Entry to 200-level Law courses

There are eight pathways to admission to our 200-level compulsory core courses. Entry criteria for each are as follows:

1. Continuing UC law students

To be sure of continued admission to the 200-level compulsory core courses, students must pass at least half (or a majority) of the 200-level law courses in which they were enrolled in the previous year.

2. 100-level Law students at UC

Admission to the 200-level compulsory core courses depends on performance in LAWS 101, LAWS 110 and non-LAWS courses. About 260 - 280 students proceed from 100-level Law courses to the 200-level compulsory core courses each year. Students normally need to be ranked in the first 200 in the LAWS 101 and LAWS 110 examination results, and to have performed satisfactorily in their non-LAWS courses, in order to gain a place in the 200-level compulsory core courses. Gaining a 'B' grade in LAWS 101 and LAWS 110 and satisfactory grades in non-LAWS courses will normally be sufficient to gain entry, but this varies from year to year.

3. Students transferring from other universities

Admission to the 200-level compulsory core courses depends on students’ academic records. Each applicant is assessed individually.

4. Graduate students

Graduate students may apply to be concurrently enrolled in LAWS 101, LAWS 110 and some 200-level courses, but such admission is not automatic and requires special application to the Faculty of Law. Admission to the 200-level compulsory core courses depends on students’ previous academic records. Each applicant is assessed individually.

5. Students previously limited out of 200-level compulsory core courses

Students who passed LAWS 101 and LAWS 110 but did not gain entry to LAWS 200 and have then undertaken a full-time year of non-law study which contains a significant component of advancing courses at 200 or 300 level, and who gained good results for the whole of that year, may be admitted to LAWS 200.

6. Students seeking admission via Te Tono Whakatpoko Discretionary Application

Students seeking admission to 200-level compulsory core courses through the above process must have achieved at least a C- pass in LAWS101 and LAWS110 or be graduates.

7. Students seeking admission via Tagata o le Moana: Pacific Law Students Discretionary Entry Application

Students seeking admission to 200-level compulsory core courses through the above process must have achieved at least a C- pass in LAWS101 and LAWS110 or be graduates.

8. Students seeking admission via the International student quota

International students must be full-fee paying students.

Application procedures for the 200-level compulsory core courses are as follows:

Continuing LLB students (from UC)

Students must apply to enrol via UC Enrolments by the closing date for limited entry courses. The closing date for 2025 courses is 3 December 2024.

The Faculty of Law requires students to complete LAWS200s in a particular order:

1. LAWS203 Law of Contract
2. LAWS205 Land Law
3. LAWS206 Public Law
4. LAWS204 Law of Torts
5. LAWS202 Criminal Law 

If 2025 will be your first enrolment in LAWS200s at any New Zealand Law School (including Canterbury) you must apply to enrol as follows:

(a)    LLB only – LAWS203, LAWS205, LAWS206 and LAWS204;

(b)    LLB (double degree) – LAWS203, LAWS205 and LAWS206.

If 2025 is your second year of enrolment in LAWS200s at any New Zealand Law School (including University of Canterbury) you must apply to enrol as follows:

(a)    LLB only - in your remaining LAWS200s and LAWS301 Equity and Trusts, together with LAW300 electives, provided that your total enrolment does not exceed 150 points for the year.

(b)    LLB (double degree) - in your remaining LAWS200s and LAWS301 Equity and Trusts, together with a mixture of LAW300 electives and courses towards your other degree, provided that your total enrolment does not exceed 150 points for the year. 

Students transferring from other universities

Transferring students must apply to enrol via UC Enrolments by the closing date for 200-level compulsory core courses. Transferring students must also email lawandjusticedegreeadvice@canterbury.ac.nz in advance for instructions.   The closing date for 2025 courses is 3 December 2024.

Graduate students

Graduates who wish to enrol in LAWS101, LAWS110 and the 200-level compulsory core courses at the same time must email the Law Advice Team lawandjusticedegreeadvice@canterbury.ac.nz in the first instance. 

Graduate students must apply to enrol via UC Enrolments by the closing date for limited entry courses. The closing date for 2025 courses is 3 December 2024.

Students previously limited out of 200 level compulsory core courses

These students must apply to enrol in 200-level compulsory core courses via UC Enrolments by the closing date. The closing date for 2025 courses is 3 December 2024.

The Faculty of Law requires students to complete LAWS200s in a particular order:

1. LAWS203 Law of Contract
2. LAWS205 Land Law
3. LAWS206 Public Law
4. LAWS204 Law of Torts
5. LAWS202 Criminal Law 

You need to ensure that your total enrolment for the year does not exceed the following limits:

(a)    LLB only – 120 points;

(b)    LLB (double degree) – 90 points of LAWS200s.

Māori Students seeking admission via Te Tono Whakatapoko Discretionary Application

Students who wish to be considered under the above process must apply to enrol via UC Enrolments by 3 December 2024. Please also complete the form below (also available from Faculty of Law Reception) and return this form to the Law Advice Team lawandjusticedegreeadvice@canterbury.ac.nz by 5pm on 3 December 2024.

2025-Te-Tono-Whakatapoko-Application-Form

Pacific Students seeking admission via Tagata O Le Moana: Pacific Law Students Discretionary Entry Application

Students who wish to be considered under the above process must apply to enrol via UC Enrolments by 3 December 2024. Please also complete the form below (also available from Faculty of Law Reception) and return this form to the Law Advice Team lawandjusticedegreeadvice@canterbury.ac.nz  by 5pm on 3 December 2024.

2025 Tagata-o-le-Moana-Application-form

International Students seeking admission via the International student quota

International students must apply to enrol via UC Enrolments by 3 December 2024 for limited entry courses and email the Law Advice Team lawandjusticedegreeadvice@canterbury.ac.nz by 3 December 2024 asking to be considered under the International quota.

Applications cannot be considered for entry unless students have applied to enrol by the due date (see above). Do not leave your enrolment application to the last minute in case you encounter unexpected problems and miss the deadline.

• When applying to enrol all students should specify the 200-level compulsory core courses in which they seek a place. Do not apply to enrol in all five subjects.
• The Faculty of Law has details of all students who have applied for places in 200-level compulsory core courses.
• The Faculty of Law undertakes the process of allocating students places in 200-level compulsory core courses.
• If the number of applications for individual 200-level compulsory core courses is uneven, the School of Law will re-allocate students to the courses until all 200-level compulsory core courses are full.
• Advancing students, including transferring students, who require a certain 200-level compulsory core course to complete their 200-level courses are allocated places in these courses first.
• Remaining places in 200-level compulsory core courses are allocated to students who have passed LAWS 101 and LAWS 110, and to students transferring from other universities in order to enter 200-level compulsory core courses for the first time.
• Quota students are allocated places in accordance with the rules governing the individual quotas.
• The Faculty of Law notifies students whether they have been accepted, limited out, put on the list of reserves or accepted subject to changes in their chosen courses. These letters come from the Faculty of Law and are not the same as the notifications sent automatically to students by the Student Management System during the enrolment process. Please make sure your contact address for the period after exams is correct because this is where your letter will be sent.
• If you receive an offer of place from the Faculty of Law, you must follow the instructions, including completion of a form, to accept, change or refuse your offer in a limited entry course. You must fulfil the instructions by the date stipulated in your offer. 

Enquiries about limited entry to the 200 level compulsory core courses and quotas should be directed to the Law Advice Team lawandjusticedegreeadvice@canterbury.ac.nz