General eligibility requirements

Here we present the education and language proficiency requirements for the BCL/JD program.

Education requirements

All applicants 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). Students with a French Baccalaureate from Quebec (Collège international Marie de France, or Collège Stanislas) are also eligible to apply.

Candidates from a French Baccalaureate program completed outside of Quebec, International Baccalaureate programs or who are finishing high school are not eligible to apply.

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. While University applicants with 60 credits of university studies are eligible to apply to the Faculty of Law, these candidates are very rarely admitted.

In our holistic review process, we consider the academic performance of applicants in addition to their other qualities. Students admitted to McGill Law tend to have outstanding academic records. There are no minimum thresholds for CGPA, LSAT score and R-score, however applicants should review the data below for a better sense of how academic indicators may impact the likelihood of admission.

We provide the following statistics on our incoming class for information purposes only. The tables below do not indicate eligibility requirements.

University and Mature, 2022 incoming class

Overall average (CGPA)*

85%; 3.8 on 4.0 scale

-
CGPA Ranges (Percent Scale) Proportion of class
90% and above 13%
85%-89% 47%
80%-84% 29%
75%-79% 6%
70%-75% 5%
Below 70% 1%

*Note: CGPA ranges indicated here do not reflect any adjustments made for extenuating circumstances 

LSAT, 2022 Incoming Class

Overall average LSAT 

165, 88.2 percentile  

-
LSAT Score Ranges  Proportion of class
175 and above  3%
170-174 15%
165-169  29%
160-164  41%
155-159  10%
154 and below  2%

CEGEP, 2022 Incoming Class

Overall Average R-Score 

34.68

-
R score  Proportion of class
37.00 and above  11%
36.00-36.99  7%
35.00-35.99  15%
34.00-34.99  30%
33.00-33.99  15%
32.99 and below  22%

Language proficiency requirements

McGill's BCL/JD program is offered in a bilingual (French and English) environment. To be eligible, applicants to the BCL/JD program must possess advanced proficiency in at least one language (English or French) and be passively bilingual in the second language (English or French), meaning they have, at a minimum, advanced intermediate abilities in written and spoken comprehension. Using the language proficiency standards set in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages, we expect applicants to meet one of following sets of minimal standards: 

  • C1 proficiency in English and a B2 level of written and spoken comprehension in French; or 

  • C1 proficiency in French and a B2 level of written and spoken comprehension in English. 

Passive bilingualism is a minimum requirement, not a competitive admissions asset. A lack of requisite language skills is a basis for refusal, regardless of academic or other strengths. Applicants should either have the requisite proficiency in both languages when applying or be in the process of obtaining it. An undertaking to complete additional language courses if admitted is not sufficient to meet the eligibility requirement. 

Support for Indigenous applicants 

We offer support to Indigenous candidates to help them meet language proficiency requirements. Please consult the Indigenous Applicants page for more information. We sincerely encourage candidates to speak with us if they have concerns on this point to discuss the support we offer to prospective Indigenous students. 

Bilingualism in the classroom  

Complex substantive texts in both languages are assigned as readings in all first-year courses and in many upper-year courses. While examination questions are set in the language in which the course is given, any examination may also 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 which the language of instruction is French.  

Under the Faculty’s passive bilingualism policy, students can participate in classroom discussions, submit written work, write exams, and fulfill any oral advocacy requirements in either French or English, regardless of the language of instruction of the course.

Demonstrating bilingualism 

Demonstrating Passive Bilingualism in French 

Applicants that meet any of the following conditions will not be required to submit proof of passive bilingualism in French. However, applicants are still required to upload one of the following items to their Checklist in the applicant portal to show that they fulfill one of these conditions:  

  1. Have obtained a secondary school diploma (DES) and have obtained or will obtain a CEGEP diploma (DEC) (in English or French) in Québec;  

  1. Have obtained or will obtain a French Baccalaureate or International Baccalaureate in Québec; 

  1. Have completed or will complete at least three years of full-time post-secondary education where French was the primary language of instruction. 

Applicants that do not fall within one of the exemptions above must meet one of the following conditions to establish that they possess a B2 level of written and spoken comprehension in French: 

Criteria Required documentation
Option 1: The applicant has completed their secondary education in a program outside of Québec where French was the primary language of instruction. French Immersion secondary education programs administered by English institutions are not covered by this option. Copy of the high school transcript
Option 2: The applicant has or will complete 6 credits or more of a university or college program or certificate taught in French at an intermediate level or higher in the past two years. This can include courses taken through the Explore French immersion program Copy of the transcript for the relevant program or certificate
Option 3: During the past two years, the applicant has held, for more than six consecutive months, a voluntary or paid position where they worked in French. A reference from an employer that certifies their ability to understand written and spoken French at an advanced intermediate level.
Option 4: The applicant has achieved B2 level of written and spoken comprehension in an accredited French language test or learning program completed in the last two years. Copy of the language tests results or certificate

Applicants who do not meet any of the exemptions or criteria outlined above or are uncertain about the adequacy of their proof of passive bilingualism, are encouraged to upload all relevant documents demonstrating their language proficiency in a single PDF document in their Applicant Portal. In cases where it is uncertain whether an applicant fulfills our passive bilingualism requirement, a language test may be administered at the discretion of the Admissions Office.

