Law

 

Law

Admission Basics

  • Gaining admission into law school is competitive. To be considered for law school, candidates must have at least two years of undergraduate study, but most schools prefer three or more years of study
  • The requirements vary for each law school; however, the basic requirements usually include a combination of a candidate’s GPA (minimum of B+/A average) and the LSAT score (minimum 70-85th percentile)
  • There is no one particular program of study required at the undergraduate level before applying to law schools. Courses in the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences are all of value in developing the analytical skills and writing skills necessary to excel in the study of law
  • Most law schools also consider candidates’ extracurricular activities and past work experiences

How to Apply

  • The admission process for Ontario schools is handled centrally by the Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS)
  • Apply early; admission applications are typically due in early November
  • Refer to each university’s admission requirements for supplementary information that may be required, such as personal statements and letters of recommendation

Tip: Preview the online OLSAS application at least one year prior to applying to law school by creating a 'dummy' account, to give you an idea of what is required and will help you understand the process of applying in following year.

LSAT

  • The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a half-day standardized test, required for admission to most (but not all) law schools in Canada
  • It consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions, including a reading comprehension section, an analytical reasoning section, two logical reasoning sections, a fifth section typically used to pretest new test items and a 35-minute, unscored writing sample is administered at the end of the test; copies of your writing sample are sent to all law schools to which you apply
  • The LSAT is offered four times a year in June, October, December and February
  • Review an LSAT guide such as those published by Kaplan, Peterson’s, and/or Princeton Review, etc. for sample questions and solutions. Official LSAT PrepTests can be purchased: www.lsac.org

Practice in Ontario with International Degree

To practice law in Ontario, graduates of international or non-accredited Canadian law schools will be required to demonstrate their competence to the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA). For more information on accreditation, visit the Federation of Law Societies of Canada’s website.

For more information on the full lawyer licensing process in Ontario, click here.

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updated July 2023