Each course has a deadline of at least two weeks prior to course commencement, which is stated on the course webpage. Check the webpage or email diplomateam@lawsociety.ie to confirm if applications are still open after this deadline. Places are available on a first come first served basis. In order to secure a place on a course, we must first receive a completed application form and payment in full. We strongly encourage you to apply for courses as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to hold spaces on courses without payment.

Should you wish to join a course after the course has commenced, please contact the Diploma Team by email at: diplomateam@lawsociety.ie to check if there are places available and what lectures/workshops have already taken place. We will assist you in every way possible and encourage you to access previously released lecture papers and to watch the lecture videos, all of which are available on the online Diploma Hub. However, you should note that from a learning perspective joining the course following its commencement is not the optimal option. We would ask you to fully satisfy yourself that you will be in a position to devote the necessary time to the course because once registered the course fee is non-transferable and non-refundable and you will be required to successfully complete the final examination or assessment in order to attain the qualification.

While our courses are primarily aimed at members of the solicitors' profession, for certain courses we also accept applications from other suitably qualified professionals. For specific entry requirements, please refer to the individual courses on the Diploma Centre Course List webpage.

Please submit your completed application form, together with a curriculum vitae and cover letter for review. Your cover letter should provide a brief statement of the background to your application and your specific interest in the chosen course. We will advise you as soon as possible as to the status of your application. In certain cases, we may arrange to meet with you for a brief interview.

Where an applicant has paid for two Diploma Centre certificates or diploma courses the applicant is entitled to a 10% discount on subsequent diploma courses. This may not apply to certain courses. It also excludes any MOOC Certificate of Completion.

When a firm (or employees paying for themselves from a firm) is paying for three or more solicitors who are attending the same diploma there is a 10% discount on each of those applications. Please note all such applications must be received together in order for this discount to apply.

Online Payment for solicitors

You can pay your fees online by logging into your Law Society profile and clicking register now on the relevant course page.

Online Payment for other professionals

You must first set up a Law Society account (if you haven’t already created one). The account will require permission to make online payments
 
Steps:

• After your application is approved, email dipapplications@lawsociety.iev to confirm that your profile has been set up and that you require permission to pay online.
• Once your request is received, the necessary permissions will be added to your account. A member of our team will confirm this via return email.

Company Invoice
If your employer is covering the cost, you can request a company invoice by providing the following details:

• Employer’s billing name
• Billing address
• PO (Purchase Order) number, if applicable
• Accounts payable email address

Personal Invoice
If you prefer to pay by bank transfer, you can request a personal invoice. This invoice will include your specific bank details for payment.

Discounts 

• When a firm is paying for three or more solicitors* to attend the same diploma course, there is a 10% discount on each application. All such applications must be submitted together.
• Where an applicant has paid for two Diploma Centre certificates or diploma courses the applicant is entitled to a 10% discount on subsequent diploma courses.
• A 10% discount is available for trainee solicitors*.
• A 20% discount is available for unemployed jobseeker solicitors*

Unemployed jobseeker solicitors may be entitled to a further 10% discount if they have attended two or more certificates or diplomas in the Law Society (i.e. a 30% discount in total). 

If you are relying on a discount please state this on your application form. You may be required to provide evidence of your eligibility for the discount if we cannot verify from our own records.

If you have any queries, please contact the Diploma Team at: diplomateam@lawsociety.ie prior to sending in your payment and application.

*Solicitor means a solicitor who is a member of the Law Society of Ireland

Note: No discounts apply to the masters or doctorate programmes.

If an invoice is required to discharge fees please notify the Diploma Team in advance of submitting your application. If your organization requires a Purchase Order number we must be advised before we can issue an invoice. We also require the addressee and postal address, if different to those on the application form. Please note that if you are relying on an invoice it is your responsibility to ensure that payment is received by the Diploma Team in advance of the start date of the course.

Most of the Diploma Centre course fees, paid by individuals, do not qualify for personal tax relief. The courses that do qualify are listed on the Revenue's website under 'Postgraduate Courses in Public and Private Colleges'. These are usually the following: 

• Diploma in Law
• LLMs 
• Professional Doctorate in Law

If your employer is paying the course fee then such payment may in certain circumstances be tax deductible for them on the basis that it is an allowable business expense. However, for definitive clarification it would be advisable to contact the Revenue Commissioners.

If you require additional supports to assist with your participation in the course then please contact the Diploma Team at diplomateam@lawsociety.ie as early as possible and preferably not later than one month before the commencement of the course, with full details of how we can assist.

You can register your interest, and we will contact you once your requested course is open for applications.

The Diploma Hub is a learning management system but is effectively a "website". The Diploma Team uses it as a learning tool. The site is designed to keep you informed about all aspects of the course you are attending and will contain the links to the lecture capture facility. The site will also act as a repository for course schedule information, course materials and as a point of access to lecture captures and recordings (if applicable). Access to the Diploma Hub is only for the duration of your particular diploma or certificate course and will be withdrawn upon course completion. At the start of your course there will be an introductory lecture during which you will be shown how to use and access this site. All course participants are given a login and password at course commencement.

