Faculty Admissions

Application for Admission

Information concerning admission is available from the Law Admissions Office or our website at <law.uvic.ca>. Our on-line application form can also be accessed through the website.

All first year applications must be submitted by February 1. However, applicants in the Regular category are strongly encouraged to submit applications as early as possible, as offers will be made on a continual basis beginning in November.

Inquiries relating to admission to the Faculty of Law should be addressed to the Law Admissions Office:

Please note that admission to the Law Faculty is at the sole discretion of the Faculty’s Admissions Committee.

Admission to the First-Year Program

Regular Applicants

To be considered for admission to the Faculty of Law, Regular applicants must:

• present proof of having received, with standing satisfactory to the Faculty of Law, a degree from the University of Victoria or an equivalent degree from a recognized college or university; or
• present proof of having completed, with standing satisfactory to the Faculty of Law, at least the first three years (45 units) of a program leading to a degree at the University of Victoria, or the equivalent at a recognized institution.

In addition, each applicant must submit a Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score that is not more than five years old and satisfy such other requirements as may be prescribed from time to time.

Determination of Admissibility

Admission decisions are primarily determined by a candidate's pre-law academic record and Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score. Where an applicant has multiple LSAT scores, the highest score is considered. A preliminary index number is calculated using an applicant's grade point average (weighted 70 percent) and LSAT score (weighted 30 percent). Added to this number is a subjective assessment of the applicant's extra-curricular activities, community involvement, work experience and personal characteristics.

Special Access Applicants

To qualify under the Special Access category, an applicant’s academic achievements or LSAT score must have been adversely affected by:

• cultural background, economic circumstances, physical, medical or learning disability or other relevant factors; or
• family or similar responsibilities and the consequent need to attend to these responsibilities or to maintain employment.

Selection from qualified Special Access applicants will be made on the basis of the applicant’s:

• achievements in occupational endeavours, and community, public service and cultural activities that indicate an ability to succeed in law school;
• academic performance in any educational or training programs or courses; and
• LSAT score.

An applicant who has not completed the minimum academic requirements for admission in the Regular category should demonstrate why it would be unreasonable to expect the applicant to complete the minimum academic requirements prior to the commencement of law school.

Applicants who have less than three years of post-secondary education at the university or college level are very rarely admitted. Any such applicant must demonstrate the ability to write effectively at a law school level.

Aboriginal Applicants

The Faculty of Law desires that the number of people of First Nations, Metis and Inuit backgrounds among the ranks of the legal profession increase substantially and, accordingly, encourages inquiries and applications from Aboriginal people.

Applications from Canadian Aboriginal people will be considered on an individual basis, taking into account such factors as academic performance, results of the LSAT, employment history, letters of reference, and past, present and future connection with the Aboriginal community. Applicants with less than three academic years of post-secondary education are rarely offered admission.

If an applicant’s academic background makes it appropriate, the Admissions Committee may make an offer of admission conditional upon successful completion of the Program of Legal Studies for Native People, conducted by the Native Law Centre at the University of Saskatchewan. The Faculty fully endorses this program, and considerable weight is placed upon the evaluation submitted by its director. For more complete information concerning the Program of Legal Studies for Native People, please contact:

Applicants must supply satisfactory evidence of their eligibility to apply in the Aboriginal category.

Applicants Whose First Language is Not English

Applicants whose first language is not English and who have not completed a minimum of three full academic years of post-secondary study that was taught and assessed in English, must write the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). Applicants who have written the TOEFL iBT need a minimum score of 100, with no less than 25 on each of the individual components, whereas those who wrote the paper and pencil test need a score of 600 out of a possible 677. Students applying to the joint Common Law/Civil Law Degree Program are exempt from this requirement.

Part-Time Students

A limited number of positions in the Faculty are available for part-time legal studies. Students must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Faculty that they are unable to attend on a full-time basis because of health reasons, physical disability or exceptional family or financial hardship.

Students must ensure that their part-time program conforms to the Law Society requirements in the province in which they wish to practice. Requests for part-time studies should be made in writing and submitted to the Law Admissions Office once an applicant has been admitted to the Faculty.

Admission as an Upper-Level Student

Applications are considered from students in other law schools or with foreign law degrees who wish to attend the Faculty of Law as upper-level students. The number of applicants accepted is limited in order to ensure that the size of the class these students will be entering is not significantly altered.

Applications for upper-level positions commencing in September should be submitted by June 30 (date subject to change.) Where appropriate, the Faculty may consider applications for entry in January of the Winter Session or May of the Summer Session.

Transfer Student Applications

Applicants who wish to transfer to the Faculty of Law must complete a minimum of two years of legal education in the Faculty in order to obtain a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from the University of Victoria. Applications must be accompanied by the following:

1. the applicant’s academic record from law school and post-secondary studies; and
2. the applicant’s reasons and motivation for seeking to transfer to the Faculty of Law.

Applications will be considered if:

1. the applicant meets all of the eligibility requirements for admission to the first-year program of the Faculty of Law (including the LSAT); and
2. the law courses which have been completed by the applicant are compatible with the curriculum of the Faculty of Law.

Preference is given to students who are academically outstanding and who have the potential to make a unique contribution to the academic program of the Faculty of Law. While consideration is given to an applicant’s reasons for wanting to transfer, compassionate grounds for transferring will not compensate for less competitive law school grades. Students who have undertaken their previous legal education at a Canadian law school will be given preference over applicants whose previous legal training was undertaken outside Canada.

Visiting Students

Applications from law students currently attending another university who wish to visit the Faculty for one or two terms will be considered. A letter of permission from the student’s current law school is required prior to enrolment in UVic’s regular fall or spring terms as well as the summer session. If accepted, a visiting student’s course program must be approved by the Deans of both law schools or their designates.

Applicants with Canadian Civil Law Degrees

Please see section “JD for Civil Law Graduates”.

Applicants with Foreign Law Degrees

The Faculty of Law will consider applicants who have credentials in law from universities outside Canada. Such applicants should arrange to have their academic record evaluated by the National Committee on Accreditation before applying to the Faculty. The National Committee is responsible for granting Certificates of Qualification, which are recognized by the various Canadian Law Societies for admission to the Bar. Decisions of the National Committee regarding requirements for the Certificate do not guarantee admission to the Faculty of Law. Admission to the Faculty is competitive and subject to the availability of space. Normally the Law Faculty will not accept NCA applicants who are required to take the first year of the JD program. Information about the Certificate may be obtained by writing to: