Admission
Director of Admissions, Recruitment, & Alumni Relations: Ally Howard
Admissions Procedure
Any applicant seeking admission to the Law School must complete the online application form and submit all post-secondary transcripts, (2) letters of reference, resume, and personal statement questions via the online application portal, on or before January 10, 11:59pm Atlantic Standard Time (AT). A non-refundable application fee must accompany each application. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all materials relevant to their application has been received.
Applicants who wish to be considered for entrance scholarships must submit their scholarship applications by January 15, 11:59pm Atlantic Standard Time (AT) via the Entrance Scholarship Online Application Form.
Applicants are required to provide access to valid Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) score(s), a service of the Law School Admissions Council (www.lsac.org). The LSAT test is offered multiple times per year across Canada, the US, and internationally. LSATs written after January 31st will not be considered for seats in the JD program commencing the following September.
The Admissions Committee reviews applications on a rolling basis and may begin consideration as soon as they are received or defer review of some or all applications until June. To secure a place in the law program, a non-refundable deposit is required: $500 for domestic students and $2,500 for international students. These deposits are applied to the first tuition installment in September.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to confirm with the faculty that this information remains current, as updates may occur after publication.
Admissions Policy
In the assessment process, the Admissions Committee reviews each application holistically by taking into consideration all submitted application materials, including the applicant’s academic record, LSAT score, online application, personal statement questions, references, and non-academic experience. Interviews of select applicants, including those with significant non-academic experience, may be held at the discretion of the Admissions Committee. Interviews typically take place in February and May.
Juris Doctor (Full and Part Time)
Students are admitted to the JD program through one of the categories outlined below.
General Applicants
The Admissions Committee of the Schulich School of Law may admit applicants as general candidates for the JD degree if the applicant has an undergraduate degree or is within one year of graduation eligibility from a degree-granting college or university recognized by the Dalhousie Senate.
Indigenous (First Nations, Métis, and Inuit) Applicants
The Indigenous applicant category is open to those who self-identify as a Canadian Indigenous person, including First Nations, Métis, and/or Inuit. The Indigenous category is intended to manifest the Schulich School of Law’s recognition of the need for reconciliation and greater representation of First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons in the legal field as well as an acknowledgement of our presence as an educational institution on ancestral and unceded territory of Mi'kma'ki.
Indigenous Blacks & Mi'kmaq (IB&M) Initiative Applicants
The IB&M applicant category is open to those who self-identify as Indigenous Black and/or Mi’kmaq and are seeking admission via the IB&M Initiative. The primary focus of the IB&M Initiative is on applicants who are either:
The IB&M Initiative places the admission of African Nova Scotian and Mi'kmaq applicants as its highest priority. If, in any given year all qualified Indigenous Blacks and Mi'kmaw applicants have been admitted and there are still spaces available, Black applicants who are not Indigenous to Nova Scotia and Indigenous applicants who are not Mi'kmaq, may be admitted through the IB&M category.
IB&M applicants are required to submit the same application materials as other candidates but will undergo additional consideration for the IB&M Initiative by a separate committee.
Historically Underrepresented Communities Applicants
The Historically Underrepresented Communities applicant category is open to those who self-identify as members of historically underrepresented communities (other than Indigenous and Indigenous Black Nova Scotian communities for which there are distinct categories).
The following is an illustrative and non-exhaustive list of communities currently included in this category: Black; African descent; additional racialized minorities; 2SLGBTQI+; gender identity; persons with diagnosed mental illness; persons with visible or invisible disability (including physical, mental, intellectual, learning or sensory impairment, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders an individual’s full and effective participation in society).
This category is intended to recognize the need for greater representation of historically underrepresented communities at the Schulich School of Law and in the legal profession. Having this as a category is also intended to focus the Committee’s attention on the need to not perpetuate the harms of systemic discrimination.
Work/Life Experience Applicants
The Work/Life Experience applicant category is open to those who seek admission where their work/life experience provides a strong basis for inclusion in the incoming class but they either do not have the required number of academic credits to be eligible for the General category; or they have the required number of academic credits but based on their academic record alone, they would not be competitive in the General category.
