Who it's forApplicants to the English-language Common Law program.
Three distinct and compulsory terms: fall (September–December), a January term covering the first three weeks of January, and winter (February–April).
Who it's forApplicants to the French-language Common Law program.
Same three-term structure as the English program.
Who it's forApplicants who already hold a civil law degree from a Canadian university.
“An accelerated course of study… Students are expected to have a high level of proficiency in both French and English, as the program is bilingual.”
Who it's forApplicants seeking both common law and civil law credentials at uOttawa.
Launched in September 2008. Students earn both a JD and an LL.L. in three years, “opening the doors to the practice of law across Canada and abroad.”
Combined programs are also offered, including JD/MBA with the Telfer School of Management and JD/MA with the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs. Those schools set their own deadlines.
Unusually, uOttawa publishes its committee composition: “The Admissions Committee is composed of professors and third-year students.”
Files are evaluated “on a continuous basis as each applicant’s file is complete. Decisions are based on the information provided at the time a file is reviewed. Documents received after a decision is taken will not be considered.”
No index or fixed weighting is published — and the LSAT weighting is explicitly variable.
Diverse strengths. “The Admissions Committee considers many factors to ensure that the student body represents the fullest possible range of social, economic, ethnic and cultural perspectives” — significant extracurricular or community achievements, outstanding qualities in previous careers, linguistic or cultural factors, and personal success in overcoming challenges such as a disability or financial hardship.
A strong CGPA. “Most successful applicants have at least an A- or 80% average overall.”
A high LSAT score. No cutoff, but “the Law School looks for an LSAT score above the 70th percentile (158 or higher).”
“Your CGPA is calculated by combining the final grades obtained during every university undergraduate semester and dividing the total number of grade points by the total number of credits. Every year will count, as well as any undergraduate level courses you may have taken as a non-degree student.”
This is the least forgiving GPA method among the Canadian schools — there is no best-two-years, no last-60-credits, and nothing is dropped.
Who it's forThe default — “the correct choice for any applicant who does not meet the eligibility criteria for any of the other categories.”
Assessed against the three criteria described above.
Who it's forApplicants who would otherwise be General category, but experienced a negative event that adversely affected their studies.
Examples given: serious short-term illness or injury, a seriously ill or injured family member, an unstable home environment, or the death of a loved one. Indicate which academic term(s) were affected and provide supporting documentation where possible.
Who it's forStudents from historically excluded communities who have experienced systemic inequality or identifiable social or economic barriers to education.
Eligibility follows Ontario Human Rights Code grounds: “race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital status, family status or disability.” Beyond those grounds, the Committee “considers severe economic hardship to be a barrier to education, which would confer eligibility.”
Black applicants apply here — uOttawa has no separate Black applicant category. Applicants “are welcome to self-identify in the application process and are encouraged to use the personal statement to discuss non-academic strengths and achievements.”
Who it's forAt least 5 years of non-academic experience since finishing undergraduate studies, or at least 10 years since finishing high school — measured at the application deadline.
Exempt from the three-year/90-credit requirement. If five or more years have passed since you completed your undergraduate studies, you are exempt from providing an academic reference.
That exemption is withdrawn if within the past five years you have been enrolled in a Master’s (including MBA), PhD, professional, or college diploma/certificate program.
You may apply having never attended an undergraduate program, provided you are at least 10 years removed from high school — but “this evidence usually requires the satisfactory completion of at least some undergraduate courses.”
Who it's forPersons who are First Nations, Inuit, or Métis.
“Proof of Indigenous identity must be provided. It can take different forms.” Consult uOttawa’s policy on admissions streams and scholarships intended for First Nations, Inuit and Métis applicants.
Applicants are encouraged to use the personal statement to describe their connection to and involvement in their Indigenous community.
Maximum 8,000 characters, including spaces and punctuation. The Committee’s stated criteria:
For French programs, also cover “a French-language academic history and reasons for wanting to study Common Law in French at the University of Ottawa.”
Two explicit instructions: “Please do not use the personal statement as a resumé.” And do not use it to explain why you are applying in the Special Circumstances or Access categories — “dedicated forms are provided for this purpose.”
“Applicants must provide at least two letters of reference. At least one… must be from an academic referee.”
An academic referee is “someone who has taught and evaluated you in an educational context at a post-secondary institution.” Ideally they “should indicate your performance relative to the rest of the class.”
Not academic referees: high school or elementary school teachers or principals, coaches, and personal tutors.
A non-academic referee “must be someone who knows you in more than just a social context.” Not suitable: family members, friends, peers, friends-of-the-family, and romantic partners. Acceptable: employers, managers, co-op and internship supervisors, mentors, coaches, tutors, volunteer coordinators.
“The first Offers of Admission are sent in early January.” Files continue to be assessed after that, and “as responses are received, new spaces can open up until the end of August.”
Read your offer letter carefully: failing to accept by the stated deadline, or to pay the tuition deposit by its deadline, “can result in the offer being rescinded.”
Who it's forStudents who have successfully completed the first year of a Canadian common law program.
“Students who have undertaken or completed their legal studies outside Canada cannot apply to transfer.”
Who it's forStudents who have successfully completed the first year of a Canadian common law program.
One semester or one full year at uOttawa as a visiting student, on a Letter of Permission from the home institution.
Who it's forPersons with a completed law degree from Quebec or a foreign jurisdiction.
Must apply to the National Committee on Accreditation — established by the Council of Canadian Law Deans and the Federation of Law Societies of Canada — for an equivalency assessment.
Who it's forLawyers who are members of the bar of a Canadian province or territory.
Common Law courses are generally reserved for registered students, but practising lawyers may apply to take 2nd- or 3rd-year courses “in order to expand their knowledge in specific areas of the law.”
All information on this page is drawn from University of Ottawa’s official admissions pages. Requirements and deadlines change — always confirm with the school before applying.