How we assess your application

Applications are due December 9, 2022 for September 2023 entry.  The following documents must be submitted by December 9, 2022 in order to ensure they are processed in time for assessment by the Law Graduate Studies Admissions Committee:

  • Unofficial transcripts from all post-secondary degree-granting institutions.
  • A recent resume/curriculum vitae (CV)
  • Your Research proposal stating, as far as possible, your research question, research methods, and/or the research directions you wish to pursue. You should reference the literature that you propose to draw upon and examine. The proposal should highlight the interdisciplinary dimension of the project and explain how your research will engage with the relationship between law and society.  You must also specify the faculty member(s) that you would like to work with and explain why.  There is a strict two-page maximum for LLM proposals and five-page maximum for PhD proposals. Please do not exceed these maximums.
  • Two assessment reports completed by two professors or other academic authorities familiar with your work.  The application system will not display the content but will indicate if they have been submitted.
  • Demonstration of English Language Proficiency (where applicable).
  • Research writing sample such as a completed segment of your master's thesis or published article (PhD applicants only).

You are responsible for ensuring that all of your documents are correctly uploaded and meet all of the expected minimum requirements.  You can check your application status using My UVic application.  You may also add new documents if you have any updates.  Any suggested optional documents, such as the Statement of Intended Study, are not required.  Official documents are only required if you receive an offer.

You should expect to hear a decision on your submitted application anytime from mid-February and no later than the end of April.

International LLM applicants: If you are unsure about the calculation of your equivalent GPA due to undergraduate grading standards at your law school, you may wish to submit a scan of an official document showing your class ranking or ask the dean or another administrator at your institution to submit a supplement to your transcripts.

Review by Graduate Admissions and Records

Once you submit your application, the Graduate Admissions and Records Office (GARO) will screen your application to determine if you are admissible to the university and if you meet the minimum academic requirements of the Faculty of Graduate Studies.  These requirements are lower than those required for admission to the Graduate Programs in Law and Society.

For this stage, only unofficial (scanned) documents are required.  

Assessment by the Law Graduate Studies Admissions Committee

In January and early February, the Law Graduate Studies Admissions Committee will complete a comprehensive review of your application.  Selection of qualified applicants whose applications align with the interdiscplinary Law and Society focus of our program will be made on the basis of supervisor availability and the applicant's:

  • demonstrated academic credentials and excellency
  • academic research output and capacity
  • thesis/dissertation proposal and research interests
  • writing sample (required for PhD applicants only)
  • other abilities to contribute to the graduate program

Timeline for offer of admissions

For entry to the September 2023 program, offers of admission will be made from mid-February through to late-April.  Depending on the replies to our offers and the length of our waitlist, we expect to notify all applicants of our decisions by the end of April.

An offer of admission will include both an email from the Graduate Program in Law and Society indicating that you have been recommended for admission and, a few days later, an email from the Graduate Admissions and Records Office with official confirmation of your admission.

How to accept an offer

To accept your offer of admission, you must email the graduate assistant before the deadline in your offer. A $200 acceptance deposit will also be required which will be credited towards your tuition fees once you begin your studies. Exceptions can be granted and are at the discretion of the Graduate Program Director.

If you received a provisional offer of admission, you must also send any official documents requested by the Graduate Admissions and Records Office to them before they will approve your full offer of admission. All items must remain in their original sealed and endorsed institution envelopes. Visit the Graduate Admissions and Records Office's submission of documents page for full details and requirements.

International students that are admitted into the program are responsible for securing, in a timely fashion, the necessary immigration permit and documentation required to study in Canada for the September start date.

Still have questions about the application process?

Review our Graduate Admissions FAQs page, , or contact Graduate Admissions and Records for further assistance.