Overview
With the support and encouragement of the Faculty and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), the Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law and Arbitration (GDMLA), for non-lawyers, has been offered by NUS Law since 2008. Designed for students who do not possess a first degree in law, the Diploma provides specialized training in maritime law and arbitration to professionals such as master mariners, marine engineers, and graduates from other disciplines working in the maritime sector.
Like its sister programme, the LLM (Maritime Law), the Graduate Diploma allows individuals from Singapore-based companies who are able to furnish evidence of full sponsorship or a letter of support from their companies or the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to pursue the course on a part-time basis over two years.
Candidates from overseas will be required to complete the Graduate Diploma fulltime in one year.
Through the integration of the Graduate Certificate in International Arbitration into the Diploma in Maritime Law and Arbitration, students will obtain the benefit of training in commercial arbitration, as well as the advantage of two qualifications. This is also designed to reflect the emergence of arbitration as an important means of dispute settlement in the shipping world.
Admission Requirements
- Qualified master mariner, chief engineer and/or tertiary degree in another discipline
- Relevant working experience in the maritime sector
- Minimum TOEFL iBT Total score of 100. (Candidates who have obtained a minimum IELTS (Academic) overall band score 7.0 may also apply.)
English Language Proficiency
- The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) is required for all international applicants except those from English-medium institutions in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States. If your LLB or LLM degree is conducted entirely in the English medium and you wish to seek a waiver of this requirement, please submit your request together with supporting documents, and it will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- Only official TOEFL iBT score report will be accepted. Further information about TOEFL is available from the Educational Testing Service (ETS). Please quote TOEFL Destination code: 9085 when ordering the score report to be sent to the NUS Faculty of Law.
- For IELTS (Academic) score report, you may provide a photocopy as we are able to verify the score online using the TRFN on the score report. Further information about IELTS is available HERE.
- Applicants should schedule a test date early enough to ensure that the scores reach our Admissions Office by the application closing date. Otherwise, we reserve the right not to accept the scores.
- TOEFL/IELTS scores are valid for two (2) years from the test date and should be valid at the beginning of the application period for the degree programme(s) applied for. If it has been more than two years since you last took the test, you must take it again to have the scores reported.
- NUS only accepts TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date, not MyBest scores. TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition test scores may be accepted.
Programme Structure
Full-time and part-time candidates must pass all courses and successfully obtain a total of 32-36 Units (generally, 7 to 8 courses) in one year and two years respectively to be awarded the Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law & Arbitration.
The programme is specially designed such that students who complete the requirements for the Graduate Certificate in International Arbitration (GCIA) Programme will be granted 12 Units toward the total credits required for the Graduate Diploma.
The following is the typical workload and schedule of courses:
Please refer HERE for other information on the programme and courses offered.
The examination and assessment of student performances in the programme will be conducted through various assessment modes such as class participation, assignments, research papers, take-home examinations and final examinations as stated in each course description. Students are encouraged to review the examination and assessment details for each elective course before opting for it.
Tuition Fees & Subsidy
The tables below indicate the applicable tuition fees for enrolment in Academic Year 2025/2026:
Fees for Full-time Programme
| Total Fee Payable |
Acceptance Fee |
Amount Payable Per Semester |
|
| 1 | 2 | ||
| SGD18,050.00 |
SGD3,270.00 | SGD5,755.00 |
SGD9,025.00 |
Fees for Part-time Programme
| Total Fee Payable |
Acceptance Fee |
Amount Payable Per Semester |
|||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| SGD18,050.00 | SGD3,270.00 | SGD1,242.50 |
SGD4,512.50 |
SGD4,512.50 | SGD4,512.50 |
- Tuition fees are subject to change each academic year.
- Fee amounts quoted are inclusive of and subject to the prevailing GST.
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Application Timeline
The following is the application period for the next intake:
| Course Commencement | Application Period |
| AY2025/26 Semester One (commencing Aug 2025) |
1 September 2024 - 15 October 2024 |
NOTE: Online applications must be completed and submitted by 11.59pm (Singapore Time, GMT+8) on the day of the online application deadline.
The following is the admission process and timeline:
How to Apply
The application form will take about 15 minutes to complete.
Follow the steps below to apply:
| 1 |
Applications must be made online via NUS Graduate Admission System (GDA3). To facilitate your online application, please download and refer to the Application Guide. Please note that the email address which you provide when creating your new GDA account will also be your login ID. You will also receive email notifications relating to your applications via this email address. |
| 2 | Application/ acceptance fees paid in the GDA3 are non-refundable and non-transferable. |
| 3 | Please upload soft copies of your supporting documents (Checklist) in the GDA3. It is not necessary to submit your supporting documents via email or via post, unless we specifically request for them. |
| 4 |
Make online payment for Application Fee of SGD50 (inclusive of prevailing GST) via NUS Graduate Admission System (GDA3). |
Inaccurate or false information or omission of material information or no application fee payment will render your application invalid. The University reserves the right to reject applications that are incomplete or inaccurate. Persons admitted on the basis of inaccurate or false information may be expelled.
Application Outcome
Applicants will be informed via email of the outcome by mid-February.
We will communicate with you primarily using email. It is very important that you provide a valid and correct email address and maintain your email account regularly. We will not be responsible for undeliverable emails and their consequences.
Unless granted approval by our University, no candidate may concurrently be a student for more than one degree or registered as an NUS candidate and of another university/institute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click HERE to view the FAQs.
Contact
Please contact Law Graduate Admissions at email: lawGRADadm@nus.edu.sg.
