Application Process

Here are the steps of our admissions process, from preparing an application, to the Admissions Committee's decision. 

1. Read the following carefully

And then download our File BCL/JD Application Checklist

2. Submit your application form online

Candidates must apply to the BCL/JD program using McGill University's online application system. A non-refundable application fee  is required to complete the application. This can be paid by credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express). Please consult McGill University's application guide for full details. 

Candidates wishing to apply to a second undergraduate program at McGill must complete the Minerva-based application and pay the associated application fee. The Minerva-based application continues to allow applicants to select two programs for the price of one. Candidates who wish to apply to the BCL/JD program and one undergraduate program only will be able to request an application fee refund after they have applied and paid the fees. Candidates wishing to request a refund should email the Admissions Office with proof of payment for both application fees.

The online application system opens on September 1 and closes on November 1 (University and Mature applicants) and March 1 (CEGEP applicants) of each year. To avoid unnecessary processing delays, please read the help sections of the online application carefully. Transfer applicants should admissions.law [at] mcgill.ca (subject: Transfer%20Application%20) (email the Faculty of Law's Admissions Office )to apply after November 1.

 

3. Verify the status of the application in the Applicant Portal

After submitting the application, candidates can log into the Applicant Portal, where they can monitor the status of their application. As the supporting documents are received and recorded, candidates should consult the admissions checklist to see which documents (if any) are missing, incomplete, or illegible. Candidates should consult the admissions checklist regularly as new items might be requested to complete their file. It is important to respond to requests for further documentation in a timely manner. 

Candidates are responsible for monitoring the status of their application on the Applicant Portal. 

A status of "Provide supporting documents" means that the application is incomplete. If the application remains incomplete after the deadline for submission of supporting documents, the application will be cancelled. We will not cancel applications that are missing only LSAT scores after the deadline. Candidates who plan on writing the LSAT will have an application status of "Items outstanding" until we receive their score, after which their file will be reviewed. 

An "In Review" status means that a candidate’s file is complete and/or under review. The "In Review" status will remain until a final decision is rendered. 

During peak periods (i.e., close to the deadlines), we receive a high volume of documents. At those times, there may be a delay of up to 48 hours between when a document is received and when it is verified on the Applicant Portal. Taking this delay into consideration, candidates should only contact the BCL/JD Admissions Office if their file remains incomplete 48 hours past the deadline. 

4. Upload supporting documents

Applicants must upload supporting documents via the Applicant Portal after completing and submitting the online application. 

Please see the instructions for uploading supporting documents on the Applying to McGill website. 

5. Review of application

Once an application is complete, it is reviewed. Reviewers evaluate files according to the Faculty's Admissions Policy, in comparison to other candidates in the applicant pool. 

6. Admission decisions

Applicants receive an email when a decision has been rendered. Final decisions are available in the Applicant Portal. Decisions are never disclosed over the phone. 

Every effort is made to inform candidates of the decision as soon as possible. However, the review process is labour-intensive and may extend into June. Final decisions on waitlisted applicants may be made until the end of August. The following are the possible decisions that can rendered on an application.

Admit

Candidates who are offered admission are given a deadline (see Accept our Offer) by which they must accept or decline our offer. This deadline is indicated in our letter of admission. If we have not received a response by the indicated deadline, our offer of admission will be withdrawn. 

Official acceptance letters will be available in the Applicant Portal only. Since the Faculty of Law does not mail acceptance letters, candidates are invited to print their letter for their records. International candidates should print multiple copies for their immigration process. 

Waitlist

A candidate may be offered a place on the waitlist if the application is considered admissible but there are no available places in the cohort at that time. Waitlisted files are not ranked. Waitlisted applicants are strongly encouraged to submit a Letter of Continued Interest to study at McGill Law. Every effort is made to inform candidates of the decision of the Admissions Committee at the earliest possible date. Final decisions about applicants who have been placed on the waitlist may be made until the end of August. 

The official waitlist letter will be available in the Applicant Portal. 

Interview

Candidates in the CEGEP category whose applications are regarded as potentially admissible will be invited to an interview. 

Candidates in the Mature category whose applications are regarded as potentially admissible may be invited to an interview. 

Candidates in the optional category for Indigenous applicants may be invited to an interview if the Indigenous Admissions Advisory Panel determines that an interview would be helpful in assessing an applicant’s candidacy. 

In some instances, the Admissions Committee may also request that applicants in other categories attend an interview. 

See the “How we make admissions decisions” section of our Admissions Policy for more information on the interview process. 

Refuse

Due to the limited enrollment of the BCL/JD program and the high number of competitive applications received each year, approximately 85% of all candidates are refused. We understand candidates' disappointment at being refused admission. We invite them to view or attend our Re-Applicant Workshop to better understand the reasons that could have led to a rejection. Please note that the Faculty of Law does not provide individual feedback to refused candidates.

All decisions are final. Refused files will not be reviewed anew at the request of a refused candidate. 

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