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Note: This is the 2022–2023 eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or .

Admissions Policy

Admissions Policy

The Faculty's admissions policy is to select applicants who are best suited to studying law in ۲ݮƵ's uniquely comparative, trans-systemic, and bilingual environment. Diversity and excellence are essential to our Faculty. Indeed, our Faculty's excellence is based on its diversity.

Our admissions process is holistic, meaning that reviewers look at all aspects of an application to get a sense of the candidate as a whole. Committee reviewers assess the applicant's academic ability, linguistic abilities, personal motivations for studying law, extracurricular, community or professional activities, and references (see Supporting Documents) with a view to gaining an understanding of the applicant and what they might contribute to our Faculty and to the study of law generally.

The Admissions Committee is looking for applicants who have the ability to succeed academically in our rigorous academic program, as well as indicators of intellectual curiosity, community engagement, insight (cultural, economic, political, social and otherwise), leadership skills, ability to work with others, openness to diversity, maturity, ethical sense, judgement, and potential for development through opportunity or adversity, among other criteria. We do not use GPA or LSAT cut-offs and we do not have quotas for categories of applicants.

We seek to create a diverse learning community drawn from across Quebec, Canada and beyond, in which there is a wide range of career aspirations, backgrounds and life experiences. We have found year after year that this approach leads to a rich and dynamic learning environment for which ۲ݮƵ Law has become known.

The Faculty of Law is committed to equity and diversity. We welcome applications from Indigenous people, people with disabilities, racialised people, gender non-conforming and trans people, LGBTQ+ people, women, people from an economically disadvantaged background, and others who may face systemic barriers that impact their access to education.

The BCL/JD is a limited enrolment program for which admission is competitive. Each year the Faculty admits approximately 180 new students. The number of applications is approximately 8 times greater than the number of available places. Unfortunately, every year we must refuse many qualified candidates due to lack of space in the program.

Files are reviewed by the Admissions Office and the Faculty's Admissions Committee, which is composed of full-time faculty members appointed by the Dean, two senior law students selected by the Law Students' Association Executive, and the Assistant Dean, Admissions and Recruitment. Files are read by 1-4 file reviewers before a final decision is rendered.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2022-2023 (last updated Feb. 7, 2022) (disclaimer)

Educational Requirements

Educational Requirements

Candidates must have a minimum of 60 credits of university studies, or a diploma of collegial studies (DCS) from a Quebec College of General and Professional Education (CEGEP), before starting their law studies. Students with a French Baccalaureate from Quebec (Collège international Marie de France or Collège Stanislas) are also eligible to apply.

While candidates with 60 credits of university studies are eligible to apply to the Faculty of Law, admission to the program is highly competitive. Almost all students admitted in the “University” category will have completed an undergraduate degree before starting our BCL/JD program.

In our holistic file review, there are no minimum thresholds for GPA, LSAT score, nor R-score. While the numerical aspects of the applicant's file are not, in themselves, decisive, students offered admission at ۲ݮƵ Law, nonetheless, tend to have outstanding academic records, in addition to their other qualities.

Note: Candidates admitted directly from CEGEP or a Quebec French Baccalaureate who are interested in practising in the United States should be aware that bar admission requirements in a number of states include studies at the university level before studying law.
Note: Applicants are not eligible to apply directly from a French Baccalaureate program completed outside of Quebec or from high school. Applicants must meet the eligibility requirement mentioned above.
Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2022-2023 (last updated Feb. 7, 2022) (disclaimer)

Language Requirements

Language Requirements

۲ݮƵ's integrated program is offered in a bilingual environment. Candidates must demonstrate that they are at least passively bilingual, which means that they have at a minimum an advanced intermediate level of reading and aural comprehension of both English and French. Passive bilingualism is a minimum requirement, not a competitive admissions asset.

The Faculty's policy of passive bilingualism permits students to submit written work, write exams, and ask questions in class in either English or French, regardless of the language of instruction. Students may fulfil their Moot Court requirements in English or French. First-year courses are offered in English and French, and a number of upper-year courses are offered in one language only. While examination questions are set in the language in which a course is given, any examination may contain extensive passages in either French or English. Due to space limitations, it is not always possible for students to be registered in courses given in their preferred language. Almost all first-year students will be registered in at least one class in a French section.

If no evidence of passive bilingualism in French or English appears in the application, the candidate will be refused admission.

To demonstrate that they meet bilingualism requirements, candidates must indicate in their application how they acquired both English and French. They must also submit transcripts from any post-secondary English and French language courses they have taken. The Admissions Committee reviews each candidate’s CV and references to take into account work or volunteering experiences in each language.

In order to get a sense of the level of reading comprehension that is expected of ۲ݮƵ Law students, candidates are encouraged to visit the website of the and to read judgments in English and in French.

Candidates intending to proceed to the Bar of Quebec or the Board of Notaries of Quebec should carefully review University Regulations and Resources > Undergraduate > Admission to Professional and Graduate Studies > Language Requirements for Professions. The Charter of the French Language imposes certain mandatory language requirements on attorneys and notaries who practise in Quebec.

