![](/study/2016-2017/files/study.2016-2017/exclamation-point-small.png)
Note: This is the 2011–2012 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.
Note: This is the 2011–2012 edition of the eCalendar. Update the year in your browser's URL bar for the most recent version of this page, or click here to jump to the newest eCalendar.
Law at Æ»¹ûÒùÔº is a limited enrolment program. Apply as early as possible and ensure that we have received all required supporting documents on or before the appropriate deadline. Files are reviewed only once complete.
Candidates must apply to the B.C.L./LL.B. program online, unless they are unable to pay the application fee by credit card. The is available as of September 1. In order to avoid unnecessary processing delays, please read the application instructions carefully. Please undergradadmissions.law [at] mcgill.ca (email) the Undergraduate Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office at the Faculty of Law if you are unable to apply online.
Once you have applied, an acknowledgment notice will be sent to the email address indicated on your application the day following the completion of your application form. If you have not received your acknowledgment notice the day following the completion of your application, you should contact the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office at the Faculty of Law (514-398-6602 or undergradadmissions.law [at] mcgill.ca (email)).
Your acknowledgment notice will provide you with your Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Identification (ID), and a password that you will need to log in to the website.
You are responsible for monitoring the status of your application on Minerva. When verifying the status of your application, an indication of "Items outstanding" means that your application is incomplete. If your application remains incomplete after the deadline for submission of supporting documents, your application will be cancelled. An indication of "Ready for review" means that your file is complete and/or under review by the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee. Your file will show as "Ready for review" until a final decision is rendered.
During peak periods (i.e., close to deadlines), the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office receives a high volume of documents and there may be a delay of up to 48 hours between the receipt of a document and the date on which it is recorded in our information system and verifiable by you on Minerva. Taking this delay into consideration, please contact the Undergraduate Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office only if your file remains incomplete 72 hours past the deadline.
Once an application is complete, it is reviewed by the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee. Without exception, every application to the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº program is reviewed by at least one member of the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee; the majority of applications are reviewed by two or three members. Committee members carefully review all documents submitted and evaluate the candidacy according to the Faculty's Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Policy, and in comparison to all other candidates in the applicant pool.
The official decision of the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee of the Faculty of Law is contained in a letter from the Assistant Dean, Æ»¹ûÒùÔº and Recruitment, that is emailed to the candidate. Admission letters will be sent by email and also by mail. Decisions of the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee are also available to candidates on Minerva. Decisions on individual applications cannot and will not be disclosed over the phone.
A non-refundable application fee of $100 is required to apply to the B.C.L./LL.B. program. A credit card (Visa, MasterCard, or American Express only) is required to complete the online application form. Æ»¹ûÒùÔº's highly secured e-payment service minimizes cardholder risk. Your credit card information is passed instantly to the Moneris payment gateway and is not stored at Æ»¹ûÒùÔº. Moneris handles 80% of all credit card transactions processed in Canada. If you cannot pay by credit card, please contact the undergradadmissions.law [at] mcgill.ca (Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office at the Faculty of Law). The Faculty may issue a fee waiver to a candidate demonstrating significant financial need.
Applicants to First Year (September entrance only)
Applicants to Upper Year (September entrance only)
Applicants to Upper Year (September or January entrance)
A University Applicant to Æ»¹ûÒùÔº'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 the time of registration, will have completed more than one year of university studies in addition to a Diploma of Collegial Studies (DCS).
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.
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 (DCS) 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.
Candidates may apply on the basis of a Diploma of Collegial Studies (DCS) from a CEGEP, or a Quebec French Baccalaureate (QFB). This category includes candidates who will have completed up to one year of university studies in addition to the DCS or QFB at the time of registration, and mature candidates who will have graduated with a DCS from a CEGEP or QFB 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.
Applicants who hold a law degree from a Canadian or foreign university recognized by Æ»¹ûÒùÔº 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 Æ»¹ûÒùÔº 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.
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 Æ»¹ûÒùÔº. 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 Æ»¹ûÒùԺ’s degree requirements. Candidates will not receive credit for courses in obligations, contract, or tort taken during a first year completed at another faculty.
The Faculty accepts applications from candidates who hold a law degree from a Canadian or foreign university recognized by Æ»¹ûÒùÔº 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.
Students who have completed two years of studies at another law faculty who wish, for academic or personal reasons, to spend a term at Æ»¹ûÒùÔº 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 Æ»¹ûÒùÔº permit.
Students from other law faculties who would like to attend Æ»¹ûÒùÔº as a Visiting Student must apply through the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº 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).