• In the Browser bar type the following address: https://lawschool.lawsociety.ie
• To gain access to Diploma Hub, you will need to enter the unique username and password provided to you by the Diploma Team.
• Your username for the website will be numerical. You will be advised of your unique numerical username when starting the course.
• The initial password that is assigned to you is set to the default value of 'changeme'.
• So, for example, type "123456" as your username and then enter 'changeme' as the default password. You will be prompted to change your password to something that you choose yourself the first time you log in to the site.
• Please email diplomateam@lawsociety.ie or call the team on 01 672 4802 for guidance if you have any difficulties logging in.

Lectures are captured 'live' on our secure internet site using Panopto, the leading online video platform for businesses and universities. The lecture captures will remain on the Diploma Hub for the duration of the course. Participants watching the lecture capture live can submit questions in the 'Discussion' area of the Panopto link, and questions will be brought to the lecturer's attention at the end of their lecture. Recordings of the live lecture capture will subsequently be released on the Diploma Hub so that you can review the material and access it again for your learning. 

If you intend to avail of the lecture capture facility, we ask that you ensure prior to the application process that your home/office PC is compatible with the relevant software. This requires a very straightforward test, go to: 

https://lawschool.lawsociety.ie

Username : testwebcast
Password : testwebcast

If you cannot view the lecture, follow the instructions provided. There may be local factors such as 'firewalls' hindering your access and we suggest that in the first instance you check with your IT provider.

For more about lecture capturing and the Diploma Centre's 'mobile professional learning' project, read about our learning approach.

All Law Society of Ireland Diploma Centre examinations are closed book unless otherwise noted. You will be informed of your examination number once you are registered on the course. The time and venue for the exam(s) will be confirmed closer to the date of the exam(s). Please ensure that we have your correct email and postal address on file. Any changes to contact details after course registration should be emailed to diplomaexams@lawsociety.ie . 

Exam results will be communicated on the Diploma Hub approximately 12 weeks after the examination has taken place via your profile which is completely secure and only you can access.

Diploma/Certificates will be awarded on a Pass (50% and above) / Fail (49% and below) basis.

Participants must sit an examination(s) the first time it is offered in order to be eligible to sit the second examination sitting. There is no guarantee, however, that second sitting sessions will be offered in all subjects. If a student is ill and cannot attend the first sitting of an examination, a medical certificate must be submitted to the Diploma Exams Team. Other extenuating circumstances will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis and must be made in writing to diplomaexams@lawsociety.ie.

NB: Where the final mark for a course is awarded through a combination of a continuous assessment element (tasks and/or quizzes) and a final exam, students are permitted to re-sit the exam portion only in the case of a fail or deferral. The marks already obtained from the tasks and/or quizzes portion of the course will carry forward and cannot be re-taken.

The fee to repeat an examination is €250. For students who failed their first examination sitting, their result at any subsequent sitting will be capped at the passing grade, namely 50%.

Participants who require adapted arrangements for examinations due to illness, disability or specific learning difficulties, should contact a member of the Diploma Team at least two months in advance of examinations. This timeframe will only be reviewed in exceptional circumstances. Candidates will be required to provide medical evidence or supporting documentation from a consultant/specialist or educational psychologist. This enables the appropriate adapted arrangements to be put in place. A copy of the Law Society's Disability Policy is available on request.

Participants who require adapted arrangements for examinations due to illness, disability or specific learning difficulties, should contact a member of the Diploma Team at least two months in advance of examinations. This timeframe will only be reviewed in exceptional circumstances. Candidates will be required to provide medical evidence or supporting documentation from a consultant/specialist or educational psychologist. This enables the appropriate adapted arrangements to be put in place. A copy of the Law Society's Disability Policy is available on request.

You can order a transcript of your certificate or diploma results for a fee of €10 per transcript. A separate form and fee apply for each course for which you require a transcript.

A transcript is an account of course results, i.e. confirmation of course completed, dates in attendance at the Diploma Centre (where possible) and grade awarded (where available). The Law Society cannot release details of individual examination results or confirmation of qualifications to any person other than the applicant. It is a legal requirement (under the Data Protection Acts) that any third party obtains a letter of release, signed by the applicant, approving the issue of his/her examination results to a named third party. Results cannot be confirmed over the telephone under any circumstances.

To order a transcript of results, please email diplomaexams@lawsociety.ie and a member of the team will provide you with a form which should be returned with all relevant details. Please note the fee for a transcript is €10 per copy. 

Please return the completed form and fee to: Examinations Team, Diploma Centre, Law Society of Ireland, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7, DX 79 Dublin.

If you have any queries in relation to transcripts, please contact the Diploma team at diplomaexams@lawsociety.ie.