faculty of law - McGill University

FACULTY OF LAW
EXCHANGE AND STUDY AWAY PROGRAM
Information Booklet for exchanges in 2015-2016
Every year, an increasing number of law students participate in one of many exchange programs
available at the Faculty, or attend another institution as study away students. This document is intended
to provide basic information concerning these programs.
Exchange students spend a term of study at an institution with which McGill has an exchange
agreement. Exchange students pay their tuition fees at McGill (15 credits) and receive credit
equivalence for the courses taken at the host institution.
Study Away students spend a term of study at an institution with which McGill does not have an
exchange agreement. Study Away students pay tuition fees at the host institution and receive credit
equivalence for the courses taken there. They apply to the host institution as visiting students.
Avant de compléter votre demande d’échange, veuillez consulter le site Web du « McGill International
Education » au : http://www.mcgill.ca/students/international/.
1. EXCHANGE PROGRAMS
The Faculty of Law and McGill University are part of a number of exchange agreements with leading
institutions around the world. Exchange agreements fall under two broad categories: Bilateral
agreements and the CREPUQ agreement. For more specific information regarding partner institutions,
please consult the “List of exchange institutions 2015-2016” available at https://www.mcgill.ca/lawstudies/information/exchange. This list is based on last year’s exchange spots and will be updated once
this year’s spots are confirmed.
À l’exception du programme d’échange de l’université d’Édinbourg qui dure un an, les étudiants ne
peuvent participer à un programme d’échange autre que pour la durée d’une session.
1.1. BILATERAL AGREEMENTS
The Faculty of Law and McGill University have entered into a number of bilateral exchange agreements
with many universities around the world. Some agreements are “law-specific”, meaning that they are
only open to law students. Other agreements are “general”, meaning that they are open to all McGill
students. The complete list of partner institutions may be found on the McGill International Education
website: http://www.mcgill.ca/students/international/goabroad/exchange/partners.
Law-specific agreements:
Brazil:
China:
France:
Germany:
Hong Kong:
Israel:
Italy:
Netherlands:
Fundação Getulio Vargas (Rio & Sao Paulo)
Fudan
Institut d’études politiques de Paris (Sciences Po)
European Business School (EBS)
University of Hong Kong
Tel Aviv University
Università di Torino
Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
Universiteit Maastricht
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Singapore:
National University of Singapore (NUS)
Spain:
Universitat de Barcelona
United States: Vermont Law School (Environmental Law Center)
De plus, la Faculté de droit, en tant que membre du North American Consortium on Legal Education
(NACLE) est ainsi en mesure d’offrir à ses étudiants l’opportunité d’étudier au sein de certaines
institutions américaines et mexicaines. Pour plus d’informations sur le NACLE, nous vous invitons à
visiter leur site web au : www.nacle.org.
Mexico:
Universidad Panamericana
Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE)
United States: George Washington University
University of Arizona
University of Houston
General agreements
The complete list of bilateral partners can be found here:
http://www.mcgill.ca/students/international/goabroad/exchange/partners. Note that not all general
partners have law faculties. Students may only apply for university exchanges with schools that have a
Faculty of Law.
La faculté de droit dispose de « places réservées » à des étudiants en droit en vertu des accords
généraux suivants :
Australia:
Denmark:
Sweden:
UK:
University of Melbourne
University of New South Wales
University of Copenhagen
Lund University
University of Edinburgh (full year exchange only)
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1.2. CREPUQ AGREEMENT
L’Université McGill est signataire d’un accord d’échange multilatéral conclu à travers la Conférence des
recteurs et principaux des université du Québec (CREPUQ).Veuillez visiter http://echangesetudiants.crepuq.qc.ca/ pour une liste complète des partenaires du CREPUQ.
The Faculty of Law has, over the years, established privileged relationships with the following CREPUQ
partners:
France:
Université d’Aix-Marseille III
Université de Grenoble II
Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3
Université Paris I
2. STUDY AWAY STUDENTS
Students may also ask permission to study for one term at an institution with which there is no
established exchange program. In such cases, where permission is granted, the student is responsible
for applying directly to the host institution. As a general rule, law students who wish to complete part of
their studies at another institution will be expected to choose from one of the existing exchange
programs. In order to attend another institution as a study away student, one must have sound
academic reasons for wanting to study at that institution or, alternatively, compelling personal
circumstances.
3. APPLICATION PROCESS
Les étudiants qui postulent aux programmes d’échange et Study Away pour l’année académique 20152016 (incluant la session d’été 2015, la session d’automne 2015 et la session d’hiver 2016) doivent
compléter la demande d’échange sur Minerva ET soumettre leur CV sur myFuture avant lundi le 24
novembre 2014. Pour soumettre votre CV sur myFuture, nous vous prions de vous référer à l’annonce
« Exchanges 2015-2016 » située dans l’onglet Job posting.
The candidates will be selected on the basis of the following criteria:
a) Academic project:
As part of the online application, students are required to submit a Statement of Purpose. The
statement should briefly explain why they want to participate in an exchange program and what they
expect to accomplish while on exchange. In particular, they should explain how their exchange project
and choice of institution fit within their legal studies. This Statement of Purpose will be used by the
Faculty of Law in our selection process; it will not be forwarded to host institutions. You will therefore
have a chance to edit your statement of purpose before applying to the host university.
b) Academic record in the Faculty:
Students must have completed the first two years of the McGill program. In addition, students are
required to have a minimum CGPA of 2.70. If students are applying to participate in an exchange
program in the last term of their program, they must normally have a minimum of 12 credits left to
complete in the program.
c) Choice of institution
Les étudiants peuvent choisir quatre (4) institutions. Priorité sera accordée aux programmes d’échange
plutôt qu’aux programmes study away.
