National Committee on Accreditation (NCA)

Negotiating the NCA Process

Your options for negotiating the NCA process

The Canadian Law in a Global Context concentration of our Global Professional Master of Laws (GPLLM) is designed to help internationally-trained lawyers fulfill the subjects they are assessed National Committee on Accreditation (NCA) in order to be eligible to become licensed to practice Law in Canada.

In order to be eligible to become licensed to practice law in Canada, licensees must either: (1) have a J.D or LLB from a law school in Canada or (2) have been awarded a Certificate of Qualification (CQ) by the NCA.

The mere act of earning a graduate degree at a Canadian law school is not sufficient to entitle internationally educated lawyers to apply to become licensed to practice law with one of Canada’s provincial or territorial law societies.

Instead, applicants must ensure that they have satisfied every requirement set out in their NCA assessment to ensure they will be able to earn their CQ.

Below, we have set out the process internationally trained lawyers should follow.

Law Society of Ontario (LSO)
For practicing law in Ontario, the requirements for being licensed are set by the Law Society of Ontario (LSO) only, and not by any law school. Therefore, you should begin by reviewing - LSO’s lawyer licensing process
1. National Committee on Accreditation (NCA)
  If you have a law degree from another country or a civil law degree from the province of Quebec and are seeking to qualify to practice in a common law province in Canada, you must apply to the NCA for an assessment.
  This determination is done entirely by the NCA, not by any law school.
  The NCA examines the qualifications of internationally-trained lawyers and issues assessments outlining the requirements you must complete before you are qualified to enter the lawyer licensing process in Ontario or elsewhere in Canada.
  In all cases, the NCA will require you to successfully complete some number of subjects (typically between 6 and 9) either by taking specific courses at a Canadian law school and/or by passing the NCA’s challenge examinations.
  See if you qualify and start a NCA assessment by visiting their website.
2. Determine how you will satisfy your NCA requirements
  GPLLM or
  Single course enrollment in the JD program
3. Apply for your CQ
4. Apply to the lawyer licensing process
We have two options for those who seek to complete their NCA requirements at our law school.
Option 1: Our Global Professional Master of Laws (GPLLM) program
This option requires completion of an executive-style, graduate degree program focused on Canadian Law from an international global perspective.
The program is currently offered in three concentrations, with the Canadian Law in a Global Context concentration designed to meet NCA requirements.
Option 2: Complete assigned subjects in our Juris Doctor (JD) program
Enrolment in individual courses from the JD degree program.
Note the JD is equivalent to a Bachelors of Law (LLB).
Please note that if you have been assessed an in-person requirement because you earned your law degree remotely or via distance education, Option 2 is not available to you as the NCA will expect you to complete one or two years in-person on a full-time basis.
Admission is not guaranteed into either option, as we seek strong candidates for entry.

Comparison of our NCA requirement options

	GPLLM	JD Courses
Spaces	120 in total from all concentrations.	Varies, usually no more than 10.
Credential	Students are awarded the Global Professional Master of Laws, a UofT graduate degree.	A Statement of Grades is provided. This option does not lead to any degree, certificate or diploma.
Total duration	Choice of 12 months (full-time) or 24 months (extended full-time).	Varies according to number of courses taken and scheduling of those courses. Typically, possible to satisfy six to nine subjects in one or two years.
Period of study	September to July/ 3 academic terms.	Fall term: September to December Winter term: January to April No classes in the summer
Entry point	September only.	September or January. For all entry points, candidates must submit an application by the preceding May 1 application deadline.
Class time	Friday evenings and Saturdays on alternating weekends.	Whenever desired JD courses are regularly scheduled during the weekday. No dedicated evening or weekend course offerings. Students attend class alongside currently enrolled JD students. May not be convenient if working during the daytime on weekdays.
Distance or online learning	In-person only, no distance or online option.	In-person only, no distance or online option.
Career support	Numerous opportunities to engage with a dedicated Graduate Career Advisor, faculty, guest speakers and industry experts.	Access to basic resources. Not eligible for career counselling appointments.

	GPLLM	JD Courses
NCA courses offered	The GPLLM Canadian Law in a Global Context concentration offers all of the core subjects assessed by the NCA including. Mandatory 'Core' NCA Courses Foundations of Canadian Law Canadian Criminal Law Canadian Constitutional Law Administrative Law Professional Responsibility Legal Research & Writing Property Law Contract Law Torts In addition, the GPLLM offers several elective courses (often referred to by the NCA as additional legal subjects), including: Family Law, Immigration Law, etc. Each of these courses have been approved by the NCA. Legal Research & Writing (LRW) Applied Legal Research & Writing This GPLLM course satisfies the NCA requirement for LRW. Additional Optional NCA Courses Business Organizations Contract Law Property Law Tort Law	A maximum of 7 substantive JD courses which meet NCA requirements. For the single JD course option these NCA requirements are NOT available: Foundations of Canadian Law Legal Research & Writing This requirement may be attained independently of any law school for a fee, through the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED) Professional Responsibility
Enrolment in NCA courses	All students who have been admitted to the Canadian Law in a Global Context concentration are able to take the core courses assessed by the NCA, and can choose from among the electives offered.	Subject to the availability of spaces in individual courses, as priority is given to students who are earning the JD. No wait listing for courses. Notification of approved courses may occur as late as a couple of days before the start of the term.
Course Grading	Grades are awarded according to the university’s Graduate Grading Scale.	Courses are credit / no-credit.

GPLLM

JD courses

Cost (CAD$)

The GPLLM fees for the 2025-2026 academic year are:

Domestic students: $33,570
International students: $81,210

In addition, graduate students pay incidental and ancillary fees equivalent to $2,239, and $792 for health coverage for international students

* Please note that tuition may increase by approximately 5% annually.

For each individual course, approximately:
All students:

$8,800 per course during 2025-2026

Government HST tax of 13% will be added to the per course fee.

Financial Aid & Scholarships

Students in the GPLLM are not eligible for awards from UofT Law. Students may be eligible for external financing and aid options, including government student loans and bank lines of credit.

Not available from UofT Law. Students may be eligible for external financing and aid options, including bank lines of credit, but not Ontario government student loans (OSAP).

	GPLLM	JD courses
Application deadline	The application deadlines for the GPLLM program are set out in the application deadlines page.	May 1st preceding the September to April academic year, regardless of which term you wish to start. For applying late, after the deadline contact the JD Admissions Office
Admission Requirements, How to Apply	The GPLLM admission requirements are set out in detail on the Program’s admission page.	Candidates who have failed an NCA challenge exam are not admissible. For admission information go to the JD Admissions website
Help	Contact the GPLLM staff recruitment team directly or attend one of the many recruitment events they offer.	Contact the JD Admissions Office directly.

Articling placement schedule in Ontario

As an applicant with the NCA, you should be aware that interviews for articling placements in Ontario typically occur during the summer, one year before the articling placement begins.

You are advised to review the Law Society of Ontarios’ (LSO) lawyer licensing process and register for a licensing examination. It is best to do this as soon as possible and confirm the LSO’s procedures and deadlines.

You must be accredited to practise law in Ontario

Learn more about our GPLLM concentration in Canadian Law in a Global Context.

National Committee on Accreditation (NCA)

Your options for negotiating the NCA process

Get your credentials assessed by the NCA Step 1

Received your NCA assessment? Satisfy NCA requirements at U of T Law Step 2

Comparison of our NCA requirement options

Program design and schedule

Course offerings

Program costs

How to apply

Articling placement schedule in Ontario

You must be accredited to practise law in Ontario