Mode of Studies
The Full-time Mode
The full-time PCLL programme is normally completed over one year commencing from September and ending in June in the following year.
The HKU PCLL will provide typical transactional knowledge and fundamental and core skills training to all students with a degree of specialization.
Cores, Electives and Pervasives
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Compulsory Core Practice Areas focusing on essential procedural and transactional knowledge and skills;
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Elective Practice Areas with specific focus so that students can receive training which is better suited to their interest and career choices, and the diverse needs of different sectors of the profession can be better provided for.
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Pervasive subjects including Professional Practice and Management with introduction by way of separate and distinct large group sessions followed by issues integrated into small group practice sessions.
The PCLL Regulations and Syllabuses can be downloaded for your reference.
Fundamental and complex skills
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A key set of fundamental lawyering skills which are non-practice specific but are building blocks for the practice of other (more complex) skills.
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More complex lawyering skills taught in the context of specific practice areas (in Cores and/or in Electives).
The Part-time Mode
The part-time PCLL programme will normally be completed over two years.
This programme is well suited for people who wish to study the PCLL while continuing with their working lives.
Students need to attend three to four evening classes (normally 7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.) on weekdays, and classes on Saturday afternoons. There will also be some scheduled court visits, examinations and occasionally other learning activities during the daytime on weekdays.
The part-time PCLL curriculum is identical to that of the full-time PCLL, except for the duration. The first year of the part-time curriculum is equivalent to the full-time PCLL’s first semester, and the second year of the part-time curriculum is equivalent to the full-time PCLL’s second semester.
Application
Applications for admission to the PCLL in 2024-2025 is opened in January 2024. Potential applicants should check our webpage at that time for further updates.
You MUST read the Brochure, Notes for Applicants 2024-2025 and FAQs BEFORE submission of your application. WE ONLY ACCEPT ON-LINE APPLICATIONS.
Application forms:
[ALL APPLICANTS] University Application Form: You are required to submit ONE application for EACH PCLL programme you wish to apply for by the Application Deadline. Please click H E R E for the University Application Form.
NOTE: if you wish to be considered for BOTH the Full-time and Part-time modes, you MUST submit TWO University Application Forms, one for the Full-time mode, and one for the Part-time mode. The order of preferences must be consistent on both forms. Please note your 10-digit Application Number(s) (one for each University Application Form) and keep it (them) confidential. You are strongly advised to apply for both the Full-time and Part-time PCLL programmes unless you are sure you do not wish to be considered for a place on a particular programme. Applicants cannot be admitted to a programme they did not apply for.
The Application Deadline is 12:00 noon (Hong Kong time) on 30 April 2024 (for admission in September 2024). Application form(s) must be submitted by this deadline. Please note that the PCLL application webpage will shut down promptly once the Application Deadline has expired so all applications must be completed by this time. As such, you should not leave your application until the last minute, however, you do not need to submit all of your supporting documents by the Application Deadline; only your online application. Your supporting documents must be submitted by the separate Documents Deadline of 2 August 2024 at 5:30 p.m. (Hong Kong time) (please see the Notes to Applicants in this respect.)
We do not accept late applications nor requests for an extension of time to apply.
Address for provision of your supporting documents (such as interim/final transcripts, IELTS Test Report Form, PCLL Conversion Examination result/exemption letters):
PCLL Admissions Office,
Faculty of Law
The University of Hong Kong,
10/F Cheng Yu Tung Tower, Centennial Campus,
Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong
We cannot verify the authenticity of supporting documents ourselves. All applicants must provide either the original or a certified true copy of their documents. Please ensure that all supporting documents are sent to us by REGISTERED POST ONLY. This is for your protection in case a document sent by ordinary post does not arrive.
We do not accept documents submitted to us in person nor can we check or confirm that you have submitted all of the required documents to us. The onus is on an Applicant to ensure that all of the required documents have been submitted to us by registered post before the Documents Deadline.
As strong applicants may be given offers or conditional offers prior to the Application Deadline, early application is recommended.
Applicants requiring student visas should note that it will take several weeks for visa applications to be processed. It is therefore even more important for these applicants to send us all of their information and supporting documents as early as possible so that, where appropriate, we can issue early offers to them to enable them to make their visa applications.
