Upper-Year Applicants
Transfer Applicants
Jackman Law welcomes applications from students seeking admission to the second year of the JD program as transfer students.
Degree Completion & Transfer Credit
Transfer students will be eligible for the University of Toronto’s JD degree upon the successful completion of two years of academic work in residence at the University of Toronto and subject to meeting the Faculty’s academic requirements as set out in the Academic Handbook.Transfer credit will be considered and granted, where appropriate, for first-year law courses successfully completed at another common law school (Canadian or non-Canadian). Transfer credits are determined after the review of the transfer application for admissibility, and not in advance. Notification of any granted credit will be included in an offer of admission package. If admitted, any shortfall from our first-year required courses will need to be taken in addition to upper year courses in order to complete our JD.
Transfer credit will not be granted for law courses completed at another law school after its traditional first-year terms, e.g. no credit for summer courses if your law school's traditional first-year spans the fall and winter terms only.
Please note that transfer students are not eligible to participate in the Student Exchange Program
Course Offerings
The academic year begins in early September, for which the year's course offerings are listed only a couple of months earlier during late-June to early-July. Please view the current course list online.
Combined JD Programs for Transfers
Applicants applying to transfer into the second year of the JD program may also apply for admission to one of our combined programs.
- If you intend to, or are contemplating whether to, study a JD combined program, then on the OLSAS application form for the JD, you must pick the JD-only selection and also the desired JD combined program selection. Please ensure that the selections are made before the OLSAS application deadline, after which your ability to add a new program selection on the OLSAS application form is disabled. The additional selection of the combined program at OLSAS enables the law school to check with applicants, later in the cycle, on the outcome of their application to the partner program. It does not influence the admission to the JD. An independent application to the partner program is still required, regardless of the combination selected at OLSAS.
- Applicants must apply directly to, and be admitted to, the partner program separately, for the same entry year as the JD transfer. Applicants are strongly encouraged to ascertain the application deadline relevant to the other faculty or department involved in the combined program in which they are interested, and meet all admission requirements, application deadlines and procedures for each degree program.
- The law school will assess admission to the JD only, independently of the outcome of the admission of the partner program. If one is admitted independently to both the JD and the partner, then one may enrol in both programs as a combination. It is the enrolment after admission that is combined, and not the admission consideration.
Eligibility
Applications will only be considered for candidates, regardless of immigration status in Canada, who have completed, all of:- At least three years of full-time undergraduate degree studies (exclusive of law school studies).
- No more than the first year only, of an LLB or JD program at another common law school (Canadian or non-Canadian), prior to entry at UofT Law.
- At least four of the following courses successfully, which are required at Jackman Law:
- Administrative Law
- Canadian Constitutional Law
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law
- Legal Process
- Property Law
- Torts
- In addition to the academic requirements the standardized LSAT test is required. For entry in 2026, the earliest acceptable test is the June 2020 test, and the last acceptable test is the April 2026 test.
The Personal Statement for Transfer Applicants
The Personal Statement is an opportunity to discuss your intellectual and academic background and personal interests, as well as provide information about yourself that is not otherwise evident through other information you provide in your application. The Admissions Committee wants to get a sense of who you are as a person and as a potential student and graduate of the Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto. Being authentic and thoughtful is the best approach in writing your statement.
Selection
Admission to transfer into the second year of our JD program is based on a holistic assessment of a candidate’s profile, including undergraduate record (and, if applicable, graduate work), LSAT score, all first year JD or LLB grades from a common law school, and a personal statement.
The Admissions Committee will take into account the differences in the quality of the law schools, as well as differences in grading policies, etc. Unless this is evident from the transcript, applicants are encouraged to support their applications with information from their law school Registrar or Dean on the grading practices at their law school and to provide their class ranking, if available.
Some applicants have compassionate grounds for seeking admission. As the Admissions Committee finds it extremely difficult to choose among deserving compassionate reasons, selection is not based on these factors.
Transfer applications will only be reviewed after the application deadline, and thenceforth after all application documentation has been received. Decisions are made on a rolling basis.
Transfer applicants must submit the following documentation directly to the Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS):
- An OLSAS application.
- Official and original copies of all post-secondary study academic transcripts, including law school transcripts.