Demonstrating Passive Bilingualism in English 

Applicants that meet any of the following conditions are not required to submit additional proof of passive bilingualism in English. However, applicants are still required to upload one of the following items to their Checklist in the applicant portal to show that they fulfill one of these conditions:  

  1. Have obtained a secondary school diploma (DES) and have obtained or will obtain a CEGEP diploma (DEC) (in English or French) in Québec; 

  1. Have completed or will complete at least three years of full-time post-secondary education where English was the primary language of instruction; 

  1. Have obtained or will obtain a French Baccalaureate or International Baccalaureate in Québec; 

  1. Have obtained or will obtain a French Baccalaureate – ‘Option Internationale’ (British or American section). 

Applicants that do not fall within one of the exemptions above must meet one of the following conditions to establish that they possess a B2 level of written and spoken comprehension in English: 

Criteria Required documentation
Option 1: The applicant has completed the final two years of a high school or secondary programme with bilingual or French immersion instruction, in which they completed a minimum of three academic courses in English.  Copy of high school or secondary school transcripts 
Option 2: The applicant has completed an International Baccalaureate (IB) Group 1 English (Language A: Literature, Language A: Language and Literature, or Literature and Performance) with a ‘5’ or better.  Copy of IB transcript 
Option 3: The applicant has completed 6 credits or more of a university or college program or certificate taught in English. Copy of the transcript for the relevant program or certificate. 
Option 4: The applicant has completed English as Language 1 or Language 2 in the European Baccalaureate curriculum (in the Schola Europaea system). The applicant must upload a copy of their baccalaureate transcript. 
Option 5: The applicant has completed the British Curriculum GCSE / IGCSE / GCE O-Level English, English Language, English First Language, or English as a Second Language with a final grade of B (or 5) or better.  The applicant must upload a copy of their British curriculum transcript. 
Option 6: During the past 2 years, the applicant has held, for more than six consecutive months, a voluntary or paid position where they worked in English.  A reference from an employer that certifies their ability to read and understand written and spoken English at an advanced intermediate level. 
Option 7: The applicant has achieved B2 level of written and spoken comprehension in an accredited English language test or learning programme completed in the last two years.  Language tests results or certificate  

Applicants who do not meet any of the exemptions or criteria outlined above or are uncertain about the adequacy of their proof of passive bilingualism, are encouraged to upload all relevant documents demonstrating their language proficiency in a single PDF document in their Applicant Portal. In cases where it is uncertain whether an applicant fulfills our passive bilingualism requirement, a language test may be administered at the discretion of the Admissions Office.

Language testing 

If none of the exemptions above apply to an applicant and they are unable to complete one of the options above, the Admissions Committee may request that a candidate undergo a language test if it is unclear that this person has the required proficiency. Language testing is NOT an admissions interview. It does not indicate a positive or negative assessment of an application. https://www.mcgill.ca/law/bcl-jd/admissions-guide/admissions-policy 

Conditional admissions 

If a candidate demonstrates strong bilingual proficiency but falls slightly short of the Faculty’s requirements following a language test, the Admissions Committee may extend an admissions offer on the condition that the candidate completing a language course prior to the start of the program. The language course must be approved by the Admissions Office. 

Self-evaluation 

To gain a sense of the level of reading comprehension that is expected of McGill Law students, candidates are encouraged to visit the Supreme Court of Canada's website and to read judgments in English and in French. A French language self-assessment is also available for candidates. 

French language self-assessment questionnaire 

Egan vs Canada excerpts 

Professional language requirements in Quebec 

Candidates intending to join the Quebec Bar or the Board of Notaries of Quebec should carefully review the Language Requirements for Professions explained in the McGill eCalendar. The Charter of the French Language imposes mandatory French requirements on attorneys and notaries who practice in Quebec. 

Applicants in the Indigenous Category

To be eligible to apply to the Optional Indigenous Category, an applicant must self-identify as First Nations (status or non-status), Inuit, Métis, or as an Indigenous person with ties to Turtle Island. Please see the Indigenous Applicants page for more information. 

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