Students registered in degree programs in law at universities that have an official exchange agreement with Æ»¹ûÒùÔº or with the Faculty of Law may apply as Exchange Students. In addition, Æ»¹ûÒùÔº participates in a number of exchange programs through CREPUQ (la Conférence des Recteurs et Principaux des Universités du Québec). Æ»¹ûÒùÔº's exchange partners are listed on Æ»¹ûÒùÔº's website.
Students participating in an exchange must fill out the online 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. Æ»¹ûÒùÔº 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.
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:
The online application is available at the beginning of September. The applicant is responsible for ensuring that all supporting documents are postmarked or delivered on or before their appropriate deadlines listed below.
Incomplete applications will not be circulated to the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee.
Please refer to Categories of Applicants in order to determine which deadline applies to you.
Applicants to First Year (Fall 2012) | Application Deadlines | Supporting Document Deadlines |
---|---|---|
University | November 30, 2011 | November 30, 2011 |
Mature | November 30, 2011 | November 30, 2011 |
CEGEP/Baccalaureate (Collège international Marie de France and Collège Stanislas) | March 1, 2012 | March 7, 2012 |
Applicants to Upper Years | Application Deadlines | Supporting Document Deadlines |
---|---|---|
Advanced Standing (Fall 2012) | November 30, 2011 | January 15, 2012 |
Transfer (Fall 2012) | May 1, 2012 | June 15, 2012 |
Comité des équivalences (Fall 2012 entrance) | May 1, 2012 | August 1, 2012 |
Chambre des notaires (Fall 2012 entrance) | May 1, 2012 | August 1, 2012 |
Special (Fall 2012 entrance) | August 1, 2012 | August 15, 2012 |
Visiting (Fall 2012 and/or Winter 2013) | May 1, 2012 | June 15, 2012 |
Incoming Exchange (Fall 2012 and/or Winter 2013) | May 1, 2012 | June 15, 2012 |
Comité des équivalences (Winter 2012 entrance) | October 1, 2011 | December 1, 2011 |
Chambre des notaires (Winter 2012 entrance) | October 1, 2011 | December 1, 2011 |
Special (Winter 2012 entrance) | December 1, 2011 | December 15, 2011 |
Supporting documents required for all categories of applicants (unless otherwise indicated):
The Law Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office will obtain LSAT results directly from the Law School Admission Services for those candidates who have taken, or plan to take, the LSAT.
After completing the online application, candidates must ensure that ALL required supporting documents are mailed directly to the Law Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office. Documents must be postmarked or delivered on or before the dates listed in Application Deadlines for Law Undergraduate Programs. Documents sent by fax or email (unless otherwise indicated) will not be accepted.
Address for supporting documents submitted by mail, courrier, or in person:
Send your documents in as early as possible. The Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee only reviews files with complete supporting documents. Only required supporting documents will be added to your file. Please refrain from sending other items, as these will not be considered part of your admission file.
During peak periods (i.e., close to deadlines), the volume of document intake is extremely high (over 1600 applications yearly) and there may be a delay of up to 48 hours between the receipt of a document and the date on which it is recorded in our information system. Taking this delay into consideration, please contact the Undergraduate Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office only if your file remains incomplete 72 hours past the deadline.
Inquiries about supporting documents should be directed to:
All documents submitted to Æ»¹ûÒùÔº in support of an application to be admitted, including, but not limited to transcripts, letters of reference, and test scores, become the property of Æ»¹ûÒùÔº and will not be returned to the applicant or forwarded to another institution under any circumstance.
Applicants must submit a complete academic record, including official transcripts or certified true copies of results from all previous university studies as well as subsequent transcripts until the applicant has received the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee's final decision. Only one official copy of each relevant transcript is necessary for the review of a file. Applicants must either arrange for transcripts to be sent directly to the Faculty of Law Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office by mail or via the CREPUQ system when possible, or submit official transcripts in an envelope sealed by the Office of the Registrar of the issuing institution. It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all required transcripts and documents are submitted as early as possible.
Applicants must submit a brief essay (maximum two pages, in English or French) explaining their motivation for law studies, their interest in the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº B.C.L./LL.B. program in particular, and how they might contribute to the life of the Faculty.
The personal statement enables Committee members to develop a fuller understanding of each candidate and her or his suitability for the B.C.L./LL.B. program, as well as evaluate the quality and clarity of her or his written expression. This original piece of writing allows the Committee to appraise an applicant's intellectual curiosity, social commitment, political insight, leadership skills, ability to work in teams, maturity, and potential for growth through opportunity or adversity. Note that the personal statement should expand on ideas and move much beyond the résumé. A simple restatement of experiences mentioned in the résumé is not useful.
