Ó£»¨Ó°ÊÓ

Applying

1. Download and fill out the application form.
2. Attach your unofficial law transcripts and a CV or resume.
3. Email everything to the academic services officer by the deadline.

If applying to multiple schools or terms, list your choices in order of preference. Only submit 1 set of application materials.

Selection

The faculty's international committee handles selection based on several factors, including:

• a minimum GPA of 4.5 (cumulative GPA, with recent performance also considered)
• academic standing compared to other applicants
• your year in the program
• your reasons for applying (how it supports your academic or career goals)

If you're offered an exchange spot, notify the academic services team by the deadline to accept or decline the invitation. Accepting an exchange offer is a privilege and a serious commitment. Please do not accept a spot if you are not able to fully commit to the experience.

Course information

To go on exchange, you must meet yearly credit requirements (14.5–16.5 units), so plan your UVic and exchange terms carefully. Most exchanges count as 7.5 units.

Course approval

You must get approval from the associate dean, academic and student relations, for your exchange courses by submitting course descriptions, outlines, syllabi (with contact hours) and possibly other documents. You’ll usually be registered in LAW 352 (7.5 units), and the registrar will assess your exchange transcript for final credit. If documents aren’t in English, a notarized translation may be needed.

Course completion

If your exchange is your final academic term, you must have completed all mandatory upper-year courses, including:

• LAW 301 Administrative Law
• LAW 360 Legal Ethics and Professionalism
• LAW 390 Major Paper or LAW 388 Advanced Legal Research and Writing

Note: JD/JID students must get special permission due to additional program requirements.

Transcripts

While on exchange, you’ll be registered in LAW 352 for the approved number of credits. LAW 352 is graded pass/fail and will appear on your UVic transcript once your official transcript from the host school is received. LAW 352 will not have any impact on your GPA.

Grades from individual exchange courses won’t show on your UVic transcript or affect your GPA, but LAW 352 credits count toward your upper year unit requirement for graduation. 

If your exchange term is in your final academic term, we will require a copy of your official transcript from the host university prior to a date set by UVic’s Registrar’s Office, which is likely to be the first week of May, in order for you to graduate in June. Otherwise, you will graduate in November.

Fees & funding

While on exchange, you pay tuition and fees to UVic, not the host university.

Important: if offered a spot, you must pay a non-refundable $150 admin fee. Your placement isn’t confirmed until you’ve paid and sent your receipt to the front office.

Graduation

UVic needs your official host transcript to confirm graduation. Official transcripts must be sent university to university directly. Ask your host university to send your official transcript to the academic services officer.

Once your transcript is received and you’re confirmed to graduate, you can request a “letter of degree completion” from the associate dean. This is usually enough to start articling or bar admission courses, but check with your law society to confirm their requirements.

Important notes:

• if your exchange is in your final (spring) term, you most likely won't be able to convocate in June because final grades won’t arrive in time
• if this is the case and you've applied to graduate in June, you’ll need to re-apply and pay again for a later convocation, as the application and fee are non-refundable and can’t be transferred

Resources

• UVic bursaries
• Student International Activities Fund (SIAF)
• Student Awards and Financial Aid
• International Centre for Students Faculty Regulations on Exchange