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Law at McGill is a limited enrollment program and thus admission is competitive. Statistics show that the number of applications is approximately nine times greater than the number of available places. Each year the Faculty admits approximately 170 new students.
The on-line application is available as of September 1st. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that the application is complete, with supporting documents, on or before their appropriate deadline listed below. Deadlines vary by category of admission. Candidates must take the time to identify the category in which they must apply.
Deadlines must be respected. Late applications are not accepted. There are no exceptions.
Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply and submit all required supporting documents as early as possible in the process and in advance of their relevant deadlines.
Note: First-year, transfer, and advanced-standing students may only enter the program in September.All supporting documents should be uploaded via Minerva (with the exception of reference letters, which must be submitted in accordance with specific instructions for referees on our website) by the deadlines listed below. Applicants who are unable to upload their documents online may send them via post or courier, in which case the documents must be postmarked or delivered on or before the deadlines listed below.
Supporting document submission deadlines indicate the date on which incomplete applications will be cancelled.
Where a deadline falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the effective deadline will be the following business day.
|
Applicants to Upper Year (January 2012 entrance) |
Application Deadline | Supporting document submission deadline |
| Visiting | May 1, 2011 | June 15, 2011 |
| Exchange | May 1, 2011 | June 15, 2011 |
| October 1, 2011 | December 1, 2011 | |
| Special students | December 1, 2011 | December 15, 2011 |
|
Applicants to First Year (September 2012 entrance) |
Application deadline | Supporting document submission deadline |
| University & Mature |
November 30, 2011
|
December 1, 2011
|
|
Cegep & Quebec French Baccalaureate (Collège Marie de France and Collège Stanislas) |
March 1, 2012 | March 7, 2012 |
|
Applicants to Upper Year (September 2012 entrance) |
Application Deadline | Supporting document submission deadline |
| Advanced-Standing |
November 30, 2011 |
January 15, 2012 |
| Visiting | May 1, 2012 | June 15, 2012 |
| Exchange | May 1, 2012 | June 15, 2012 |
| Chambres des notaires & Comité des équivalences | May 1, 2012 | August 1, 2012 |
| Transfer | May 1, 2012 | June 15, 2012 |
| Special students | August 1, 2012 | August 15, 2012 |
|
Applicants to Upper Year (January 2013 entrance) |
Application Deadline | Supporting document submission deadline |
| Visiting | May 1, 2012 | June 15, 2012 |
| Exchange | May 1, 2012 | June 15, 2012 |
| October 1, 2012 | December 1, 2012 | |
| Special students | December 1, 2012 | December 15, 2012 |
First Nations, Inuit and Metis students - Please refer to our admissions policy for native applicants.
Application to our law program requires preparation, planning and reflection. You should apply for admission only if you will be available and able to start our program on the date you are applying for. Indeed, if admitted, you will be expected to start your course on the date and term for which you applied and as indicated on your admission offer letter. Because of the small enrolment of our program and the competition of admission, the Faculty of Law does not normally accept requests for deferral entry. In particular, international candidates are responsible to ensure they will have a valid status to study in Canada (i.e. student visa, permanent residency) before registration and should plan the timing of their application to Law accordingly.
A University Applicant to McGill's Faculty of Law must have completed a minimum of two years of full-time university studies (60 credits), at the time of registration. This category includes applicants who, at time of registration, will have completed more than one year of university studies in addition to a Diploma of Collegial Studies (D.C.S.).
Please note that, while candidates who have completed 60 credits are eligible to apply to the B.C.L./LL.B. program, the strength of the university applicant pool is such that the Faculty rarely admits candidates who will not have completed an undergraduate degree at the time of registration.
Deadline for submitting application: November 30
Deadline for submitting supporting documents: December 1
A mature applicant is defined as an individual who is over 30 years of age at the time of registration and/or who has interrupted his or her formal education for a minimum of five years. Applicants who qualify as mature must apply in this category. There is no predetermined number of mature candidates admitted in a given year. A mature applicant is normally expected to have completed CEGEP or two years (60 credits) of university studies. Mature applicants who are regarded as potentially admissible following a review of their file are required to attend an interview.
Mature candidates who will have graduated with a Diploma of Collegial Studies (D.C.S.) from a CEGEP during the same calendar year as that of registration, must apply under the CEGEP category.
In addition to all official post-secondary transcripts, mature applicants are required to submit a detailed résumé of their non-academic experience along with letters of assessment from persons who are familiar with their academic potential. The candidate should seek to demonstrate his or her ability to meet the demands of law studies, to reason and analyze, and to express him or herself well both orally and in writing.
Deadline for submitting application: November 30
Deadline for submitting supporting documents: December 1
Candidates may apply on the basis of a Diploma of Collegial Studies (D.C.S.) from a CEGEP, or a Quebec French Baccalaureate (Q.F.B.). This category includes candidates who will have completed up to one year of university studies in addition to the D.C.S. or Q.F.B. at the time of registration, and mature candidates who will have graduated with a D.C.S. from a CEGEP or Q.F.B. during the same calendar year as that of registration.
