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CEBU CITY — Cebu Normal University (CNU) will offer a Juris Doctor (JD) program when classes begin in August, becoming the first state university in Central Visayas to do so.
The university aims to provide an affordable alternative for aspiring lawyers.
CNU received the Certificate of Government Permit Level 1, Number 2, Series of 2025, from Legal Education Board (LEB) Chairman Jason Barlis on March 11.
The certificate, dated March 10, allows the university to operate the first year of the JD program. CNU President Daniel Ariaso Sr. said he committed to expanding academic opportunities for Cebuanos and nearby islands when he assumed office.
He included the JD program as one of the institution's key priorities under his administration.
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The approval process started in September 2024 when CNU submitted its application to the LEB, followed by an ocular inspection in No-vember.
The LEB granted the permit under Republic Act 7662, the Legal Education Reform Act of 1993, during its 243rd meeting on Feb. 26.
CNU designed the JD program to be accessible and affordable, according to Ariaso.
He emphasized that the program offers the lowest tuition among higher education institutions in Central Visayas.
Students will pay P1,000 per unit, plus P5,000 in miscellaneous fees. A 17-unit semester will cost approximately P22,000, significantly lower than tuition at private law schools.
The JD curriculum includes 140 units, consisting of 120 units of core subjects, five units of mandated noncore courses, five units of institu-tionally required subjects and 10 units of electives or specialized tracks.
Unlike other law schools, CNU will offer three distinct tracks: Civil Registration, Government Procurement and International Law.
Ariaso noted that the university introduced these tracks to address gaps in the legal profession.
CNU allocated space for the JD program on the fourth floor of the Teaching Arts Centrum building.
The area will include four lecture rooms, four administrative offices, including a moot court and the Office of the Dean, and a dedicated law library, according to CNU Vice President for Academic Affairs Joseph Elvir Tubilan.
The university has also started recruiting faculty. The Board of Regents and the Civil Service Commission approved four associate professor V positions, along with a qualification standard for a professor V rank.
CNU seeks faculty members who are both experienced legal practitioners and seasoned educators.
CNU will accept applications from April 15 to May 31. Interested applicants may submit their documents online or in person. The university will require a P400 testing fee for the prequalifying exam.
The program will admit only the top 100 applicants if the number of enrollees exceeds expectations.
The university set eligibility requirements that include Filipino citizenship, a bachelor's degree with a general average of at least 2.0 or 85 and a transcript of records. While a pre-law degree is not necessary, applicants must have completed at least 12 English units in their undergraduate studies.
CNU College of Law officer in charge Dean Lury Yray clarified that the school structured the admission process to maintain high standards.
