Get noticed—Queen’s law school admissions now prioritizes the review of Certificate in Law graduates. 

Starting this admissions cycle, Queen’s Law JD admissions will prioritize Certificate in Law  applicant reviews in all categories.  

JD GraduationThe Certificate in Law is Canada’s premier undergraduate law program: eight courses exploring legal topics in detail; any four earning students a Queen’s Certificate in Law. As The Certificate in Law is recognized by Queen’s Law as demonstrating a dedication to law, with graduates who are ready to take on the challenges of one of the country’s best juris doctor programs. As such, CiL graduates receive priority consideration when applying to Queen’s Law.  

Certificate in Law students will have their JD applications to Queen’s Law reviewed on a priority basis, before applicants without a completed Certificate in Law (CiL) in their admissions category.  

Completing the Certificate does not guarantee admission into Queen’s Law: law school admissions are a holistic process that take into consideration grades (LSAT and GPA), educational attainment, extracurricular achievements, among other factors. Queen’s Law has an admissions team that reviews applications that meet our GPA and LSAT cutoffs by hand and in detail.  

CiL status will move an application up the queue, but does not change our overall standards or things we look for when considering students for Canada’s best law school community. Students who do not meet our standards will not be offered admission – Certificate or not. And great students will always be considered whether or not they have the Certificate in Law credential.  

All things being equal, a Certificate in Law graduate would be offered admission prior to an applicant without the Certificate. Top students who show a mix of academic achievement, extracurricular accomplishments and a dedication to the law and justice will continue to find a home at Queen’s Law, but Certificate graduates may receive their offer earlier in the cycle.  

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Are Certificate in Law graduates guaranteed an offer from Queen’s Law?

No. Queen’s Law is one of the country’s most sought-after juris doctor programs, with some of the highest admissions standards in the country. It is also a very challenging program, where we use metrics like GPA and LSAT scores as an indicator of whether a student is prepared to succeed at the Faculty.  

We recognize the work ethic, passion for the law, and diligence demonstrated by Certificate in Law graduates, and will review CiL graduates before general applications meeting our GPA / LSAT requirements. But we will not review CiL graduates who do not meet the GPA and LSAT score thresholds set by our admissions team.

Should people who don’t have the Certificate in Law still apply to Queen’s Law?

Absolutely. We are going to review CiL graduate applications ahead of general applications, but with 200+ students joining us for every new class, every student with a competitive GPA and LSAT score should consider applying.  

Are other pre-law programs or degree types considered for priority consideration for the Queen’s Law JD program?

No. While there are excellent pre-law courses and degree types at other Canadian and international universities, they are not considered for priority review.  

How does priority review of Certificate in Law applications affect other application categories?

Queen’s Law is committed to ensuring diversity in legal education and the legal profession. Applications to our Indigenous Peoples Category, Black Student Applicant Category, and Access Category are processed separately and independently of general applications, regardless of CiL status.  

Taking Certificate courses costs money. How does this approach mesh with Queen’s Law’s principles regarding education equity and diversity?

There are several ways for students to mitigate the costs of the Certificate in Law:  

  • Queen’s students can take two Certificate in Law courses as part of their regular degree requirements (“200-level courses”), requiring only two others to complete the Certificate.  
  • Students enrolled in other universities can discuss taking Certificate courses on Letters of Permission from their home institutions, allowing them to apply Certificate course credits to their degrees, and cut tuition costs at their home university.  
  • Students may also be eligible for other financial assistance. Please contact Student Awards for further information regarding financial aid.    

The Faculty has also considered how this priority consideration might enhance equity among students seeking to pursue their JD at Queen’s Law:  

  • As a fully online program, the Certificate can be pursued anywhere in Canada – indeed, anywhere in the world. This allows students studying at universities that are not traditionally preferred by law schools, and that do not have pre-law supports, to stand out in a new way during the admissions process.  
  • As a program that can be taken part-time, the Certificate can also be a way for mature students, or students not pursuing a conventional BA, to stand out during the application process.  

Do I have to complete the Certificate in a certain amount of time for it to be part of the JD admissions consideration?

No. One of the benefits of the Certificate is it can be taken at any learner’s pace. One benefit of the Certificate is that mature learners curious about the law can use the Certificate to explore topics in law, and if their GPA and LSAT scores support it, be considered in a priority queue at Queen’s Law. A student pursuing a conventional BA could take one course per year, and complete the Certificate in time for their law school applications.  

Would I be considered a Certificate “graduate” if I am completing my final CiL course when I submit my law school application through OLSAS?

Students must have completed their Certificate in Law when they apply in OLSAS, using a new “JD and Certificate in Law” application option. If you intend to apply for law school by the OLSAS deadline of November 1 in a given year, you should be taking your fourth CiL course in the winter or summer term of the preceding academic year.  

The Certificate is conferred at Fall convocation (November) and Spring convocation (May-June). To have the Certificate completed for priority status at Queen’s Law, you would need to have completed all requirements to be awarded the Certificate, at latest, by the end of summer in that year.  

Having your final, fourth course underway during the Fall term that you apply for law school will not grant you priority status, as the Certificate will not be granted to you until Spring convocation, in May/June of the following calendar year.  

Do Certificate in Law course credits count toward JD course requirements at Queen’s Law?

No. While the Certificate in Law covers many topics that you will encounter in JD studies at Queen’s Law or elsewhere, it does not count for course credits toward your Juris Doctor degree. It will, however, greatly accelerate your understanding of key topics, case law, and legal thought, allowing you to focus on other growth areas during your legal studies.