In any event, once you have made your application(s), please provide us with all your supporting documents, in particular, a transcript of the results in your primary law qualification (including, where you have not yet completed your primary law qualification, your latest available interim transcript), AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
If you are a sufficiently strong applicant, once we are in possession of your supporting documents, we will be able to make an early firm or conditional offer of admission. To the extent that some supporting documents are not yet available, for example, because you have not yet had an opportunity to take the IELTS test, we can make our offer conditional upon your obtaining satisfactory IELTS results. It would therefore be in your interests to provide us with your full supporting documents (or as many as are available) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
PCLL Admissions Office
January 2024
Fees & Deadline
Full-time (government-funded): HK$42,100* (‘local’ students); HK$182,000* (‘non-local’ students)
(For Government funding purposes, a ‘non-local’ student is a person entering Hong Kong for the purpose of education with a student visa/entry permit issued by the Director of Immigration.)
Full-time (self-funded): HK$220,000*
(Successful applicants may, subject to means tests, apply for bursaries).
Two-year Part-time (self-funded): HK$220,000*
(payable in two annual installments of HK$110,000* each).
*Subject to the approval by the council of this University
YOU MAY SUBMIT YOUR ON-LINE APPLICATION(S) in January 2024
The application deadline is 12:00 noon (Hong Kong time) on 30 April 2024 (for admission in September 2024). ALL application forms must be submitted by this Application Deadline. Please note that the PCLL application webpage will shut down promptly once the application deadline has expired so all applications must be completed by this time. As such, we do not recommend leaving your application until the last minute, however, you do not need to submit all of your supporting documents by the Application Deadline; only your online application. Your supporting documents must be submitted by the separate Documents Deadline (see paragraphs 11-13 below.)
We do not accept late applications nor requests for an extension of time to apply.
For further information on the forms that must be submitted by the application deadline, please see the application section of the PCLL webpage.
As strong applicants may be given offers prior to the application deadline, early application is recommended.
Applicants requiring student visas should note that it will take several weeks for visa applications to be processed. It is therefore even more important for these applicants to send us all of their information and supporting documents as early as possible so that, where appropriate, we can issue early offers to them to enable them to make their visa applications.
In any event, once you have made your application(s), please provide us with all your supporting documents, in particular, a transcript of the results in your primary law qualification (including, where you have not yet completed your primary law qualification, your latest available interim transcript), AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
If you are a sufficiently strong applicant, be able to make an early firm or conditional offer. To the extent that some supporting documents are not yet available, for example, because you have not yet had an opportunity to take the IELTS test, we can make our offer conditional upon your obtaining satisfactory IELTS results. It would therefore be in your interests to provide us with your full supporting documents (or as many as are available) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
Bursaries
Details of the scheme
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All full-time self-financing students who either have right of abode in Hong Kong or have resided continuously in Hong Kong for three years immediately before 1 September 2024 are eligible to apply.
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The bursaries should take the form of a grant to cover part of the tuition fees and will be awarded to financially needy students.
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The precise value of the bursaries will be determined by the Faculty of Law and the maximum amount of grant a student may be entitled is HK$110,000.
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The amount of grant will be determined with reference to the level of the ‘Adjusted Family Income’ of the applicant, a concept which has been adopted by the Government Grant and Loan Scheme.
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This is a grant and will be paid out subject to sufficient funding and reserve in the account of the PCLL programme.
Download application form to apply for a bursary HERE. The Bursary Application Deadline is 7 October 2024.
The JAC Hui Bon Hoa Bursaries was set up in 2006 by Mr. Stephane Hui Bon Hoa to provide financial support to full-time, self-funded PCLL students experiencing financial difficulties. Mr. Hui Bon Hua is an ex-full time PCLL lecturer/tutor who is now an Adjunct Professor to the Faculty of Law teaching on a part-time basis on our PCLL programme. Non-local PCLL students are also eligible to apply.
The number of awards to be made each year is based on the financial needs and academic merits of the applicants. The value of the award shall be determined by the Management Committee and is capped at HK$110,000 in the current academic year.
To apply, students are required to complete and submit the FORM with enclosure of supporting documents to the Faculty of Law before the deadline. Late applications will not be considered. Enquiries should be directed to pcll@hku.hk.
Other Forms of Financial Assistance:
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There are other bursaries and scholarships available. Applications will be separately invited via mass e-mail from the Faculty Office, Faculty of Law.
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Self-financing students are eligible for the Government non-means tested loans .
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There are other forms of financial assistance, including emergency loans, available within the University.
See: http://www.cedars.hku.hk/campuslife/finances/ufa -
Some banks may be interested in arranging education loans for students.
