Studying an undergraduate program at the UQ Law School allows you not only to walk away with an honour’s degree and potentially even a dual degree but also a variety of enriching, unparalleled extra-curricular and co-curricular experiences that will give you an edge as you start your career. Take a step further and connect with the global UQ law community by embracing opportunities such as scholarships, the on-campus Pro Bono Centre and mooting competitions with your peers.
1. Take your university experience to the next level with a scholarship
Whether you’re a current or future student, we encourage you to explore the scholarships available from the Law School, UQ and external organisations. A wide range of scholarships are available for law students annually that consider factors such as academic excellence, financial hardship, rural or remote living, diversity and more. Here are just 2 examples of the scholarships that are popular with UQ Law School students.
Leadership, Excellence and Diversity (LEAD) Scholarship
The Leadership, Excellence and Diversity (LEAD) Scholarship is one of the most sought-after and valued scholarships by students, which supports those who have experienced educational, social and/or financial disadvantage.
The scholarship is more than just a financial leg-up, granting recipients $8000 per year for up to 5 years. It also provides wrap-around support during your time at UQ via dedicated mentors, a support network through non-residential UQ College membership as well as regular catch-ups with your scholarship community peers.
New students and students transitioning to a law degree are encouraged to apply. Learn more about the LEAD Scholarship.
New Colombo Plan Scholarship Program (NCP)
The New Colombo Plan Scholarship Program (NCP) is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for high-achieving undergraduate students to study and work internationally in the Indo-Pacific region and, like the LEAD Scholarship, is awarded to several people each year.
Samara Welbourne, a third-year Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Laws (Honours) student and scholarship recipient, has spent the last year fulfilling her humanitarian passions thanks to this scholarship. She used it to return to Indonesia, where she lived during her teenage years, to pursue her studies at Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, gain work experience and teach English to local families.
"The NCP Scholarship has provided me with the chance to study, work, and live amongst the community in Yogyakarta, Indonesia's former capital and present-day cultural hub. I’ve worked at a grass-root NGO in one of the poorest regions in Indonesia, connected with local students and developed my Bahasa Indonesia language skills."
"This has allowed me to both immerse myself and develop a deep understanding of the culture at a local level, which will help me build a career in the Indo-Pacific in the future.” she said.
Following her fantastic work, Samara was recognised as an NCP Fellow for Indonesia, a prestigious title awarded to the top-ranked candidate from each host country. She is now headed to Singapore to intern at King & Wood Mallesons, then to Malaysia for an internship with Austrade.
Explore what the NCP Scholarship has to offer.
Explore the wide range of scholarships on offer at the UQ Law School.
2. Gain practical experience with the Pro Bono Centre
Have you been searching for a way to make a meaningful contribution to the community?
The on-campus UQ Pro Bono Centre is the only one of its kind across Australian Law Schools, where you can gain practical experience working on real industry challenges within a supportive environment.
All UQ Law School students, no matter their year level or experience, can join the roster and choose from a constant stream of projects and opportunities, aligning with their personal interests and values. Projects advertised vary across law reform research, community legal education, submission writing, client-facing legal assistance, casework assistance, organisational support and more.
Plus, signing up is a breeze. Just head to StudentHub to sign up to the roster and you’ll receive regular emails updating you about new pro bono opportunities.
Current student Daisy Rice reflects on her experience working on the roster and what she gained from the rewarding opportunity.
"The research, advocacy, and communication skills that I have developed while at the UQ Pro Bono Centre equipped me with the ability to apply the law in pursuit of social justice," she says.
"Without a doubt, these have been the most intellectually stimulating and personally enriching experiences of my undergraduate career thus far."
Getting involved in student pro bono work is an opportunity to leverage your new skills and theoretical knowledge for the betterment of the community as you help others who may not have access to justice for several reasons. Collaborating with the Pro Bono Centre and its esteemed partners in the pro bono and community legal sector will lead you to champion change, uplift the most vulnerable in our society, and make a lasting, positive impact.
Find out more about the UQ Pro Bono Centre and engage with the law from different perspectives. If you’re a current student, sign up for the roster and explore upcoming projects on StudentHub.
3. Prepare for the courtroom with domestic and international mooting competitions
Whether you're stepping foot onto the UQ St Lucia grounds for the very first time or you're in the last year of your studies, mooting at UQ is an enriching and dynamic transformational journey you won't want to miss.
Gain mock courtroom experience and harness your legal advocacy skills through hypothetical cases against your peers in our one-of-a-kind Sir Harry Gibbs Moot Court, or on a domestic or international stage. Mooting at UQ will allow you to forge connections with students who have a shared goal and mindset. You’ll also gain training and mentorship from your coaches and through practice moots with academics and eminent members of the profession who’ll nurture your growth as a budding legal advocate.
William Garske, a now seasoned mooter and passionate public speaker, learned about mooting competitions such as the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition and International Maritime Law Arbitration Moot back in high school.
Since beginning his Bachelor of Economics / Bachelor of Laws (Honours) in 2019, he has mooted against teams from more than 17 different countries and in front of judges of the High Court of Australia, Queensland Court of Appeal, English Commercial Court, Federal Court of Australia, Queensland Supreme Court and Queensland District Court.
“The real highlight of my mooting experience has been the people I have met along the way”, William says. “In terms of results, two of the more tangible highlights were winning the 23rd International Maritime Law Arbitration Moot in London and defeating subsequent world champions, Harvard University, during the international finals of the Jessup moot hosted in Washington DC.”
Mooting allowed current student Simaima Gordon to travel to Vienna in the Willem C Vis International Arbitration Moot competition, where her team competed against 378 teams from all over the globe.
"I’ve made so many friends during my mooting experiences and I’ve had the opportunity to learn from many legal professionals across the world. I’ve been mentored by senior students, academics and various other members of the legal profession. I’ve enjoyed and appreciated their insight into the legal field," she explains.
Learn more about mooting at UQ, where you can acquire skills that will shape you into a well-rounded legal professional. Explore domestic and international competitions today.
Knowledge, experiences and connections await. Take the leap and learn more about what opportunities the UQ Law School can offer you.
