The Master of Common Law (MCL) programme is tailored for law graduates from non-common law jurisdictions, notably those from Mainland China, who seek to gain expertise in common law as practiced in Hong Kong and other common law jurisdictions.
Applicants must comply with the General Regulations, the Regulation for Taught Postgraduate Curricula, and fulfil the following requirements:
1) Hold a degree of Bachelor of Laws with at least second-class honours or equivalent qualification from a university or comparable institution in a non-common law jurisdiction; and
2) For a candidate who is seeking admission on the basis of a qualification from a university or comparable institution outside Hong Kong, of which the language of teaching and/or examination is not English, shall satisfy the Faculty English language requirement with one of the following recognised English tests*:
a. IELTS (Academic): An minimum overall band of 7.0 or above, with no subtest lower than 5.5; or b. TOEFL (Internet-based): A score of 100 or above (for tests taken before January 21, 2026); or c. TOEFL (Internet-based): A score of 5.0 or above (for tests taken from January 21, 2026 onwards) *In each case, for admissions purposes, the IELTS and TOEFL tests must be taken within two years prior to September 1 of each admissions year.
Subject to satisfying these entrance requirements, applications are considered for admission based on factors including the applicant's academic record, their relevant experience, academic and other references, the quality of their personal statement, and other information submitted in the application. Admission decisions will be made in light of other applications received and subject to admissions quota, if any.
Important Remark(s): • Admission to the programme is typically competitive. We strongly encourage applicants to submit their applications early and ensure they are complete. • All supporting documents must be submitted within 28 calendar days from the date of your application. • If you anticipate being unable to meet all documentary requirements simultaneously, we encourage you to proceed with your application. Please include a brief explanation of the reason for the delay and indicate when the required documents will be available. • Applications will not be reviewed or processed until they are complete. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all materials are submitted in a timely manner.