How Long Does It Take to Become a Lawyer in Australia?

For most people, it takes around 5 to 6 years or more to become a lawyer in Australia, depending on the study pathway you choose.

In broad terms, you need to complete an approved law degree or equivalent academic qualifications, complete Practical Legal Training (PLT) or another approved practical training pathway, be admitted, and then obtain a practising certificate if you want to engage in legal practice.

The timeline depends mostly on whether you take an undergraduate law pathway or a postgraduate JD pathway.

The short answer

For many students, the rough timing looks like this:

The most accurate answer is not one number, but a range. For most aspiring lawyers, the journey is measured in years, not months.

Step 1: complete the academic qualifications

The first major part of the journey is the academic component. In Australia, the academic stage is usually completed through either:

• A qualifying law degree, often taken as part of an undergraduate pathway, or
• A Juris Doctor (JD) after a prior bachelor's degree

As current examples, Monash says its standalone Bachelor of Laws (Honours) is equivalent to 4.25 years full-time study, while UNSW lists common combined law degrees such as Arts/Law and Commerce/Law as 5 years full-time. UWA's law pathway page describes its JD route as a 3 year bachelor's degree plus a 3 year master's degree, and its JD page says the JD itself may be completed in 3 years full-time.

So if you are wondering how many years law school takes in Australia, a realistic answer is around 4 to 5 years for many undergraduate law routes, or around 6 years total where the pathway involves a prior bachelor's degree plus a JD.

Step 2: complete Practical Legal Training

After the academic stage, most graduates still need to complete Practical Legal Training before admission, unless they follow another approved practical training pathway. Victoria's admission guidance separates the academic stage from practical legal training, and Western Australia lists PLT as its own required step on the way to becoming a lawyer.

This is where the timeline can vary a lot. IOLT's current PLT program is a 24 week pathway, with 100% online coursework and a 20 day workplace experience component completed concurrently. IOLT students can start anytime, which can reduce waiting time between finishing law school and starting PLT.

So if you are asking how long PLT takes in Australia, one answer is that it can be completed in 24 weeks with IOLT, rather than requiring a long wait for a semester-based intake.

Step 3: apply for admission

Once the academic and practical training requirements are complete, the next step is applying for admission. Western Australia says applicants must have completed the academic requirements and have completed, or be close to completing, the PLT requirements before lodging an application for admission. Victoria likewise requires applicants to apply through the admissions process after completing the relevant qualifications.

This stage adds some extra time for paperwork, disclosures, approvals, and ceremony timing. It is not usually the longest part of the pathway, but it does mean that becoming a lawyer is not finished the day you complete your final PLT assessment.

Step 4: get a practising certificate

Admission and practising are not the same thing. The Legal Practice Board of Western Australia says that to engage in legal practice, a lawyer must hold a current Australian practising certificate. In other words, admission is the milestone that makes you a lawyer, but a practising certificate is generally what allows you to practise.

A realistic timeline for most students

1. Undergraduate pathwayA common combined law degree may take about 5 years full-time, followed by PLT, admission, and then the practising certificate stage. Using IOLT's current timeline, the PLT component itself can be completed in 24 weeks.
2. JD pathwayIf you first complete a bachelor's degree and then a 3 year JD, the academic stage alone is often around 6 years total before PLT, admission, and practising certificate steps are added.
3. Part-time pathwayIf you study part-time, take breaks, or delay PLT, the total time can be significantly longer. UWA notes its JD may be completed part-time over up to nine years, and other law degrees also offer part-time study options.

So what is the fastest path?

If your goal is to become a lawyer as efficiently as possible, two things matter most:

• Choosing a qualifying academic pathway that suits your circumstances
• Starting PLT promptly once your academic requirements are complete

That is where IOLT can shorten delay. Because IOLT's PLT is 100% online, 24 weeks, and start anytime, graduates do not need to sit around waiting for a fixed intake before moving toward admission. IOLT is also the lowest cost PLT in Australia at $6,000 total.

Frequently Asked Questions