About Us
Do you want to study law in Canada?
Osgoode Professional Development (OsgoodePD) is the life-long learning arm of Osgoode Hall Law School. Osgoode is Canada’s oldest and most diverse law school, and we’re proud to offer the broadest range of programs for internationally trained lawyers.
We aim to build an inclusive, welcoming community for international students — one that offers a wide range of courses and programs, as well as individualized support to help students achieve their goals.
Our Offerings
Study Law in Canada Information Session
This online information session is for international applicants as well as internationally trained lawyers who have never studied law in Canada. This session discusses OsgoodePD’s full-time program offerings and the application process. This session is available on demand, so you can watch it at your convenience.
Full Time Programs
Our Alumni
Alumni from more than 49 countries proudly call themselves OsgoodePD alumni. Our student body is part of what makes Osgoode Canada’s most diverse law school.
Juan Carlos Diaz – Colombia
Taxation Law LLM
JD, LLM, Current Student, Osgoode Professional Development (Canadian Common Law LLM)
“The program’s emphasis on both domestic and international tax aspects has been instrumental in broadening my horizons as a tax law practitioner. It equipped me with a versatile skill set, enabling me to navigate the intricacies of tax laws across different jurisdictions and offer valuable insights to clients with diverse needs. One of the most significant benefits of the program was the exposure to real-world scenarios and practical case studies. This experiential learning approach honed my problem-solving abilities and decision-making skills, making me a more effective and confident tax professional.”
Dr. Vivekta Singh – India
International Business Law LLM
LLB, LLM, PhD, Associate Lawyer, Laksh Law Professional Corporation
“Osgoode has a well-established legal community with connections to practicing lawyers, judges, legal organizations, and professionals. Engaging in this program allows you to build a network that is instrumental in finding job opportunities, obtaining internships, and seeking mentorship. It adds weight to your resume and credentials and makes you stand out in a competitive job market, especially if you are an internationally trained lawyer seeking to establish yourself in Canada. It helps you adapt to legal practices, ethics, and norms and equips you with the knowledge, skills and connections necessary to transition smoothly into the Canadian legal landscape and launch a successful legal career.”
Perla Smith – Mexico
Canadian Common Law LLM
LLM, Associate Lawyer, Bair Family Law
“The LLM in Canadian Common Law is an excellent learning opportunity. The LLM experience is much more valuable than completing the NCA challenge exams alone. You have the opportunity to benefit from your professor’s knowledge and experience and I was repeatedly impressed by the professor’s willingness to connect with students as fellow legal professionals. The LLM program helped me be more confident and it opened many doors for me in my legal career in Canada.”
Life in Toronto
Toronto has been recognized as one of the most diverse cities in the world. More than half of the city’s 2.7 million residents were born outside of Canada. Over 250 ethnicities and 170 languages are represented in the Toronto Region, and roughly half the population identifies as a visible minority. The city takes great pride in its multiculturalism (the city’s slogan is ‘Diversity Our Strength’) and you’ll find this diversity in the city’s world-class cultural institutions, festivals, food and businesses.
Hongqi Liu – China
Canadian Common Law LLM
“Toronto is not like typical European cities – it is more of a metropolis like New York or Beijing, but with more diversity.”
Our programs are run out of two locations – Osgoode Hall Law School, on York University’s Keele campus and Osgoode Professional Development, located in the heart of downtown Toronto. Students are integrated both into the Osgoode community through high-quality extracurricular activities and events, and into the broader professional community through our downtown location, where students can find endless opportunities to broaden their professional network.
Application Agents
International students looking to study law in Canada are welcome, but not required, to work with an application agent who can provide support to them from the application process to arrival in Toronto. We’ve chosen to work with agents who have a deep understanding of our programs and the needs of applicants from their assigned areas.
Financial Support
International students have access to two unique financial support opportunities to help offset the cost of tuition:
International Entrance Awards for Full-Time LLM Studies – $10,000 – $30,000
Our international entrance awards recognize exceptional applicants who have a clear vision for how the program will help them to achieve their goals, and a strong academic and professional background. Six Awards of Excellence ($30,000) and twelve awards of Merit ($10,000) are awarded annually. For more information see here.
Intensive Advanced Legal English Bursary – $6000 for International Students
Graduates of the Intensive Advanced Legal English program, who go on to enroll in Osgoode Professional Development’s Professional LLM or Graduate Diploma in Foundations of Canadian Law are eligible for a bursary $6000 (for international students) to help fund their graduate study.
Study Permit Resources
Please note that OsgoodePD staff cannot provide immigration advice. York University offers support to international candidates accepted to our programs through York International. Check out their helpful website for more information on visas, study permits and immigration; working in Canada; and related topics.
Housing
Please note that housing is not offered by OsgoodePD. However, students have a number of options available to them for housing:
- On-Campus Housing
- The Quad
- The Canada Homestay Network
- Off-Campus Housing Options
For more information about housing options see here.
Contact Us
Have questions? We’re here to help! Click here to get in touch.