FAQ
Eligibility for PCLL admission
Question 1:
I am presently studying overseas for a LLB degree. I note that in order to be eligible for admission into the PCLL programme, I need to pass nine Core subjects, namely, Contract, Tort, Constitutional law, Criminal Law, Land Law, Equity, Evidence, Business Associations and Commercial Law. As the courses I am studying have different titles from those listed as the Core subjects, how do I know whether I am taking the courses which will fulfill these PCLL prerequisite core subjects?
Answer:
We have encountered this quite often in the past. In England, for example, constitutional law may be covered under a course called public law; contract and tort are sometimes covered under a course called law of obligations. It is possible that you may need to take the Conversion Examination for PCLL Admission for the relevant subject if your course does not meet the PCLL admission requirements. You should confirm the position with and/or seek exemption for any subject(s) that you have doubt about from the Hong Kong PCLL Conversion Examination Board (the “Conversion Board”) whose contact details can be found at http://www.pcea.com.hk. The PCLL providers are not in a position to confirm whether your law degree meets the requirements for PCLL admission; only the Conversion Board can do so and so you should contact them directly. As part of your PCLL application to us, you are required to submit the official evaluation letter issued by the Conversion Board confirming any exemptions from the Conversion Examinations as well as the Results Notice of any Conversion Examinations taken.
Question 2:
I am presently studying an MA in legal study programme in the UK. This programme is recognised by the Law Society of England and Wales and the Bar Council in England as a qualifying law degree for practice in England and Wales. Would passing this course render me eligible for entry into the PCLL programme?
Answer:
Yes, this is considered to be an equivalent programme to an LLB or the Common Professional Examination. We are aware of similar programmes in the UK under different names. If these programmes are recognised by the Law Society of England and Wales and the Bar Council in England as being either a qualifying law degree for practice or to be equivalent to the Common Professional Examination, then in principle, passing them will be no different from securing an LLB degree or passing the Common Professional Examination. However, you should note that you must still demonstrate competence in the nine Core and three Top-up subjects.
Question 3:
I am presently studying law overseas and my university does not offer all the nine Core subjects. How can I fulfil the requirement of competence in these nine Core subjects?
Answer:
Please consult the website of the Conversion Board (http://www.pcea.com.hk). The Conversion Exams are not administered by the three PCLL providers but by a separate body: the Conversion Board. You should plan ahead when it comes to taking any required Conversion Exams as there are usually only two sittings each year; one in January and one in June. The Conversion Exams are held in Hong Kong and in person only. You may, however, take the Conversion Exams as many times as needed to pass the exams and satisfy the PCLL admission requirements. The Conversion Exams are on a pass / fail basis only and no marks are released. As a result, they are not considered in the calculation of a student’s law average mark, however, if required to sit them, you must pass them to be eligible.
Question 4:
I have completed a law degree, or am presently studying a law degree, but have not studied the three Top-up subjects namely, Hong Kong Constitutional Law, Hong Kong Legal System and Hong Kong Land Law. How can I fulfil the requirement of competence in these three Top-up subjects?
Answer:
Please consult the website of the Conversion Board (http://www.pcea.com.hk).
Question 5:
How can I be sure whether my law degree satisfies the requirements for eligibility to the PCLL?
Answer:
Please contact the Conversion Board as per the instructions on their webpage. Only the Conversion Board is able to confirm whether your law degree satisfies the requirement for admission to the PCLL.
Question 6:
I thought Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure were PCLL Core subjects. Why are these subjects no longer listed as PCLL prerequisites?
Answer:
Prior to the 2021 academic year, Civil Procedure and Criminal Procedure were PCLL prerequisites. These courses are now taught on the PCLL and so they are no longer prerequisites to entry.
Question 7:
I know that there is a prescribed minimum IELTS score. Would you accept a candidate with good law related academic results but an overall IELTS score of less than 7?
Answer:
No, we cannot accept candidates with an overall IELTS band score in the Academic Module of less than 7 as that minimum standard is prescribed by the Hong Kong Standing Committee on Legal Education and Training and we cannot deviate from it. It does not matter if you obtain less than a 7 in one of the skills tested, as long as your overall band score is at least 7.
Question 8:
Do you accept IELTS tests done remotely?
Answer:
No, you must attend an IELTS test centre to sit the test to ensure the integrity of the reults
Question 9:
Will you consider applications where a candidate does not have a ‘qualifying law degree’ (whether LLB, JD, CPE, ADLE or GDL) but has passed the Solicitors Qualifying Examinations in England and Wales and has been admitted to practice via that route?
