Access Restricted to Northwestern Law CommunityStudy Abroad
Studying law abroad can be a valuable addition to your legal education. With the increasing globalization of business, society, and the legal profession, even students who expect to practice law only in the United States can expect to encounter both international legal questions and foreign clients. International and comparative study can broaden a student's perspective on our own legal system as well as those of other countries and of the international community. Students who study abroad also may be exposed to personal and professional opportunities not otherwise available at Northwestern.
The Law School hopes to encourage and facilitate such study for students interested in comparative and international law. The information contained in this manual is designed to answer some of the questions you may have about identifying and participating in study abroad opportunities.
Study Abroad Checklist (pdf)
Pre-Arrival Information for Exchange Students
If you have any futher questions about studying abroad, e-mail law-student-services@law.northwestern.edu.
I. Summer Study Abroad
A. School of Law Rules Governing Summer Study Abroad
If you hope to earn credit for work completed during a summer study abroad
program, you must make an appointment to meet with the Dean of Students before
you enroll to ensure that your study satisfies the requirements of the Northwestern
University School of Law Rules and Regulations, Article
III, Section 3.01 (d)(1) 
,
which governs the award of credit for summer study programs.
B. Identifying Summer Study Programs
There are a large number of summer study courses around the world sponsored by ABA-approved American law schools. Because these programs have been reviewed and approved by the ABA, credits earned in most of them are eligible for credit toward your Northwestern Law degree. Each year around March, we receive a list from the ABA identifying all of the approved summer programs for the coming summer. The list is available on the ABA Web site. We will post on the bulletin board outside Harry's Cafe any notices that we receive from schools promoting their programs. You should contact the offering schools directly to obtain more information about their programs.
C. Choosing the Program that Is Right for You
How you choose a summer study program depends on what your goals for the summer are. Here are some of the questions you might wish to ask about a particular program:
- Why do I want to study abroad this summer?
- Does this program help me advance my personal, academic or professional objectives?
- Am I interested in the courses offered in the program and not just the country in which the program is located?
- Do I want to learn a language while I am abroad?
- Do I want to be exposed only to the legal system of the country where the program is taught or am I more interested in a broader comparative or international perspective?
- Do I want to visit the legal or economic institutions in the country where the program is taught?
- Can I do an internship through this program?
- Who are the faculty who will teach in the program? Are they American faculty who are teaching abroad for the summer, or are they faculty from the country where the program is being taught?
- In what language are the classes taught? Will I have the opportunity to study in a foreign language? Am I capable of studying in a foreign language?
- Is the program made up only of American law students or does it include law students from other countries as well?
- Does the school running this program have any previous experience with such programs?
- What are the classroom and housing facilities like in this program?
- Can I talk to people who have participated in this program in the past and find out what they thought about their experience?
D. Financial Aid for Summer Study Abroad
Students who study abroad during the summer receive financial aid through Northwestern and may obtain loans from external lenders such as Law Access, Lawloans, and CitiAssist. The cost is equal to the cost of the program. Students ARE NOT billed Northwestern tuition if they study abroad during the summer.
II. School Year Study Abroad
In the past few years, the American Bar Association has changed its rules to make it easier to receive law school credit for academic year studies abroad. The Law School also has tried to make it possible for students who wish to study abroad to find quality academic opportunities for such study. There are two primary means by which you can arrange to study abroad during the school year. One is to participate in an established exchange program between Northwestern and a foreign school; the second is to arrange your own study at a school that you identify independently. The award of credit for both types of study abroad programs is governed both by the ABA's Criteria for Approval of Individual Student Study Abroad for Academic Credit and by the Law School's Rules and Regulations . If you are accepted into a study abroad program, we will work with you to ensure that your study complies with these rules and that you will be able to receive credit here for your study abroad.
1. School of Law Rules Governing Exchanges
The School of Law has amended Article III, Section 3.01 (d)(2) to include new language which reads in relevant part:
Work in excess of six semester hours taken in other schools...may be counted toward the Law Degree only in the following cases...(iii) as part of an exchange program with the law faculty of a foreign university that has been approved by the Dean after consultation with the Faculty Advisory Committee. The Dean or the Dean's designate may promulgate regulations specifying application procedures and selection criteria for participation in any such program, and shall have discretion to accept or reject the application of a student for reasons of the general welfare of the Law School.
This manual contains the regulations and criteria adopted under that rule. Questions about compliance with these rules should be directed to the Office of Student Affairs.
2. Exchange Program Participants
The Law School has negotiated exchange relationships with law faculties abroad. Under these agreements, the foreign schools will send some of their students to Northwestern for a semester, and we will be permitted to send some of our students to their schools in exchange. Presently we have ten such relationships in place. If you are interested in any of these schools, you can learn more about them by borrowing their published information from the Office of Student Affairs, room 166 McCormick.
