Law Admission Test

The entry requirements into the Bachelor of Laws fluctuate slightly year-to-year. The best indication we can give you is what was required for 2024 admission: 

2023 Lowest ATAR: 86.8*/85.65** 

2023 Lowest Selection Rank^: 94.25* + LAT 

2023 Median ATAR: 97.3*

2023 Median LAT Score: 74

*Based on a non-UNSW Gateway Early Conditional Offer  

**Based on a UNSW Gateway Early Conditional Offer 

^Selection Rank = ATAR + Adjustment Factors 

View more information about LAT results and what they mean for you. 

The 2024 LAT is on Monday, 30 September 2024. The LAT is offered once per year and results are valid for 2 years.

In 2024 the LAT will be offered at in-person testing venue in Sydney only. The exact test venue details will be released approximately 2 weeks prior to the test date. As of 9 August, all in-person test places have now been filled. Alternatively, all candidates can take the test through remote proctoring at no extra cost.

Remote proctoring is available to all candidates in 2024 at no additional cost. Remote proctoring involves the candidate sitting the test under live supervision using their own computer in a suitable location with internet connectivity.

Yes, you must register for the LAT via the ACER LAT website, opens in a new window. Registrations for the 2024 LAT open on Monday, 13 May 2024. On-time registrations close on Friday, 9 August 2024. Late registrations close on Sunday, 8 September 2024  – a late fee applies.

The LAT consists of two questions requiring written responses. We encourage you to attempt the sample paper available on the ACER LAT website, opens in a new window. Otherwise, no specific preparation is required.

The on-time registration fee for the 2024 LAT is $199 (GST inclusive). The registration fee covers online registration, materials required for the test and provision of test results. Late registration incurs an additional $50 fee.

UNSW Law & Justice has waived the remote proctoring levy for all candidates in 2024.

Yes, the concession registration fee is $100 (GST inclusive). The remote proctoring levy will be waived for all candidates in 2024.

A concession registration fee is available if you hold a current Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card (both issued by Centrelink) or are listed as a dependent on a parent or guardian’s current Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card. 

Please note that student cards, Medicare cards, transport concession cards, private health insurance membership cards and Community Service cards don’t make you eligible for concession. The concession registration fee is not available to overseas candidates.

Yes, you can sit the test more than once. Only your best LAT result will be considered for entry.

Note: The LAT is offered only once per year and results are valid for 2 years.

When you apply through UAC, you should enter your most recent LAT registration number. Both LAT registration numbers are linked to your ACER account. ACER and UNSW have developed procedures to ensure both results will be considered for applicants who have sat the LAT more than once. We’ll use your highest LAT score in the admission process.

All domestic applicants* who wish to study a Bachelor of Laws double degree at UNSW need to sit the LAT^, including those: 

• enrolled in their final year of secondary schooling (Year 12 HSC or equivalent) 
• who have already completed their secondary schooling, e.g. those on a gap year
• who are currently studying at another university and wish to apply to transfer to UNSW Bachelor of Laws 
• in Year 11 who wish to sit the LAT before Year 12 (their HSC year). Your results are valid for two years – so if you sit the LAT in 2024, your results will be considered by UNSW for admission in 2026. 

International students are not eligible to sit the LAT. 

*Domestic applicants include Australian citizens and permanent residents, Australian permanent humanitarian visa holders and New Zealand citizens. International students are not eligible to sit the LAT.  

^Domestic applicants that aren’t required to sit the LAT as they’re assessed under multiple other criteria include: 

• Indigenous students undertaking the Pre-Law Program at UNSW, opens in a new window

• UNSW Gateway students applying for an early conditional offer 

• current UNSW students applying for Internal Program Transfer (IPT).  

Yes, unless you received an offer to study law in 2024 and have deferred it to 2025 or sat the 2023 LAT.

No, only students applying to study one of our Bachelor of Laws double degrees are required to sit the LAT. If you’re applying for the Bachelor of Criminology & Criminal Justice/Bachelor of Laws double degree, you’ll need to sit the LAT. 

Yes, you must sit the LAT and will be assessed based on both your LAT and academic results. We only consider the academic results of your university studies if you’ve completed at least one full-time year in your degree (note: shorter periods of study are not added together) and weight university studies and secondary studies in a 50:50 ratio. Transfer applicants generally require a distinction average or above in their university studies and a secondary rank (ATAR or equivalent) in the high 90s to be competitive. 

