Exchange terms

Welcome to UVic Law

EXCHANGE TERM INFORMATION: OUTGOING (UVIC) STUDENTS

Destinations	Fees
Applying	Selection Criteria
Application to Host University	Course Program and Credits
Registration and Transcripts	Student Responsibilities
Funding Opportunities	Faculty Regulations
	Consulates/ Embassies

Important note:

Application deadline for Spring Exchanges is generally mid-September/beginning of October.

Application deadline for Fall Exchanges is usually late January.

Some of our exchange partners require nominations from UVic in the spring for students who will be participating in the upcomingFall and Spring exchanges.   This includes Arizona State, National University of Singapore, Hong Kong University, and University of British Columbia.

 

Apply in the FALL for the spring term:

Host University	Dates of Attendance SPRING term	UVIC Law Application Deadline (APPROX)	Host Application Deadline
ADELAIDE (Australia)	March to June	mid-September	December 1
AMSTERDAM (Vrije)	January to July	mid-September	October 31
SYDNEY (Australia)	February to June	mid-September	November 30
UTRECHT (The Netherlands)	February to April	mid-September	October 9
WELLINGTON (New Zealand)	March to June	mid-September	October 1

Apply in the SPRING for the fall term:

Host University	Dates of Attendance FALL term	UVIC Law Application Deadline (APPROX)	Host Application Deadline
ADELAIDE (Australia)	July to November	end of January	May 15
AMSTERDAM (Vrije)	September to January	end of January	May 31
SYDNEY (Australia)	July to December	end of January	April 31
UTRECHT (The Netherlands)	September to January	end of January	May 1
WELLINGTON (New Zealand)	July to October	end of January	May 1

 

Must apply in the SPRING for BOTH the fall term and the spring term:

Host University	Dates of Attendance FALL term	Dates of Attendance SPRING term	UVIC Law Application Deadline (APPROX)	Host Application Deadline SPRING term	Host Application Deadline FALL term
ARIZONA	August to December	January to May	end of January	October 1	April 1
UBC	September to December	January to April	end of January	April 1	April 1
SINGAPORE	August to December	January to May	end of January	October 1	April 15
HONG KONG	September to December	January to May	end of January	March 31	September 1

Upper-year students at the Faculty of Law may have the opportunity to take part in exchange terms at the Faculty's Canadian or international partner institutions. These exchanges provide students with the opportunity to take courses at another law school for credit towards their UVic LL.B. If you are thinking of doing an exchange during your time as a UVic law student, please read the following information carefully. There are a limited number of spaces available for each exchange and there is an application and selection process students that must follow. Please see details below.


EXCHANGE TERM DESTINATIONS

The Faculty of Law currently has student exchange agreements with the law faculties of the following universities :

University of Adelaide	Adelaide, Australia
Arizona State University	Tempe, Arizona
University of British Columbia	Vancouver, B.C.
Vrije Universiteit	Amsterdam, Netherlands
University of Hong Kong	Hong Kong, PRC
Kyushu University Kyushu not currently offered	Kyushu, Japan
Laval University	Quebec City, Quebec
University of Limerick	Limerick, Ireland
University of Sydney	Sydney, Australia
National University of Singapore	Singapore
University of Utrecht	Utrecht, Netherlands
Victoria University of Wellington	Wellington, New Zealand

Information about the exchanges is on reserve in the Priestly Law Library. Host university calendars and brochures, exchange term agreements, lists of courses and contact information are available, including comments from former exchange term students. In most cases, the websites of host institutions are good sources of information (click on the links above). Also, interested students may consider speaking with exchange students from the host universities who are currently visiting the Faculty or contacting other UVic law students who have previously participated in an exchange or who are currently visiting at one of the exchange destinations. For up-to-date immigration and visa information, see the list of consulate/ embassy websites .


Common Law/ Civil Law Exchange Program - PROGRAM HAS BEEN DISCONTINUED
- Department of Justice Canada and Canadian Council of Law Deans

This exchange program is funded by the Dept. of Justice Canada and administered by the Council of Canadian Law Deans (CCLD). Its object is to increase the understanding of Canada's civil law and common law systems of justice by facilitating exchanges of students between civil law and common law schools in Canada.