- Institut d’Etude Politiques de Paris (“Science Po”) and the Universite de Paris I Pantheon-Sorbonne Law School (“Sorbonne”), Paris, France, (2 3Ls per year)
The program allows annually for two third-year Northwestern students to study in the year-long, multi-disciplinary, international program in Global Business Law in Paris. Upon successful completion of the program, students will obtain a French law national degree, entitling them to sit for the French bar exam, and a JD degree from Northwestern School of Law. Applicants to the program must be fluent in French.
Finances: Students participating in the program pay their full tuition to the Law School and will be billed as if they were attending two semesters here. Students who apply for financial aid through Northwestern will be eligible for all financial aid awards or loans that they would have been eligible to receive if they were attending school here. Students receiving grants will receive it in the normal amounts. Students will not be paying tuition to Science Po or the Sorbonne Law School. All housing, travel, insurance and book expenses are the responsibility of the participating students.
Brochure (pdf) - Vrije Universiteit
(Free University), Amsterdam, The Netherlands (2 students per term)
This law program offers a number of courses in English addressing a combination of European Community, international and Dutch public and private law. The program is also strong in juvenile law. Applicants to this program must have a GPA of 3.0 or better. - Application (pdf)
- Courses for 2006-07 (pdf)
- Visa Information | Amsterdam General Consulate in Chicago
- Universidad Torcuato Di Tella, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Students to this exchange must be fluent in Spanish, and be in the top half of their LLM class. Students can select courses from either the JD degree or the Master in Law and Economics program. - Bond University, Gold Coast, Australia (2 students per term)
Bond University is the first private law school in Australia, where legal education previously had been offered only by public Universities. While not uncontroversial, Bond has been successful at recruiting high profile faculty and in pursuing some innovative teaching strategies. All of the School of Law's courses are taught in English. Faculty strengths include corporate/commercial law, international trade and dispute resolution. Applicants to this program must have a GPA of 3.0 or better. - Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium (2 students per term)
This is one of the top law faculties in Europe. They offer a number of classes taught in English focusing primarily on European Community Law, International and Comparative Law, Business Law and Legal Culture. Leuven is on the outskirts of Brussels. Applicants to this program must have a GPA of 3.5 or better. - University of the Andes,
Santiago, Chile (2 students per term)
Founded in 1989, the Universidad de los Andes is located on top of the mountains outside Santiago. The academic year in Chile runs from March through December. First semester runs from the first week of August through the second/third weeks of December. The law school offers non-credit internship opportunities with local law firms and public institutions before or after each semester. Students must be fluent in Spanish and have a minimum GPA of 3.0. More program information - Bucerius Law School, Hamburg, Germany (2 students in the fall term).
Founded in 2000, Bucerius Law School is the first private law school in Germany. The Program in International and Comparative Business Law takes place in the fall and is designed primarily for non-German law students. The program offers the opportunity to learn German, European, and international law. The International Program courses are held in English, but students may also take regular courses for German students if they are fluent in German. - Tel Aviv University,
Faculty of Law, Tel Aviv, Israel (2 students per term)
It is not necessary to know Hebrew in order to study at Tel Aviv University. While most classes are taught in Hebrew, there are several classes offered in English during the spring semester. This is one of the leading law faculties in Israel. The law school is located in the vibrant and welcoming city of Tel Aviv, just a mile from the beach, restaurants, and night clubs. Applicants to this program must have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. - Informational letter (pdf)
- Visa Requirements (pdf)
- About Tel Aviv University (PowerPoint)
- List of Courses (Word Document)
- National University of Singapore, Singapore (2 students per term)
National University of Singapore is recognized as one of the top law schools in Asia with diverse international faculty. Since courses are taught in English, studying in Singapore is a unique opportunity for non-Asian language speaking students to immerse in Asian culture and tradition while pursuing their legal studies. Particular strength of the faculty is in intellectual property and world trade law. Applicants to this program must be in the top half of the class. - Instituto de Empresa, Madrid,
Spain (2 students per term)
This law program offers several courses in English. For Spanish courses, fluency in Spanish is required. Students must be in the top half of their class. The Instituto de Empresa is characterized by its markedly global approach, its spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation, its applied research projects and the promotion of socially responsible initiatives. - Visa Requirements (pdf)
- University of Lucerne, Lucerne, Switzerland
The law faculty of the University of Lucerne was established in 2001 and has quickly built up an excellent reputation, ranking among the top Swiss law schools. The faculty of law includes the Research Agency for International and European Private Law, the Institute for SMB and Economic Law, the Center for Social Insurance Law, the International Communications and Art Law, Lucerne (I-CALL), and the Institute for Basic Judicial Subjects. The faculty will begin offering law courses taught in English in 2007.