Candidates who will have completed a French Baccalaureate or an International Baccalaureate Diploma outside the province of Quebec, must have completed a minimum of two years of full-time university studies (60 credits), at the time of registration, to be eligible to apply to our program.
Cegep/Q.F.B. candidates are not eligible to apply to the joint degree programs.
Cegep/Q.F.B. candidates who are regarded as potentially admissible following review of their file are required to attend an interview.
Deadline for submitting application: March 1
Deadline for submitting supporting documents: March 7
Applicants who hold a law degree from a Canadian or foreign university recognized by McGill must apply for admission to the B.C.L./LL.B. program under the Advanced Standing category, unless applying under the Comité des équivalences category (see Comité des équivalences). There are a limited number of places available for Advanced Standing applicants. Applications are evaluated using the same criteria as applications to the first year of the B.C.L./LL.B. program, with particular attention to performance in law studies.
Successful applicants must complete a minimum of 75 credits at McGill and undertake the integrated B.C.L./LL.B. program. It is not possible to obtain either the B.C.L. or the LL.B. degree on its own. The Associate Dean (Academic) determines equivalences for previous studies.
Note: Advanced-standing candidates applying from the French educational system must have obtained a license (licence en droit) in order to be eligible; candidates holding only a D.E.U.G. are not eligible.
Deadline for submitting application: November 30
Deadline for submitting supporting documents: January 15
Students who have completed two years of studies at another law faculty who wish, for academic or personal reasons, to spend a term at McGill may be admitted as a Visiting Student. The Faculty endeavours to accommodate qualified students who are in good standing in their own faculties, where student numbers at McGill permit.
Students from other law faculties who would like to attend McGill as a Visiting Student must apply through the Admissions Office. Their application must include a Letter of permission from their home university. The Assistant Dean (Student Life and Learning) makes decisions on these applications. Accepted students must arrange their academic program with the Assistant Dean (Student Life and Learning).
Deadline for submitting application: May 1
Deadline for submitting supporting documents: June 15
Students registered in degree programs in law at universities that have an official exchange agreement with McGill University or with the Faculty of Law may apply as Exchange Students. In addition, McGill participates in a number of exchange programs through CREPUQ (la Conférence des Recteurs et Principaux des Universités du Québec). McGill's exchange partners are listed on McGill University's website.
Students participating in an exchange must fill out the on-line application form. There is no application fee for these candidates.
Exchange Students are selected and officially nominated by their home universities. Please note that home university internal application deadlines may vary. McGill considers applicants on an individual basis; the minimum entrance requirement is generally a cumulative B average or its equivalent. Decisions on applications for exchange are made by the Assistant Dean (Student Life and Learning). Admission decisions on exchange applications are final; there is no reconsideration process.
The Faculty has a limited number of places for Exchange Students, and entrance into courses which have enrolment limits or require the permission of the instructor is not guaranteed.
Deadline for submitting application: May 1
Deadline for submitting supporting documents: June 15
The Faculty accepts applications from candidates who hold a law degree from a Canadian or foreign university recognized by McGill and who are seeking to fulfil the requirements of the Comité des équivalences of the Barreau du Québec or of the Chambre des notaires, in order to practice in Quebec. Successful applicants must have the final decision of the Comité des équivalences or the Chambre des notaires in hand at the time of registration.
Deadline for submitting application: May 1 (September 2011 entrance), October
1 (January 2012 entrance)
Deadline for submitting supporting documents: August 1 (September 2011
entrance), December 1 (January 2012 entrance)
Students who have successfully completed at least one year of full-time studies in an undergraduate program at another Canadian law faculty may apply for admission as a Transfer Student. There are a limited number of places available for Transfer Students. Transfer applications are evaluated according to the criteria for admission to the first year of the B.C.L./LL.B. program. Particular attention is paid to performance in law studies and reasons for requesting a transfer.
Successful Transfer applicants must complete a minimum of 75 credits at McGill. The Associate Dean (Academic) determines credit for previous studies. In most cases, Transfer Students will be required to take the transsystemic first-year courses – Contractual Obligations and Extra-Contractual Obligations/Torts – in order to meet McGill’s degree requirements. Candidates will not receive credit for courses in obligations, contract or tort taken during a first year completed at another faculty.
Deadline for submitting application: May 1
Deadline for submitting supporting documents: June 15
The Faculty will exceptionally permit a limited number of candidates not actively pursuing a law degree to apply as Special Students. Students registered in other universities, and candidates not actively pursuing a university degree, may apply to take certain courses within the Faculty.
Special Student status will be granted to applicants who provide compelling academic or professional reasons for taking law courses and who successfully demonstrate the capacity to undertake the requirements of the requested course(s). Status will be granted only where sufficient course space is available.
Special Students are limited to a maximum of 6 credits per term, and to 12 credits in total. Important information about this category:
Deadline for submitting application: August 1 (September 2011 entrance),
December 1 (January 2012 entrance)
Deadline for submitting supporting documents: August 15 (September 2011
entrance), December 15 (January 2012 entrance)
Check out the FAQ to find answers on items such as dates and deadlines, candidate categories, required documents, and some practical aspects of studying law.