The minimum requirements for eligibility to our graduate programs are provided below.
A candidate is not admitted because he or she meets these requirements, but a candidate who does not meet them will not be considered.
Education
Candidates for admission to our graduate law programs must possess a Bachelor of Laws degree or an equivalent law degree from an accredited university with a cumulative grade point average of 3.0/4.0, or its equivalent (upper second class).
Exceptions: Applicants for the Air and Space Law Graduate Certificate who do not hold a law degree must fulfill the following two requirements:
- have an undergraduate university degree in another discipline, and
- possess sufficient professional experience in the fields of Air and/or Space Law to compensate for the lack of a law degree (as determined by the Graduate Admissions Committee). Please attach a curriculum vitae.
For additional information, email the gradadmissions.law [at] mcgill.ca (Graduate Law Admissions Office) .
Language
Graduate level courses in Law are offered in English, and English-language abilities must be demonstrated for admission. In order to communicate with all law students at McGill, and understand all course materials, the ability to speak and read French is an asset. At McGill’s Faculty of Law, all students may choose to write essays, examinations, and thesis in English or French. In areas such as the study of private law in the civilian tradition or comparative private law, a reading knowledge of French is essential.
English
Proficiency in English is required for candidates to be considered for admission to graduate study at the Faculty of Law.
Normally, applicants meeting any one of the following conditions are NOT required to submit proof of proficiency in English:
- Mother tongue (language first learned and still used on a daily basis) is English
- Has obtained (or is about to obtain) an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized foreign institution where English is the language of instruction
- Has obtained (or is about to obtain) an undergraduate or graduate degree from a recognized institution in Canada or the United States of America (anglophone or francophone)
- Has lived and attended university, or been employed, for at least four consecutive years, in a country where English is the acknowledged primary language.
Applicants who do not meet any of these conditions must demonstrate proficiency in English using one of the following options (the score indicated below are the minimums required for eligibility to be considered):
1) TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language):
| iBT (internet based test) | PBT (paper based test) | |
|---|---|---|
| 100 overall (no less than 23 in each component score, with no less than 25 in writing) | 600 | |
| *The CBT is no longer being offered. CBT results will no longer be accepted as ETS no longer reports this results. | ||
| Please note that an institutional version of the TOEFL and the TOEFL Home Edition are not acceptable. | ||
2) IELTS (International English Language Testing System): a band score of 7.0 or greater (no less than 6.5 in each component score, with no less than 7.0 in writing); please note that the IELTS Indicator is not acceptable.
3) McGill Certificate of Proficiency in English or McGill Certificate of Proficiency – English for Professional Communication: Certificate of Proficiency awarded. Please note that applicants must complete the entire Certificate during the fall term at the latest (i.e.: complete the entire Certificate by Fall 2022 for the Fall 2023 admissions cycle).
There may be a lengthy delay for registration, and the communication of results takes approximately 40 days. For all tests, the official results should be sent directly from the testing institution to McGill University. Application cannot be considered if test results are not available.
For the TOEFL, our institutional code is 0935. You must provide this code when requesting a test report form for McGill University. Test scores are valid for two (2) years.
For the IELTS, McGill accepts only scores submitted electronically by an IELTS test center, and no longer accepts paper TRFs (Test Report Forms) directly from test centres and candidates. Please contact the test center where you took the IELTS test and request that your test scores be sent electronically to McGill. You can verify receipt of your results directly in uApply; please allow an appropriate delay as McGill receives IELTS results on an ongoing basis. Test scores are valid for two (2) years.
For all other tests, you must ask for an official report to be sent to:
Enrolment Services
Management of Academic Records Unit
McGill University
3415 McTavish Street
Room MS 13
Montreal (Quebec)
H3A 0C8 Canada
In person:
Service Point (map
McGill University
McLennan Library Building
3415 McTavish Street
(corner Sherbrooke Street West)
Tests must be taken by December 1. Tests taken beyond this date will not be accepted and your application will not be considered.
Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
The GRE is not required.
LLM program requirements
Candidates for admission to the LLM program must hold the degree of Bachelor of Laws, or its equivalent (e.g. a JD), from an accredited university (as determined by the Quebec government). The candidate must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0/4.0, or its equivalent (upper second class). This standing does not guarantee admission, however, as our programs are competitive. In addition, the Graduate Admissions Committee will examine leadership, community and experience in making its decision.
Candidates must also indicate whether they wish to apply to the Thesis option or the Non-Thesis option. As there are limited places in the Thesis program, candidates who apply to the thesis option may be offered a place in the non-thesis option instead.
DCL program requirements
Only applicants demonstrating excellent academic ability will be considered for admission to the doctor of civil law (DCL) program. Candidates must hold both a Bachelor of Laws degree and a Master of Laws degree.
Admission decisions to the doctoral programs are always dependent on the availability of a suitable supervisor.
Candidates enrolled in the McGill's Master of Laws program may apply to the DCL program before completing their Master's degree.
Graduate certificate program requirements
Graduate Certificate in Comparative Law
The requirements for admission to the Graduate Certificate programs in Comparative Law are essentially the same as for the Master's programs, except that greater weight is placed on professional experience.
Graduate Certificate in Air and Space Law
Candidates for admission to the Graduate Certificate programs in Air and Space Law who do not hold a law degree may be admitted if they have earned an undergraduate university degree in another discipline [with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0/4.0, or its equivalent (upper second class)]. They must also possess sufficient professional experience in the fields of Air and/or Space law to compensate for the lack of a law degree (as determined by the Graduate Admissions Committee).
