FAQs
Does the Schulich School of Law offer a “discretionary” or “accessible” application category?
We do not offer a discretionary or accessible category, but you can visit the Admissions Categories & Program Options page to learn more about our other admissions categories. We also encourage applicants to use their personal statements to speak to their individual stories.
What are the average accepted GPA and LSAT scores?
Visit our How to Apply page to learn more about average scores.
What should I include in my personal statement?
Visit our How To Apply page to learn more about supporting documents like the personal statement.
How can I check the status of my application?
Visit our How to Apply page to learn more.
How will my undergraduate exchange semester/year be used in my assessment?
Visit the "Academic Transcripts" section on the How to Apply page to learn more.
Am I required to provide updated transcripts?
No. Whlie we appreciate having updated transcripts for candidates still taking university courses, it is not required. We only require one transcript from each institution that you have attended for your application to be considered complete.
Candidates who do provide updated transcripts will have their GPA recomputed, which may put their file into a stronger position going into the final assessment period.
Am I required to have academic references for my application and who may provide the reference?
How is the application process different for international applicants?
The admissions requirements for international applicants are much the same as for Canadian applicants. All applicants are required to complete the LSAT. Because the LSAT has a built-in English comprehension component, we do not require international applicants to take any other English test. Please note that the biggest difference for international applicants is that we require transcripts from degree granting institutions outside of North America to be sent via WES.org. WES.org will translate the marks into a grading system that we can use for GPA calculation, and therefore, academic assessment.
I already have a law degree from another country, do I need a Canadian law degree to practice law in Canada?
The first step is to contact the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA). The NCA will review your current legal qualifications and will determine if further legal education and/or assessment is required. In some cases, it is possible to meet the academic requirements by completing a year of law school and/or taking qualifying exams.
Once you meet the education requirements for admission to a Bar in Canada, you may need to satisfy other requirements of the law society of the province or territory where you wish to practice law. This may include doing a period of articles, writing bar examinations and/or completing a bar admissions course. Please review the relevant law societies website for information on their specific bar admission requirements.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic my school changed its grading system for at least one semester. Will this affect the assessment of my application?
The Schulich School of Law's admissions committee takes a holistic approach when assessing applications, including taking into consideration any extraordinary circumstances such as the Covid-19 pandemic. Because of this approach, it is rare that academic standing in one term alone would have a significant impact on an applicant's assessment.
When making our assessment we look at the highest of your over all GPA and the GPA for your last 2 years worth of course credits (note: not all law schools do this). When calculating your GPA we only include numerical or letter grades for courses. Because of the disruption to the 2020 winter semester we recognize that many universities have implemented a process to protect the academic records of their students by mandating, or giving them the option to record their passing grades as a “Pass” or something similar (i.e. credit, satisfactory etc). Regardless of whether the process is mandatory or optional we will not draw a negative inference if you have one or more courses with a “Pass” or something similar noted on your transcript for the Winter 2020 semester term.
How do I convert my LLB to a JD?
Visit the Alumni page of our website to learn more.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic my school has had classes online, making obtaining academic letters of reference difficult. Can I submit only one academic reference?
Two references will still be required for your application to be considered complete. However, due to many academic institutions sustaining online learning for a significant time in response to Covid-19, we are updating our requirements for academic letters of reference for the 2022-23 admission cycle.
Applicants to the Schulich School of Law are only required to submit ONE academic reference if they are currently attending or recently graduated from university. The second reference may come from a non-academic referee.
This exception is in place for the 2022-23 admission cycle only.
