International Programs | Columbia Law School

Independent Study Abroad Program

Guidelines

Under the ABA Student-Initiated Study Abroad criteria, students may create their own independent programs of study at a foreign school and earn up to 13 credits towards the J.D. degree. The Office of International Programs assists in preparing the application in accordance with Columbia's and the American Bar Association's rules for independent study abroad. The following is a list of schools where Columbia Law students have created their own programs:

Application Process

Applying for student-initiated study abroad may involve two separate applications: one to the foreign school and one to Columbia's International Programs.  

The first step is to establish contact with the foreign school and obtain the information described below. Since the process at each foreign school varies, it is imperative that students initiate contact as soon as possible to provide sufficient time for a decision to be made (six months prior to the beginning of the semester abroad should be sufficient).

Foreign schools may require a formal application process and may have set deadlines for special student applications. It is the responsibility of the student to complete all application requirements of the foreign school.

After contacting the foreign school, students should bring the information to the Office of International Programs (WJ 6th Floor) where it will be reviewed by a committee of CLS faculty members and administrators.

Criteria for Acceptance

As with our other semester study abroad programs, approval will be granted based upon the strength of the statement of your educational objectives, academic record at Columbia, and faculty recommendations. In addition, the committee must be convinced that the study abroad fulfills an academic need that cannot be met at Columbia or by its international programs.

What Columbia Needs From You

An application form for Independent Study Abroad is available online and at the Office of International Programs.  Students are asked to compile the following information:

1. Name, address, and contact numbers of foreign school
2. Name of faculty member at foreign school who will act as your advisor
3. Dates that the semester at the foreign school begins and ends (Because semester dates of foreign schools usually do not coincide with Columbia's semesters, be aware of and try to avoid conflicts.)
4. Courses you would like to take, including the number of credits a foreign student is eligible to earn. (Certain schools have a maximum number of courses that they allow students to take.) Columbia grants students a maximum of 13 credits toward the J.D. for a semester spent at a foreign school. (Students must register for a minimum of 11 credits.) The actual number of CLS credits earned is calculated according to the number of class hours, number of hours spent in preparation for class, and the number of weeks of the foreign semester.
5. Number of minutes/hours each class meets each week, number of weeks, or the number of minutes per credit
6. The average academic load at the foreign school (per year and per semester or trimester). If there is a dissertation or other requirement, please describe (i.e., students take 4 classes, and in addition, are required to write a significant paper/thesis).
7. The average amount of minutes/hours that is spent outside of class in preparation for each hour in class
8. The method by which the foreign school evaluates the student's performance (whether oral or written exam)
9. The grading method that the foreign school uses (A simple pass/fail system is generally insufficient to obtain Columbia credit. If letter/number grades are not used at the foreign school, the school must at a minimum use a fail/pass/high pass system.)
10. The ABA requires that the foreign school be one that provides an academic program leading to a first degree in law. In addition, it must be: “(a) government sanctioned or recognized, if educational institutions are state regulated within the country; (b) recognized or approved by an evaluation body, if such an agency exists within the country; or (c) chartered to award degrees in law by the appropriate authority within the country. Students must ascertain that the foreign school fulfills these criteria.
11. Statement of Educational Objectives: A brief statement (1-3 double-spaced pages) which is reviewed by CLS. It should provide a detailed description of academic goals, and how the semester abroad is expected to satisfy these goals.
12. Statement from a CLS faculty member at Columbia Law School indicating that he/she has read and supports your educational objectives, and is willing to serve as your faculty advisor during your study abroad. The Columbia advisor's obligations are to read monthly reports (see "Written Work" section below), as well as to review all work conducted by the student at the foreign institution.
13. Proof of language proficiency if the courses are taught in a language other than English. Include a brief statement as to how language proficiency was acquired. An interview to determine fluency may also be required.
14. Most recent Columbia Law School Transcript

Credits

In order to satisfy residency requirements, the American Bar Association prescribes a minimum of 11 CLS credits be taken at a foreign institution. Acceptance of any credit or grade for any course taken at a foreign school is subject to determination by Columbia Law School. Columbia transcripts reflect credit for courses passed with a C or above. If a grade equivalent to a Columbia C- or below is received, Columbia cannot give credit for that course. No grades are included on the Columbia transcript for a semester spent abroad; the transcript states that credit was awarded for foreign study abroad.  Please note that students are unable to receive CLS honors (Kent or Stone) during the time that they are studying abroad regardless of their foreign grades.

Grading

Students should ascertain that the foreign school will send an official transcript showing the final grades received in each course. Foreign grading systems might differ significantly from those employed in the United States. Unlike at Columbia, students at foreign law schools might fail courses the first time they take examinations. While this is not common among Columbia students studying abroad, it has happened. Columbia can give credits only for those courses passed with a C or above.

Written Work

Students must submit written reports (approximately 1 page per course) to the Office of International Programs, for review by the Columbia sponsor, every four weeks. Students who fail to comply with this requirement will not receive credit, regardless of their grades. Whenever possible, all written work in examinations and papers are reviewed by CLS after it has been graded by the foreign school.

Tuition & Fees

As with all semester abroad programs, students continue to pay Columbia tuition. Tuition for the foreign school is paid by Columbia Law School upon receipt of an invoice. It is the student's responsibility to obtain this invoice and give it to the Office of International Programs for payment. Columbia will pay up to the equivalent of one semester's worth of CLS tuition; anything over this amount must be paid by the student. Students should be sure to maintain health insurance coverage; other Columbia student activity fees can be waived.

Degree Requirements

Any study abroad program does not exempt students from requirements for the J.D. degree (i.e., pro bono requirements, etc.)

Travel & Housing

Once approval is granted, students are responsible for making their own travel, visa, and housing arrangements. If you have questions, come to the Office of International Programs, William and June Warren Hall, 1125 Amsterdam Avenue (WJ 6th Floor).

Contact Individuals & Application

Office of International Programs
Tel: (212) 854-8170; fax: (212) 851-7691
Email: internationalprograms@law.columbia.edu

Mailing Address:
International Programs
Columbia Law School
435 W. 116th St
New York, NY 10027

Columbia Law School's Office of International Programs is located at:
William and June Warren Hall (WJ)
1125 Amsterdam Avenue, 6th Floor.

There is no deadline for Student-Initiated Study Abroad applications as foreign schools differ in the dates of their programs. Please plan for your program well in advance and allow enough time for the Columbia committee to review your application. Be sure you comply with foreign school deadlines. Do not use the Semester Abroad Application for this program.