Answer:
Our Regulations do not currently permit us to accept applicants who do not hold a ‘qualifying law degree’. This is a matter for the Standing Committee on Legal Education and Training in Hong Kong and the Conversion Board to decide in the future. For the time being, all applicants to the HKU PCLL must adhere to the requirements set out in the Notes to Applicants . Such applicants may wish to contact the Standing Committee on Legal Education and Training for further advice or sit for the Overseas Lawyers Qualification Examinations.
Question 10:
What is the work experience route (“WER”) to the PCLL and what are the criteria for eligibility?
Answer:
We reserve 10-15 places on the Part-time programme for those applicants whose average marks from all their law subjects are not sufficiently competitive but who are able to demonstrate sufficient legal working experience. Such legal working experience must be of at least 2 years but can be comprised of different employments of differing duration provided that the total duration of legal working experience by 1 September of the year you wish to be admitted, is not less than 2 years.
This legal working experience should involve the use of legal skills such as research, drafting and advising clients and does not include internships or mini-pupillages. The length of the legal working experience is not our only consideration, but also the quality. In the past, we have considered, inter alia:
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a candidate’s standing with their current or past employers, be it a law firm (or other institution) in the form of reference letters (again it is quality that is important rather than quantity);
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performance in the interview i.e. whether the candidate demonstrates sufficient legal skills, knowledge and aptitude as a future lawyer as well as whether the candidate has a basic understanding of the general ethical principles that apply to all lawyers;
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the duration and quality of legal working experience including the level of responsibility that a candidate has been given. In terms of work experience, local experience in Hong Kong is preferred, however, we will also consider overseas work experience; and
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the daily job duties of a candidate along with evidence of substantial professional growth and development in the course of employment.
There is no separate application for the WER. Instead, candidates should highlight in their Part-time application their legal working experience, role, responsibilities and length of employment so that we can identify suitable applicants.
If we are satisfied that you qualify for admission via the WER and that your application is sufficiently competitive in comparison to other applications received, then we will invite you for interview in August.
The interviews are conducted by the Admissions team alongside representatives of the Law Society of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Bar Association.
Applicants via the WER should note that due to the limited number of places available, this is a competitive pathway to entry to the PCLL. Successful applicants via the WER can only be admitted to the Part-time PCLL (provided they have made a Part-time application before the Application Deadline.)
Successful applicants in the past have included those who have undertaken substantive legal work of high quality, taken on a supervisory role of other employees, appeared in court as an advocate, advised clients on a regular basis, drafted or made significant contributions to legal documents and showed substantial initiative or efforts to advance their legal careers.
Question 11:
I am currently studying the Advanced Diploma for Legal Executives (Graduate Level) at HKU SPACE. Will graduates from this programme be eligible for admission to the PCLL?
Answer:
Yes. The Standing Committee on Legal Education and Training has confirmed that such graduates are eligible for admission to the PCLL. Some applicants from this programme were admitted to the PCLL in Sepetember 2023
Timing of applications / offers and rejections
Question 12:
I understand that you encourage early applications together with as much academic information as possible, does it mean that you process the PCLL applications on a first-come-first-serve basis?
Answer:
No, we do not give offers on a first-come-first-serve basis. However, we will give out early admission offers (which may be subject to conditions) to strong candidates who are able to show us sufficient academic results (including interim results) before the close of applications. If at all possible, please make sure you attach at least the latest available interim transcript to your applications.
Applicants requiring student visas should note that it will take several weeks for visa applications to be processed. It is therefore even more important for these applicants to send us all of their information and supporting documents as early as possible so that, where appropriate, we can issue early offers to them to enable them to make their visa applications.
Question 13:
If I am unable to send in my final academic transcript but only able to show an interim transcript (because I have not yet completed all my law subjects), will I only get an admission offer when I send in my full academic results?
Answer:
No, this is not necessarily so. For strong candidates, we will issue early conditional offers based on their interim results. Those offers of course need to be conditional upon, among other things, the applicant attaining a certain standard on completion of his or her law studies.
Question 14:
Do I have to send in ALL my supporting documents by the application deadline of 12:00 noon (Hong Kong time) on 30 April 2024?
Answer:
No. The end of April deadline is only in respect of the MAKING of your application (and we urge you to send us your interim results also). Your supporting documents, e.g. final academic transcript, can be provided after that date, although all supporting documents must be provided to us by the first Friday of August (for exact date see the Notes to Applicants for the Documents Deadline).
