FACULTY OF LAW


ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Note: Modifications may be made to the eligibility criteria for 2000-01 admission.

A. First Year

There are two categories for admission into first year, Regular and Special. The admission Committee - composed of members of the law faculty, law students and the admissions officer- will decide how many offers to make in each category. In no case will the number of students admitted in the Special category exceed 25% of the class.

Deadlines for First Year Applicants

Application and Transcripts - November 1, 2000

Last LSAT score accepted - February 2001

Regular Category

  1. At least two years of university level studies or of equivalent academic work are required. Candidates with only two years of university studies will be expected to achieve significantly higher results than those with more than two years. Candidates who are in their second year of study may be provisionally admitted.
  2. All candidates must have completed the LSAT. The Committee will use the LSAT score to choose the most eligible candidates and to eliminate the least competitive. Normally, no applicant with an undergraduate average of less than 75% or an LSAT score below 152 will be considered for admission in the Regular category.
  3. Factors other than academic success will be considered in the case of candidates who have achieved more than the minimum standard of undergraduate grade average and LSAT score, but who are not automatically admitted on the basis of high undergraduate grade average and LSAT score.

    These factors may include, but are not limited to, the overcoming of a proven disadvantage, and success in community affairs, politics, business, culture, the arts or athletics. Candidates must adequately document their claim for consideration. In no individual case will factors other than academic success be weighted more heavily than one third overall.

Special Category

This category includes: Mature applicants; applicants from the First Nations; applicants with disabilities; and disadvantaged applicants. Appropriate evidence confirming the basis of special application is required. Applicants other than Mature candidates must still meet the usual minimum requirement of two years university work.

All Special Category applicants, except mature candidates, must have the minimum requirements of two years' university work. All Special Category applicants must demonstrate the potential for academic success and have achieved a satisfactory result on the Law School Admission Test (an LSAT score above the 30th percentile).

Mature Applicant. A Mature applicant is a person who has had at least five years non-university experience since leaving high school. Candidates who meet this criterion are not disqualified from applying as Mature applicants even if they have attended a university or possess a university degree. Although Mature applicants need not have any university education, evidence of the high academic potential necessary to study law is required. One way of demonstrating this potential is by having taken some university-level courses and acheiving excellent results.

Native Applicant. The Faculty of Law recognizes that Native Canadians are not adequately represented within the legal profession and therefore welcomes their applications. Native applicants may be admitted unconditionally or subject to the successful completion of the Native Law Program at the University of Saskatchewan.

Applicants with Disabilities. Applicants with disabilities should provide full documentation from qualified professionals on their disability and its effect on their academic records or LSAT scores.

Access Applicants. Applicants whose academic performance has been significantly affected by some proven disadvantage may apply in the Access category. Candidates must describe how the disadvantage has affected their academic record, adequately document their claim for consideration in this category, and provide supporting references.

EXTENDED TIME LLB PROGRAM

The Extended-Time LLB Program is available to students who have been admitted to the LLB Program. The program is designed for students who cannot manage a full-time program. Application to the Extended Time LLB Program should be made at the same time as the application for admission to first year law.

Applicants to the Extended-Time LLB Program are required to meet the existing regular or special admissions criteria. In addition, all applicants seeking admission must establish that it would be impossible or difficult to attend law school full-time because of family responsibilities, health problems, disabilities, financial necessity, or other special circumstances.

Incoming first-year students in the Extended Time LLB Program are required to take Legal Theory and one of the small group courses, in addition to any other course or courses.

Students in the Extended Time LLB Program are required to complete the program within six years. Extended time students will be allowed to transfer to full-time attendance. Full-time students who meet the eligibility criteria will be allowed to transfer into the extended time program.

Extended time students are eligible for any entry scholarships or bursaries that are not restricted to full-time students.

Extended time students are eligible for any prizes or awards in individual courses.

B. Admission to Second and Third Year

This category includes:

Transfer Applicants Pointer

Advanced Standing Pointer

Letter of Permission Pointer

National Committee on Accreditation Pointer

A major consideration in the admissions decision is the availablity of places in the Faculty.

