students will learn of Hong Kong’s shared heritage with other common law legal systems around the world, as well as its place within the broader Chinese context. The LLB includes the study of not only the practical elements of Hong Kong’s legal system, but also the theoretical and normative perspectives that undergird it. This approach provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the laws and legal principles upon which Hong Kong society is founded and operates.
Joint University Programmes Admissions System (JUPAS)
Non-JUPAS (Local)/ International Students
| Medium of instruction: | English | ||||||||||||||
| How and when to apply: | You may apply through the following admission schemes: JUPAS (S6 Hong Kong Students who sit the HKDSE); or Non-JUPAS (Students who sit for examinations other than the HKDSE). For further information please visit the University’s Office of Admissions and Financial Aid. | ||||||||||||||
| Admission requirements: | JUPAS Applicants applying on the strength of the HKDSE are required to fulfil the following minimum requirements:
Non-JUPAS Non-JUPAS applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. Most Non-JUPAS applicants seeking admission to CUHK LAW apply on the strength of their results in the IB, GCE Advanced-Level examinations, or other comparable secondary school qualifications. To be considered for admission applicants taking GCE/IAL should normally achieve Grades AAA or above in 3 non-language GCE/IAL Advanced Level subjects OR in English plus 2 non-language GCE/IAL Advanced Level subjects attempted by applicants in one sitting. Students who take both Mathematics and Further Mathematics will have one of the subjects counted, but not both. Applicants taking IB should achieve at least 35 out of 45 points, and grade 4 in each of the remaining five subjects. The minimum English Language requirement is 7.0 on IELTS, 100 on Internet-Based TOEFL or grade 5 for HL English or grade 6 for SL English for IB. Meeting the above requirements does not guarantee admission – in the past, the vast majority of admitted students have exceeded them. For more details, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions. If you have already obtained a first degree but are interested in studying law you should apply for the Juris Doctor (JD) Programme. | ||||||||||||||
| Duration: | Four years full-time. | ||||||||||||||
| Campus: | University main campus in Shatin. | ||||||||||||||
| Programme requirements: | 127 units (90 units of law subjects, 37 credits consisting of General Education courses, Language requirements, Physical Education, IT and non-law electives). | ||||||||||||||
| Delivery mode: | A mix of lecture and small group tutorial teaching. | ||||||||||||||
| Study options: | Wide range of elective subjects
Double degree options designed to provide students with maximum flexibility:
Exchange Programmes with | ||||||||||||||
| Scholarships and Prizes: | Betty Ho and Gallant Ho Prizes in Law Deacons Prizes in Law for Young Leaders Mayer Brown Scholarship for the LLB Programme The Baker and McKenzie LLB Prize The Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer Community Investment Award | ||||||||||||||
| Additional learning & development opportunities: | |||||||||||||||
| Tuition fees: | HK $42,100 per year for local students (subject to annual review). | ||||||||||||||
| Admission to practice: | You are eligible for admission as a Solicitor or Barrister of the High Court of Hong Kong after completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) and a training contract (2 years) or |
Note: The information is for the 2021 entry year and is subject to change in future years.
STUDYING AT CUHK LAW
| Compulsory Law Courses | 42 units |
| Elective Law Courses | 48 units |
| Non-Law Free Electives | 13 units |
| General Education Courses | 12 units |
| Physical Education Courses | 2 units |
| University Language Requirement | 9 units |
| IT Foundation Course | 1 unit |
| Total | 127 units |
Yes. Many faculties and departments at the University will grant a Minor to a student who completes a certain number of units in that faculty or department (generally, a minimum of between 18 and 30 units, depending on the faculty or department).
The CUHK and its constituent Colleges awarded over 6,900 scholarships/awards based on academic merit or non-academic achievements and/or financial needs. For more information, please visit the University and Faculty websites.
CUHK LAW runs a number of summer study abroad programmes each year. Currently, we have programmes with Tsinghua University, York University and The University of Sydney. The programmes include a combination of legal study, visits to legal institutions and local tours.
The LLB Programme has been redesigned to facilitate students’ participation in exchange programmes. Exchange programmes are offered by the Faculty, University and Colleges:
(i) Faculty-administered Exchanges
CUHK LAW currently offers exchange programmes to the United Kingdom, Europe and Asia (e.g. Peking University, Tsinghua University, East China University of Political Science and Law, Bocconi University, The University of Sheffield and Maastricht University).