3. Choosing a Time to Study Abroad
Exchanges can take place in either the fall or spring term of your second or third year. However, because none of these schools have schedules that perfectly match our own, before you apply to any program, you should determine if the schedule of the particular school will meet your needs. For example, consider whether you must be here in the fall term to interview, whether you or your family consider it essential that you be here for the Law School's graduation ceremony, when or whether you need to be back in the United States to start a bar review course or a summer job and, particularly for third years, whether you will need to take Legal Ethics or any other requirements in order to graduate.
4. Finances
Students participating in an exchange program will pay their full tuition to the Law School and will be billed as if they were attending a semester here. Students who apply for financial aid through Northwestern will be eligible for all financial aid awards or loans that you would have been eligible to receive if you were attending school here. Students receiving a grant, will receive it in the normal amount. All housing, travel, insurance and book expenses are the responsibility of the participating students.
In our discussions with the participating schools abroad, we have tried to avoid adding any additional fees that students must pay to participate in these programs, but in the event such fees are applicable they should not exceed $250 per student. Remaining need to cover tuition balances and living expenses associated with the other institution can be financed through the normal loan alternatives that Northwestern provides to students.
For questions or additional information, contact the Chicago Office of Financial Aid by e-mail.
5. Transcript Information
- If you receive a passing grade in the courses you take abroad, the courses will appear on your Law School transcript showing that you earned credit for the course. You will not be awarded a grade for such study, and no grade will be factored into your overall grade point average.
- The maximum credit for study abroad courses is 14.
- Before you enroll abroad, the Law School will work with you to determine the number of credits to be awarded for your planned course of study. Credit hours will be awarded on a prorated basis compared to the effort expected during a normal residence period at the School of Law. Specifically, under the ABA rules we follow, 50 minutes of actual class time or the equivalent is considered equal to one hour of instruction and each semester hour of credit requires at least 700 minutes of instruction time plus time for an examination. For example, a class that meets for 50 minutes a session, three times a week for fourteen weeks for a total of 2100 minutes will be counted for 3 hours of credit on your transcript. In cases where only fractions of a credit might be earned (such as 2.37 credits), the School, if necessary in consultation with the ABA, will determine whether credits may be rounded up to the nearest whole or half credit.
- Students may write a senior independent research project during their study abroad. The research project requires direct supervision on a weekly basis from a faculty member from the foreign institution. The student will submit a 25-30 page paper that is "substantial academic work" and will receive 3 credit hours. The paper will not apply toward the 3 draft writing requirement but can be counted toward the writing seminar requirement.
- Under the ABA rules, students participating in this type of study abroad program cannot receive credit for more than one-third of the total hours needed to complete their degree here.
- Under the ABA rules, a student may not receive credit for externship placements associated with study abroad, such as placements with a law firm, government office or corporation.
6. Housing
The participating schools have agreed to help our students identify appropriate housing opportunities in their communities.
7. Academic Advising
Each participating school will have at least one staff or faculty member on site who is responsible for assisting visiting students with selecting their courses and otherwise integrating into the foreign environment.
8. Application Process
- All students must apply to be admitted to an exchange program by completing the School of Law's application, which is attached to this document. Some of the foreign schools may also require you to fill out their own applications, which can be obtained from the Office of Student Affairs. In general, applications to participate in a fall term exchange program must be received by March 15th of the preceding semester and applications to participate in a spring term exchange must be received by October 1st of the preceding term. Late applications only will be accepted if space is available. All applications should be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs, McCormick 166.
- You may apply to more than one exchange, but you must rank your order of preference and explain your interest in each exchange.
- Students will be selected to participate in the programs on the basis of merit, taking into account their academic records and achievements, their maturity and their potential for contribution to the program. The Law School will screen applications and will send all selected applications to the participating schools which have final authority to select and reject participants. The Law Schoolalso may reject a student's application for reasons of the general welfare of the School.
- It is the policy of Northwestern not to discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status in matters of admissions, employment, housing, or services or in the educational programs or activities it operates, in accordance with civil rights legislation and University commitment. Where applicable, we have asked all participating schools to adhere to a similar policy in their administration of these exchanges.
9. If You Are Admitted to the Program
- Your selection of courses and the credit to be received for them must be approved in advance by the Law School.
- You must participate in any required pre- and post-departure administrative and academic meetings or tasks, including those necessary to ensure that your study will be eligible for credit under the ABA rules.
- You must agree to obtain insurance that meets the standards of the host school. Insurance fees are not included in tuition or administration charges. In some cases, your major medical insurance will continue to apply while you are abroad, but the University health service for outpatient care is not transferable to the foreign school. You are strongly encouraged to discuss your health insurance coverage with your insurance provider in the United States.
- All students travelling abroad will be required by the Office of Risk Management to participate in the HTH Worldwide Study Abroad Health Insurance Plan.