The exchange is open to UVic students in their 2 nd and 3 rd year of law studies who have sufficient knowledge of French to be able to study in that language at a Canadian civil law school for either the Fall (September to January) or the Spring (January to April) terms. Courses successfully completed at the host law school during the exchange are credited to the student's LL.B. degree program at the University of Victoria.

Positions in this exchange are allocated in a competitive application process that occurs every year during the Spring Term. The deadline for applications is usually the end of February. Information about the exchange and the application process will be posted on the student list serves at the appropriate time. Applications are ranked by the Faculty and then forwarded to the Canadian Council of Law Deans for the final selection decision.

Successful applicants for this exchange receive a bursary of $2500 and, for students traveling 2,500 km or more to their host school, a $500 supplement is also provided.


Opportunities for International Study Outside of Existing Exchange Agreements

Students wishing to undertake a visit at a foreign law school other than those with which UVic has an existing exchange agreement should contact Associate Dean Heather Raven as early as possible. It should be noted that visits to other foreign law schools are difficult to arrange and are rare.



EXCHANGE TERM POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Applying for the Program

Application forms are available here or at the Faculty of Law Main Office. Complete the form, attach your unofficial law school transcripts and a c.v. or resume to the application, and submit it to the Associate Dean's office before the relevant application deadline.

You may apply for more than one of the exchanges and, if so, you must rank the schools in order of preference on your application. Please do not duplicate your application materials more than necessary in making multiple applications.

Selection Criteria

The selection is done by the Exchange Term Committee, which is comprised of the Associate Dean, Faculty, and student members.

The selection process is a competitive one. The following is a non-exhaustive list of criteria that will be considered by the Committee:

•  Minimum GPA of 4.5 (B average). The cumulative GPA is used but the most recent academic performance of the student may also be taken into account.

•  Academic performance relative to other applicants (this factor is given significant weight).

•  Applicant's year in program (i.e. consideration of whether the student will have other opportunities to pursue and exchange).

•  Proposed program of study at the host university and reasons for wishing to participate in the exchange (i.e. how does the exchange fit with the student's academic or career goals?)

•  Capacity to be a "good ambassador" for UVic

Students will be notified of the results of the selection process as soon as possible after the Exchange Term Committee's selection meeting.

Applying to the Host University

Students who receive an offer of a place in an exchange program must decide whether or not to accept it and notify the Associate Dean's office of their decision as soon as possible. Once they have accepted a position, students are expected to carry through with the exchange.

The Faculty nominates the successful applicants to the host institution and the nominated students must then complete the application process for that institution. It is the student's responsibility to deal directly with the host university during that process. The host institution makes the final decision regarding admission to the exchange program.

Fees

Students pay University of Victoria tuition and fees for a term of coursework at the host university. They do not pay tuition and fees to the host school but some minor administrative charges may be payable.

Course Program and Credits

Exchange term students should carefully plan their credit units for the exchange term and for the UVic term portions of their academic year in order to meet the Faculty's credit requirements (total of 14.5 to 16.5 units for a year in the program). It is strongly recommended that students complete 8.0 units in the UVic portion of their year because, in many cases, it is difficult to register in a program of courses at the host university that is worth more than 6.5 UVic units.

Credit values allocated to an exchange term depend on the precise course program that is ultimately approved by Associate Dean Heather Raven for each student.  Recently and in general, students on exchange at Victoria University of Wellingon in New Zealand enrolled in 4 senior LL.B. courses have been assigned 6.5 UVic units.  At the National University of Singapore and the University of Hong Kong UVic Law students usually enroll in two senior LL.B. courses and two cross-listed LL.M. courses, valued at 6.5 units.  At the University of Sydney, a student who engages in 3 senior LL.B. courses is assigned 6.5 UVic units.

Students are not permitted to pair a full-term clinical program (Law 350A The Law Centre - 7.5 units) with an exchange term in one academic year, but are permitted to do the clinical term in either second or third year and participate in an exchange the other year.

