Select Country

Canada

Osgoode Hall Law School 2022-2023 Admissions: Programs, Deadlines, Requirements & FAQs

North York, OntarioLocation

SchoolSchool type

Estd1889established year

905enrollment

Public

Get free counselling

Osgoode Hall Law School of York University is one of the most distinguished law schools in Canada. It offers Juris Doctor, Graduate and Professional LLM Programs, along with Doctoral Programs. It is the only law school in Canada offering courses for professionals without a background in the field of law. International applicants, who are interested in a career in law in Canada, will find Osgoode as an excellent choice.

In the academic year 2020-2021, 2,735 students had applied for Osgoode Hall Law School admissions, out of which only 290 were given a place. Therefore, acceptance rate at Osgoode Hall Law School is quite stringent.

Osgoode Hall Law School takes into account several factors while reviewing an applicant’s admission file, that includes their academic records, LSAT Scores, non-academic achievements, any work experience, communication skills, interest in social work, etc. The admission process may follow with an interview by invitation.

For the 2019 admission to Juris Doctor (JD) Program, 290 students out of 2769 applicants were selected.
Juris Doctor (JD) applicants should have LSAT scores along with a university degree after at least 3 years of study.
Applicants with a cumulative GPA of 3.7 and LSAT score of at least 80th percentile have better chances of being selected during admission to the JD Program.
Applicants must produce LSAT scores from tests taken between June 2017 to January 2022 for the application cycle of 2022.
Incoming students have to complete all Financial Statements along with their application for admission within November 1 to be eligible for entrance scholarships.
Osgoode Hall Law School allows international exchange students into the JD Program who should have a minimum GPA of ‘B’ in the last two years of study.
Applicants from India, Bangladesh and Pakistan are required to have second class Masters Degrees to be eligible for admission to graduate programs at Osgoode.

Highlights

Application Portal	JD Program Online Application, Professional LLM Online Application, Research LLM Online Application
Application Fee (non-refundable)	JD Program: 200 CAD Graduate Programs: 130 CAD
Mode of Payment	Online Banking/ Cheque/ Money Order etc
Median LSAT Scores (for JD)	82nd Percentile
Median CGPA (for JD)	3.69
Academic Calendar	Semester Based
Work Experience	Considered
Financial Aid	Scholarships, Bursaries, Income Contingent Loan Program, Graduate Awards, etc.
Contact Information	Email: admissions@osgoode.yorku.ca Phone: 416-736-5712

Osgoode Hall Law School Admission Deadlines

All applicants interested in studying in Canada should be careful about the application deadlines and admission cycles so that they can apply as early as possible. The application deadlines for different programs at Osgoode Hall Law School have been mentioned below:

Program	Application Deadline
JD- First Year	November 1, 2022
JD- Upper Years	May 1, 2022
LLM-Research Track	February 15, 2022
Professional LLM- Canadian Common Law (full time)*	Fall: January 15th, 2022 Winter: April 15, 2022
Professional LLM- Criminal Law Procedure (full time)*	Winter 2023: January 15th, 2022 Winter 2024: April 15, 2023
Professional LLM- Administrative Law (part-time)	Fall: January 15th, 2022 Winter: April 15, 2022
Professional LLM- Business Law (part-time)	Fall: January 15th, 2022 Winter: April 15, 2022

*International applicants travelling to Canada are recommended to apply before July 30th to facilitate their visa application process and also be considered for entrance scholarships.

Application deadlines for all the professional LLM programs may be found in the link mentioned here - Professional LLM Programs

Osgoode Hall Law School International Student Admissions

Osgoode Hall Law School accepts international students to its various academic programs provided they have adequate academic qualifications and fulfil the other admission requirements. International applicants can apply as exchange students to the JD Program if they have completed at least two years of study at a Law School and have a GPA of ‘B’ or higher.

International students should have an estimate of the cost of studying and living in Canada before applying so that they can demonstrate sufficient proof of funds during admission. Also, all incoming foreign students need to purchase a mandatory health insurance plan offered by the York University.

Application Portal: JD Program; Graduate ApplicationApplication Fee: 200 CAD (JD Program) and 130 CAD (Graduate Programs)Application Requirements: International applicants have to submit the following to complete the application process,

Completed online application forms
Resume/ CV, Writing Samples (Graduate Programs)
Official Transcripts for all post-secondary institutions
Personal Statement and supplemental information
LSAT score (for JD Program)
Financial Statement
Proof of English Language Proficiency (required scores to be eligible for admission are mentioned later in this article)
Two Letters of Recommendation (for JD program)/ Two Recommendation Forms (for Graduate Programs)

Application documents may be uploaded electronically to the online application portal. However, official transcripts should be directly sent to the institute in a sealed envelope by the issuing authority. World Education Services (WES) should evaluate all foreign credentials before submission. All foreign transcripts should be sent along with their translated copies in English (if applicable).

English Proficiency Test Scores for International Students

International applicants are required to submit proof of English proficiency by submitting official scores of any of the ELP Tests mentioned below:

Test Name	Minimum Score Required (JD Program)	Minimum Score Required (Professional LLM)
TOEFL- PBT	600	625
TOEFL- CBT	250	263
TOEFL- iBT	100	102- 109
IELTS	7.5	7.5
Duolingo English Test	N/A	125
York English Test (YELT)	B and 1	N/A
CAEL	N/A	An overall score of 70, no component score less than 60

Note: JD applicants who have taken TOEFL should have a minimum Test of Written English Component (TWE) of 5.