(ii) University-administered Exchanges
Office of Academic Links (OAL) of CUHK offers over 230 exchange programmes for students. In previous years, some of our students took part in these programmes to study at Peking University and other universities in the United States and Europe.
(iii) College-administered Exchanges
Colleges also offer a variety of exchange programmes. One of our LLB students had been on exchange at the University of Cambridge under a college exchange scheme.
Yes. Students can choose from a broad range of electives while on the LLB programme. In addition, they can participate in the numerous talks and seminars organized by CUHK LAW research centers: the Centre for Rights and Justice and the Centre for Financial Regulation and Economic Development. CUHK LAW offers 2 specializations for students to follow, namely global law and Chinese Law.
Enrolled students apply to join the double degree programme at the end of their first year. We currently run double degree programmes with Sociology and Translation.
CUHK LAW currently offers four credit-bearing internship courses:
1. Chinese Law Internship;
2. Refugee Rights Clinic;
3. Refugee Pro Bono Project; and
4. The Clinic for Public Interest Advocacy
In 2014, CUHK LAW established an Office of Career Planning and Professionalism chaired by a retired UK Queen’s Counsel and former partner of an international law firm. The Office has developed a seminar programme and is dedicated to provide other resources intended to assist students in deciding upon their future career and achieving their career goals. CUHK LAW also arranges career talks and workshops with law firms and other organizations. In addition, the Faculty’s Virtual Careers Resource Centre allows firms and organizations to post vacancies of internships and placements to advertise these positions. Our students have made use of these resources to obtain placements.
The University provides relevant services through the Office of Student Affairs for students to apply for internships locally and overseas. Some of our students have worked as interns at the UN Headquarters in New York and with multi-national companies.
The Sir TL Yang Society
Dr the Hon Sir Ti Liang Yang, GBM, former Chairman of The Executive Committee of CUHK LAW has done us the great honour of allowing us to name our CUHK LAW society for students “The Sir TL Yang Society”.
The Society is CUHK LAW’s Society for all undergraduate and postgraduate students and serves as the centre of students’ professional and social activities in the Faculty. For details, please refer to CUHK LAW website at https://www.law.cuhk.edu.hk/app/the-sir-tl-yang-society/.
Mooting
CUHK LAW has been invited to take part in various mooting competitions both locally and internationally, such as:
- Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition
- Willem C. Vis (East) International Commercial Arbitration Moot
- Red Cross International Humanitarian Law Moot
- Joint University Mooting Competition
For each moot a member of CUHK LAW will be appointed as an advisor to each team and will supervise their preparation and participation. Participating in some mooting teams may in some instances be credited towards degree completion.
Other Clubs and Activities
Our students have also set up and initiated various student associations and clubs, including student associations, music associations and extracurricular associations to supplement their legal education.
| Year of PCLL Admission | ||||
| 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | ||
| Acceptance rate (for those who applied for PCLL) | 88% | 87% | 80% | |
In Hong Kong to become a solicitor or barrister students will need to complete:
- a Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL); and either
- a two year training contract to become a solicitor; or
- a one year pupillage to become a barrister.
Yes. We offer electives such as Mooting, International Legal Advocacy, and Jessup International Law Moot. Students who are interested in advocacy and take these courses will have opportunities to participate in regional and international competitions. They will be closely supervised and guided by a team of experienced teachers to prepare for these competitions.
Each country has its own requirements on how a person may qualify as a practicing lawyer. You will need to check with the organization governing the legal profession in the country that you are interested in practicing. It is not uncommon to find Hong Kong qualified legal professionals employed by international firms and organizations outside of Hong Kong.
ADMISSION
No. CUHK LAW does not offer part-time study of the
No. The LLB Programme does not admit students who have completed an undergraduate degree. As a graduate, you may apply to study a Juris Doctor (JD) which is a postgraduate programme designed for students who have already completed an undergraduate degree.
The intake quota for 2021 entry is 76.
Admission will be based on academic merit. There is no specific quota for each individual admission scheme.
Applicants can apply through either of the two schemes according to their academic qualifications in the same academic year but NOT both.
Primarily we consider academic results, because an undergraduate degree is an academic programme. But we also consider the totality of a candidate’s application, in helping us decide which candidates are best suited to our programme.