Please visit the Faculty of Law Eligibility page for more information.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2022-2023 (last updated Feb. 7, 2022) (disclaimer)

Indigenous Applicants

Indigenous Applicants to the BCL/JD Program

۲ݮƵ Law is committed to recruiting and supporting Indigenous students and we welcome dialogue with prospective BCL/JD applicants. First Nations, Inuit and Métis persons are strongly encouraged to apply to the Faculty of Law, and are invited to self-identify on their application form.

We do not have a separate applicant category for Indigenous students or applicants from other under-represented groups in view of our overall holistic process. However, self-identification allows ۲ݮƵ to inform Indigenous students of specific services and funding opportunities and to assess our progress in the recruitment and retention of Indigenous students. Self-identification includes 'Status,' 'Treaty,' 'Registered', 'Non-Status,' and 'Non-Registered' Indigenous persons.

Linguistic Support

We acknowledge that our bilingualism admission requirement may represent an added challenge for some Indigenous applicants for whom English or French may be their third language, and potentially perceived as a colonizing influence. Applicants are encouraged not to exclude themselves from applying on linguistic grounds, and are encouraged to speak with us regarding any concerns on this point. Financial support is available to admitted Indigenous candidates who wish to improve their abilities in English or French before starting the program and to continue to address a relative weakness in English or French during legal studies here. This program is generously supported by the McCarthy Tétrault Fund for Language Training. Please contact us to find out more!

Indigenous Student Financial Assistance

۲ݮƵ has established a funding program for Indigenous students, made possible in part by Indspire, an Indigenous-led registered charity that invests in the education of Indigenous peoples of Canada.

Additional Documentation for Indigenous Applicants

We recognize that Indigenous peoples are distinct from other equity-seeking groups in light of the historical and structural effects of colonialism, and we are sensitive to the varied ways in which Indigenous peoples are affected. For this reason, we are interested in understanding Indigenous applicants' connection to community, or if this connection does not yet exist, the kind of connections the Indigenous applicant would like to build with Indigenous communities in relation to their law school experience.

Indigenous applicants who have self-identified on the application form are required to upload additional documentation to support their connection to an Indigenous community. This documentation should include a statement, separate rom the Personal Statement, where you can elaborate on your current connection to the Indigenous community and how this may have affected your educational path and goals. If a connection to the Indigenous community does not exist, we invite you to describe your aspirations for legal education as it relates to the Indigenous community. You may support your statement with documentation indicating your connection to an Indigenous community.

This additional documentation will allow the Admissions Committee to incorporate relevant context in the holistic admission evaluation process and to take into consideration the experiences unique to Indigenous applicants.

Indigenous Research Opportunities

۲ݮƵ offers Indigenous students the opportunity to study and complete research with a wide range of legal scholars in English and French. The Faculty is host to a vibrant Indigenous Law Association and the Aboriginal Human Rights Initiatives. ۲ݮƵ also gives Indigenous students the possibility to acquire practical experience working at the Legal Clinic at Kahnawà:ke, to participate in the Faculty's L.E.X. (Law-Éducation-Connexion) program with the Kahnawà:ke Survival School, as well as the chance to participate in the national Kawaskimhon Moot or to complete a Minor at ۲ݮƵ in Indigenous Studies. Students can apply to partake in a term away at the , and the .

Indigenous students may be eligible for numerous sources of financial support.

First Peoples' House

۲ݮƵ's First Peoples' House provides a sense of community and a voice for Indigenous students who have left their communities to study at ۲ݮƵ. A “home away from home”, First Peoples’ House offers a mentorship program, computer facilities, guest lectures, elder visits, academic counselling, an ever expanding resource centre, as well as student housing.

Indigenous Law Centre Programming

The at the University of Saskatchewan offers a curriculum and programming that aims to facilitate access to legal education for Indigenous peoples, to promote the development of te law and the legal system in Canada in ways which better accommodate the advancement of Indigenous peoples and communities, and to disseminate information concerning Indigenous peoples and the law. We encourage all incoming Indigenous students to explore the opportunities available at the Indigenous Law Centre before beginning their legal studies.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2022-2023 (last updated Feb. 7, 2022) (disclaimer)

Honesty and Integrity of Applicants

Honesty and Integrity of Applicants

۲ݮƵ University and the Faculty of Law value honesty and integrity. Applicants to the Faculty of Law are expected to conduct themselves accordingly. The submission of false, incomplete, inconsistent, or misleading information, or any omission that may result in a false or misleading conclusion, constitutes misconduct in the admission process. Instances of such misconduct include, as examples: the submission of a personal statement that was not written by the applicant, and failure to disclose an LSAT score.

A finding of misconduct in the application process may lead to a refusal or, if an offer of admission has already been extended, a withdrawal of the offer at the sole discretion of the University. Intent is not an element of a finding of misconduct.

As a member school of the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC), ۲ݮƵ’s Faculty of Law reserves the right to report any misconduct to the LSAC’s for its investigation.

Programs, Courses and University Regulations—2022-2023 (last updated Feb. 7, 2022) (disclaimer)
Faculty of Law—2022-2023 (last updated Feb. 7, 2022) (disclaimer)
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