At Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Doha, Qatar, Juris Doctor is offered as a doctorate programme. Tuition for international students is QAR 150,000 per total (QAR 150,000 per total for local students).
HBKU's Juris Doctor, offered by the College of Law, is described as the first graduate law degree of its kind in the MENA region, built via a strategic partnership between HBKU and Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law. Taught in English, it is designed for graduates who already hold an undergraduate degree in any subject, building on that prior expertise rather than starting legal education from scratch.
The curriculum equips graduates with legal knowledge alongside research, writing and advocacy skills, opening career paths across academia, international organizations, law firms, private corporations and government. The American Bar Association has recognized the JD as equivalent to a PhD for educational-employment purposes, noting that a Doctor of Jurisprudence typically runs 84 to 90 semester hours after the bachelor's degree.
Recent graduates of the program have gone on to pursue LLM degrees at institutions including Duke University, Georgetown University, Harvard Law School, New York University and the Graduate Institute in Geneva.
Requirements
Admission Requirements: Applicants may submit up to two graduate program applications per academic year. The HBKU admissions team performs a preliminary review for completeness and eligibility before forwarding the application to the relevant college for assessment. Accepted applicants receive an official offer letter. The international application deadline is 1 February; Qatari and resident applicants who wish to apply for funding must apply by 15 March. Need-based financial aid, including tuition waivers and stipends, is available to qualifying graduate students.
