University of Bristol Law School and Western University Faculty of Law Advanced Standing 3 + 2 Pathway

Western Law and the University of Bristol Law School have partnered to create a transatlantic pathway that allows Bristol LLB graduates to complete a Juris Doctor (JD) at Western Law in two years - earning two law degrees from two leading institutions in five years, and positioning themselves for careers across sectors in Canada and around the world.

Advantages include:

  • earning an LLB from the University of Bristol and a JD from Western Law in five years
  • qualifying directly for bar admission in Canadian provinces, without the NCA assessment process that applies to other internationally trained lawyers
  • working with the Career and Professional Development Office at Western Law for support in securing an articling position
  • joining a cohort of Western Law students at one of Canada's leading law schools, where spaces are reserved for Bristol graduates each year

Read more about our program and everything we have to offer you by visiting our digital Prospectus.

How do I apply?

As a Bristol graduate you will apply through the Ontario Law School Application Service (OLSAS), which is one of the professional divisions of the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre.

The application guide is user-friendly. However, preparing an application takes time, so we recommend you start early. You can work on the application over time, saving your material, and returning to it at your convenience before submitting.

What is the application deadline?

May 1 for September admission.

What applicant category should I select?

Select the Upper Year – Advanced Standing – Applicant category. This is designed for candidates who have completed legal education outside Canada. Advanced Standing candidates receive credit for up to one year of their international study towards the Canadian JD. They will be enrolled in core Canadian Law courses not yet taken and fill the balance of their program with electives.

What do I need to submit?

  • a personal statement and autobiographical sketch, both of which are completed within the online application;
  • transcripts from all post-secondary institutions, sent directly from the institutions. You will order your transcript from the University of Bristol twice: once when you apply so that we have a record of courses completed to date, and again when your final grades are released in the summer. A WES assessment for your study at Bristol is NOT required;
  • a letter of good standing, sent directly from the University of Bristol;
  • confidential letters of reference from two law school professors; and
  • a Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score and LSAT writing sample, both of which are collected for you by OLSAS.

What is Western’s LSAT requirement?

An LSAT score is required for all applicants. If you do not already have a score on record, or if you wish to rewrite the test, please visit the Law School Admission Council for more information, to create an account (or log in to your existing account), and to register for the test.

June LSAT scores are accepted for Fall admission for Bristol candidates. However, you must plan ahead and register by mid-April for the June LSAT.

If you have a Law National Aptitude Test (LNAT) score, you may upload your results to your OLSAS application as a supplementary document. At this time, we are not waiving the LSAT requirement for candidates who have written the LNAT, although that may be considered in the future.

In addition to the free LSAT preparation resources on the LSAC website, you are encouraged to subscribe to LawHub Advantage, which will give you access to over 70 practice tests.

What candidates are considered most competitive?

Bristol graduates with a minimum 2:1 finish in their LLB program will be considered competitive. An LSAT score above the 80th percentile is considered most competitive.

What does it cost to apply?

You will pay a $200 Ontario Universities’ Application Centre processing fee and a $150 Western Law application fee.

What are the tuition and ancillary fees for the program?

Annual tuition and ancillary fees for 2025/26 were as follows.

There may be slight increases in these figures for the next academic year. Fees are finalized in July.

Is financial aid available?

Financial aid is available to Canadian citizens. If you are Canadian you may apply for a Western bursary. We will send you the relevant link after we receive your application. Applying for a bursary also helps determine your eligibility for on-campus work-study options.

Ontario residents may be eligible for loans through the Ontario Student Assistance Program. Students in other provinces may apply for similar government assistance in their home province.

We do not offer upper-year entrance scholarships, but all upper-year students are eligible for other awards during or after their second year of study, which may be explored at this website.

If I am not a Canadian citizen, how does the process work for me?

The process is the same in that you will apply through the OLSAS portal as outlined above. If admitted, Western University will issue you a Provisional Attestation Letter (PAL) for study permit purposes. You would then apply to the Canadian government for a study permit.

Given when admission decisions are made for Bristol advanced standing applicants, it is possible that Canadian Immigration will not process your study permit application in time to begin classes in September. If that were to happen, we would be pleased to defer your acceptance to the following academic year. This would give you time to gain work experience, pursue graduate work, or engage in other professional development while you are awaiting your study permit for Western Law.