- LSAT Score(s)
- Personal Statement (required for all), Optional Essay (optional for all), and BSAP Essay (required for BSAP candidates)
- A letter from their current law school indicating they are in good standing and have not been subject to disciplinary actions (including both academic and non-academic actions). Arrange with the current law school to have the letter sent by the law school (Registrar's Office) directly to OLSAS.
International Transcripts & WES Canada Evaluations
Applicants who completed at least one academic year of courses at post-secondary institutions outside of Canada or the USA are required to provide a third-party course-by-course assessment of their transcripts from World Education Services (WES Canada) for their applications. A WES Canada evaluation is not required for the law school transcripts of transfer applicants. Apply to WES Canada for transcript evaluation, and instruct WES Canada to submit the results to OLSAS directly.English Language Proficiency Tests (TOEFL, IELTS etc.)
A proficiency test is not required, however the LSAT is required, no exceptions.
References & Interviews
Letters of recommendation are not required and, if submitted, will not form part of the applicant's file. Interviews are not used for selection.
Application Deadline
For admission to enter in the 2026-2027 academic year, applications open in August 2025 and are to be received by 11:59 pm (Toronto time) on May 1, 2026. Applications must be received by this deadline even if law school marks for the current year are not yet available.
For applicants currently enrolled in a law school, if the documents to be provided directly by your law school (official final grades and/or letter of good standing) become available after the deadline, then still apply by the deadline and submit those documents to OLSAS as soon as possible after the deadline.
Late Applications
The Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law at the University of Toronto is prepared to consider requests to submit late applications. Any interested applicants must apply in writing to the JD Admissions Office at the University of Toronto asking to be considered as a late applicant and outlining reasons for failing to meet the deadline. Student copies of all post-secondary academic transcripts (including law school marks for the current year) and LSAT scores should be enclosed with the letter.
Requests will only be reviewed when all of these required documents have been received. The request can be emailed with attachments to admissions.law@utoronto.ca. The Faculty usually provides a response within five business days.
Application Fee
For the Ontario law schools, the base application fee is CAD $200 with an additional CAD $115 for each law school selection. All application fees are non-refundable.
Letter of Permission (LOP) Applicants
Candidates who have successfully completed two years in an LL.B. or JD program at another law school may apply to study for up to one academic year at the University of Toronto on a LOP issued by the candidate's law school. Enrolment will be in JD courses only. LOP students are not eligible for JD combined program admission or enrolment.
LOP students do not receive a JD from the University of Toronto. Rather, they will receive a law degree from their home institution (subject to the requirements of their home institution). LOP students pay the host institution's tuition and ancillary fees, and as visiting students on a non-degree basis, are not eligible for Jackman Law's financial aid programs.
Course Offerings
The academic year begins in early September, for which the year's course offerings are listed only a couple of months earlier during late-June to early-July.
- Please view the current course list online
- Enrolment in certain courses may be restricted for non-degree students.
The Admissions Committee will take into account the differences in the quality of the law schools, as well as differences in grading policies, etc. Unless this is evident from the transcript, applicants are encouraged to support their applications with information from their law school Registrar or Dean on the grading practices at their law school and to provide their class ranking, if available.
LOP applications will only be reviewed after the application deadline, and thenceforth after all application documentation has been received. Decisions are made on a rolling basis.
LOP applicants must submit the following documentation directly to the Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS):
- An OLSAS application.
- Official and original copies of all post-secondary study academic transcripts, including law school transcripts.
- LSAT Score(s) - For entry in 2026, the earliest acceptable test is the June 2020 test, and the last acceptable test is the April 2026 test.
- Personal Statement and Optional Essay (both are submitted on the online OLSAS application)
- A letter of permission (LOP) from their home institution which allows them to register at the Henry N.R. Jackman Faculty of Law at U of T.
- A letter from their current law school indicating they are in good standing and have not been subject to any disciplinary actions (including both academic and non-academic actions). Arrange with the law school to have the letter sent by the law school (Registrar's Office) directly to OLSAS.
International Transcripts & WES Canada Evaluations
Applicants who completed at least one academic year of courses at post-secondary institutions outside of Canada or the USA are required to provide a third-party course-by-course assessment of their transcripts from World Education Services (WES Canada) for their applications. A WES Canada evaluation is not required for the law school transcripts of letter of permission applicants. Apply to WES Canada for transcript evaluation, and instruct WES Canada to submit the results to OLSAS directly.