Applicants who have completed at least one year of full-time study in an institute where English is the only medium of instruction may be exempted from submitting ELP Test Scores.

Visa Process for International Students

The International Student and Scholar Services Team at York University (of which Osgoode School is a part) offers immigration assistance and other services to international students. The Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) handle the issue of all student visas and study permits.

Students are required to possess three main documents to legally study and reside in Canada:

Passport
Study Permit
Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)/ eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization)

Important documents required to apply for an eTA or TRV include the following:

Passport
York University Letter of Enrolment
Study Permit
Proof of Available Funds

After applying for the visa, applicants have to appear for the visa interview process.

Students may contact the Immigration Specialist at York University at International Student Advising or contact the IRCC at 1888-242-2100 regarding their immigration inquiries.

Osgoode Hall Law School Undergraduate Admissions

Juris Doctor degree in Canada is equivalent to a second entry baccalaureate degree or a first-level common law degree. Although applicants require prior undergraduate degrees to be eligible, a JD degree is considered as an undergraduate level program for law students in Canada.

Osgoode offers a JD (Juris Doctor) degree program for both first-year applicants and upper-year applicants. First-year applicants should have at least 3 years of university education ending in a degree. Candidates with less than three years of university experience should be at least 26 years of age and have a minimum of 5 years of non-academic experience.

Where to Apply: OLSAS Portal
Application Service Fee: 200 CAD
Admission Requirements (for first-year applicants):
First-year students are required to submit the following document as part of their application package:

Personal Statement Essay
Two Letters of Recommendation
Official Transcripts
A valid LSAT score for a test taken within the last 5 years (Although the law school mentions no minimum LSAT score to be eligible, candidates with an LSAT score of 80th percentile or higher have better chances of being selected.)
English Proficiency Test Scores for international applicants
Financial Statement

Additional Requirements (for upper-year applicants):

Osgoode also accepts upper-year students who wish to transfer to the JD program or spend one year as an exchange student. These students are required to submit the following supplementary documents in addition to those mentioned above,

Documents citing the reason for transferring (for transfer students)
Letter of Reference from current law professor
Transcripts from current law school
Letter of Permission from current law school (for exchange students only)

The JD admission process can include an interview by invitation. Applicants cannot request personal interviews.

Osgoode Hall Law School Graduate Admissions

Osgoode Hall Law School admissions are offered to law students and professionals in graduate-level programs such as LLM- Research and Professional LLM programs. Usually, applicants are required to have a law degree to be eligible for admission to the Research LLM Program. However, applicants without a law degree can also apply if they have excellent academic records or they have studied a discipline that is related to law.

Professional LLM is offered in 3 full-time specialisations and 14 part-time specialisations. For internationally trained lawyers Osgoode Hall Law School offers Professional Development Programs.

Where to Apply: Professional LLM Online Application; Research LLM Online Application
Application Fee: 130 CAD
Admission Requirements:
The general admission requirements for graduate admission at Osgoode Hall Law School is mentioned below,

Resume/CV
Academic Writing Samples: Academic paper/ memorandum/ research paper etc
College Transcripts (with a minimum of grade B or its equivalent)
Special Requirements for Applicants from the Indian subcontinent: Master’s Degree in Law (minimum 2nd Class)
English Language Proficiency Test Scores
Two Letters of Recommendation

In the table below, we have presented the eligibility requirements for a few popular law programs for graduates offered by the institute,

Requirements	Research LLM	Professional LLM- Canadian Common Law	Professional LLM- International Business Law	Professional LLM- Tax Law	Professional LLM- Administrative Law (part-time)
Official Transcripts	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required
ELP Scores	TOEFL-iBT: 100 IELTS: 7.5	TOEFL-iBT: 102- 109 IELTS: 7.5	TOEFL-iBT: 102- 109 IELTS: 7.5	TOEFL-iBT: 102- 109 IELTS: 7.5	TOEFL-iBT: 102- 109 IELTS: 7.5
Writing Samples	Not Required	5 to 10 research sample required	5 to 10 research sample required	5 to 10 research sample required	5 to 10 research sample required
Resume	Required	Required	Required	Required	Required
Letters of Recommendation	2 Required	2 Required	2 Required	2 Required	2 Required
Work Experience	Considered	Considered	Considered	Considered	Considered

Admission decisions at Osgoode Hall Law School are made on a rolling basis and are updated online. Admission decisions for the winter 2022 session will be declared in the spring of 202. Candidates who are pursuing their JD or LLB can apply for graduate programs, mentioning their course enrollment in the transcript. However, they have to send the final transcript mentioning the degree soon after completing their course. The admission offers for the JD Program are usually made in January or February.

FAQs

Q1. Can I apply for LLM programs without a law degree?

Ans. Students with exceptional academic records may be admitted to the LLM programs. However, they are required to take a mandatory Introduction to Graduate Legal Studies course.

Q2. Can the LLM programs be taken part-time?

Ans. The research LLM is offered full time only. Certain professional LLM programs may be taken part-time.

Q3. Can applicants submit official transcripts individually?

Ans. Official transcripts are required to be sent to the Office of Admission directly from the educational institute only.

Q4. What is a conditional offer of admission?

Ans. Students admitted with a conditional offer are obligated to meet the admission condition within a pre-approved deadline in order to be allowed to register.

Q5. Are applicants allowed to submit recommendations on behalf of their references?

Ans. No, letters of recommendations are only accepted if submitted directly by the reference online via MyFile.