Before beginning law school in Canada, it’s essential to determine how much tuition, living expenses and legal fees will cost.
Most Canadian law schools provide financial assistance programs designed to accommodate students of differing backgrounds, such as equity-based applicant streams and student aid programs. The goal of such assistance programs is to foster diversity and inclusion within the legal community.
Tuition
An investment in law school is expensive, but worth every penny. Canadian tuition costs for law degrees are comparable to their U.S. counterparts but slightly cheaper – plus scholarships may help defray some costs!
Tuition fees vary based on the type and institution offering the law program, for instance a law degree at University of Toronto will cost over $36,000 annually in tuition and associated fees; other schools across Canada often charge similar rates.
Some may argue that the high cost of law school is justified by the six-figure salaries some graduates earn; however, this fails to consider that many graduates pay for their degrees with loans or student debt; additionally, its high price can discourage prospective lawyers from entering law as a career and have an adverse impact on our economy.
Living expenses
Are You Deliberating Law School Enrolling in Law School Can be Expensive If so, many factors come into play such as living expenses and earning potential upon graduation. International students do have access to scholarships; however these usually only cover tuition costs.
Noteworthy is also that tuition increases in Canada have been much greater than those seen in the US, possibly as a result of increased faculty compensation, tuition fee reregulation and inflationary pressures.
Contributing to rising law school costs is the increasing presence of full-time, tenured professors who tend to have more of an effect on tuition than part-time colleagues. According to the LSSO report, salaries and benefits for faculty members are publicly accessible under the Public Sector Salary Disclosure Act.
Bar exam
Costs associated with studying law in Canada will differ depending on which school you enroll at, so it is important to research any law schools you are considering and determine their tuition fees. In addition to tuition, additional expenses such as taking the LSAT test or subscribing to Credential Assembly Service subscription will also need to be factored in.
Most Canadian law schools accept students with at least three academic years worth of undergraduate study as undergraduate applicants. Some require additional requirements, such as writing an essay about your involvement with minority or Aboriginal communities; alternatively Lakehead University Community Legal Services offers students hands-on experience by offering free legal services for low-income residents in Northwestern Ontario.
Prior to being admitted as lawyers, law students must complete an Articling period under an experienced lawyer in their province; this can cost as much as $5,000. Furthermore, joining clubs, societies and journals as well as taking on internships or shadowing lawyers are all integral parts of becoming a practicing attorney.
Legal fees
Cost of Law Degree in Canada Comprising various components, the overall costs associated with earning a law degree include undergraduate tuition fees, law school tuition fees and living expenses; additionally you will incur costs related to bar exams and articling training programs; on average this degree takes three years.
Law school tuition fees vary across Canada and are set by provincial governments, while their rising tuition has not been matched with an equal increase in government funding – leading to an alarming surge in student debt levels.
The Faculty of Political Science and Law at Universite du Quebec a Montreal boasts the lowest law school tuition fees in Canada, with its unique program enabling students to complete both an LLB (Law) and Bachelor of Civil Law degree simultaneously. McGill University and the University of Ottawa also provide dual programs allowing for quick completion of either common law or civil law degrees after only an additional year of study.