JUPAS APPLICANTS
The current specific minimum requirements of the LLB programme are:
| Specific Requirements | |
| Subject | Level |
| English Language | Level 5 |
| Chinese Language | Level 4 |
| Mathematics | Level 3 |
| Liberal Studies | Level 3 |
| Elective 1 | Level 3 |
| Elective 2 or Mathematics (Extended Part) Module I (M1) or Module II (M2) | Level 3 |
Yes. The weightings are:
| Subject | English Language | Chinese Language | Mathematics | Liberal Studies | Elective 1 | Elective 2 or M1/M2 |
| Weight | 2 | 1.5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
In addition to the 4 core (including Chinese, English, Mathematics and Liberal Studies) and 2 elective subjects, bonus points will be awarded to the 7th subject. The size of the bonus point will depend on candidates’ result in the subject.
Subject to fulfilling the following conditions, at the discretion of the Faculty Dean and on a case-by-case basis, applicants may be granted waivers of the Chinese Language requirement.
The applicants concerned
- should NOT have taken the Chinese Language subject in HKDSE; and
- should have obtained a pass grade or above in a Chinese subject or in another language subject (other than English and Chinese) in other recognised public examinations as approved by the University from time to time.
For 2021 entry, the best result in the same subject taken by a candidate in his/her three most recent attempts of the HKDSE examination will be used for calculation of the admission score. Admission scores of applicants seeking admission on the strength of results from more than one sitting of the HKDSE examination will be adjusted.
Yes. The University will consider your experiences and achievements in Other Learning Experiences (OLE). Admission to the LLB programme is based on academic merit, with consideration given to achievements of the applicants in all aspects.
You can submit them under the Other Experiences and Achievements in Competitions/ Activities (OEA) template of your JUPAS application form. You may also submit your Student Learning Profile (SLP) through JUPAS for reference by the University.
Total Score of (i) 4 Core + Best 2 Elective Subjects or (ii) 4 Core + Best 1 Elective Subject + M1 or M2
| 2020 HKDSE | |
| Upper Quartile | 31 |
| Median | 30 |
| Lower Quartile | 30 |
The overall grades of students admitted to each programme vary from year to year, the information provided here is for reference only, and should not be used to predict the chance of admission to any programme in subsequent years.
Other Language subjects (Grade E or above) will be considered as an unspecific elective subject in fulfilling the minimum eligibility for application of 4 core and 2 elective subjects
NON-JUPAS APPLICANTS
Yes. You may apply for our LLB Programme through the “Non-JUPAS (Local) Admissions Scheme”. If you require a student visa to study in Hong Kong, you may apply for our LLB Programme through “International Students Admission Scheme”.
Please visit the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid for
Admission is based on academic merit, with consideration given to achievements of the applicants in all aspects. An applicant’s chances of admission are also influenced by the overall quality of the applicants in the particular year. The intake quality has increased year on year.
For 2021 entry, to be considered for admission applicants taking GCE/IAL should normally achieve Grades AAA or above in 3 GCE/IAL Advanced Level non-language subjects OR in English plus 2 GCE/IAL Advanced Level non-language subjects attempted by applicants in one sitting. Students who take both Mathematics and Further Mathematics will have one of the subjects counted, but not both. Applicants taking IB should achieve at least 35 out of 45 points, grade 5 for English (Higher Level) or grade 6 for English (Standard Level), and grade 4 in each of the remaining five subjects. In light of the fierce competition for places, merely meeting the above requirements does not guarantee an offer.
There is no formal subject preference, except that for IB exam the English subject taken to fulfill the Faculty’s language requirement must be either English A: Literature (Higher Level/ Standard Level), English A: Language and Literature (Higher Level/ Standard Level) or English B (Higher Level).
No. Advanced standing is not applicable to LLB students.
Applicants must have attained an acceptable level of proficiency in the English and Chinese languages. Waiver of the Chinese language admission requirement may be granted, at the discretion of the Faculty Dean, on the condition that the applicant concerned should have pursued a curriculum leading to a non-local qualification at secondary level or above prior to admission.
According to the guidelines of the University Grants Committee (UGC), other than in exceptional circumstances, applicants who may have to repeat a year of study on transfer across institutions should generally be given a lower priority in admissions.
| Tel: | (852) 3943 8548 |
| Fax: | (852) 2994 2505 |
| E-mail: | lawugadm@cuhk.edu.hk |
| Address: | Faculty of Law 6/F, Lee Shau Kee Building The Chinese University of Hong Kong Shatin, New Territories Hong Kong |