English Language Proficiency Tests (TOEFL, IELTS etc.)
A proficiency test is not required for applying, however, after the review of a submitted application, we may ask for proof of proficiency, if it is warranted.
References & Interviews
Letters of recommendation are not required and, if submitted, will not form part of the applicant's file. Interviews are not used for selection.
Application Deadline
For admission to enter in the 2026-2027 academic year, applications open in August 2025 and are to be received by 11:59 pm (Toronto time) on May 1, 2026. Applications must be received by this deadline even if law school marks for the current year are not yet available.
For applicants currently enrolled in a law school, if the documents to be provided directly by your law school (official final grades, the LOP or letter of good standing) become available after the deadline, then still apply by the deadline and submit those documents to OLSAS as soon as possible after the deadline.
Application Fee
For the Ontario law schools, the base application fee is CAD $200 with an additional CAD $115 for each law school selection. All application fees are non-refundable.
Submission of Applications Online
Obtain applications from, and submit to:
Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS)
Ontario Universities’ Application Centre
170 Research Lane
Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 5E2
Web: ouac.on.ca/olsas
Email: olsas@ouac.on.ca
Tel: 519.823-1063
National Committee on Accreditation Applicants
Regardless of immigration status in Canada, candidates with law degrees from other countries or a civil law degree from the province of Quebec who are seeking to qualify to practice law in a common law province in Canada should first consult with the National Committee on Accreditation (NCA).
The NCA examines the qualifications of internationally-trained lawyers and issues assessments setting out the requirements a candidate must complete before he or she is qualified to enter the Lawyer Licensing Process in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada. In many cases, the NCA will require candidates to successfully complete specified subjects either by taking particular courses at a Canadian law school or by passing NCA challenge examinations.
National Committee on Accreditation (NCA)
Federation of Law Societies of Canada
World Exchange Plaza
1810-45 O'Connor St.
Ottawa ON K1P 1A4
https://nca.legal/Once the NCA assessment has been received, internationally trained lawyers should view the options available at the Faculty for NCA students, see the National Committee on Accreditation Options.
For candidates wish to apply to take certain courses individually in the JD program at Jackman Law to fulfill their NCA requirements, please note the following:
The total number of places in the JD program at Jackman Law is fixed and is determined by the University of Toronto. These places, for which a subsidy is provided by the government of Ontario, are reserved for students pursuing a degree. However, the Faculty attempts to facilitate the professional accreditation of internationally-trained lawyers by admitting a limited number of NCA candidates each year to attend courses.
Admission is on a fee for course basis, estimated to be per course approximately $9,240 for 2026-2027; plus HST (13% government tax), subject to change in future academic years.
Enrolment in JD courses is not guaranteed and it subject to the availability of places. A maximum of seven JD courses may be taken with permission. Please note that Foundations of Canadian Law is not offered as a JD course. NCA students are not permitted to attend courses to which they have not been admitted.
Courses taken by NCA students are graded as credit/no credit. Upon completion of courses taken, a Statement of Grades is provided for the academic year. There is no academic credential (e.g. U of T certificate or diploma) since the courses are taken individually on a non-degree basis.
The number of NCA candidates admitted each year varies and is subject to the availability of places in the courses most commonly required by the NCA.
Selection is based primarily on the applicant's performance in previous legal studies (including results of all NCA challenge exams) and the assessment of the Admissions Committee as to whether or not the applicant is likely to be successful in the courses offered at Jackman Law.
A candidate who has failed any NCA exam will not be considered for admission.
The Admissions Committee will take into account differences in the quality of law schools, as well as differences in grading policies, etc. Unless this is evident from the transcript, applicants are encouraged to support their applications with information from their law school Registrar or Dean on the grading practices at their law school, and to provide their class ranking, if available.
Applicants who are required by the NCA to complete 60 credits may also be considered as transfer applicants to the Faculty's J.D. program provided their applications include all of the required elements for a transfer application. Applicants interested in ensuring that they will also be considered as potential transfer students should consult the JD Upper-Year Applicants page.
For entry in 2026-2027, applications for JD studies are due at Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS) by 11:59 pm (Toronto time) on May 1, 2026. Applications must be submitted by the deadline even if NCA assessment results and/or law school records are not yet available. Applications will only be reviewed after all required documentation has been received.
