Academic Programmes and Scholarships

Why Study at the IASL? | Funding | Frequently Asked Questions


The Institute of Air and Space Law at McGill University offers three advanced academic programmes:

Those interested in postdoctoral research should visit the Faculty of Law's Postdocs, research fellows & visiting scholars page instead.


 

IASL students celebrating their graduation at the Spring Convocation 2022

 

Why study at the IASL?

  • The McGill Institute of Air and Space Law (IASL) is the most prestigious educational institution in the world in the field of air and space law;
  • The IASL offers the most advanced and extensive graduate program in air and space law in the world;
  • The IASL air and space law courses are taught by the world’s most accomplished scholars in the field, mostly with doctoral degrees in law and extensive practical experience;
  • The IASL faculty members teaching air and space law have been consulted by the United Nations, Permanent Court of Arbitration, World Economic Forum, International Telecommunication Union, numerous governmental ministries, universities, airlines and space agencies, as well as private companies;
  • The IASL has the most extensive program in the field of air and space law available at the master, doctoral and post-doctoral levels;
  • IASL students have the opportunity to participate in our extensive research and outreach activities, and are encouraged, guided and often financially supported, for the presentation of their research papers at various conferences around the world;  
  • The degrees granted by McGill carry the highest academic credibility and are duly recognized anywhere in the world since McGill University and its Faculty of Law are among the top 20 highly ranked educational institutions in the world;
  • IASL graduates hold high positions in various institutions, like the United Nations, the US White House, ICAO, IATA, INTELSAT, NOAA, CSA, ESA, JAXA, European Commission, Armed Forces of various nations, world’s leading law firms, private commercial enterprises, etc.      
  • With over 1,000 graduates from over 120 countries and closely-knit alumni associations, our students have real-time access to an extensive global network of air and space law professionals. This in turn creates vast opportunities for job placements all over the world.

Download this text with a Chinese translation too: Why_Study_at_the_IASL_with_Chinese_translation


Funding

In addition, there are various sources of funding available to support motivated and academically-gifted students to pursue their ambition of studying air and space law.


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the career paths taken by graduates of the Institute of Air & Space Law?

A: Our Institute has some 1200 graduates from 120 countries around the world. They work in a variety of professions, many in very senior positions in international organisations, law firms, airlines, manufacturers, insurers, governments, and in academia.


Q: Does one need to hold a law degree to enroll in the Institute of Air & Space Law?

A: Yes. A law degree is necessary to enroll in the Master of Laws or Doctor of Civil Laws programme. However, a law degree is not a prerequisite to enter the Graduate Certificate programme. See the Graduate Law Admissions site.


Q: Are scholarships available?

A: There are some scholarship opportunities available, and you can find them on the Financial Support for Graduate Programs in Law site section, where you can also find sources of external funding. Students at the Institute are also eligible for the Bala and Ram Jakhu Grant. The tuition fees are quite reasonable, and significantly lower than at most universities in the United States or Europe.


Q: Are most of your students Canadian?

A: No, in fact, North American students constitute less than a quarter of our student body. Most of our students come from Asia and Europe, and increasingly Latin America and Africa.


Q: Does the Institute of Air & Space Law hold workshops, seminars and conferences outside of Montreal?

A: Yes. We hold a number of events in Montreal, and in recent years we have co-sponsored educational activities overseas at venues such as Dubai and Brussels, New Delhi and Macau.

Our faculty has taught courses or made presentations in Singapore, Santiago de Chile, Prague, Cologne, Guadalajara, Cambridge, Johannesburg and Seoul, for example. Ours is a highly international programme.

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