General
Who it's forApplicants who do not apply under the Indigenous or Discretionary categories.
Assessed purely on the 60/40 calculation. No references — write “N/A” on the application.
Thompson Rivers University
Faculty of Law
British ColumbiaAdmissions
The formula
60 / 40
GPA and LSAT
Average LSAT
159
Average GPA
3.84
TRU 4.33 scale
Application deadline
Feb 10
Nov 1 for early admission
Domestic tuition
$22,166
In province
Domestic tuition
$22,166
Out of province
International tuition
$53,147
Per year
The most explicit formula in Canada
“The GPA has a weight of 60% and is calculated using your most recent four full-time semesters of academic coursework towards your bachelor’s degree.” “The LSAT has a weight of 40%.” TRU also states there is no minimum GPA or LSAT required to apply — “however, this is a competitive program.”
GPA Calculation
Most recent four full-time semestersHow it is computed
Semesters countedYour most recent four full-time semesters toward your bachelor’s degree
Grades droppedNone — “all grades from those four semesters are included”
ScaleConverted to TRU’s 4.33 grade scale where your institution differs
Pass/fail coursesExcluded — “pass/fail grades do not provide us with enough information about your abilities”
Other gradesThe Committee sees all your grades, but computes the GPA only from those four semesters
Grades required byDecember 31 of the year prior to intake
Academic eligibility
One of the following is required:
- An undergraduate degree from a degree-granting institution
- 90 credits toward a degree, including 30 upper-level credits
- Completion of two years and current enrolment in third year — this yields a conditional offer
No prerequisite subjects: “We encourage you to complete a Bachelor’s degree in a discipline that you enjoy.”
LSAT Policy
RequiredYes
Score usedYour highest score completed by January of the intake year
Latest sittingJanuary of the intake year
Weight40% of the admissions calculation
Maximum score ageNot published
DeliveryTest date and LSAC ID must be on the application; pay the LSAC fee to release your score to TRU
Admission Categories
Three — and no mature categoryIndigenous Canadian
Who it's forIndigenous Canadian applicants, who must provide proof of Indigeneity.
TRU acknowledges directly that “past academic and LSAT performance may not be the only or best way to evaluate a candidate’s ability to succeed.”
Assessed on personal history as it relates to academic performance, connections to Indigenous communities and organizations, employment history, and “indicators of potential for future academic success.” Use the Special Facts text box “to provide these details including your connection to or lack of connection to your Indigenous community.”
The accepted forms of proof of Indigeneity are not published.
- References
- Two letters, 1–2 pages each, emailed directly by referees to lawadmissions@tru.ca
Discretionary
Who it's forApplicants with special life circumstances — published examples include disability, financial disadvantage, age over 30, and remote residency.
Explained in the Special Facts text box, with the option to email further material. Non-academic references from professional contexts — employers, volunteer organizations — are appropriate; avoid family members. At least one academic reference is preferred.
- Special Facts box
- Maximum 4,000 characters
- References
- Two letters, same delivery rules
No mature student category
Asked directly whether it has a mature student admissions category, TRU answers: “No.” Applicants over 30 may instead apply under Discretionary.
Application Components
Personal statement
A statement of interest “no longer than 750 words.” The committee seeks insight into your history, experience, and character, and looks for alignment with the faculty’s objectives:
- Diversity
- Community service
- Access to Indigenous legal education
- Commitment to the BC interior
Also required
ApplicationThrough EPBC (ApplyBC)
Resumé / CVRequired
LSATScore, writing sample, and LSAC ID
ReferencesOnly for Indigenous and Discretionary applicants
Status trackingThrough myTRU
Transcripts
Official transcripts only, sent directly by each institution — electronically to lawadmissions@tru.ca, or in hard copy to:
Admissions, Faculty of Law, Thompson Rivers University, 805 TRU Way, Kamloops, BC V2C 0C8
Documents may arrive before you submit your application; hard copies are only tracked after submission.
Dates & Fees
- September 1Applications open
- November 1Early admission and priority scholarship deadline
- From NovemberSome offers sent outCompleted files are reviewed first
- December 31All grades must be completeOf the year prior to intake
- February 10Final application deadlineFinal winter grades after this date are not accepted
- End of AprilAll files reviewedSubject to volume and staffing
Fees
Canadian applicants$129.30, non-refundable
International applicants$180.70, non-refundable
Fee waivers“We do not offer fee waivers”
Does applying early help?
TRU answers this one directly: “Not necessarily. Completed files will be reviewed first. If they are competitive, they will receive an early offer.”
Incomplete files are not reviewed.
Published Statistics
2025–26Admitted per year~125
Average LSAT159
Average GPA3.84 on the TRU 4.33 scale
Average age27
From outside BC30%
Undergraduate backgrounds50+ areas of study
Full-time faculty18
Articling“In the past four years, 99–100% of students known to be seeking articles reportedly secured them within nine months of graduation”
Not published
TRU does not publish the number of applications received or offers made, nor its deferral, re-application, waitlist, English proficiency, misrepresentation, appeal, or late application policies.
Upper-Year & Transfer Admission
Eligibility
You must have “already completed your first year of law school in Canada or any English-speaking common law country” and written the LSAT.
A firm limit: more than 1.5 years of law study completed makes you ineligible.
Assessment applies the first-year criteria plus “the extent to which an applicant’s previous studies in law prepare them for performing at the same level as students” already enrolled. Space-dependent — “some years may admit few or no transfers.”
Admitted transfers must complete at least 50% of TRU’s required credits and may need to take select first-year courses.
Dates and documents
Applications openMay 1
Applications closeJune 30
Documents dueJuly 15
ApplicationEPBC, with resumé, statement letter, and LSAC ID
TranscriptsCertified, from all post-secondary institutions attended
ReferencesTwo letters from law professors, forwarded directly by the referees
Program Format
StructureFull-time only — “The JD program at TRU Law is a full-time, 3-year program”
Part-time or onlineNot available
LocationAll classes at the Kamloops campus
Required courseAll JD students take “Truth and Rebuilding Canadian Indigenous Legal Relations (TRC)”
RegistrationStudents do not self-register — “We will register you into all your first-year courses”
All information on this page is drawn from Thompson Rivers University’s official admissions pages. Requirements and deadlines change — always confirm with the school before applying.