However, if you are a sufficiently strong applicant, once we are in possession of your supporting documents, we will be able to make an early admission offer to you. To the extent that some supporting documents are not yet available, for example, because you have not yet taken the IELTS test, we can make our offer conditional upon your obtaining satisfactory IELTS results. It would therefore be in your interests to provide us with your full supporting documents (or as many as are available) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
We reiterate that the onus is on the applicant to ensure his/her application is in order. With the large number of applications and supporting documents (from different institutions and in different formats), it is not feasible for us to inform you whether anything is missing from the supporting documents you provide. We cannot perform a document checking service for you or confirm that you have submitted all of the necessary documents.
In the past, applicants have had issues with lost supporting documents (in the mail or otherwise). We ask applicants to keep good records and proof of requesting / delivering supporting documents (e.g. transcript request with your university). Should you have, or envisage, any difficulty complying with the Documents Deadline, we ask you to inform us as soon as possible. While it is important to comply with the Documents Deadline, those in non-compliance would still be considered on a case-by-case basis, and the reasons for non-compliance (e.g. whether the applicant is at fault) would be one of our considerations.
Question 15:
I am studying overseas and note that you accept originals or copies of documents which have been duly declared as true copies before a notary public. May the transcripts and other documents be certified by a solicitor instead of a notary public, or in any other way?
Answer:
Yes, we will accept copies of documents which have been certified in the following ways:
- By a notary public
- By a solicitor or other person who can administer oaths (e.g. a commissioner for oaths)
- By the appropriate officials of your home institution if you are an overseas applicant
- Academic transcripts sent directly from the awarding institution and bearing a certification stamp or chop will also be accepted.
In addition, we will also accept a declaration made to a Commissioner for Oaths at a Public Enquiry Service Centre of the Home Affairs Department in Hong Kong that the copies of your supporting documents are true copies of the originals.
We do not accept uncertified photocopies of documents. If your results were only released online and you do not have an original hard copy, then you will need to prepare a print out of your results and take that printed copy for certification before the certifying official. The certifier will then need to view your online results to confirm that the printed copy is a true copy of the online results.
Please ensure that all supporting documents are sent to us by REGISTERED POST. We have had a few instances of documents sent by ordinary post not arriving. We do not accept documents submitted to us in person.
Question 16:
I am an overseas law student. I see that the Documents Deadline date is in early August, however, my university will not release my official transcript until September. Does that mean I must wait another year before applying to the PCLL? Does the lateness of my marks mean that I will definitely not get a Full-time government-funded PCLL place even if I obtain very strong academic results?
Answer:
No to both questions. We are aware of that some institutions may only release their official results after the Documents Deadline. In such a situation, an Applicant should let us know that their results will be delayed as soon as possible and provide us with all other required documents by the Documents Deadline, including a copy of their final results if available. On a case-by-case basis and only if the delay is through no fault of their own, an Applicant may then be permitted to submit a certified true copy of their official transcript when it becomes available. In respect of the allocation of government funded places, because we are aware of the different dates we may be receiving full academic results from the different categories of applicants, we will take this into account when allocating places.
Question 17:
When will I hear from you regarding the success or failure of my application?
Answer:
We aim to let applicants know of the status of their application as soon as we can. In essence, we will divide applicants into 3 groups:
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The “top” group who, on their relative academic merits, will certainly get a place. We will issue offers as soon as practicable;
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The “bottom” group who, on their relative academic merits, will certainly not get a place. We will issue rejections as soon as practicable;
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The “middle” group, in respect of whom we are not immediately certain whether they will or will not get a place. Unfortunately, this group of applicants will have to be kept on hold until mid to late-August when we will receive the final results of all other applicants in this group. Only then would we be able to review the full academic merits of the applicants in this group and make a final decision as to which applicants would be offered the remaining places. In other words, applicants in this middle group will NOT receive any decision from us until mid to late August. Whilst we will use our best endeavours to make this group as small as possible, there will inevitably be some applicants in this group. Since we may need to contact you at short notice, please make sure your contact details are up to date at all times following your application. Please also notify us if you will be travelling out of town in August so that we are aware of how we can contact you. You may wish to arrange with someone to check your mail box during this time to see if you have received a letter from us regarding your application to ensure that you do not miss the deadline to reply to an offer.
Admissions Process
Question 18:
Will applicants be interviewed?
We do not interview candidates who are admitted solely on academic merit; only those whom we are considering for a place on the Part-time programme via the WER. Any interviews will likely take place in mid to late August 2024 (after our receipt of applicants’ final results by the Documents Deadline earlier in mid to late August). In view of the tight timing, applicants may be invited for interview at very short notice. If at all possible, therefore, we would ask applicants who have still not heard from us by then to keep August free, in case they are invited for interview for a Part-time programme via the WER.
