How to Apply

Applicants under all admissions categories are required to provide a valid score for the Law School Admission Test (LSAT). The LSAT is a standardized test built to assess key skills that contribute to success in law school. The test is overseen by the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC). The LSAT is administered several times a year on-line, across Canada and around the world.

Please note the following policies:

• LSATs written after January 31 will not be considered for admission commencing in September of the same year.
• if an applicant take the LSAT multiple times, we will only use the highest score in their assessment.
• we only consider LSATs written within five years of when you apply.

The Schulich School of Law does not endorse any specific preparation method for the LSAT, nor is there any recommended amount of time required to prepare for the LSAT.  Because learning is highly individualized, a particular preparation material/method that works for one person is not guaranteed to work for everyone.  There are many prep resources available including books, tutors, online and in-person courses and practice tests. We recommend everyone research the various options to find one that works best for them.

For more information on preparing and writing the LSAT, visit the Law School Admissions Council (LSAC) website.

All JD applicants are required to complete Dalhousie’s online application form.

Applicants seeking admission to the JD program must submit their completed online application by January 10, 11:59 pm AT. 

Please note it is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all required documentation is received by the JD Admissions Office. Incomplete applications will not be assessed. See the Supporting Documents section below for more information on what is required.

When beginning the online application, the following documents/information should be available:

• personal statement
• resume/CV
  
• dates spent at academic institutions (including exchanges)

Please note: the personal statement and resume must be attached to the online application form in order for it to be submitted.  While documents may be updated after submission, applications with placeholder documents at the time of assessment will not be eligable for admission.

A non-refundable application fee ($70) must accompany each application for it to be considered complete and for processing to begin.  Aapplications will not be reviewed until the fee is received.  There is no fee waiver available for the application fee.

Once the online application form has been submitted, a prompt to make your fee payment will appear.

Please note: Application fees paid after January 31 will not be accepted, and the corresponding application will not be assessed for admission.   

All applicants to the Schulich School of Law's JD program are required to submit documentation in addition to the online application.  In order for an application to be assessed for admission, a file must be complete.  A complete file consists of the online application form and all required supporting documents.

Supporting documents may be submitted to the JD Admission Office before or after the completion of the online application. 

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all materials relevant to their application are received by the Admissions Office by the required deadlines.

Learn more about submitting supporting documents below.

Once an application has been submitted, an applicant can log into the online application portal to check the status of their application, and the receipt of your supporting documents. The system is updated on an ongoing basis as supporting documents are received.

Please allow at least one (1) week after the online application form has been submitted, and the application fee paid, for the portal to initially be updated.  It may take one (1) week after receipt of supporting documents by the university for them to be processed and reflected on the online application portal.

An applicant does not need to submit your LSAT score(s) to us. By providing their LSAC account number on the online application form, we will be able to retrieve the information automatically from LSAC.  This includes updated test results should one decide to write the LSAT after submitting their initial application documents.

Please note: LSAT scores are the only applicant information we are able to obtain from LSAC.

Your personal statement is a very important part of your application. It is where the Admissions Committee can learn about you. We truly value a wide variety of backgrounds, identities, and aspirations, so be authentic and be yourself.

In your personal statement you may include your reasons for applying to law school, information or context about your academic performance/extra-curricular activities, key accomplishments from your paid/volunteer experience, your personal commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, barriers you have overcome and/or any other personal information that you may wish to bring to the attention of the Admissions Committee. This may include any special skills, talents, or experiences that you feel have given you a unique way of looking at the world.

The Schulich School of Law is committed to equity, diversity and inclusion in legal education and the legal profession. We strive to admit a first-year class of students that is enriched by a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. This includes individuals from historically disadvantaged groups, who will contribute to the fabric of the law school community. If you are from a historically disadvantaged group, you may describe how you are culturally, racially, or socially diverse and how these qualities have contributed to your character. For example, this may include, the languages you understand and speak, your Mi’kmaq, African Nova Scotian or other Indigenous, Black or other racial identity, your cultural background, how you live with a disability or your experiences with a mental illness, your sexual orientation or gender identity, financial challenges you faced, your unique family history or your religious or conscientious beliefs.

Applicants who have applied under an application category other than General should include any information required for that category, as outlined on the Admissions Categories & Program Options page.

While there is a suggested limit of 1200 words for the personal statement, applicants are encouraged to use whatever space is required to best represent yourself and your unique circumstances.

Applicants to the JD program are required to submit two (2) references in support of their application.

