JSW Law Test

Overview

The Jigme Singye Wangchuck School of Law (JSW Law), at Pangbisa in Paro, is Bhutan's first and only law school. It was established by Royal Charter in 2015 and took in its first batch of students in 2017. JSW Law runs a five-year LLB/PGDNL programme, and admission to it is decided through a combined entrance process rather than a single written paper: Class XII results, a written entrance test, and an interview are all weighted together into one admission score.

Who can apply

• Must have passed the Class XII BHSEC examination (Bhutan Council for School Examinations and Assessment) and scored at least 60% in both Dzongkha and English.

• Must not have applied for admission to the LLB/PGDNL programme more than once before.

• Must not have previously received an RGoB (Royal Government of Bhutan) scholarship for a post-higher-secondary qualification.

• For scholarship applicants specifically, must not have turned 24 by the closing date of applications.

Exam pattern

JSW Law's admission score for the LLB/PGDNL programme is built from four weighted components:

The Bhutan-LSAT is administered by the US-based Law School Admission Council and tests reading comprehension, logical reasoning and analytical reasoning, all in English. Within its 40% weight, the sections are reported as:

The Dzongkha Test is set and administered separately by JSW Law, in Dzongkha, and is scored independently of the Bhutan-LSAT.

Marking and results

Candidates who do not clear the Bhutan-LSAT and Dzongkha Test are not invited to the interview stage, and their application is not considered further. Candidates who clear the written tests go on to a face-to-face interview conducted in both English and Dzongkha at the JSW Law campus. Final admission offers are based on the combined weighted score across Class XII results, the written tests and the interview.

Important dates

Dates shift from year to year; the pattern below is from the 2026 intake and should be confirmed on jswlaw.bt for the year being applied to.

Fees

For the 2026 intake, the total application fee was Nu. 1,500, made up of a Nu. 1,000 Bhutan-LSAT fee and a Nu. 500 application processing fee. The fee is paid online during the application and is non-refundable; an application is not reviewed until it is paid.

How to apply

Applicants apply online through JSW Law's admission portal during the window the school opens each year, using a valid email address. The portal routes applicants to an online payment page to pay the application fee before the application is reviewed.

After the exam

JSW Law admits no more than 25 students a year into the LLB/PGDNL programme. Shortlisted candidates who clear the written tests attend an in-person interview at the Paro campus; candidates who do not clear the written tests are not shortlisted and the admission process ends there for them.

Preparation tips

• The Bhutan-LSAT follows the same reasoning skills as the standard LSAT (logical reasoning, analytical reasoning, reading comprehension), so official LSAT-style practice material is a reasonable way to prepare for it.

• Keep both English and Dzongkha reading and speaking skills current, since the Dzongkha Test and part of the interview are conducted in Dzongkha.

• Review Class XII Dzongkha and English results early, since the 60% threshold in both subjects is a baseline eligibility requirement, not just a scoring input.