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General 

  1. Does studying law still offer a promising future in Hong Kong? 

In the first place, studying law is an excellent intellectual training, whether or not you choose to become a lawyer. The legal knowledge, analytical thinking, and critical skills you gain through legal studies are immensely useful across diverse careers, including government, business, politics, journalism, and social work, to name just a few.

Secondly, Hong Kong’s role as a commercial, financial and legal gateway between Mainland China and the rest of the world remains strong. The development of the Greater Bay Area, with Hong Kong at its centre, continues to generate demand for high-quality and global legal services. Qualified legal professionals will continue to play a crucial role in servicing the needs of parties participating in Hong Kong’s commercial and financial future, while also servicing the more down-to-earth everyday legal needs of its population.

  1. What distinguishes HKU Law from the other law schools in Hong Kong?

HKU Law continues to offer students the strongest pathway to becoming legal professionals in Hong Kong. As the oldest law school in Hong Kong, we have deep roots in the legal community and a long-standing reputation for excellence. Our experiential learning programmes, China experiences, and international exchange programmes provide students with a wide range of educational experiences. We are also the most diverse law school in Hong Kong, bringing together legal scholars from multiple jurisdictions, ensuring that HKU Law graduates not only master Hong Kong law but also understand its connections to and role within the international legal network.

Admissions

  1. How many places are available for the LLB and BA&LLB programmes?

The intake quota is 92 for the LLB and 20 for the BA&LLB. The proportion of places allocated to JUPAS and non-JUPAS varies from year to year, depending on the quality of applicants. In general, we aim for around 30-40% of the total intake to be allocated for competition among non-JUPAS candidates, subject to quality.

[Note]

JUPAS refers to the Joint Universities Programmes Admissions System, which is for students applying with Hong Kong’s local secondary school qualification – the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE).

Non-JUPAS refers to all other applicants, whether local or non-local.

  1. What is the selection principle for the LLB and BA&LLB programmes under the JUPAS scheme?

English language + Best 5 Subjects (under Category A)

Programme Minimum Entrance Requirements:
English Language         5
Chinese Language        4
Mathematics                  3
Citizenship & Social Development Attained (A)
1st Elective Subject        3
2nd Elective Subject      3

  1. Am I eligible to apply for admissions through the International/ Non-JUPAS Admissions Scheme?

Yes. We welcome both local and non-local students applying on the basis of international qualifications other than Mainland China’s National Joint College Entrance Examination (NJCEE) or Gaokao.

  1. Is a degree holder eligible to apply for admissions through the Non-JUPAS Admissions Scheme?

No. Applicants who already hold a first degree, or who will graduate by June of the admission year, and wish to pursue a law degree should apply for admissions to our Juris Doctor (JD) Programme, instead. The JD Programme is an intensive, two-year, self-funded taught postgraduate programme designed for degree holders seeking a professional legal qualification.

  1. Are there any other general entrance requirements?

For JUPAS applicants, please visit the Undergraduate Admissions website for details.

For Non-JUPAS applicants, you must satisfy the University’s English language requirements. Full details are available here: ENGLISH LANGUAGE REQUIREMENT | Admissions Office, the Registry.

  1. When is the application deadline?

For JUPAS applicants, the deadline is normally in early December each year. Details of the JUPAS calendar are available at the JUPAS website.

For Non-JUPAS applicants, please check the Important Dates for your year of admission. The online application system normally opens in September, with the first-round evaluation deadline around mid-November. Applications submitted after this date will be considered on a rolling basis. 

  1. What scores or grades do I need to be considered for admissions?

For JUPAS applicants, our expected score is 33 or above for LLB and 36 or above for BA&LLB for 2025 admissions (based on HKU’s scoring formula – see Undergraduate Admissions website for details).

For Non-JUPAS applicants, admission is on highly competitive basis and applications are assessed based on academic merit, interview performance and supporting documents. See International Qualifications | Admissions Office, the Registry for details.

  1. Do I need to submit any supporting documents?

For JUPAS applicants, please follow the instruction provided by JUPAS when completing the application form, except for candidates who also apply for admission to the following dual degree programmes:

HKU&PKU Dual Degree Programme in Law
HKU&UCL Dual Degree Programme in Law

Please refer to the respective websites for further details.

For Non-JUPAS applicants, you are required to submit academic reference(s) with predicted grades, a personal statement, and relevant supporting documents. These must be uploaded through the Non-JUPAS application system, regardless of your programme choices. We strongly encourage early submission of your application and supporting documents to ensure timely processing and full consideration.

  1. Are there any interviews for JUPAS and Non-JUPAS applicants for LLB and BA&LLB programmes?

For JUPAS, the Faculty invites selected Band A applicants to attend interviews after the release of HKDSE results. Please refer to Interview Schedules | Admissions Office, the Registry for the latest updates.

For Non-JUPAS, selected applicants are invited to a panel interview. Small group interviews are usually held from December onwards. Please refer to Interview Schedules | Admissions Office, the Registry for the latest updates.

  1. Is English an important criterion for admission to the LLB and other LLB related programmes?

Yes. Competence in English as a tool for thinking and analysis is among the most important qualities for law students and indeed for lawyers in Hong Kong. We place strong emphasis on the standard of English of our students, but at the same time, we expect our students to be able to think critically and to communicate their analysis and arguments clearly and logically. These skills go hand in hand. At the same time, strong ability to read and write Chinese, and to speak Cantonese and Putonghua, is highly desirable, as the legal profession increasingly uses Chinese in its work nowadays.