Candidates who are currently attending university or who have graduated within the last three years are required to submit at least one (1) academic reference.  An academic reference should be from someone who knows the applicant well and is familiar with their academic performance (i.e. a professor, TA or advisor).

• If an applicant is unable to secure an academic reference when one is required, they may provide two appropriate non-academic references.  They are asked to provide a reason via the application or email as to why the committee will not be provided with the required academic reference.

In all other cases, as with those who have graduated more than three years ago both references can be non-academic in nature (i.e. professional, employment, or volunteer references).  Non-academic references should be submitted by people familiar with the applicant’s non-academic contributions and achievements.

How to submit

The Schulich School of Law requires references to be submitted directly from the referee, either via the application platform or, in extenuating circumstances, via email.

Dalhousie University’s application platform will prompt applicants for the contact information of the referee, including a professional email address, and will send an e-reference request upon submission of the application.  Referees will be asked to complete a web form with the option to attach a reference letter.

In the case where a referee is unable to use the e-reference system, an applicant may provide the referee with an Referee Statement Form (Appendix A).  Once completed, the referee can send it to law.admissions@dal.ca from a professional email address.  

Applicants who wish to carry forward references from a previous JD application will have the opportunity to indicate so on the online application.  Please note, in these circumstances, it is suggested that the applicant contacts the JD admissions office to ensure that we have the reference on file.

Please note: Applicants may update listed referees after an application is submitted via the application portal’s upon the application status page.

Applicants are responsible for ensuring the references are submitted by the required deadline.

We require one (1) official transcript from all post-secondary institutions that applicants have attended, including colleges and institutions attended for an exchange program, transfer credit or letter of permission from their home institution, regardless if the grades appear on the transcript of their home institution.

• Please note that if an applicant fails to provide transcripts for all institutions, or does not reflect attending all institutions in their online application, the Admissions Office will not assess the file.
  

Official transcripts must be sent directly from the issuing institution.  We accept official electronic transcripts from the issuing institution, or the electronic transcript service approved by the issuing institution.  Electronic transcripts can be sent to admissions.documents@dal.ca.  Any official transcripts received by mail, courier or fax in the JD admissions office will still be accepted and attached to the appropriate application.

• Please note that Dalhousie and King’s College transcripts will be attached to an application automatically by Dalhousie University Registrar’s Office.

Updated transcripts are welcomed as long as they are received prior to the supporting documents deadline outlined below. 

• Please note that we do not require final transcripts showing winter term grades from the year an applicant is applying as these grades will not be used in their assessment.

If an applicant has attended a post-secondary degree granting institution outside of North America, we require them to submit your transcripts via the World Education Service (WES) at WES.org.

• Please note that WES.org has multiple services.  The "course-by-course evalulation" is required to translate the courses and their marks from a transcript into a North American grading scheme

Applicants who have completed an international exchange as part of their Canadian or United States degree program must submit official transcripts for all courses taken at all international institutions.

In order for us to include the grades from exchanges in GPA calculations, official exchange transcripts must be submitted via WES.org.  Alternatively, the international institution may send the official transcript directly to us, at the applicant’s request, in which case exchange grades will not be included in GPA calculations.  Because we understand that the cost of utilizing WES’s services for a single semester may be prohibitive, we leave the option of including grades from exchanges to the applicant’s discretion.

There is an exception to this policy as outlined below.

• Please note that WES.org has multiple services.  The "course-by-course evaluation" is required to translate the courses and their marks from your transcript into a North American grading scheme.

Exception: If an applicant attended an exchange institution outside of North America and the letter or numerical grades are included on the home institution’s transcript, an applicant does not need to submit the exchange transcript via WES.org for the exchange grades to be included in the GPA calculations.  We still require a transcript from the exchange institution.

Candidates will be asked to upload a detailed resume highlighting their work, volunteer and community involvement. 

Medical documents may be used in support of a diagnosis or underlying condition that may have affected your academic performance or life experiences.

Applicants may have a medical professional complete a Medical Statement Form (Appendix B) or provide a statement on their official letterhead. Other official medical documents, such as accommodation letters and assessments, are also accepted.

Because the LSAT has a built-in English comprehension component, JD Admissions does not require international applicants to take any other English language test.

The Admissions Committee will review and take into consideration all appropriate documents and statements submitted with an application as part of the holistic review process. In addition to the required document types above, candidates may submit additional statements as outlined below and dependent upon their applicant category.

Part-Time Program Applicant

Part-time program applicants should provide a statement outlining why they wish to study part-time.