What is Practical Legal Training?

Practical Legal Training, or PLT, is the skills-based stage law graduates usually complete after academic study and before applying for admission as a lawyer.

Check your PLT eligibility Apply for PLT

Law graduate completing practical legal training

PLTPractical Legal Training

24 weeksIOLT course duration

20 daysWorkplace experience

Practical assessmentNo traditional final written exam

PLT

The bridge from law school to legal practice

A law degree develops legal knowledge and analysis. PLT asks you to apply that knowledge through realistic legal tasks, professional conduct, practice management and supervised workplace experience.

The point is not to repeat university. It is to develop and demonstrate the practical skills, judgment, ethics and communication expected of an entry-level lawyer.

Complete your academic law qualification

Finish the approved academic requirements, or obtain any early commencement approval that applies to your circumstances.

Complete Practical Legal Training

Develop practical legal skills through coursework, assessment and supervised workplace experience.

Apply for admission

Use your PLT completion documents as part of the separate admission process with the relevant admitting authority and Supreme Court.

What do you actually learn in PLT?

PLT focuses on doing legal work rather than simply recalling legal rules.

Legal writing and drafting
Client interviewing
Negotiation
Problem solving
Ethics and professional responsibility
Practice management
Civil litigation work
Commercial and property practice

How is PLT assessed?

Assessment is designed to resemble legal work. IOLT students complete practical tasks and receive feedback as they develop the required competencies.

No traditional final written examination

The emphasis is on practical assessment rather than a final memory-based written exam.

How IOLT PLT works

IOLT delivers the coursework online over 24 weeks, with 20 days of supervised workplace experience completed as part of the course.

DeliveryOnline coursework

Duration24 weeks

AssessmentPractical legal tasks and feedback

Workplace20 days of supervised legal experience

Domestic fee$6,000 total

Payment planSix instalments of $1,000

PLT is not the same as admission

Completing PLT satisfies the practical training stage of the pathway. It does not itself make you an admitted lawyer.

After PLT, you still need to complete the relevant admission process and satisfy the requirements of the admitting authority and Supreme Court.

IOLT provides completion documents for the PLT component, but admission is a separate decision made by the relevant authority and court.

Practical Legal Training FAQs

Is PLT compulsory in Australia?

Most law graduates satisfy the practical training prerequisite through an approved PLT course. Some jurisdictions may recognise another approved training pathway.

Is PLT another law degree?

No. PLT is practical pre-admission training. It focuses on applying legal knowledge and demonstrating entry-level competence.

Does completing PLT make me a lawyer?

No. After PLT you must still complete the admission process and be admitted by the Supreme Court.

Can PLT be completed online?

IOLT coursework is online. The 20-day workplace experience is completed in an approved legal environment.

How long does IOLT PLT take?

The IOLT PLT course runs for 24 weeks and includes the online coursework and 20 days of supervised workplace experience.

Ready to take the next step?

Check whether you are eligible to commence PLT, then submit your application when your academic documents are ready.

Check your eligibility

This page provides general information about Practical Legal Training. Admission requirements are controlled by the relevant admitting authority and may change.