Associate Dean Raven must review and approve all proposed courses during an exchange. This means that you must keep in touch with the Associate Dean's office after you arrive at the host university to provide your email address and contact information and to advise of your final course program for the exchange term.

If the exchange term will be the final term of your law degree, you must have completed before your departure:

•  Law 309 Evidence and Law 307B Civil Procedure; and
•  Major paper requirement

Registration and Transcripts

Students on exchange are registered at UVic in Law 352 for the number of credit units assigned for the courses they will be taking at the host university.

Students receive a COM grade on their UVic transcript when the term is successfully completed and an official transcript has been received from the host institution. Grades obtained during the exchange term are not listed on the UVic transcript. Students must apply to the host institution to obtain a transcript of their exchange term grades to use for employment and other purposes.

Host universities are expected to send the Faculty of Law an official transcript directly but sometimes this requires assistance from the student (e.g. the University of Hong Kong requires that the student request the official transcript and ask that it be mailed to the Faculty).

The Faculty must receive transcripts of the exchange term grades by approximately May 10 th for students seeking to convocate at the Spring Convocation.

NOTE: Students for whom the exchange will be the final term of their degree will not be able to convocate in May if they attend any of the terms that do not end in April (eg, University of Adelaide, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Limerick, University of Utrecht). Convocation for those students will be postponed until November. However, once the exchange term has been successfully completed, the student may obtain a "letter of completion" from the Associate Dean's office. This is usually sufficient for the law societies to enable the student to commence articles or the bar admissions courses. However, it is the student's responsibility to check with the relevant law society as to their requirements in this regard.

Student Responsibilities

Students are responsible for:

• All travel arrangements and expenses .
  
  
• All housing costs and housing arrangements : some host universities assist with housing information and in some cases on-campus student housing units may be available for rental by exchange students. See the host university websites for more information.
  
  
• Travel and health insurance : adequate health insurance is mandatory during an exchange and students are responsible for ensuring that they have adequate insurance coverage during the period of the exchange; the UVic student health plan does not cover students on exchange terms so students must arrange their own coverage
  
  
• Dropping courses : students mus t drop any UVic courses in which they are registered for the exchange term period as soon as plans for the exchange are firm.
  
  
• Visa/ immigration requirements : it is the student's responsibility to find out what is required and to make the necessary arrangements. Contact the consulate/ embassy of your host country for up-to-date information on student visa requirements (see list below). The host institution may also be able to provide information in this regard.

International Consulates/ Embassies (Vancouver, Ottawa):

See also UVic International and Exchange Student Services for other relevant information.

Funding Opportunities

Students are responsible for arranging the funding necessary for the exchange and must ensure they have sufficient funds to engage in the exchange. The Faculty of Law has no special funds available to subsidize students for this purpose. However, students who are participating in exchanges remain eligible for Law bursaries on the same footing as other students. See also the information below regarding the University's new Student International Activities Fund (SIAF).

Student International Activities Fund (SIAF)

The University has just established the Student International Activities Fund (SIAF) to assist UVic students in participating in international activities, including participation in international exchange programs organized by UVic.

The maximum grant available from the fund is $500 and it must be used to offset travel, accommodation, or living expenses associated with the international activity.

The fund is limited and the grant application process is competitive. Selection criteria include merit (the activity's "fit" with both the student's academic program and the objectives of the SIAF program) and demonstrated financial need. Students must exhaust other sources of funding before being considered for a grant under the SIAF Program.

There will be three competitions for the grant in the 2008-09 academic year. The relevant deadlines are:

November 3, 2008

March 16, 2009

June 15, 2009

More information and application forms are available on the website of the University of Victoria, Office of International Affairs www.oia.uvic.ca.

 

Financial Aid Information for Exchange Students

Please see UVic's Office of the Registrar and Enrolment Services Student Awards and Financial Aid website for helpful information regarding your student loans.

FACULTY EXCHANGE TERM REGULATIONS


In addition to the above information, students interested in doing an exchange term should familiarize themselves with the relevant Faculty regulations.

FACULTY REGULATIONS ON THE EXCHANGE LAW TERM

Approved by Faculty Council May 18, 1988.
Amended version approved by Faculty Council Feb. 16, 1996.

