Information for 2026 applicants

Eligibility

Undergraduate or postgraduate law students at any Australian university are eligible to apply, although selection generally favours mid/late-program LLB/JD students or LLM students. Prior negotiation and/or mooting competition experience is very desirable but not essential. Previous members of Team Australia (and previously unsuccessful applicants) are eligible to reapply but should note that institutions will not award course credit for repeat participation.

Application process

  1. Applications should be submitted by email to the co-ordinating lead coach, Dr James Fisher (Melbourne Law School): james.fisher@unimelb.edu.au

  2. Applications must be received by 17 July 2026. The coaching team may solicit additional applications after the closing date if necessary (e.g. to find candidates with the language skills necessary to enter the Japanese language division).

  3. Your written application must include: (a) a one-page cover letter detailing your motivation to participate in the competition, prior mooting and/or negotiation competition experience, and your Japanese language proficiency (if applying for the Japanese-language division, or to both language divisions); (b) a CV; (c ) a copy of your university academic transcript (this need not be an official copy; an auto-generated PDF or equivalent is sufficient).

Selection

All short-listed applicants will be interviewed by Zoom. Note: shortlisting and interviews are conducted on a rolling basis as suitable applications are received. The interview assesses:

  1. Personal qualities;

  2. Mooting and/or negotiation competition experience;

  3. Evidence of proven teamwork and/or leadership skills; and

  4. Demonstrated language proficiency in Japanese (for the Japanese language sub-team)


FAQ:
(a) How many students are selected?

The size of the team varies each year depending on the number and quality of applications and the available funding. Each participating team is permitted up to 3 sub-teams, each of which may have 3-5 members. Note: regardless of the number of sub-teams formed, each comprises members from multiple Australian universities and the teams collaborate and support each other as part of a single, inter-varsity Team Australia.

(b) Do I need Japanese?

No Japanese proficiency is required for applications to the English language division. However, a high degree of proficiency in spoken and written Japanese is required for the Japanese language division. Students with intermediate or developing levels of Japanese are encouraged to get in touch in advance of application to discuss application options.

(c) Will I travel to Tokyo if selected?

It is expected that all members of Team Australia will travel together to Tokyo to participate in the competition. The next competition is scheduled for 14-15 November 2026. Participating students will be required to be in Tokyo not later than 8 November for a week of extensive on-site preparation and educational/professional enrichment activities.

(d) When will I be notified of application results?

Successful applicants will be contacted by email by the end of July 2026.

(e) Can I get course credit for participating?

LLB and JD students at the Australian National University and the University of Sydney routinely receive course credit for membership of Team Australia (as LAWS4266 and LAWS3489/5360 respectively). Other institutions may award credit in similar or other ways: it is the responsibility of individual applicants to investigate this if they wish to receive institutional credit for their participation in Team Australia. If you are successful in your application, we can liaise with academic and professional staff at your university to help you make the necessary arrangements. Please note in the body of your application your proposed basis for receiving course credit at your institution.

(f) Is there financial support available?
Students are responsible for meeting the costs of participation (return airfare and accommodation, food, city travel and incidentals on the ground in Japan, and occasional domestic travel within Australia as necessary for team preparation). Many academic institutions offer internal financial support for participating students and we routinely liaise with universities in support of such applications.

Time commitment: planning your study in Semester 2

Participation in Team Australia is intensive and demanding: far more so than participation in most other competitions you are likely to have experienced. It is not readily compatible with a demanding part-time job: we estimate it to represent approximately 150% of a regular elective’s workload.

Accepting an offer to join Team Australia means promising to prioritise preparation over other engagements such as internships and summer jobs. You will need to make time for:

  • At least weekly team meetings between August-November;

  • Intensive personal time commitment during drafting periods;

  • At least weekly or bi-weekly oral practice sessions through August-November before the competition (with adjustments for assessment requirements at team members’ home universities); and

  • Regular coordination via platforms such as Slack and Zoom.

  • Note: Much work for the competition takes place during most Australian universities’ exam period. If competition preparation clashes with an exam, we will support your request to your institution for accommodation, but cannot guarantee the result.

Contact for applications and other questions:

james.fisher@unimelb.edu.au