The National University of Advanced Legal Studies (NUALS) is located in Kochi, Ernakulam district, India. It is a public law school and a National Law University, the first and only one in the State of Kerala and one of the 23 NLUs in India. Established by Act 27 of 2005 of the Kerala State Legislature, it was formerly known as the National Institute for Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS). According to India Today rankings 2024, NUALS is ranked 9th in India for law studies.

NUALS offers BA LLB, LLM, PG Diploma, Ph.D., and certificate programs. NUALS Admission to all these courses are based on the CLAT scores. During the 2023-24 placement season, NUALS recorded a placement rate of 46% for BA LLB Hons and 30% for PG 1-year programs. The median package for BA LLB Hons was INR 8.23 LPA, while the median package for the PG 1-year program was INR 9 LPA. 

The National University of Advanced Legal Studies campus provides adequate academic infrastructure – dedicated internet access, Wi-Fi Connectivity, online legal resources including Hein Online, Westlaw India, and Manupatra, a computer lab, besides a good collection of standard books and reports, both foreign and Indian.

NUALS Kochi Highlights 

  • Admission to all the courses at the National University of Advanced Legal Studies is strictly based on the entrance – centralized exam for law (CLAT).
  • Students who have studied in Kerala and have valid documents have a reservation of 49% across all categories.
  • The admission forms are already out. The candidates can apply by visiting the official website of CLAT. The last date to apply is scheduled for 15th October, 2024.
  • The CLAT exam is scheduled to be held on 1st December 2024.

NUALS Kochi Rankings

The table below consists of the NUALS Kochi Rankings of the recent year. 

Ranking Agency Category Rank
IIRF 2024 Law  26
India Today 2024 Law 9

NUALS Kochi Courses and Fees

National University of Advanced Legal Studies provides BA.LLB, LLM, PG Diploma, and Ph.D. in the field of Law. The NUALS Kochi Fees along with courses is mentioned below:

Course Details Selection Criteria
BA LLB (Hons) Duration: 5 years
1st year fees: INR 2,23,800
Eligibility: 10+2 with 45%
Seats: 60 seats
CLAT
LL.M

Duration: 1 year
Fees: INR 1,63,000
Eligibility: 5 year Integrated B. A. LL.B. (Hons.) Degree of the NUALS or an examination recognized as equivalent thereto with a minimum of 50% of the total marks in the aggregate (45% in the case of SC/ST)
Seats: 60 seats 

CLAT
PG Diploma Duration: 1 year
Fees: INR 31,000
Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree in any stream
Specializations: Medical Law & Ethics, Cyber Law, Insurance Law and Banking Law
Seats: 50 seats in each specialization 
Based on merit
Ph.D Duration: 3-6 years
Eligibility: Master's degree from a recognized university/college with minimum 55% marks
Based on marks obtained in DAT followed by interview

NUALS Kochi Admission 2025

The National University of Advanced Legal Studies provides BA LLB, LLM, PG Diploma, and Ph.D. programs. Admissions at NUALS are based exclusively on entrance exams. For both undergraduate and postgraduate courses, selection is determined by CLAT. Students from Kerala benefit from a 49% reservation across all categories

Application Process for BA-LLB (Hons) and LL.M

Admissions for LLM and BA-LLB (Hons) programs are conducted via the CLAT. The application process for CLAT is as follows:

  1. Register on the official CLAT website and complete the application form accurately.
  2. Upload all required documents.
  3. Pay the application fee online using net banking, debit/credit cards, UPI, etc.

Application Process for PG Diploma Courses

  1. Download the application form in PDF format from the university website.
  2. Submit the completed application form and upload all required documents.
  3. Eligible candidates will be listed based on the cut-off for the qualifying exam (Bachelor’s Degree).

Application Process for PhD

  1. Download the application form in PDF format from the university website.
  2. Submit the completed application form to the university along with the required fees.
  3. Candidates conducting research in recognized institutions can submit their application through the Head of the Institution to the Registrar of the University.

