U of T Law International Exchange Information Session:

November 13th, 12:30-2pm in J140

The International Exchange Program at the Faculty of Law allows students to spend one semester studying at some of the top law schools in the world. The exchange program at the Faculty of Law places academics at its core. Law programs at partner institutions are excellent schools with academically rigorous curricula. In addition to gaining valuable experience in international settings, students have the opportunity to learn about a wide variety of legal contexts.

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Important Dates Including Information Session and Application Deadlines

  • Exchange Information Session: November 13th, 2023, 12:30, J140 
    Students thinking about applying to go on exchange are encouraged to attend the information session. At the session, the Director of Student Programs will discuss important deadlines, the application process, funding, the timing of exchanges, where students can go on exchange, courses, JD requirements, etc.
  • Application Deadline: TBD (generally early January) 
  • Law School Exchange - Small Group Meetings: Late January 2024
  • Emails with school matches: February 2024
  • Mandatory Pre-Departure Orientation Session: February - March 2024

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Eligibility 

  • Students must be in their second or third year.
  • Students must be in good academic standing at the time of application and remain in good academic standing until their departure. Academic records will be reviewed by the Office of the Associate Dean. 
  • Students must be enrolled in the full time program. 
  • Transfer students are not eligible to go on exchange.
  • Students who go on exchange are not eligible for Letters of Permission and students who go on Letters of Permission are not eligible for exchange. 
  • Students who want to study in a language other than English must first pass a language test administered by the Faculty of Law. 

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COVID Considerations 

The University of Toronto cancelled all outbound exchanges in 2020 and 2021. Law students were sent on exchange in the fall semester of 2022 and 2023. It is expected that exchanges will run as normal for the 2024/25 cycle. However, international exchanges will only be permitted to proceed if the University of Toronto deems it safe for students to travel and live abroad.

Law students are not permitted to participate in virtual exchange programs.

Rules and requirements for law students going on exchange 

  • Students must complete U of T JD Requirements while in residence at the Faculty of Law. See the JD requirements webpage. The one exception is the International, Comparative and Transnational course requirement which can be satisfied while on exchange.
  • Students going on exchange in the second term of their graduating year must have successfully completed all of the JD requirements prior to going on exchange.
  • Students who are in full-time exchange programs must take courses exclusively at the host school, and may not register for any courses at the Faculty of Law.
  • Students can only go on exchange for one term.
  • In order to receive a standing of Honours or High Distinction in the year during which students plan to participate in an exchange, students must complete a minimum of 14 graded credits and obtain Honours or High Distinction standing in courses during the term which is spent at U of T. 
  • Students must attend a pre-departure orientation session.
  • Class attendance while on exchange is mandatory. Students must attend the full semester at their exchange institution and are not permitted to miss classes due to work or other obligations. 
  • Students are subject to the rules and requirements of the host school they attend. 

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Choosing a Host School 

U of T Law students can only go on exchange to schools with which the Faculty of Law has a law school to law school exchange relationship. See the list of these schools and their specific requirements.

The Lottery System 

There are sufficient placement opportunities for all applicants to go on exchange. However, most schools have limited spots and some students may not be able to attend their top ranked school. Along with their application, students rank their top five schools in order of desirability. For example, if Hong Kong University is a student’s top choice they rank it number one and so on. 

The Timing of your Exchange

Graduating Students

Graduating students need to be aware of the requirements they must fulfill in their final year of study and the timelines for convocation, bar admission courses, and articling placements. It is the student's responsibility to check the sessional dates of the host university to determine how schools with terms ending later than April 30 will impact bar admission courses, articling placements and convocation in June.

Bar Admission Courses and Articling Timelines

Graduating students are required to register for the Bar Admission Course in the fall term prior to graduation. Students articling in Ontario may obtain the application form from the Law Society of Upper Canada’s web site. Students articling in other provinces must check with Career Services for details. 

We strongly recommend that students select programs with term dates that do not conflict with bar admission and articling start dates.

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Application Process:  

Final deadline for applications: TBD. Late applications will not be accepted. Please note that law students do not have to provide transcripts or reference letters in the initial application. Some schools will request reference letters after students have been matched. 