  1. Are there any subject preferences for applicants applying on the strength of HKDSE (JUPAS) or other qualifications (Non-JUPAS)?

No specific subject preference applies. However, for IB candidates, those taking English Language A: Language & Literature or English A: Literature (SL or HL) generally have a higher chance of being shortlisted, provided strong predicted grades and academic references. If a student chooses English B, taking it at HL is recommended to improve the likelihood of consideration.

  1. Will the Faculty only consider JUPAS Band A applicants for the LLB and BA&LLB programmes?

In theory, the Faculty considers applicants of Band A, B and C. However, experience shows that all places are typically filled without exhausting the Band A pool. Therefore, students who genuinely wish to get into the Faculty of Law should list their preferred law programme as a Band A choice, and preferably as their first choice (A1). This gives the best chance of being admitted by the Faculty and ensures alignment with the applicant’s programme choice after the release of HKDSE results.

Curriculum

  1. What are the special features of the 4-year LLB curriculum?

The design of the curriculum enables students to build up a solid foundation in law while also providing students with flexibility in their choice of courses. The first 2 years serve to equip students with basic legal knowledge and skills. This will establish a good foundation in core law subjects, enabling students to proceed to the 3rd and 4th years of the curriculum in which they can choose among electives, and if they wish, specialise in Chinese law, or commercial, corporate and financial law, or international trade and economic law (by completing at least 36 credits in any one of these three categories).

The four-year LLB provides students with enhanced 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; and
  • Developing maturity of personality
  1. Why do I have to take the 4-year LLB when I can complete an LLB in the United Kingdom in 3 years?

At HKU, students study Hong Kong and related laws that are directly relevant to local practice. Graduates from overseas law programme must complete additional conversion courses to qualify for admission to the PCLL, as the PCLL requires applicants to have knowledge of core areas of Hong Kong law. Details of conversion examinations are available at https://www.pcea.com.hk/.

In addition, a 4-year programme allows students to develop a deeper understanding of legal studies and better prepares them for life as professional legal experts. In fact, 4 years of undergraduate study is now the international ‘norm’ for LLB programmes. Many countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, most European countries, and Mainland China, offer 4 or even 5-year undergraduate law programmes. In the U.S. and Canada, a law degree is a second degree studied as a postgraduate programme. 

  1. What are the teaching methods?

The 4-year LLB is taught in a variety of modes, including lectures, small groups, and seminars, with an emphasis on problem-based and student-centred learning. This emphasis reflects our belief that student-centred learning is the best way to ensure students acquire the core competencies in legal learning which are of life-long value. Small group classes provide ample opportunities for student exercises and teacher feedback. Many courses also require or encourage the use of computers for learning or research.

  1. What is the examination system?

In each year of study, the degree examinations are usually held in December for first-semester 6-credit courses, and in May for second-semester 6-credit and 12-credit courses. Most courses use a mix of assessment methods, from written assignments, class presentations, experiential reports, to oral and in-hall examinations.

  1. Are there any exchange opportunities during the course of study of the programme?

Yes. The Faculty offers an active programme of exchanges and visits with law schools in the UK, Mainland China, other Pacific Rim countries, and beyond. After completing the first two years of the LLB , or the first three years of an integrated double-degree programme, students may apply to study abroad for a semester or a full academic year as part of their HKU degree. It is the University and Faculty’s mission to provide every undergraduate student with an exchange opportunity during their studies at HKU.

  1. What are the integrated double degree programmes does the Faculty offer?

We jointly offer the following integrated double-degree programmes with other HKU Faculties:

  • BBA(Law)&LLB with HKU Business School
  • BSocSc(Govt&Laws)&LLB with the Faculty of Social Sciences
  • BA&LLB with the Faculty of Arts
  • BSc&LLB with the Faculty of Science
  1. What is the duration of the integrated double degree programmes?

All four double-degree programmes – BBA(Law)&LLB, BSocSc(Govt&Laws)&LLB, BA&LLB and BSc&LLB – require ten semesters of full-time study, extending over not fewer than five academic years.

  1. Are there any scholarships available?

HKU may offer entrance scholarships based on academic merit. Successful candidates will be notified if they meet the awarding criteria. After admission to HKU, students may apply for other HKU scholarships. Please visit the HKU Academic Advising and Scholarships Office.

 

Others

  1. What are my career prospects after receiving an LLB degree?

One of the Faculty’s core responsibilities is to train high-quality lawyers for the legal profession, but our mission goes beyond that – we aim to develop leaders for our community. Studying law provides excellent training in itself, whether or not you choose to become a lawyer. The legal knowledge and the skills acquired through the study of law are immensely useful across diverse career, including government, business, politics, journalism, and social work, to name just a few.

The majority of our LLB graduates proceeds to the one-year full-time PCLL programme, which is the required qualification for entry into the legal profession in Hong Kong as a solicitor or barrister. Some graduates pursue postgraduate studies at HKU or leading institutions worldwide, while others may choose careers in sectors such as business, banking, and public service.

  1. After completing the LLB, can I work as a barrister or solicitor in Hong Kong?

Not immediately. The LLB is the academic stage of your training. To qualify as a trainee solicitor or begin pupillage, you must complete the vocational stage, which involves the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) – a one-year full-time programme. The PCLL equips you with the day-to-day aspects of being a practicing lawyer in Hong Kong and helps you become familiar with the working skill-set required of legal professionals. 

  1. Is there any PCLL intake quota set aside for HKU LLB graduates?

Admissions to the PCLL are competitive subject to applications. However, in recent years, the majority of HKU LLB graduates successfully gained admission to the PCLL at HKU and completed their PCLL studies with us.