Note: Students who secure at least 50% marks in the DAT are eligible for the admission process.

NUALS Kochi Cutoff

The Consortium of National Law Universities will announce the cut-off scores during the counselling and seat allotment process. After CLAT results are declared, NLUs will begin their seat allocation and counselling. Students interested in admission to NUALS Kochi should review the CLAT cut-off scores specific to the institution. The NUALS Kochi Cutoff scores are influenced by a number of available seats, number of CLAT applicants and exam difficulty, seats allocated for each program and Reservation criteria based on state or other factors. 

NUALS CLAT Cutoff

Course Round 1 Round 2 Round 3
BA LL.B 1515 1648 1661

NUALS CLAT PG Cutoff

Course Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5
LL.M Executive 1304 1703 1824 - 2270
LL.M Constitutional Law and Administrative Law 1304 1703 1824 1924 2270
LL.M International Trade Law 1304 1703 1824 - 2270

NUALS Kochi Placements

According to the NUALS Kochi NIRF report for 2024, the median package offered during BA LLB Hons placements in 2020 was INR 8.23 LPA. For the PG 1-year program in 2020, the median package was INR 9 LPA. The placement rates for BA LLB Hons and PG 1-year programs in 2020 were 46% and 30%, respectively.

The overall average package data for NUALS Kochi in 2022 has not been released. However, the NUALS Kochi NIRF report for 2024 provides the stream-wise median salaries offered during placements in 2021.

A total number of 26 students out of a batch of 65 students were placed for jobs with top companies, law firms, judges in the year 2019. To name a few are:

  • Nishith Desai Associates
  • Kaleswaram Raj Associates
  • Wadia Gandhy & Co
  • Lakshmikumaran & Sriharan
  • Dandapani Associates
  • Wipro
  • Reliance Industries
  • Cognizant Technology Solutions
  • Pangea
  • Clutch Group

NUALS Kochi Scholarships

NUALS offers government scholarships to students from backward communities, such as SC and ST, based on merit and financial need. Additionally, the NK Nambiar scholarship is available for students from low-income groups. Furthermore, there are IDIA scholarships provided by Increasing Diversity by Increasing Access (IDIA), a nonprofit, non-governmental organization dedicated to supporting students. Eligible students can apply for these scholarships through the institute's official website. Apart from scholarships, NUALS Kochi provides endowments as given below.

The following awards have been established to recognize outstanding students at NUALS:

  • Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer Memorial Endowment Gold Medal: Awarded by the Sarada Krishna Satgamaya Foundation to the student achieving the highest marks in Constitutional Law in the 5-Year B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) Degree Examination.

  • C.K. Sivasankara Panicker Memorial Trust Gold Medal: Presented to the student securing First Rank in the B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) Degree Examination.

  • T.R. Raman Pillai Memorial Gold Medal: Awarded by the family of Late Senior Advocate Sri. T.R. Raman Pillai to the top student in Criminal Law and Procedure.

  • PTA Gold Medal: Instituted by the NUALS Parent Teacher Association for the second-best outgoing student in the 5-Year B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) Degree Examination.

  • M.K. Nambiyar Gold Medal in Public Law: Given to the student with the highest marks in Constitutional Law and Administrative Law in the B.A. LL.B. (Hons.) Degree Examination.

  • Nani A. Palkhivala Memorial Endowment Gold Medal: Awarded to the student achieving First Rank in the Post Graduate Degree in Law.

NUALS Kochi Facilities

NUALS Kochi campus is well equipped with all the facilities necessary to make student's life better. NUALS offers sophisticated, fully air-conditioned smart classrooms with high-speed Wi-Fi is available across the campus for all students. The network features an optic-fiber connection. Given below are a few of the same. 

