Exchange Programs
Exchange Program Opportunities for ND Law Students
Every year, select J.D. students at Notre Dame Law School study law abroad as part of our exchange programs with pre-eminent law schools around the world. Choosing to deepen their knowledge of a particular area of law through comparative legal study and familiarize themselves with transnational legal issues they will encounter later in practice, these J.D. students benefit from the strong partnerships the Law School has formed with institutions in countries and cities around the world. As part of their law studies abroad, students may choose, depending on the host institution, to study for an LL.M. at the host institution or to participate in other unique facets of our exchange agreements, as best embodied by our Honors Scholars Programs.
J.D. students at Notre Dame Law School may study law abroad during their second or third years, depending on the exchange program. Students are encouraged to consider how they would benefit from studying law at a particular host institution and in a particular country, given their wider interests in specific areas of law and their career goals. Notre Dame J.D. students interested in a semester abroad should apply here by Monday, February 26, 2024.
Notre Dame Law School maintains partnerships with the following institutions to host exchange programs:
- Chile: Pontificia Universidad Católica in Santiago
- China: Peking University Law School in Beijing
- France: Paris II Panthéon-Assas University in Paris
- Germany: Bucerius Law School in Hamburg
- Ireland: Trinity College of Law in Dublin
- Israel: Tel Aviv University in Tel Aviv
- Italy: Bocconi University in Milan
- Kenya: Strathmore Law School in Nairobi
- Switzerland: University of Lucerne in Lucerne
Click here if you are an exchange student interested in studying at Notre Dame Law School.
How to apply
Students interested in studying law abroad as part of the J.D. studies at the Law School are encouraged to contact the Office of International & Graduate Programs (globalaw@nd.edu) as soon as possible. Each spring semester, the International & Graduate Programs will send an email calling for expressions of interest to study abroad from current 1Ls and 2Ls. As part of this initial expression of interest, students are invited to share the reasons for their interest in an exchange program, including how studying law abroad will further their academic and career goals. Accepted students are then nominated to the partner institution and complete a formal application. After the Law School formally nominates a student through the International and Graduate Programs Office to the host institution, the student may be required to complete a second application provided by the host institution.
February 26, 2024, is the deadline to express an interest in participating in an exchange program for the 2023-2024 academic year.
To be eligible for foreign exchange, rising 2Ls must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher as of the end of the spring semester of their first year of studies, and rising 3Ls must have a GPA of 3.0 or higher as of the end of spring semester of their second year. In extraordinary circumstances, a student who does not meet the requisite GPA standard and who wishes to study abroad may ask the Dean of the Law School to waive this requirement. Any waiver shall be based on a determination regarding whether there are sufficient grounds to conclude that the student will succeed academically in the program given that student’s previous academic performance in law school. The determination of the Dean of the Law School will be final and not appealable.
Study Law in Chile
Building on their commitment to global engagement and shared Catholic mission, Notre Dame and the Pontificia Universidad Católica (PUC) have founded a strong partnership which provides for student and faculty exchanges, research collaboration, internships, and dual degree programs. Notre Dame Law School contributes to this partnership with an exchange program that allows Spanish-speaking J.D. degree-seeking students from Notre Dame to study at PUC Law School. In light of Chile’s current Constitutional Convention and joint research projects on constitutional law between PUC and Notre Dame Law School, exchange student places are particularly prioritized for students with an interest in constitutional law. Visit this page for more information about PUC.
Study Law in China
The Law School has two distinct student exchange programs in Beijing, one with Tsinghua School of Law and the other with Peking University School of Law (PKU). The exchange program with Tsinghua offers students the opportunity to pursue an LL.M. in Chinese Law. Studying Chinese Law in Beijing allows students to learn the history, structure and cultural context of the Chinese legal system, a body of law that has global significance in areas including trade, international finance, intellectual property, and international dispute resolution. Our exchange programs in China are also complemented by summer internship opportunities at leading Chinese law firms. Students are encouraged to visit the websites of Tsinghua School of Law and of Peking University in Beijing for more information on studying law at each particular institution.
Study Law in France
Select J.D. students at Notre Dame may study law at Paris II Panthéon-Assas in Paris, France. Known as the leading law school in France, Paris II is recognized for its excellence in private law and criminal science, public law, Roman law, and history of law.
Located in the historic 6th arrondissement, studying at Paris II offers law students an unparalleled opportunity to explore law comparatively in the heart of the French legal academy. Second-year law students participating in this program for a full academic year also have the opportunity to apply to and enroll in the LL.M. AWArDs program, receiving an LL.M. in World Arbitration and Disputes Settlement.
Visit this page for more information on studying law at Paris II and in Paris.
Study Law in Germany
The Law School’s partnership with Bucerius Law School in Hamburg allows two J.D. degree seeking law students to spend the Fall semester as students at Bucerius. The Law School has also established the Hamburg Honor Scholars Program, which allows up to 3 students per year to enroll in Bucerius’ summer program or to extern with leading Hamburg businesses and law firms. As the premiere private law school in Germany, study at Bucerius allows students to explore the unique history of the German legal system and to study German and EU laws that affect commercial and areas of transnational legal practice. Visit this page for more information on Bucerius Law School.
Study Law in Ireland
The Law School’s exchange program with Trinity College Dublin allows two to four students to study each year in Dublin for a semester or a full academic year. Students study alongside LLB students and can, if they choose, pursue an LL.M. at Trinity College during a full academic year of study. First year law students interested in opportunities in Dublin should also consider the Dublin Honor Scholars Program. As the most important English-speaking common law jurisdiction in the European Union, Dublin has emerged as an important European business capital for technology companies, the oil-and-gas industry, and other sectors. Studying law in Dublin allows our J.D. degree-seeking students to gain important knowledge of EU law and to learn how lawyers in Dublin are shaping transnational legal, economic, and social issues. Visit this page for more information on Trinity College.
Study Law in Israel
Each year a select number of J.D. degree-seeking students from the Law School can study law at Tel Aviv University Buchmann School of Law for a full academic year or a semester, and the Law School welcomes law students from the Buchmann School of Law to its main campus. Studying law in Tel Aviv allows Notre Dame law students to study at the oldest law school in Israel and participate in its legal workshops, clinics, and public interest programs in the unique Israeli cultural and legal context. Visit this page for further information on studying at TAU and in Tel Aviv.
Study Law in Italy
Select J.D. students at Notre Dame may study law at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy, the country’s financial capital. Known for its strength in business and economics, Bocconi’s law program offers students the opportunity to deepen their knowledge of business law from an international and comparative perspective, while learning uniquely Italian perspectives on constitutional law and fundamental rights. With depth in public and private law subjects, Bocconi also offers a wealth of interdisciplinary courses. Visit this page for more information on studying law in Bocconi and Milan.
Study Law in Kenya
Select J.D. students at Notre Dame may study law at Strathmore Law School in Nairobi, Kenya. A vibrant law school with a reputation for training the future leaders of law practice in Africa, Strathmore Law School has a global and experiential approach to legal education.
Strathmore Law School boasts a number of centers and expertise in a wide range of areas, including oil and gas law, policy and innovation, and finance and law. Students studying at Strathmore may also benefit from short courses and uniquely tailored visits to courts and other legal institutions in Kenya.
Visit this page for more information on studying law at Strathmore and in Kenya.
Study Law in Switzerland
Select J.D. students at the Law School may study at the University of Lucerne for a full academic year or for a semester. Lucerne’s location in Switzerland makes it an ideal place to explore human rights and international economic law, as well as arbitration, international litigation, and Swiss law.
Visit this page for further information on studying law at the University of Lucerne.