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IMPORTANT: Students applying as study away students must complete TWO SEPARATE MINERVA
APPLICATIONS; the Minerva Study Away application AND the Minerva Exchange application. When
completing the Exchange application, please list choices (both official exchange and study away
universities) in order of preference and indicate that the required Minerva Study Away application has
also been completed.
Decisions
Students will be informed of the result of their application via Minerva in early January. The approval
will specify which institution the student is authorized to attend. During the winter term, students will
be advised of the next steps in preparing their application to the host university.
The host institution makes the final decision regarding a student’s admission.
4. CREDIT EQUIVALENCE
Students may be authorized to study at another institution for one term, except in the case of students
participating in a full year exchange program at the University of Edinburgh. Courses taken at the host
institution count towards the McGill degrees, subject to the following conditions and modalities:
Premièrement, les étudiants doivent être inscrits à temps plein dans un programme de droit à
l’institution d’accueil. Cela équivaut à une charge allant de 12 à 15 crédits (tels que calculés à McGill) par
session. Les étudiants ne peuvent pas s’inscrire à moins que l’équivalent de 12 crédits (tels que
calculés à McGill), ni recevoir plus que l’équivalent de 15 crédits (tels que calculés à McGill).
Second, students must obtain the permission of the Student Affairs Consultant for the courses that they
choose. Generally, students are free to choose any course in the regular law school curriculum at the
host institution, provided that it is not substantially the same as a course already taken at McGill and
provided that it is of a sufficient level (i.e., third year law studies) of difficulty. Students should be aware
that they must complete all their required and complementary courses at McGill. Therefore, none of the
courses that they take at the host institution will satisfy their required or complementary course
requirements in the McGill program. Students should note also that courses taken at the host institution
can count only towards their degrees at McGill. The exact credit equivalence of the courses taken at the
host institution is determined by the Student Affairs Consultant upon review of the student's course
selection. It is therefore imperative that students forward their course selection to the Student Affairs
Consultant at the beginning of their term away, before registration closes at their host institution.
Third, at the end of their term away, students must have an official transcript sent directly, by mail, to
this Faculty by the host institution, confirming their successful completion of the courses that were
approved. N.B. Timely reception of grade transcripts is paramount for students away during their last
term (especially December graduates entering École du Barreau or writing the February NY Bar Exam).
Enfin, lors de leur retour à McGill, les étudiants devront compléter un questionnaire afin de nous
renseigner sur leur expérience en échange. Le but de cet exercice est de nous permettre de recueillir
leurs commentaires sur les divers programmes d’échanges disponibles en vue de les améliorer. Cela
permet en outre aux étudiants qui participeront au programme dans le futur de profiter de l’expérience
de ceux qui auront déjà eu l’opportunité d’y prendre part.
Once all these conditions and modalities have been met, the approved number of credits is transferred
to the student's McGill record. Individual grades obtained in courses taken at the host institution do not
appear on the McGill transcript, only the name of the host institution and the number of transfer
credits.
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5. FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Please visit the International Education website at
http://www.mcgill.ca/students/international/goabroad/funding to find out about the various sources of
financial support available to students participating in an exchange.
6. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When should I go on exchange?
For students who intend to graduate in three and a half or four years, the best time to participate in an
exchange program is during the third year. If you intend to graduate in four years, you might also
consider going away in the first semester of your fourth year. This allows you to share your experience,
both academically and socially, with your McGill colleagues upon your return to the Faculty. Students
should also note that studying at another institution during their last semester may prevent them from
graduating in a timely fashion. For students who intend to graduate in three years, the best time to
participate is during the first term of their third year.
Can I go on exchange if I am registered in a Minor, Major or Honours program?
Les étudiants qui sont inscrits dans un programme de mineur, majeur ou honours peuvent tout de
même participer à un échange. Par contre, ils devront tenir compte de l’obligation qui leur incombe de
compléter tous les cours du mineur, majeur ou honours à McGill. Aucun de ces cours ne peut être suivi
en échange. Nous invitons les étudiants concernés à prendre rendez-vous avec la Conseillère, affaires
étudiants, afin de discuter de leur planification académique.
In addition, students on exchange are limited in their ability to participate in year-long activities, such as
law journals and competitive mooting.
How can I plan my academic program to accommodate an exchange?
Students should review program requirements in detail before applying to ensure proper compliance
with other program parameters that an exchange may affect. Students going on exchange are limited in
participating in year-long activities such as law journal work and competitive mooting.
How many credits / courses per semester must I complete while on exchange?
While on exchange, students must take the equivalent of 12 to 15 McGill credits, no more and no less.
Students are told in advance how many courses /credits they must take at the host institution in order
to earn 15 McGill credits. In particular, students who choose to participate in an exchange in their last
term must ensure that they have between 12 credits and 15 credits left to complete in their program.
Note that exchange students must pay tuition at McGill for 15 credits, regardless of the number of
credits taken at the host institution.
As a general final point, students should review Program Requirements in detail before applying for
exchange to ensure proper academic planning and compliance with other program parameters that an
exchange may affect. The Student Affairs Consultant can help in academic planning and advising.
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