To be considered for the programme, you must indicate it as your First Choice.
Please note that the Law Writing Tests and Interviews are conducted in person at SMU on assigned dates in March and April. If shortlisted, you will be assigned dates for the writing test and (if further shortlisted) interview. You must remain available in Singapore throughout March and April as rescheduling requests may only be accommodated in exceptional, extenuating circumstances, subject to availability. Alternative arrangements for the Law Writing Test and Interviews will only apply for international applicants NOT residing in Singapore.
For the 2027 admissions exercise, the Law Writing Test will be conducted on 13 March, 25 March, or 27 March in person at SMU. You will be assigned a date; it will not be possible for you to take the test on another of the test dates except in exceptional circumstances, subject to availability.
As far as possible, those who apply by 8 March, 3pm Singapore Time, and are shortlisted, will take the writing test on 13 March, though this is not guaranteed (especially in the case of applications based on non-Singapore educational qualifications, which typically take longer to process).
Applicants who are further shortlisted will be assigned to be interviewed in person at SMU on a date between 27 March and 17 April. We will aim to let applicants know their assigned dates and times as soon as possible. It will not be possible to reschedule the interview except in exceptional circumstances.
If you will require accessibility arrangements – for example, due to a documented disability, medical condition, or injury that may impact your ability to hand-write – please email admissions06@smu.edu.sg as soon as possible once you are informed that you have been shortlisted, including supporting documents. Please be assured that all information we receive will be kept strictly confidential.
If shortlisted, you will be assigned dates for the writing test and (if further shortlisted) an interview. We can only accommodate rescheduling requests in exceptional, extenuating circumstances.
The writing test and interview will be held in person at SMU. We will only be able to make an exception to this in very exceptional circumstances, such as if you are an international applicant who does not reside in Singapore.
In planning the Law writing test and interview dates, the School of Law makes every effort to align with the relevant authorities’ National Service enlistment windows to enable applicants serving full-time National Service to attend the writing test/interview as far as possible. Should there be any clash with your NS commitments and interview dates, please do write in and notify us as soon as possible so that we can work to assist you with alternative arrangements, where available.
For the 2027 admissions exercise, If you wish to change your first choice to Law, you must let us know by emailing admissions.smu.edu.sg by 21 March 2027.
The writing test will be about one and a half hours long. Candidates will be presented with one or more passages and asked to provide written responses to several questions. The test will allow candidates to demonstrate their skills in understanding, synthesising, and critically thinking about newly acquired information, as well as in forming and communicating a personal response in a clear and concise manner. Where candidates require further knowledge to answer a question but that knowledge is not available, they should state this and elaborate.
The interviews will give candidates the opportunity to demonstrate similar skills, but in the setting of a conversation between two interviewers and two interviewees. Candidates are encouraged to respond to the interviewers as well as fellow interviewees at appropriate points during the interview – for example, to ask clarifying questions or to present opposing views.
The writing test and interview may discuss legal issues, but will not require that candidates have any prior knowledge of the law, philosophy, or any other discipline. If you want to prepare for the writing test and interview, we advise you to get into the habit of reading well-written publications on any general topic and thinking critically about what you have read and how you might respond.
