Admissions Categories & Program Options
Admissions Policy
The JD degree is a professional, undergraduate program that generally requires prior university study for admission, except in cases of applicants who qualify for the Work/Life Experience category.
In assessing applications, the Admissions Committee reviews each application holistically by taking into consideration all application materials submitted, including the applicant’s academic record, LSAT score, online application (including personal statement), references and non-academic experience. Interviews of applicants with significant non-academic experience may be held at the discretion of the Committee. Interviews typically take place in May or June.
Applicant Residency Status
In order to ensure that candidates from provinces and territories without law schools have representation within the JD program and access to justice within the legal profession, the Admissions Committee will take into consideration the geographic region of our applicants in their admission decisions.
As such, applicants are asked to provide information pertaining to your province/territory of residency. This may not necessarily be the province/territory within which you currently reside. When declaring your residency, especially if you are a resident of the Atlantic provinces (Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland & Labrador, and New Brunswick), and/or the territories (Nunavut, Yukon, and the Northwest Territories), please include your reasons for consideration.
Admissions Categories
JD applicants may be considered under one or more of the following categories:
Learn more
For more details on admission requirements, policies and programs see Dal's Academic Calendar.
Program Options
The JD Program is usually a three-year professional bachelor’s program. For those interested in taking the JD Program part-time or combined with a Master’s Degree see the information below.