Question 19:
How do you deal with an application where the University of Hong Kong is only designated as the second preference?
Answer:
We do not process or consider such an application until the applicant’s first preference university (i.e. City University of Hong Kong or the Chinese University of Hong Kong) notifies us that they are no longer interested in the applicant or we are informed of a change in the first preference designation to the University of Hong Kong. If you do wish to re-designate the University of Hong Kong as your first preference university, please ensure you let us know prior to rejection by your initial first preference university, otherwise we will not be able to accept such re-designation. You must also inform us of the reasons for the re-designation. In addition, for practical purposes, since all of our places each year are filled by applicants who designate the University of Hong Kong as their first preference, it is extremely unlikely that any applicants designating us as a second or third preference will receive an offer from us.
If you are applying to more than one PCLL provider, you must ensure that your designation of a PCLL provider as first, second or third preference is consistent in ALL applications to each provider. Candidates who list more than one PCLL provider as their first preference will have their applications disqualified by all PCLL providers in that year since the PCLL providers exchange lists of first preference applicants.
Answer:
PCLL admission is primarily based on academic achievement in the primary law qualification, i.e. the first degree in law (such as the LLB or JD) or CPE examinations or other diploma course or graduate programmes recognized as being equivalent. Generally speaking, candidates admitted to the PCLL need to attain at least a 2.2 standard in their law qualification (or equivalent). We do not take classifications of degrees, e.g. first class, upper second class (2:1) or lower second class (2:2), at face value but will take into account the average mark of all Law subjects studied over the entirety of an applicant's qualifying law degree (the “All Law Average.”) Please also see Question 21 below.
For those applicants applying to the Full-time PCLL, you no longer need to indicate whether you would prefer a self-funded or government funded place since we assume that all applicants would prefer a government funded place due to the lower fees. The allocation of government funded places is made based on academic merit i.e. places are allocated to those applicants with the highest All Law Average mark. If you are allocated a government funded place and do not wish to accept it, you may decline it in favour of a self-funded place.
In terms of getting admitted into the PCLL, an applicant’s expressed preferences in respect of programme modes (i.e. full-time or part-time) would NOT give any “strategic” advantage. For example, it would not make it “easier” to be admitted if an applicant chose part-time as their first preference programme mode.
Your designation of your programme mode preference is merely and indication to us of how you would prefer to study for your PCLL.
However, if you do have any particular preference in respect of programme modes (e.g. part-time or full time), please DO indicate this in your application form(s). If your academic merits are sufficiently competitive, we will endeavour to accommodate your first preference programme mode. Out of fairness to other applicants, requests to change an applicant’s programme mode selection are only permitted in exceptional circumstances. Applicants who wish to change their preference of programme mode will first be placed on a waiting list and only permitted to change, provided they have (i) applied to the programme they now wish to study before the Application Deadline; (ii) there are sufficient places available on that programme once all of the places have been allocated to first preference applicants; (iii) they satisfy the minimum All Law Average cut-off mark for admission to that programme and (iv) they provide compelling reasons for the change.
Question 21:
Is it true that only students with a 2:1 or equivalent will be admitted to the HKU PCLL?
Answer:
The legal profession has set a benchmark for admission to the PCLL of a "2.2" degree and all three law schools endeavour to follow that benchmark. Our focus in admissions is on academic merit and in this regard, we look primarily at an applicant's All Law Average in light of relevant grading practice rather than just by the class of his or her degree. This means that applicants are treated equally, with their marks compared, as much as practicable, on a like-for-like basis. In past years, applicants with a 2.2 degree have been offered a place on the PCLL at HKU if their marks are sufficiently competitive. The ‘cut-off’ point for the All Law Average is different every year. In recent years, it has been a mid-2:2 mark, although in previous years it has been in the high 2:2 range. For applicants near the ‘cut-off’ point, we may consider “other factors” including the average mark of your 6 core subjects (Contract, Tort, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, Land Law and Equity), the standing of the institution where you obtained your qualifying law degree, and other exceptional achievements such as whether you have a Master in Laws degree, whether you are qualified to practice in another jurisdiction and any reference letters you submit. These "other factors" are only considered for borderline applicants and are not relevant for the vast majority of applicants who are admitted on academic merit.
We also hold a limited number of interviews for the last 10-15 places on the part-time programme for the work experience route. Please see the Answers to Questions 10 and 18.