NCA applicants must submit the following documentation directly to OLSAS:
- OLSAS application form
- a copy of the official NCA assessment, sent directly from the NCA
- a copy of results of all NCA exams taken to date
- a written note specifying if you intend to take, or not take, any NCA exams before enrolling at the law school
- LSAT score(s), if the LSAT was taken within the most recent 5 years
- official and original law school academic transcripts (see note on transcripts below)
- a Personal Statement
Transcripts
Applicants who completed their undergraduate degrees (or completed more than a year of study) at post-secondary institutions outside of Canada or the United States may be required to submit a third-party course-by-course assessment of their transcripts (from World Services Canada) as a condition of an offer of admission.
Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS)
Ontario Universities’ Application Centre
170 Research Lane
Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 5E2
Web: ouac.on.ca/olsas
Email: olsas@ouac.on.ca
Tel: 519.823-1063
For entry in 2026-2027, applications are due at OLSAS on May 1, 2026.
If you believe you will not meet the application deadline due to the late arrival of supporting documents, then it is best that you still apply by the application deadline, instead of waiting for all your documents before you apply. By applying by the deadline, you will avoid the need to make a written request to allow a late application.
We will consider requests to submit late applications on a case-by-case basis, from which permission is neither automatic nor guaranteed. For upper-year entry, requests received after May 15, 2025, will be too late for consideration.
We will be more receptive to requests for late applications that are accompanied by unofficial copies of all postsecondary transcripts (and LSAT scores, if the LSAT was taken by the time of the request) and the NCA assessment.
The OLSAS processing fee is CAD $200 plus a University Fee of $115.00 for each law school selection. All fees are non-refundable. The University Fee, collected by OLSAS but remitted directly to Jackman Law, assists us in covering a portion of our costs associated with the admission assessment. Please see the OLSAS application material for detailed fee information.
The estimated NCA fee per course is $9,240 for 2026-2027; plus HST (13% government tax), subject to change in future academic years.
Financial Assistance
NCA students are not eligible for financial assistance through University or Faculty bursary or loan funds.This truncated process permits NCA students to request a second reader of exams for which they receive an F or No-Credit mark.
Which Decisions Can Be Appealed?
NCA Students can appeal decisions about a final grade of F or No-Credit assigned to a course.The Process for Grade Appeals
Students may appeal a final grade only once that grade is issued. The basis for the appeal is not limited to final exams or essay assignments. Any exam or written assignment on which a final grade is based may be the subject of a grade appeal. To pursue a grade appeal, the following steps must be completed:Request for Reassessment
The student must first request a rereading of the written work in writing. The student must set forth the academic grounds for why he or she believes the work was incorrectly assessed. The request for a rereading or reassessment must be made to the Associate Dean’s office in writing within 30 days of the grade being released by the Records Office. The Associate Dean shall read the written work and within 30 days of the student’s request the Associate Dean may decide that appeal or assign a second reader.Second Reader Assessment for Grade Appeals Based on Written Work
When the Associate Dean arranges an assessment of the written work by a second reader, the second reader shall have appropriate expertise in the subject matter of the written work. The Associate Dean shall give the student's written reasons for the appeal to the second reader. When reviewing the written work and the student's written reasons for the appeal, the second reader shall apply the standard of whether a reasonable marker could have reached the same conclusion as the instructor did in the same circumstances. In applying the standard, the second reader may consider other materials relating to the course, such as the written work of other students, and the course outline in the syllabus. The second reader shall render a decision on the written work within 30 days of receiving the grade appeal record. If, after reviewing the grade appeal record, the second reader decides that a reasonable marker could not have reached the same conclusion, the second reader shall assign the grade to the written work that he or she believes a reasonable marker would have assigned.
Upper Year Applications: Transfer, Letter of Permission, NCA
The process is the same for domestic and international candidates. Arrange for the submission of the application components that are relevant to your application type, directly to OLSAS by May 1, 2026.
