If you are an aspiring graduate law student looking for some of the top law schools in the world, Canada could be a good choice. The country has numerous institutions ranked in the world’s top 100 for the subject, with expertise in the field and good graduate prospects. In this article, we explore the top five universities for law in Canada, what courses you can study and how much it will cost.
University of Toronto
According to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024, the top institution to study law in Canada is the University of Toronto. Based in Toronto, the university ranks first in the country and 17th globally for law by QS. The university is also ranked as a top 25 institution for law by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024.
The University of Toronto offers a number of law qualifications at the postgraduate level including:
- Global Professional Masters of Law fees: CAD 81,700 (USD 58,200) per year
- Doctor of Juridical Science fees: CAD 6,210 (USD 4,679) per year
- Master of Laws fees: CAD 51,570 (USD 37,000) per year
- Master of Studies in Law fees: CAD 37,717.00 (USD 27,000) per year
At the undergraduate level, you also have a number of options to choose from including:
- Ethics, Society and Law fees: CAD 61,720 (USD 44,361) per year
- Criminology, Law and Society fees: CAD 61,720.00 (USD 44,361) per year
Find out more about what law specialisations you could study.
McGill University
Another university that has a reputation for being one of the best law schools in Canada is McGill University. The institution sits in second place in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 for law and ranks at 28th globally for the same. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024 places McGill University at number two in Canada, and 29th in the world overall.
McGill University is based in Montreal, Quebec, and has international students from over 150 countries in attendance. With a history stretching back to 1821, the university’s Faculty of Law has academics who are experts in international law and active in legal institutions and drafting the law in Canada.
McGill University offers these main qualifications at the graduate level which all have the same fee structure of CAD 17,101 (USD 12,300) per year for international students :
- Master of Laws: General Law
- Master of Laws: Air and Space Law fees
- Masters of Laws: Bioethics
- Master of Laws: Environment
There are also doctoral programmes in the field including comparative law, civil law, and air and space law.
Discover more about how to qualify for a master’s degree and preparing for your PhD?
University of British Columbia
Located on the west coast of Canada in Vancouver is the University of British Columbia. The university collects the bronze medal and third spot in the QS World University Rankings 2024 by Subject for law and is also placed in the top 50 institutions worldwide for the subject. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024 concur, however placing the institution at number 37 globally and third in Canada for law.
The Peter A. Allard School of Law is well known in Canada as a hub of legal studies and research and is a top-ranked law school in Canada. It offers four major postgraduate programmes:
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Master of Laws: Common Law fees: CAD 1,375 per credit plus CAD 1,100 student fee per year
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Master of Laws (LLM) fees: AD 1,375 per credit plus CAD 1,100 student fee per year
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Master of Laws (Taxation) fees: AD 1,375 per credit plus CAD 1,100 student fee per year.
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Doctor of Philosophy in Law fees: CAD 9,700 (USD 6,900)
There is also a Juris Doctor programme on offer at the school, which is a graduate-entry level professional degree that will allow you to practice law in a common law country.
York University
Another one of the best places to study law in Canada is York University. One of Toronto’s proud institutions, the university has over 53,000 students and an international community from more than 178 countries. York University is a top ten institution for law in Canada according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 and enjoys a spot within the top 200 universities worldwide for the subject. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024 places the university in the top 100 for law and 6th in Canada.
The Osgoode Hall Law School has a number of law-related qualifications and programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level, including:
- LLM fees: CAD 43,500 (USD 31,000) per year
- International Business Law LLM fees: CAD 48,000 (USD 34,800)
Don’t forget that some degrees in law are defined as professional degrees, while others are academic and it’s important to know the difference.
University of Alberta
Last but not least in the list of the top-ranked law schools in Canada is the University of Alberta. It’s a university that has over 7,000 international students and over a century’s experience in higher education, having been founded in 1908. The university is highly regarded as one of the top law schools in Canada ranking 9th in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 and within the top 250 universities worldwide. The Times Higher Education World University Rankings by Subject 2024 placed the university in the top 125 universities for law globally.
The faculty of law at the university offers a Juris Doctor programme, a doctor of philosophy in law qualification, and a master of Law. If you want to study at the University of Alberta you’ll have to meet a few of the key entry requirements including an IELTS test score of 6.5 with no band lower than 6.0, or the equivalent. You will also need to have completed a related undergraduate qualification in law or an associated subject in order to qualify to study towards a professional LLM degree.
While the institutions mentioned above are regarded as some of the best law schools in Canada there are other highly reputed institutions that you can also explore if you want to study law in Canada:
- University of Ottawa
- Lakehead University
- Carleton University
- Mount Royal University
- University of Guelph-Humber
If you do decide that Canada is your preferred destination to study law, you now have a better idea of what to expect. You may also want to explore some of the other popular degrees for international students in Canada and five fields you can study in the country. If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration you can also read about some of the notable alumni from Canadian universities.
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