LLB vs JD in Australia and New Zealand: Which Law Degree to Choose

Two routes to a law degree

In Australia and New Zealand the first step to becoming a lawyer is earning a law degree that the admitting authority recognises as the academic stage of qualification. There are two main entry points: the undergraduate Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and the graduate-entry Juris Doctor (JD).

The LLB is taken straight after secondary school, often as a single degree or as a combined degree (for example, a Bachelor of Arts/LLB or a Bachelor of Commerce/LLB). The JD is a graduate qualification you enter after you already hold a bachelor degree in another field. Both are designed to deliver the academic legal knowledge that admitting authorities require, so the choice is largely about where you are in your studies, not about the quality of the outcome.

How the LLB works

The LLB is the traditional pathway for school leavers in both countries. As a standalone degree it typically runs for several years of full-time study, and as a combined degree it runs longer because you complete two qualifications together.

A combined LLB is popular because it pairs law with a complementary discipline such as commerce, science, arts or engineering, broadening your career options. Entry is usually based on your secondary-school results, and in some cases an admissions test or interview. Always confirm the exact structure, intakes and entry requirements on the individual university's official course page, because they differ between institutions.

How the JD works

The Juris Doctor is a graduate-entry law degree for people who already hold a bachelor degree in any discipline. It covers the same core academic legal areas required for admission, compressed into a graduate-level program.

The JD suits career changers, graduates who decided on law later, or international students who completed an unrelated bachelor degree at home. Entry is competitive and based on your prior academic record, sometimes alongside an admissions test or a personal statement. Many Australian and New Zealand universities offer the JD; check each provider's official admissions page for current prerequisites and duration.

Choosing between them

There is no universally "better" degree — an LLB and a JD both lead to the same academic stage of qualifying as a lawyer. The right choice depends on your starting point, your timeline and your budget.

• Still in or just finishing school? The LLB (single or combined) is the natural entry point.
• Already hold a bachelor degree in another field? The JD lets you study law without repeating undergraduate study.
• Want a second discipline alongside law? A combined LLB pairs law with commerce, arts, science and more.
• Either way, confirm the degree is approved by the relevant admitting authority for the state, territory or country where you intend to practise.

Check it is a qualifying degree

Whichever route you choose, the degree only counts toward becoming a lawyer if it is recognised by the admitting authority. In Australia the academic requirements (the prescribed academic areas of knowledge) are coordinated nationally by the Law Admissions Consultative Committee (LACC) and applied by each state and territory's admitting authority. In New Zealand the New Zealand Council of Legal Education prescribes the subjects an approved law degree must cover.

Before you enrol, verify on the university's official page that the program is an approved or accredited law degree for admission purposes, and check the rules of the jurisdiction where you plan to practise on the official source (LACC and your state/territory admitting authority for Australia, or the New Zealand Council of Legal Education). Requirements can change, so always confirm them on the official source before relying on them.