1.   Availability

1.1   A full-time law student from the University of Victoria may enroll in the law faculty of another university and complete courses from that law faculty for 6 to 8 units of credit towards his/her U. Vic. law degree provided the conditions prescribed by the regulations are met. Part-time law students may also enroll in the law faculty of another university and the requirements will be modified appropriately and in accordance with the Faculty's regulations on part time studies.

1.2   Where there is an approved exchange agreement in place, the credit will be designated on the U.Vic transcript as Law 352 Exchange Law Term. Where there is no such agreement in place, individual student proposals will be dealt with on a letter of permission basis.

1.3   The law student from the University of Victoria may enroll in the law faculty of another university and complete courses from that law faculty for fewer than 7 units of credit towards his/her U.Vic. law degree, provided the conditions prescribed by the regulations are met (i.e. only with the permission of the Dean or the Dean's nominee, or where the student has been granted part-time status by the Faculty).


2.   Conditions of Exchange

2.1   The Dean (or Associate Dean), one other member of faculty, and one student will form a committee known as the Exchange Term Committee.

2.2   The Exchange Term Committee will select students for exchange terms under exchange term agreements between the University of Victoria Law Faculty and other law schools. The Committee will also decide upon whether one-time exchange programs proposed by individual law students will be approved on an individual basis.

2.3   The Committee must also approve the specific program of student work at other law schools for credit to be given for that work towards the U.Vic law degree.

2.4   When approving proposals for exchange and the specific program of work, the Committee will also determine the equivalent University of Victoria unit value for each Course proposed to be taken at the other law school or for each course proposed as part of a general exchange agreement with another law school.

2.5   When determining the equivalent unit value, the Committee will normally require that the same number of instructional hours be provided in the course at the other university as would be required at the University of Victoria Faculty of Law in a course for the equivalent unit value.

2.6   No student will receive credit from courses taken at another law school towards his/her University of Victoria law degree for more units than the equivalent University of Victoria unit value for those courses as determined by the Committee under paragraph 2.4.

2.7   Ordinarily , a student who intends to apply for an exchange term must do so in lieu of the Law Faculty's 3 unit non-law course options in other faculties.

2.8   A student may apply to enroll in up to two exchange terms . However, in deciding whether to permit a student to undertake a second exchange term the Committee will take into account: (a) the limited availability of exchange terms; (b) whether the student has also taken other term programs in the Faculty of Law; (c) whether the student has taken courses in other faculties at the University of Victoria; and (d) whether enrolling in two exchange terms would provide the student with sufficient common law and Canadian content.

2.9   Students taking courses for credit towards their University of Victoria Law degree at another university must complete a minimum two years of legal education at the University of Victoria , not including the time spent at the other university, in order to receive their degree from the University of Victoria.


3.   Academic Matters

3.1   Students completing units for credit at other universities or completing the Exchange Law Term will receive a Pass/Fail grade for that work on their University of Victoria transcript.

3.2   The University of Victoria transcript may also, for information purposes only, specify the courses taken and the grade achieved in those courses as awarded by the other university.
[Please note: this option is no longer available.]

3.3   Students taking units for credit at other universities or completing the Exchange Law Term will be bound by the rules of the other university with respect to grading and grade appeals with respect to those units of coursework.

3.4    Where a student is enrolled in the Exchange Law Term and is taking the equivalent of 7 units or more at another university, the student will normally be required to pass all the units taken to receive credit for the term.

3.5   If a student enrolled in the Exchange Law Term does not pass all the units for which she/he is enrolled, the Exchange Term Committee may, in its discretion, permit the student to receive credit for a lesser number of units, equivalent to the units passed by the student, as if the student had been enrolled at the other university under paragraph 1.3.


4.   Funding

4.1   Normally, the cost of pursuing courses for credit at other universities will be the responsibility of the student.

4.2   The Dean will make efforts to establish mutual waivers of tuition for any exchange programs which are approved by the Exchange Term Committee under a general agreement with another university.

4.3   The Dean and the Faculty will explore avenues of funding through scholarships to assist students to pursue their studies at other universities under this program.