J.D. Admissions Program Eligibility

Your academic performance, LSAT score and personal statement are given equal priority in this category. The median LSAT score of successful applicants is 166 (93rd percentile) and the median GPA is 83%.

General applicants must have the following to be eligible for selection:

• undergraduate degree from a university, or
• three years (minimum 90 credits) from a university, 30 credits of which must be comprised of upper-level courses

You will need to submit undergraduate transcripts, an LSAT score and a personal statement with your application.

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You may apply in this category if you don't satisfy some of the requirements for the General category but have other relevant experiences and achievements.

Factors that the Admissions Committee can consider include:

• a disability or special needs
• membership in a historically disadvantaged group
• financial or personal challenges
• relevant personal achievements
• relevant work experience, including volunteer work
• contributions to your community
• other relevant factors

To be eligible, you must have completed at least two years of a program leading toward a university degree. Applicants with at least three years completed will also be considered for admission under the General category.

Discretionary applicants must submit the same documents as General applicants, plus two letters of reference and documents that support any special circumstances.

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You can apply in this category if you self-identify as Aboriginal, including First Nations, Métis or Inuit. Your application will also be considered under the General category.

We will prioritize applicants who:

• are involved with or committed to Indigenous communities and organizations, and
• intend to use their legal training to advance Indigenous concerns and interests

Indigenous applicants must submit the same documents as General applicants, plus two letters of reference and evidence of their eligibility. This can be a photocopy of an Indian status card, a Métis card, or a document from the federal, provincial or territorial government that supports your self-identification. 

If you are a non-status Indian, or want to learn more about applying, contact the Associate Director of Indigenous Legal Studies early in your application process. 

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You can apply to transfer to Allard Law after completing your first year at another Canadian common law school. If accepted, you will receive your degree after completing two years at the Allard School of Law.

The Admissions Committee may give preference to applicants who:

• would have been admitted to the first year of legal studies at Allard Law at the time of being admitted to their present institution;
• have achieved satisfactory academic performance at their current law school; and
• have compelling reasons for transferring to Allard Law, including compassionate grounds in which the applicant has no control over the circumstances.

You will need to submit undergraduate transcripts, law transcripts, an LSAT score, a personal statement and two letters of reference from law professors with your application. 

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You can apply to enter the first year of the J.D. program if you graduated from a foreign law school and have been approved by the National Committee on Accreditation. If accepted, you will receive your degree after completing two years at the Allard School of Law (first year and one upper year).

You will need to submit all of your academic transcripts, an LSAT score, a personal statement, two letters of reference, and an evaluation letter from the National Committee on Accreditation with your application. 

If you have a foreign law degree, we recommend that you consider applying for the Master of Laws (Common Law) (LLM CL) program or the Distance Learning program.

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The Peter A. Allard School of Law at the University of British Columbia and the University of Hong Kong Faculty of Law Joint Legal Education Program is the result of an agreement entered into by Allard Law and HKU in 2008. Students who successfully complete the program are able to pursue the professional qualifications required to practice law in both Hong Kong and Canada.

You will need to submit all of your academic transcripts, a personal statement, two letters of reference, and a letter of permission with your application. 

You can view the full HKU/UBC Application Form (PDF) and HKU/UBC Course Selection Guide (PDF) for more information.

Eligible students enrolled in the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) program at Tsinghua may earn an LL.B. degree from Tsinghua together with a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from UBC in 5 years of full-time study, plus the successful completion of a degree thesis at Tsinghua.

You can view the program Outline and Requirements (PDF) and the Tsinghua/UBC Application Form & Checklist (PDF) for more information. 

If you are currently studying at an approved law school, you can ask your school for permission to complete one year or one term of your second or third year at the Allard School of Law.

The Admissions Committee may give preference to applicants who:

• would have been admitted to the first year of legal studies at Allard Law at the time of being admitted to their present institution;
• have achieved satisfactory academic performance at their current law school; and
• have compelling reasons for attending Allard Law, including compassionate grounds in which the applicant has no control over the circumstances.

You will need to submit a letter of permission from your current law school, your undergraduate transcripts, law transcripts, an LSAT score (unless your current law school does not require an LSAT score for admission), a personal statement, and two letters of reference from law professors with your application.

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