  • Library: The NUALS Law Library offers an extensive collection of legal materials, including 13,420 law books and access to online legal resources such as Manupatra, HeinOnline, JSTOR, Westlaw, Lexis Nexis, and SCC Online. The library features an online catalog, scanner, and printer, and has an upper floor to accommodate more students. The new library building was inaugurated in 2016 by Hon'ble Mr. Justice T.S. Thakur, Former Chief Justice of India. 
  • Academic Block: The Academic Block is the center of education at NUALS, housing classrooms and faculty offices. It includes seven large, spacious classrooms with speaker systems, as well as a classroom for LL.M. students. The Moot Court Hall is also located here. The building is accessible for disabled individuals and has an elevator.
  • Moot Court Hall: Located in the Academic Block, the Moot Court Hall is spacious and well-equipped with a surround-sound speaker system and witness stands. NUALS has a strong mooting culture, hosting three annual moot competitions: the Surana and Surana National Trial Advocacy Moot Court Competition, the NUALS National Moot Court Competition on Maritime Law, and the Securities Law Moot.
  • Research Centres: NUALS has 16 academic centers sponsored by the Government of Kerala, focusing on areas such as Human Rights, Intellectual Property Rights, Sports Law and Policy, and Women and Family Studies. These centers conduct research, organize seminars, and assist in policy formation for state and central governments.
  • Hostel: The NUALS campus is located at Kinfra Hi-tech Park, H.M.T. Colony, and features separate hostel blocks for girls and boys. Each NUALS Kochi Hostel has triple occupancy rooms with attached bathrooms, providing inmates with a cot, table, and cupboard. Common rooms and mess halls are available, along with indoor gaming facilities like caroms, chess, and badminton.
  • Health Clinic: The university maintains a Health Clinic with essential services, including a registered medical practitioner. Dr. Rija K.M. (MBBS, MS, MCH), former Assistant Professor (Surgery) at Cooperative Medical College Kochi, is available every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5-7 p.m.
  • Counseling Room: Students from across the country can access counseling services from Mrs. Divya K Thomas (M.Phil. Clinical Psychology), Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Rajagiri Hospital, on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. She is also reachable via helpline numbers: +91 88486 16443, +91 96054 77393.
  • Auditorium: The auditorium accommodates 300 people for cultural and recreational activities, including the annual Academic Convocations.
  • Health Club and Gymnasium: The campus features well-equipped gymnasiums for both boys and girls, along with indoor game facilities and a separate health club for staff. NUALS promotes all-round development with sports facilities including a football ground, basketball court, volleyball court, and cricket practice areas. The campus hosts inter-semester competitions and the NUALS Premier League (NPL).
  • ATM Facilities: A 24x7 ATM facility from SBI is available on campus.

NUALS Kochi FAQs

Ques. Does the National University of Advanced Legal Studies have a Hostel?

Ans. Yes, the National University of Advanced Legal Studies has a dedicated hostel on campus. There is a separate hostel for boys and girls.

Ques. What are the hostel fees at the National University of Advanced Legal Studies?

Ans. The hostel charges for LL.M include an annual rent of INR 17,500 (Yearly), Amenities fee of INR 6000 (Yearly) and an additional mess advance of INR 30,000 per annum. Students also need to pay a caution Hostel deposit of 6,000 INR while registering for the hostel.

Ques. Does the National University of Advanced Legal Studies have its own publication?

Ans. Yes, the National University of Advanced Legal Studies does have its own publication to encourage research among students and faculties. One example of the journal is: https://www.nuals.ac.in/common/609NUALS%20IP%20Law%20Review%20(2019-2020).pdf

Ques. What are the other activities one can expect at the National University of Advanced Legal Studies apart from regular classes?

Ans. The National University of Advanced Legal Studies believes in encouraging learning beyond classrooms and hence few activities to name are:

  • Moot Court
  • Legal Aid Clinic
  • Seminars and workshops by Industry experts and Alumni
  • NSS and Sports
  • Debate Contest
  • International Yoga
  • Mentoring

Ques. Does the National University of Advanced Legal Studies have a Student Council?

Ans. Yes, the National University of Advanced Legal Studies has a dedicated student council.