If you are a full-time student enroled to the Common Law program, you may be eligible for the Student International Exchange program. Please visit the International Office's website for more information and comprehensive instructions for submitting an application.
Eligibility criteria
- Enroled as a full-time student in the Common Law program (excluding the National program)
- Be a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident or an international student admitted to a regular undergraduate or graduate degree program at the University of Ottawa
- A candidate must have a minimum GPA of 5.0 when applying to the exchange program;
- Have command of the official language of the host institution (proof of language proficiency required – at least 4 language courses or equivalent).
- Pay tuition and general fees for the entire exchange period to the University of Ottawa before leaving for the host institution
- It is compulsory to attend one of the information sessions offered in the fall term
- Attend one of the mandatory pre-departure workshops
Choosing a destination
The most important consideration in choosing a host institution is making sure you meet your academic goals. Please visit the International Office’s website for a list of partner institutions.
Unique characteristics of certain destinations:
- Certain universities (particularly in Europe) restrict access to certain courses to students who have completed at least two years of studies in law;
- Students interested in participating in an exchange in Australia must be aware of the different academic terms in Australia and plan accordingly. Depending on the university, terms can be from February to July or from July to December. Furthermore, a student could go on exchange relatively soon after an offer by a university. If a student wishes to go on exchange in their last term of third year and go from February to July, this will cause a delay in obtaining the degree and could have an impact on the Bar Admission Course.
- Students who choose a location where courses and/or exams finish in January following our regular Fall Term must be back for the beginning of classes of the Winter Term (usually beginning of February).
- There are no restrictions when choosing a destination for Common Law students. Students can also choose to study in civil law countries (France, Norway, Argentina, Mexico, Chili, etc.). If this is the case, students are encouraged to enroll in international law courses (whose principles will be the same no matter the judicial system of the country.)
Choosing an exchange period
Common Law students are free to participate in an international exchange during their second or third year of studies. The exchange can be for a single term or for a whole academic year (NOTE: the choice of destination may affect the length of the exchange) with the exception of Programme de droit canadien students who are limited to one term on exchange or Letter of permission (maximum of 15 units).
Various events can occur while you are away. The relative importance of these events depends on your career choice. It is up to you to take these factors into account when deciding to participate in an exchange.
Events which generally take place in the fall (September to December):
- On-Campus interviews (summer jobs – Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and East Coast employers)
- LSUC Licensing Process Application Deadline
- Clerkship Application Deadlines for various courts and tribunals
- Photo shoots for the graduating class composite
Events which generally take place in the winter (January to April):
- Career Day
- On-Campus Interviews (summer jobs - Ottawa)
- Clerkship Application Deadlines for various courts and tribunals
Events which generally take place in the summer (May to August):
- LSUC Licensing Exams (May-June)
- Articling Application Deadlines and Interviews (May-August)
- On-Campus Interviews Application Deadlines (early to mid-August)
Students must abide by the host university’s regulations and cannot make special arrangements in order to modify the teaching or exam schedule during the exchange in order to satisfy the student’s personal obligations (employment, articling obligations, etc.).
Other particularities pertaining to the overall exchange process for Common Law students
- Students must complete the equivalent of 15 uOttawa units (equivalent to 180 teaching hours) for one term abroad on exchange, or 30 uOttawa units (equivalent of 360 teaching hours) for 2 terms on exchange abroad.
- Please include hours of teaching per week per course and numbers of teaching weeks per course (excluding holidays and exams)
- Students must abide by the host university’s regulations and cannot make special arrangements in order to modify the teaching or exam schedule during the exchange in order to satisfy the student’s personal obligations (employment, articling obligations, etc.).
- Students who go on exchange for one or two terms cannot obtain a yearly ranking. Units completed on exchange are counted in the yearly units but the marks obtained at the host university will not appear on the student’s University of Ottawa transcript and are not counted in calculation of the GPA).
- Students must submit for approval a preliminary and a final course selection with course descriptions to the Common Law Student Centre.
- Students are responsible to ensure that their program requirements are satisfied and will not be compromised by the exchange program.
- Students must enrol in a regular full-time course load at the University of Ottawa until they are certain they are going on an exchange. Once the letter of acceptance is received from the host university.
