Closing date for applications

• South African students: 31 October 2019

• International students: 31 October 2019

Fees and funding

• For more information regarding fees and funding, please click here.

Required documentation

• All applicants need to submit their application by 31 October of the year preceding the year of new intakes.*

* Applications are date stamped on the date of final submission (on condition that no information or documentation is outstanding).

• Applicants must submit fully completed applications according to the guidelines published on the UP website online by clicking here.

• Applicants need to ensure that all of the following documents are attached to their applications in order to get processed as soon as possible:

1. Letter of motivation written by the applicant indicating the applicant’s personal and professional interest in the field of study, and why he or she would be likely to put the qualification to good use in his or her future career
2. Curriculum Vitae
3. Previous Degree Certificate(s)
4. Previous Academic Record(s) / Transcript(s)
5. Example of previously written work, not exceeding five (5) pages
6. SAQA certificate in case of foreign qualifications*
7. Where required, proof of English competence in the form of a TOEFL or IELTS test results
8. Copy of ID / Passport
9. Listing of two suitable referees with contact details (applicants are encouraged, where feasible, to provide additional letters of recommendation in support of the application)

* Candidates who hold international qualifications must please bear in mind that their applications will NOT be processed until we receive the SAQA certificate.  (Date of application will be the date on which we receive the SAQA certificate).

Selection procedure

• The LLM in Extractive Industries Law is a selection course, with a maximum of 15 students admitted per intake.

• All complete applications received from international and local students by 31 October of a particular year are processed and considered by the Programme Coordinator of the LLM, who identifies a number of eligible candidates for consideration by the Programme Coordinator in consultation with the Head of the Department.

• The applicants are informed when their application is successful and requested to confirm their intention to proceed with the course.

• Applicants who have not received any confirmation within three (3) weeks of the admission deadline, should consider their application to have been unsuccessful.

• Should any successful applicant inform Student Administration that he/she will not continue with the proposed studies in the following year, shortlisted applicants will be approached to confirm a reapplication for admission to fill the vacancies, provided they meet the selection criteria as mentioned above.

General LLM Admission Requirements

• Prospective student to the LLM in Extractive Industries programme require an LLB, BProc or equivalent qualification from a foreign university that allows the applicant entrance to the formal legal profession.

• A minimum average mark* of 65% with respect to the prescribed final-year modules of the undergraduate programme is required for admission to an LLM coursework programme.

• Linguistic competence, primarily in English; foreign applicants who did not complete undergraduate studies through the medium of English must show proof of competence in English at a minimum average level of 6 out of 10 for IELTS or a minimum total score of 83 in TOEFL calculated as follows: reading 21, listening 17, speaking 23 and writing 22 - In any other instance where there is doubt as to the English linguistic competence of an applicant, the Dean may require the same proof as prescribed for foreign applicants.

• Foreign qualifications are subject to SAQA evaluation.

• Even though a student may comply with the above requirements, the Dean may, on the recommendation of the Head of Department presenting a specific degree or module, refuse to accept a prospective student for any LLM programme if such a student's performance in the chosen modules or field of study during undergraduate study was not satisfactory.  Alternatively, the Dean could set additional requirements with a view to admission.

• Particular LLM programmes have additional selection criteria and deadlines specific to that programme. These additional selection criteria for the LLM in Extractive Industries Law in Africa, are set out above.