Question 22:
For full-time government-funded spots in the PCLL, how do I know if I fall under ‘local’ or ‘non-local’?
Answer:
Please refer to the Notes to Applicants and the website of the Admissions and Academic Liaison Section of the University (https://aal.hku.hk). If you do not fall under the ‘non-local’ as described in the aforesaid, it is likely you would fall under ‘local’. If you have any doubts, please contact us and/or the AAL. Please note that only students in admitted into the self-funded full-time programme would be able to apply for bursaries and government non-means tested loans.
Answer:
We give equal emphasis to all law subjects studied in any year of your law degree. The only exception to this is for borderline students where as one of the “other factors”, we may look at the average mark of your 6 Core subjects to distinguish between two applicants. If a law subject appears on your transcript, we will take it into account in calculating your All Law Average.
For those overseas students where we are not sure from looking at your transcript whether a subject qualifies as a law subject or not (for example because it has been run by a different Faculty), then we may ask you to provide evidence of the curriculum studied.
Question 24:
Do you give preference to applicants who have an LLM over applicants who do not?
Answer:
Since our primary focus in making PCLL admissions decisions is on the academic merit of your underlying law degree (i.e. your LLB, JD, CPE, ADLE or GDL or equivalent), whether a candidate has an LLM or not is not considered for the vast majority of successful applicants. In marginal cases, where we look at “other factors” to determine between very similar applicants then we may look at LLMs (see also the Answer to Question 21.)
Question 25:
My All Law Average mark from my LLB is below the mid-point of a 2:2. I know this is too low for a place on the PCLL as I have been rejected previously. What can I do to improve my chances?
Answer:
We would recommend that you try to boost your marks by studying a CPE or GDL. You can do so either through one of the programmes offered by a law school in Hong Kong or by an overseas law school in a common law jurisdiction. Of course, you must still ensure that you satisfy all of the PCLL pre-requisites either in your LLB or in combination with a CPE/GDL. Alternatively, you may wish to secure employment as a paralegal, in-house legal counsel or other legally related work; once you have 2 years of genuine legal working experience (i.e. not internships or mini-pupillages) then you may consider applying for a place on the Part-time programme via the WER.
Question 26:
If my All Law Average from my LLB degree was low and I seek to boost my marks by taking a CPE or GDL, does this mean you will not look at my LLB marks?
Answer:
Although we cannot ignore your underlying marks from your LLB degree (since it is likely that some of the subjects taken will be PCLL pre-requisites that you have not studied again on your CPE / GDL), we will give more emphasis to your more recent CPE or GDL as this will be a better reflection of your current legal abilities.
Question 27:
How do you deal with an application where a student studying a CPE or GDL has sought exemptions in certain subjects? Will they be prejudiced in their PCLL application?
Answer:
Where a student has sought many exemptions, this means that there are less subjects for us to consider when calculating the All Law Average mark. In this situation, we would consider this application separately and consider why the exemptions were sought. If exemptions are sought where a student has previously obtained high marks in that subject, then this will not cause concern. If, however, exemptions are sought in a subject where a student has previously performed poorly, then it is likely that we will look more closely at this application and may ask for an explanation.
General PCLL admission questions
Question 28:
Having obtained my law qualification, is there a time limit by which I must apply for the PCLL programme if I am intending to practice in Hong Kong?
Answer:
For admissions purposes, there is no time limit within which you must apply for a place on the PCLL programme after completion of your qualifying law degree. If you are intending to practice in Hong Kong, we recommend that you check with the relevant body (namely the Law Society of Hong Kong or the Hong Kong Bar Association) as to how they would view law qualifications that have not been obtained in the last 10 years since they may have concerns over whether your legal knowledge is current.
Question 29:
Having received an offer of a PCLL place from the University of Hong Kong, will I be permitted to defer my place?
Answer:
Absent exceptional circumstances (for example medical reasons), requests for deferral will not be permitted. You will have to choose whether to take up your offer or to decline it for the year in which you have applied. If you decline your offer then your place will be re-allocated to another applicant. While any future application you may make will not be prejudiced by your decision to decline the earlier offer, there is also no guarantee that a place will be offered again in the future. You should bear in mind that the required marks to gain entry in the future may be higher, so we may not be able to offer you a place again if you do not meet the minimum grades at which candidates are admitted in the year you reapply.
Question 30:
I have applied unsuccessfully in the past for a place on the HKU PCLL. Is there any point in re-applying or am I prejudiced by my earlier rejection?