Applicants seeking admission to the second or third year of the program must submit: complete official transcripts of all university work undertaken; the results of the LSAT; and two letters of reference from the applicant's law professors. Official transcripts must be sent directly from each university attended by the applicant to the Ontario Law School Application Service.

Deadline for Second Year Applicants:

Application and transcripts - May 1, 2000

Transfer Applicants

Students currently enrolled in the first year at another Canadian law school may be admitted to the second year of the program as transfer students. If admitted, applicants must complete the last two years of the program at the Faculty of Law to be eligible for the Bachelor of Laws degree from The University of Western Ontario. Applicants will be required to satisfy the program requirements of the Faculty. Given the limited number of spaces that are available, consideration will be given to the best qualified applicants and those applicants who, for compassionate reasons, seek a transfer to The University of Western Ontario.

Advanced Standing

Students who have successfully completed part or all of their legal education outside Canada may be considered for admission with advanced standing. Except in extraordinary circumstances, a student will not receive more than one year's advanced standing. If admitted, students will be required to satisfy the program requirements of the Faculty. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible for the degree of Bachelor of Laws from The University of Western Ontario.

The granting of advanced standing and the extent of credit to be given are at the discretion of the Admissions Committee.

Letter of Permission

Students who are registered at another recognized law school, and who present a letter of permission from that school may be granted permission to register in the Faculty of Law in a program of courses approved by the school in which they are registered.

A letter of application to study on a letter of permission at Western should be forwarded directly to the Admissions Committee. Candidates are not required to apply through the Ontario Law School Application Service. A copy of the letter of permission, transcripts, and $50.00 should accompany the letter of application.

Students who have been granted permission to register on a letter of permission do not receive the Bachelor of Laws degree from The University of Western Ontario.

National Committee on Accreditation

Applicants who are qualified for practice outside Canada and who seek admission to practice in a Canadian province should first apply to the National Committee on Accreditation (Fauteaux Hall, P.O. Box 450, Station A, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5. Telephone: (613) 562-5204).

This Committee assesses the applicant's credentials to determine the Canadian legal education required to bring the applicant to a level equivalent to the Canadian Bachelor of Laws degree. Based on this assessment, the Committee makes recommendations on the courses the applicant requires. A person admitted in this category who satisfactorily completes the required courses, does not receive a Bachelor of Laws degree from The University of Western Ontario

C. Law School Admission Test (LSAT)

The Law School Admission Test is required for all applicants to first year.

Although the LSAT need not have been written before applying, the February LSAT is the latest acceptable test session for admission in the following September. (For 2000 admission the test must have been taken on or after June 1991)

Test centres are located in major cities in Canada and the United States. The test is usually given four times a year in most Canadian Centres - in June, October, December and February.

An application for the test and further details may be obtained from the Registrar's Office, from the Faculty of Law, or by writing to the Law School Admissions Services, Box 2000, Newtown, Pennsylvania, 18940, USA. LSAT applications must arrive at the last mentioned address at least 48 days prior to the date upon which the applicant wishes to take the test.

D. English Requirements

Each student granted admission to Western must be proficient in spoken and written English.

Applicants for whom English is not a first language are required to achieve a satisfactory score on one of the following tests:

Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and the Test of Written English (TWE). This test is offered on several dates in a number of places in Canada, the United States and elsewhere. The TOEFL/TWE Bulletin of Information and registration material may be obtained from:

Test of English as a Foreign Language
Box 899-R
Princeton, New Jersey
08541, USA

Michigan English Language Assessment Battery (MELAB). This test is offered in Canada, the United States and elsewhere. Arrangements can be made by contacting:

The English Language Institute
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
48104, USA

International English Language Testing Service (IELTS). This test is offered in British Council Offices outside Canada and the United States. Arrangements can be made by contacting the British Council Office or:

The IELTS Liaison Officer
British Council
10 Spring Gardens
London, England
SW1A 2BN

It is the responsibility of the applicant to submit proof of English proficiency, as stated above, to the Admissions Office before an offer of admission can be made.


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