Students apply online at the Center for International Experience Website:
https://learningabroad.utoronto.ca/exchange/ 

  • Statement of interest/questionnaire form. Your statement of interest should address the following questions: Why are you interested in going on exchange? What do you expect to learn or gain from the experience? How does going on exchange fit into your academic and professional goals?
  • Rank your top five institutions.
  • A current resume. 
  • Small Group Meeting. Once all applications have been reviewed, the Student Programs Manager set up a brief meeting with all applicants to discuss their rankings.
  • Students in combined programs must complete the Combined Program Student Approval Form.
  • Law students do not submit transcripts. However, the law school will check student's academic record at the time of application and prior to departure. Students who are not in good academic standing can not go on exchange. 
  • Law students do not submit reference letters 

Approval

Once approved, students will receive an email informing them of their placement in February. Students are required to email an acceptance back to confirm their interest in going on exchange at the school with which they are matched. The nominations are then sent to the host institution for their approval. While it is uncommon for U of T Law nominations to be rejected, it is possible that at this stage a school may deny a student entry. Should this occur, the student and the Student Program Manager will work together to find another host school. However, due to deadlines, it is not always possible to nominate a student to a second school after being rejected from the first school.  

We strongly advice students against making travel arrangements prior to being accepted by the host institution. 

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Additional important information for law students going on exchange 

Course Selection

  • All students must ensure they are taking the courses required by both the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Law and the host institution. See the list of host universities and their requirements.
  • Students may not take a course that they have already taken or plan to take unless the material being covered is significantly different.
  • Course approval: once students have selected their courses at the host university and prior to the add/drop date at the host university, students must seek course approval from the Student Programs Manager. Some schools may not allow students to sign up for courses until they arrive at the institution.

Financial Issues/Financing your exchange experience 

  • Students on exchange pay the University of Toronto's tuition and incidental fees. Fees must be paid prior to the start of the term. Students should keep in mind that many institutions require exchange students to purchase health insurance at the host school. 
  • Students apply for financial aid on the CIE online application. Additional information about bursaries can be found on the CIE's website.  
  • The exchange bursaries are considered to be separate from the Faculty of Law’s financial aid program. The Financial Aid program does not claw back any portion of the exchange bursaries.

Housing

Students are responsible for arranging their own accommodations. More information can be found by consulting the host institution's website.

Credit Transfer and Transcripts

On completion of the exchange term, the Faculty will receive a transcript from the host university. Assuming the student has passed all their courses, the University of Toronto transcript will have a notation indicating that the student participated in an exchange for the term and 14 U of T Law credits will be subtracted from what the student needs to graduate. 


Credits from the host university will not appear on the University of Toronto transcript. It will be necessary for students to obtain an official transcript from the host university to accompany the University of Toronto transcript for job applications and further study.

Note: Students will not be eligible to graduate until the University of Toronto Faculty of Law has received an official transcript from the host university.

Travel

Students going on exchange are responsible for their own travel arrangements to and from the host country.
We strongly advice students against making travel arrangements prior to being accepted by the host institution. 

Withdrawal/Cancellation Policy

If for any reason students decide to withdraw from an exchange, they must immediately submit a letter of withdrawal to the Student Programs Manager at the law school, and if applicable, the joint program registrar. It is very important that students communicate their intention to withdraw from the program as soon as possible. Holding a spot that is not used may prevent another student from being able to participate in an exchange or possibly jeopardize our relationship with our partner institutions.

First Term Exchanges

Students returning from first term exchanges must register in person with the Records Office by 4:00 p.m on the first day of their first class. 

Students who are unable to register on the first day of their first class must e-mail the Student Programs Manager as soon as possible to communicate the reason for their absence. Supporting documentation will be required.

Internships on exchange

The Faculty of Law encourages students who are going away on exchange to consider undertaking an internship either during their term away. For those away in the second term, students may also choose to pursue an internship in the city of their exchange during the summer break after their studies have finished. 

 

Please contact the Manager, Student Programs, Sako Khederlarian <sako.khederlarian@utoronto.ca> for any of the following:

  • Additional general information, and/or specific questions about exchanges that are not answered on the website.
  • To speak with someone who has been on exchange at the institution you are considering.
  • To review the exchange evaluation binder.

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