Answer:
Applicants are considered on the strength of their current application. We do not take into account our previous rejection(s) of a candidate in reaching admissions’ decisions. Since the cut-offs change from year to year (depending on the quality of applicants in any given year) there is a chance that you may still be admitted following a rejection in previous year. We encourage you to try again. We admit good applicants; we only reject applicants who, sadly, do not demonstrate sufficient academic merits or who fail to comply with the prerequisites for admission, for example, by failing the conversion examinations or by failing to submit supporting documents by the applicable deadline. If you have been rejected in the past because of weak academic marks, you may wish to give some thought to improving your marks by studying for a CPE or GDL for example. Alternatively, the work experience route may be an option once you have two years genuine legal working experience: please see the Answer to Question 10.
Question 31:
I have heard that HKU give preference to your own students. Is it extremely difficult for a non-HKU applicant to be admitted to the HKU PCLL?
Answer:
There is no truth to this rumour. We do not reserve places for our own students, nor do we have a quota of places for applicants from any particular group. Each and every applicant to the HKU PCLL is considered individually on the basis of their merit. HKU students must compete for a place with all other applicants. We merely seek to admit the best applicants to our PCLL irrespective of their background and we welcome applications from both local and overseas applicants.
Question 32:
People tell me that the HKU PCLL is extremely difficult to pass in comparison with the PCLL at other providers?
Answer:
It is not appropriate for us to comment on the PCLL courses offered by other providers and so we are unable to make any comparisons. The PCLL course is demanding since we are training you to be professionals. We do fail students but we are here to facilitate students' learning and to meet the standards expected by the legal profession. According to our understanding, our first-attempt pass rate falls within an acceptable and normal range regarded by any reputable Practical Legal Training / Legal Practice Courses overseas. Wherever our PCLL students are from, they are all equal in our eyes. We only fail students who do not reach the level of competence and standards expected by the profession. These practices benefit students, the profession and - ultimately - the public but we believe that it provides excellent training for a future career as a barrister or solicitor. The profession demands no less than competent professionals!
Question 33:
What if I do not meet the conditions specified in my conditional offer? Does this mean I will not get a PCLL place at HKU?
Answer:
This is not necessarily true. As long as you have satisfied the PCLL prerequisites for entry, we may still be able to offer you a place, however, it does mean that your application will be placed on hold for a while longer while we determine how your application measures up against those of other applicants.
Question 34:
Can you advise me which documents I must submit by the Documents Deadline?
Answer:
Each application is different and may require different documentation but as a bare minimum, if you are a non-HKU student, then you should submit an original or certified copy of:
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Your transcripts and graduation certificates of any degree you have studied (whether law or otherwise);
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Your transcript and graduation certificate (if any) of any time spent on exchange as part of a degree programme;
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Your valid IELTS test results (note that on taking the test, you can elect for the IELTS test centre to send the results directly to us);
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If applicable, the Evaluation Letter issued by the Conversion Board confirming any exemptions from the Conversion Exams along with the Results Notice of any Conversion Exams taken (including failed attempts);
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A copy of your HK identification card (if any);
In addition, you may submit or may be asked to submit:
6.References letters;
7.Copy of the course curriculum in relation to your qualifying law degree
HKU students need to submit their valid IELTS test results, the transcript of any subjects taken as part of an exchange and their Certificate of Completion for any exchange modules which are PCLL pre-requisites. HKU JD students also need to submit the transcript and graduation certificate of their first degree.
Question 35:
I only have 1 module left to complete on another programme of study which will not take up much of my time. Can I start the PCLL in September anyway?
Answer:
No, not without prior approval of the HKU Senate. Applicants who are presently enrolled in a programme leading to a post-secondary qualification which will not be completed by August 2024, should make full disclosure of this on their application form and state whether they intend to seek permission to be concurrently registered. Failure to provide full disclosure of your concurrent or potential concurrent registration on another programme may lead to the disqualification of your PCLL application or your removal from the PCLL programme if such non-disclosure is discovered post admission.
Question 20:
How do you make admissions decisions and how do you allocate the full-time government-funded places, the full-time self-funded places and the part-time self-funded places?
Question 23:
In calculating the All Law Average, do you give more emphasis to the core subjects or to electives?
Contact Us
The PCLL Admissions Office
Faculty of Law
The University of Hong Kong,
10/F Cheng Yu Tung Tower,
Centennial Campus, Pokfulam Road,
Hong Kong
Email: pcll@hku.hk
Fax:(852) 2559 3543