Frequently-asked Questions (FAQ)

Question:

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 on basis of their interim results before the close of application in April 2012. Please therefore make sure, where possible, to attach interim results to your application.

 

Question:

If I am unable to send in my full academic results but only able to show an interim transcript, 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 admission 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:

I am studying overseas and note that you only accept originals or copies of documents which have been duly declared as true copies before a notary public. May the transcripts be certified by a solicitor instead of a notary public?

Answer:

No, we only accept copies of documents which have been certified by a notary public. Academic transcripts sent directly from the institutions concerned and bearing a certification stamp or chop will be accepted.

 

Question:

I am presently studying overseas for a LL.B. degree. I note that in order to be eligible for admission into the PCLL programme, I need to pass eleven ' Core' subjects, namely, Contract, Tort, Constitutional law, Criminal law, Land Law, Equity, Civil Procedure, Criminal procedure, Evidence, Business Associations, and Commercial Law. As the courses I am studying bear different titles than 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 the UK for example, constitutional law may be covered under a course titled public law; contract and torts are sometimes covered under courses entitled law of obligations. As you may need to take the Conversion Examination for PCLL Admission for the relevant subject if your course does not meet the PCLL admission requirement, it would be in your interest to seek exemption for any subject (s) that you have doubt from the PCLL Conversion Examination Board whose contact details can be found at <http:www.pcea.com.hk>.

 

Question:

I am presently studying overseas and my university does not offer all the eleven ' Core' subjects. How can I fulfil this requirement of competence in these eleven ' Core' subjects?

Answer:

Under the new entry requirements for PCLL, an applicant who holds a law degree from a university, other than one of the three universities offering such degrees in Hong Kong, or other recognized law qualification, can demonstrate competence in these eleven 'Core' subjects when such subjects have been completed as follows:

(a) as part of their non-Hong Kong common law qualification; and/or

(b) as a visiting "internal" student in one of the three universities awarding LL.B. and/or J.D. degrees in Hong Kong and passing the requisite examination; and/or

(c) by passing the relevant subject(s) in the Hong Kong Conversion Examination for PCLL Admission.

 

Question:

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 this requirement of competence in these three 'Top-up' subjects?

Answer:

Under the new entry requirements for PCLL, an applicant who holds a law degree from a university, other than one of the three universities offering such degrees in Hong Kong, or other recognized law qualification, can demonstrate competence in these three 'Top-up' subjects when such subjects have been completed as follows:

(a) as a visiting "internal" student in one of the three universities awarding LL.B. and/or J.D. degrees in Hong Kong and passing the requisite examination; and/or

(b) as part of the Graduate Diploma in English and Hong Kong Law taught and awarded in Hong Kong; and/or

(c) by passing the relevant subject(s) in the Hong Kong Conversion Examination for PCLL Admission.

 

Question:

Will interview be mandatory to all applicants?

Answer:

No. We anticipate interviewing applicants only in exceptional circumstances.

 

Question:

I know that there is now a prescribed minimum IELTS score.  Would you accept a candidate with good law related academic results, e.g., second class first division (2:1) honour but an IELTS score of less than 7?

 

Answer:

No, we cannot accept candidates with an IELTS score of less than 7 as that minimum score is now prescribed by the Law Society and we cannot deviate from it.

 

Question:

I am presently studying in an MA in legal study programme in an UK institution. This programme is recognised by the UK Law Society and the Bar Council as a qualifying law degree for practise in England and Wales . Would passing this course renders me eligible for entry into the PCLL programme?

Answer:

Yes, these are considered to be equivalent programmes to either an LL.B. or the Common Professional Exam ination . We are aware of similar programmes in the UK under different names. If these programmes are certified by the UK Law Society and the Bar Council as being either a qualifying law degree for practise or to be equivalent to the Common Professional Examination, then in principle passing this programme will be no different than securing an LL.B. degree or passing the Common Professional Exam. However, you should note that you must demonstrate competence in the eleven 'Core ' and three 'Top-up' subjects.

 

Question:

How do you deal with applications where the University of Hong Kong is only designated as the second preference?


Answer:

We do not process or consider these applications until the City University of Hong Kong or the Chinese University of Hong Kong notifies us they are no longer interested in such applicants or we are informed of a change in the preference designation.

 

Question:

How do you allocate the full time government-funded places, the full-time non-government-funded places and the part-time places?

 

Answer:

First of all, we look at the candidates' expressed preferences in the applications. If he has expressed his first preference for a full time government-funded place, we will consider him in competition with others expressing the same preference first and if we are unable to allocate him a full time government-funded place, we will then consider him for his next expressed preference and so on. From our past experience , we believe the limited number of government-funded places will be taken up by those candidates who have obtained a first class honour or upper second class (2:1) honour in an LL.B. programme or distinction or commendation in the Common Professional Examination (or equivalent) results.

However, we have observed a rapid increase in the number of applicants attaining 2:1 in their law degrees in the past few years.  We cannot guarantee that all applicants attaining upper second class (2:1) honours in their law degrees will be offered (full-time) places.  We shall not take upper second class (2:1) honours degrees at their face value but shall take into account the grades/marks obtained in individual law subjects.

 

Question:

As the different transcript deadline dates show that you are aware that you may get transcripts at different dates depending on the category of applicants, does it mean that for a university of London external law student like myself (with the full academic results not known until late August) that I will definitely not get a full time government-funded PCLL place even if I secure a first class or upper second class (2:1) honour?

Answer:

No, because we are aware of the different dates we may be receiving full academic results from the different categories of applicants, we will ensure that a certain number of PCLL places will be allocated to different categories of applicants as a matter of fairness to all applicants to the PCLL programme. However, we will not guarantee that all applicants attaining upper second class (2:1) honours in their University of London external law degree, like all other applicants attaining upper second class (2:1) honours, will be offered full-time, government funded places in our PCLL.