Candidates are invited to discuss any information about themselves that might assist the Committee in this appraisal. For example, applicants may want to describe their experience as a member of a minority group, or factors that may have made access to a university education difficult. Mature applicants may wish to connect a legal education with their trajectory until now or, if there isn't a connection, to explain the motivations for a significant change in course.
The Faculty seeks to achieve a socially diverse learning community comprising a balance of women and men, English and French speakers, as well as representing different career aspirations, backgrounds, life experiences, and geographic origins.
Re-application: Candidates who have applied to the Faculty of Law in previous years must submit a new personal statement.
Applicants are required to submit a résumé highlighting their:
The résumé assists the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee in its assessment of a candidate's academic strength, depth of involvement in extra-curricular activities, leadership, and time management skills.
Re-application: Candidates who have applied to the Faculty of Law in previous years are required to submit an updated résumé.
Two (2) letters of reference are required.
Applicants who are students, or who have recently completed programs of study, are expected to provide academic references from current or recent professors or teachers who are familiar with their work. Applicants in the CEGEP and Quebec French Baccalaureate (Collège international Marie de France and Collège Stanislas) category are expected to submit two letters of reference from CEGEP or college professors.
Applicants who are unable to obtain academic references because they are no longer students should submit letters from individuals who are well placed to evaluate the applicant's academic abilities such as critical reading, research, and writing; these may be professional references, but ought to be from a person who is in a supervisory position vis-Ã -vis the applicant.
Personal references are not helpful.
The candidate must send a copy of the Reference Letter Instructions [.pdf] to the referees to ensure that the letters of reference meet the formatting requirements set out by the Faculty's Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office. The Law Reference Letter Instructions form is available under Letters of reference.
Letters may be sent electronically by the referee via email.
If on paper, the sealed letter of reference may be given to the applicant directly or be mailed to the Law Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office.
Applicants are not required to take the LSAT. However, if a candidate has taken or will be taking the LSAT, the score will be reviewed by the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee. Applicants who have taken or will be taking the test must report the date(s) of sitting(s) and provide their LSAT identification number in the appropriate places on the application. They must do so irrespective of whether the LSAT may, in their own estimation, strengthen or weaken their candidacy.
The Faculty of Law may revoke an offer of admission or cancel an application at any time for material misrepresentation, including omissions, in an application. Although the LSAT is not a mandatory element in an application for admission, every applicant who has taken or will be taking it must disclose their LSAT information and failure to do so is a material misrepresentation. The Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office conducts random verifications for LSAT scores throughout the admissions process and a systematic verification with respect to candidates who receive an offer of admission. These verifications have, in the past, resulted in the revocation of offers of admission.
The Faculty of Law is a bilingual learning environment. We believe it would be disadvantageous to the significant proportion of applicants and admitted students who indicate French as a first language to require, as a matter of eligibility, a test that is offered only in English.
While it is not required, it may nevertheless be advisable for many candidates to consider writing the LSAT. Admission to Æ»¹ûÒùԺ’s Law program is highly competitive: there are roughly nine times as many applicants as there are available places in the first year class. Accordingly, candidates are strongly encouraged to apply for admission to a number of faculties of law. Almost all faculties of law outside Quebec (with the exception of the Civil Law program at the University of Ottawa and the French Common Law programs at the University of Moncton and the University of Ottawa) require the LSAT.
The quality of Æ»¹ûÒùԺ’s applicant pool is exceptionally strong. Among admitted students, the average entering GPA is a 3.7 on a 4.0 scale (about an 84% average). Applicants with academic records below this average GPA or percentile are encouraged to consider writing the LSAT.
Candidates should write the LSAT by December of the year prior to the year for which they seek admission at the latest. Candidates who register for the December LSAT should be aware that consideration of their file will be delayed until reception of the score.
Applications from candidates who register for the February LSAT will be reviewed by the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Committee only when all required elements, including the February LSAT score, are received. Candidates who register for the February LSAT risk that, by the time the Committee reviews their application, there will no longer be a place to offer even if the Committee wishes to admit.
The Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office obtains test results directly from the Law School Admission Council (LSAC). Applicants whose service with the Law School Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Council has expired must reactivate their service in order to enable the Æ»¹ûÒùÔº Office to obtain their LSAT score.
Æ»¹ûÒùÔº does not administer the LSAT. Applicants who wish to register for the LSAT must do so directly with .
For additional information, see the LSAT section of our FAQ.