Examples of those eligible to seek admission under this category include (but are not limited to): candidates who:
- have been raising children or caring for sick relatives.
- have been running a local non-profit or similar organization.
- pursued a trade after high school.
- completed a university degree where their subsequent work experience and LSAT score may be a more accurate and relevant indicator of current capabilities than their GPA.
The Work/Life Experience category is intended to recognize the skills and abilities individuals can gain outside of an academic institution and to ensure that the legal profession is more representative of the communities that it serves.
JD/MBA, JD/MPA, JD/MI, JD/MJ, JD/MHA
Applicants interested in joint/combined programs should contact the respective programs directly for detailed information and application requirements.
One-Year JD for Civil Law Graduates
The Schulich School of Law offers a limited enrolment one-year program leading to the award of the Juris Doctor (JD) degree for graduates of Canadian civil law schools.
Applicants to this program must have successfully completed the following courses in their civil law degree as a prerequisite to admission: Administrative Law, Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, and Legal Research and Writing.
Normally, we will not accept an applicant whose average in civil law is below the equivalent of our B+ (75-77). If there is a large number of applicants and few places available, a higher academic standard will be required.
Application Deadline
Complete applications for the one-year JD are due May 20th of each year for entry into the following September.
Admission Requirements
A complete application will include:
- Submission of the Online Application Form
- Applications are currently closed, and will be available shortly.
- Payment of the non-refundable application fee ($70). Your application will not be reviewed until payment is received.
- Submission of the following supporting documents:
- Your academic transcripts from law school and all post-secondary studies.
- Transcripts in languages other than English must be accompanied by a notarized English translation. Unofficial copies will not be accepted. Your official transcript(s) must be sent directly to our office by the issuing institution, or by the transcript service approved by the institution.
- Two (2) academic reference letters, at least one of which must be from a Law professor.
- A Personal Statement (max. one (1) page) describing your reasons for application and your goals.
- Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) or resume.
Transferring From Another Canadian Law School
Students of other Canadian law schools who satisfy the standards for admission to the JD program may apply to the Associate Dean (Academic) to transfer to the Schulich School of Law, provided they are in good standing where previous studies have been undertaken, the work they have completed is satisfactory to the Law School Studies Committee, and the courses to be completed for a JD degree can be arranged.
Not all courses taken at other Canadian law schools will map directly onto the JD curriculum at Dalhousie, and previously received law school credits will be assessed on an individual basis. To qualify for a degree the student must complete two full years at Dalhousie. Qualified graduates of a Canadian civil law program may be admitted into a special one-year JD program. The Schulich School of Law does not accept transfer applications from students at non-Canadian law schools. Enquiries should be directed to the Admissions department.
Admission as an Occasional Student
Subject to University and Law School regulations, a professional in law or a related field may be admitted as an occasional student to attend one or two courses at the most. Attendance or performance in courses or any examinations is not credited for degree qualifications.
Those wishing to be admitted as occasional students should apply to the Associate Dean (Academic). Undergraduate students may not usually take courses at the law school. Graduate students may, in certain circumstances, be permitted by the Schulich School of Law to take a law course at the Law School and should contact the Associate Dean (Academic) to enquire. Full time JD students are prioritized for registration to limited enrolment courses.
Students with Disabilities
Dalhousie University is committed to providing equal educational opportunity and full participation for students with disabilities. See University Regulations for details.
Additional Information for Part Time Applicants
Students interested in pursuing a part-time JD at Dalhousie should do the following:
The Schulich School of Law offers the JD program on a part time basis. Applicants interested in this option can indicate their preference on the online application.
Please note that admission to the part time program is extremely limited, and meeting the general standards for JD admission does not guarantee acceptance into the part time option.
Students in the part time program take a reduced course load alongside full time students, as no separate or evening courses are offered specifically for part time students.
If your circumstances change after being accepted into the JD program, you may submit a request directly to the JD Admissions Office to transition to the part time program. However, please note that acceptance into the part time program is not guaranteed, even for students already admitted to the full time JD program.
Applicants interested in the part time program should contact the law society of any province in which they might want to practice law, to ascertain whether a part time JD from Dalhousie meets individual law society requirements.