- You are required to check the U.S. State Department Travel Warnings before your departure to familiarize yourself with any special conditions in the host country that might affect your safety or require special safety measures.
- It is your responsibility to secure a visa to your student destination.
- You are required to inform the Office of Student Affairs of your address and contact information upon your arrival at the host school.
- You are required to complete a returning student survey before your grades may be recorded on your NU transcript.
- Complete and return the Study Abroad Survey (doc) to the Office of Student Affairs.
B. Individual Study Abroad Opportunities
If you are not interested in an established exchange program, you may instead identify a foreign school at which you would like to study for a semester.
1. School of Law Rules Governing Individual Study Abroad
- Approval of individual study abroad programs is governed by the Northwestern University School of Law, Rules and Regulations, Article III, Section 3.02 (c), which provides that a student may receive credit for study at another law school if the School of Law determines that the student has either "1)strong personal reasons which require his/her presences away from the Law School; and, such reasons were unforeseen at the time the student accepted admission to the Law School; or 2) the student can take advantage of a uniquely valuable educational program only by attendance at another law school." Most requests to study abroad are likely to fall under the "uniquely valuable educational program" provision, and you should be prepared to demonstrate how your chosen program will satisfy this criterion.
- Although the current version of the School of Law rules indicates that approval of such requests rests with the Petitions and Academic Qualifications Committee, under recent changes in faculty organization, the duties of that committee will be handled by Professor Steve Presser, as the faculty member responsible for foreign study, and by the Faculty Advisory Committee. Inquiries regarding study abroad matters should be directed to the Office of Student Affairs, room 166 McCormick, which is responsible for administering this program in cooperation with Professor Abbott.
2. Identifying a School for Individual Study Abroad
- A student wishing to study at a foreign school that is not part of an established exchange program will be expected to identify the school and make the necessary arrangements directly with the foreign institution.
- The ABA's "Criteria for Approval of Individual Student Study Abroad for Academic Credit" will govern any study plan that you submit. The Law School will work with you to ensure that your plan satisfies the criteria.
- You must be fluent in the language of instruction at the foreign institution.
- For more information, addresses, and links to available Web sites of schools in many regions of the world, please refer to the Internet Legal Resource Guide or www.studylaw.com.
- Schools that students have visited in the past as part of the individual study abroad programs include the University of Oxford, Seoul National University, Copenhagen University, National University of Ireland at Gatway, and the University of Hong Kong
3. Choosing a Time to Study Abroad
The same considerations of when to participate in an exchange program, discussed above, also apply to individually arranged study abroad.
4. Finances
Students participating in individual study abroad programs will pay their full tuition to the Law School and will be billed as if they were attending a semester here. Students who apply for financial aid through Northwestern will be eligible to receive aid as if they were attending school here. For students receiving a grant, they will receive it in the normal amount. Application fees, housing, travel, insurance, book expenses, and incidental fees are the responsibility of the participating students.
Check the following Web sites for information about additional sources for financial aid: The Financial Aid Information Page,The University of Minnesota's Online Study Abroad Directory, and FASTSEARCH.
5. Transcript Information
The rules that govern the award of credit for exchange programs, discussed above, will also govern the award of credit for individually arranged study abroad.
6. Housing
You will be responsible for finding your own housing while studying abroad.
7. Academic Advising
The ABA Criteria for Approval of Individual Student Study Abroad for Academic Credit requires that a full-time faculty member at Northwestern and one at the foreign institution effectively supervise your study. It is your responsibility to secure a supervising faculty member at the foreign institution. You must work with the Office of Student Affairs to make the necessary arrangements for supervision and pre-departure approvals necessary to earn credit for your study abroad.
8. Application Process
- Students interested in individual study abroad should identify the institution at which they wish to study and determine if it will be possible to enroll at that institution. After they have obtained this information, students should make an appointment in the Office of Student Affairs, room 166 McCormick, to develop a proposal necessary to satisfy the ABA Criteria and to obtain faculty approval for their study abroad plans.
- Eligibility to participate in a study abroad program is limited to students with a minimum GPA of 3.0.
- No more than two School of Law students will be allowed to do an independent study abroad per semester. Students will be selected based on the same criteria as those apllying to study through an exchange program. If there are more than 2 requests to study abroad per semester, requests will be handled on a first-come, first-served basis.
- All applications must be submitted at least 75 days prior to your planned date of enrollment abroad in order to give the School of Law sufficient time to review your application and submit it to the ABA for approval.
- It is the policy of Northwestern not to discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status in matters of admissions, employment, housing, or services or in the educational programs or activities it operates, in accordance with civil rights legislation and University commitment.
9. If You Are Admitted to A Foreign Institution
Please refer to the requirements under Exchange Opportunities