No, UNSW Internal Program Transfer (IPT) applicants will only be assessed on their UNSW results.

If you’re eligible to participate in the UNSW Gateway Program, you’re not required to sit the LAT to apply for an early conditional offer. LAT results won't be used to assess your Gateway early conditional offer application. However, you can register for and sit the LAT if you'd like to retain the option of entry to Law & Justice through the LAT admission process.

 No. If you haven’t reached Year 11, you’re not eligible to sit the LAT. This includes if you're in Year 10 or lower and studying subjects at Year 11 level or higher.

UNSW Law & Justice doesn’t recommend or endorse any commercially available courses offering LAT preparation. Commercial preparation courses could provide misleading information and advice to candidates. The LAT assesses your ability to generate your own ideas and express yourself through writing. Therefore, the most appropriate preparation for the LAT is to continue with your existing high school or tertiary study and exam preparation, which should include practising formal written expression.

No. The LAT is designed to assess your skills rather than your knowledge. You won't require any previous study of the law. HSC Legal Studies or similar courses won't impact your performance in the LAT.

The LAT assesses your aptitudes and skills in thinking critically, analysing material, and organising and expressing ideas. The LAT doesn’t require any knowledge specific to law.

In 2024 you can complete the LAT via remote proctoring if you won’t be able to attend the test centre in Sydney. You must apply for remote proctoring as part of the LAT online registration process. 

Remote proctoring involves sitting the test online with ProctorU under live supervision using your computer in a suitable location with internet connectivity. Remote proctoring is only available on the main test day and candidates must select remote proctoring as part of the online application process for the LAT.

For more details on remote proctoring, visit the ACER LAT website. 

Remote proctoring involves sitting the test online with ProctorU under live supervision using your computer in a suitable location with internet connectivity. Remote proctoring is only available on the main test day.

In 2024 you can complete the LAT via remote proctoring at no additional cost if you won’t be able to attend the test centre in Sydney. You must apply for remote proctoring as part of the LAT online registration process.

Candidates must select remote proctoring as part of the online application process for the LAT. For more details on this process, please visit the ACER LAT website.

If you have a disability or medical condition that might interfere with your ability to sit the test in the standard manner, please apply for reasonable adjustments online via your ACER account as soon as possible after registration. Requests need to be submitted by no later than  6 September 2024.

Please see the reasonable adjustments section, opens in a new window of the ACER LAT website for more details. 

If you're prevented from sitting the test due to genuine and significant unanticipated illness or misadventure, you can apply to sit the LAT on an alternative date. ACER reviews each application on its merits and notifies applicants of the outcome. In the case of a significant unanticipated illness, detailed medical justification from a registered health professional is required – and in the case of misadventure, a statutory declaration is required.

The alternative test date in 2024 will be scheduled approximately one week after the main test date. For more details, please visit the alternative test date section of the ACER LAT website.

LAT results are released in late November. 

You’ll receive a percentile rank and LAT score on your statement of results. Your percentile rank indicates how you performed in relation to all other candidates who sat the LAT in the same year. Your LAT score is the mark you received on the test.  

There’s no pass or fail mark for the LAT. We often receive enquiries from students when the LAT results are released as they’re worried that their LAT score was much lower than they expected. Because entry to UNSW Law & Justice is so competitive, students who sit the LAT are often used to getting results at school in the 90s. When they receive a LAT score of 65 or 70, they’re understandably upset and confused.  

As the LAT is attempted by a very small subset of all students, and this subset is likely to be made up of very high achievers, LAT scores shouldn't be viewed in the same way as a result of an HSC course. A score of 70 or 80 in the LAT isn’t like an HSC mark of 70 or 80. The median LAT score for 2023 entry was 74. UNSW Law & Justice determines the lowest acceptable score from year to year, which will vary depending on the applicant pool. 

Your percentile rank isn’t used to assess you for admission to UNSW Bachelor of Laws double degrees; your LAT score is what we’ll combine with your academic results in the selection process.

A percentile rank indicates how you performed in relation to all other candidates who sat the LAT in the same year. For example, a percentile of 42 indicates that your overall LAT score is equal to, or better than, 42 per cent of candidates who sat the LAT in the same year as you.

Each LAT writing piece is examined and marked by two expert assessors. Results are only released after careful calculation and checking. LAT results are final and no appeals are allowed.