Application Components
- OLSAS application, including the Autobiographical Sketch
- Official and original copies of all postsecondary academic transcripts, including final grades for law school courses
- Personal Statement
- Optional Essay
- The BSAP Essay (mandatory for BSAP stream applicants)
- LSAT score(s)
- A letter from your current law school indicating you are in good standing and have not been subject to any disciplinary action
- A Letter of Permission from your current law school
- Indigenous substantiation supporting evidence and Attestation form (Indigenous applicants only) – submitted using SAM in the OLSAS application
- A copy of the NCA evaluation
- A copy of the results of all NCA exams taken
- A written note specifying if you intend to take, or not take, any NCA exams before enrolling at the law school
Transfer Applicants
- Submit (1) to (7).
- For (7), arrange for your school to submit the letter to OLSAS directly.
Letter of Permission Applicants
- Submit (1) to (4) and (6) to (8).
- For (7) and (8), arrange for your school to submit the letters to OLSAS directly.
NCA Applicants
- Submit (1) to (4) and (10) to (12).
- For (2), ask the NCA to include its copy of your law school academic transcripts with the copy of the NCA evaluation.
- You must submit (10) to (12) using SAM in your OLSAS application.
All Upper-year Applicants
- You must submit your application, including the (1), (3), (4) and (5) by the listed deadline even if other required application components are not yet complete or available.
- Submit late components directly to OLSAS as soon as they become available.
Applications will be reviewed only after all required application components are received.
JD Combined Programs
Eligible for Transfer applicants only. In your OLSAS application, select both the JD Transfer program and your desired JD Combined program(s) to alert the law school of your interest in pursuing the partner graduate program(s).
You must also apply separately for admission to the partner graduate programs you are eligible for by their application procedures and deadlines.
Late Applications
If you believe you will not meet the application deadline due to the late arrival of supporting documents, then it is best that you still apply by the application deadline, instead of waiting for all your documents before you apply. By applying by the deadline, you will avoid the need to make a written request to allow a late application.
We will consider requests to submit late applications on a case-by-case basis, from which permission is neither automatic nor guaranteed. For upper-year entry, requests received after May 15, 2025, will be too late for consideration.
We will be more receptive to requests for late applications that are accompanied by unofficial copies of all postsecondary transcripts (and LSAT scores, if the LSAT was taken by the time of the request).
There are no quotas for any applicant category. Applications will be reviewed only after all required application components are received. You are responsible for ensuring that your file is complete. A full-person holistic review will be based on the completed applicant file.
We will notify you of the admission decision by email, on a rolling basis, as files become complete.
Conditional offers of admission and deferrals of admission are not considered for upper-year applicants.
Deferrals
Deferrals are not considered for upper-year applicants.
Re-application
Eligible candidates who wish to re-apply in a subsequent application cycle must submit a brand-new application to OLSAS, including all required application components and supporting documents, since OLSAS does not retain them after a cycle has ended. Admission consideration will be based on the strength of the new application submitted for the subsequent cycle.
Entry Points into the JD Program
For degree studyJD Upper Year - entry occurs once a year in early SeptemberFor non-degree studyEntry occurs in September. Visiting exchange, letter of permission students and NCA candidates may be allowed to enter in January, but must apply by their standard deadlines.
Timing of Admissions Decisions
- Applications are reviewed after the close of the respective application deadlines.
- Offers of admission are made on a rolling basis, as applications become complete and are reviewed.
- Notification of admission decisions will be made by email.
- There is no wait list for upper year applicants.
Admissions Timeline
ENTRY in 2026 ITEM For Upper Year entry
Tests held in the months of June 2020 to April 2026 inclusively.Worldwide, the 'regular' LSAT and LSAT Flex tests are both acceptable for admission. We treat scores the same regardless of test format and mode (in-person or online), there is no preference.
Test dates may vary across the different world regions. Review the recent and upcoming test dates at the LSAC website.LSAT Writing must be completed and processed by LSAT in order for the multiple choice test score to be available to you and law schools.August 21, 2025 JD APPLICATIONS OPEN ONLINE
For first year, transfer, letter of permission and National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) candidatesObtain from and submit directly to the Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS) only.The Credential Assembly Service (CAS) operated by LSAC is not to be used for applying to UofTMay 1, 2026 APPLICATION DEADLINE: UPPER YEAR ENTRY
Transfer, letter of permission and National Committee on Accreditation (NCA)
Due at the Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS)
Online:
by 11:59 pm (Toronto time) on the deadline date
TENTATIVE:
September 8, 2026Upper year students: start of classes