York University - Osgoode Hall Law School

The Osgoode Hall School of Law serves as the Faculty of Law at York University in Ontario. It was founded in 1889 by the Law Society of Upper Canada (now the Law Society of Ontario) and became affiliated with York University in 1968. It is one of Canada’s oldest, largest and most distinguished law schools and enrols around 300 new students a year.

Academic Highlights

Osgoode is renowned for its leading role in constitutional law and also for its diversity, fostered by an ongoing commitment to their Extended Time Program that allows access to a legal education for students whose life circumstances prevent them from engaging in full-time study.

Location

Osgoode is located on the Keele campus of York University in the suburb of North York in Toronto. It has another campus in downtown Toronto.

Did you know?

Toronto is Canada’s largest city with a population of around six million people. It has the largest underground pedestrian system in North America. Called PATH, the system connects 1,200 stores and restaurants, 50 office towers, 20 parking garages, five subway stations and a railway terminal over its more than 30-kilometre length.

Handbook/Catalogue

Some information about the units (referred to as courses) available at Osgoode Hall Law School is available from their Course and Seminar Information Tables page.

Full-time Credit Load Equivalents

Academic Calendar

Osgoode Hall ‘Fall’ term (Monash Semester 2): early September to late December

Osgoode Hall 'Winter' term (Monash Semester 1): early January to late April

See Osgoode Hall's Important Dates.

Note: Osgoode Hall only accepts applications once per year. See the 'How to apply' tab for further details.

Note

• The listed disciplines are not necessarily exhaustive and other fields of study might also be available at the institution.
• Approval to study particular subjects at any institution is always at the discretion of the departmental/discipline and faculty advisers in your managing faculty(ies) and subject to available places at the host.

Accommodation

On campus housing is available providing students apply by the deadlines. Exchange students studying at Osgoode typically apply for the Graduate residences.

Osgoode Hall offers advice on accommodation here.

Visas

As a general rule, Australian citizens do not need a study permit if they plan to participate in a university exchange program in Canada that lasts no more than six months. Every Australian citizen entering Canada for less than six months, however, will still require an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) which can be purchased online.  For more information on visas, please refer to the website of the High Commission of Canada in Australia.

York University provides some advice on visas, which can be found here.

Health and insurance

International students (including exchange students) studying in Canada are required to subscribe to the University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP) which is provided by the host institution. More information can be found here.

When travelling on a Monash Abroad approved program, you are automatically covered under the Monash University Student Travel Insurance policy.

Orientation and extra-curricular 

Students are strongly encouraged to attend orientation events during the first week of fall term.

Cost of living

Toronto on the Expatistan site (this is a website external to the University and intended to be indicative only)

Funding

For information about funding available to support study on exchange overseas, see the Financial Information page on the Monash Abroad website.

Important notes

Osgoode Hall only accepts exchange applications once a year for both semesters of the following Canadian academic year, which means you must apply to Monash Abroad by the October deadline for the following year's second (Fall) semester and/or the first (Winter) semester.

For example, if you want to go on exchange in Monash semester one (the Osgoode Hall winter semester), you will need to apply three semesters prior to your intended start date.

Monash students should have completed 96 credit points of law units with a 70% WAM to be eligible for apply for Osgoode Hall.

This program is not currently accepting applications.

Have you been to Osgoode Hall at York University and want to share your experience? 
Let us know about your exchange via this survey form and your testimonial could be shown here!

Brayden Moulday
Bachelor of Laws/Arts
Semester 2, 2018 & Semester 1, 2019
Studied: Law units

Study Experience

Firstly, I got to study many amazing units that aren't offered by Monash, for example, Indigenous Peoples and Canadian Law, Indigenous Perspectives and Realities or Sexuality and the Law. In Canada, guest lectures are a much more frequent occurrence and I got to meet many amazing academics from around the world. Additionally, there were heaps of opportunities for volunteer placements and student involvement. It's a lot more accessible than in Australia.

Culture

Toronto is a huge, cosmopolitan city. I believe that it is the city in the world that has the largest range of languages spoken at home, approximately 200. This diversity is reflected in the city itself. Whether your passion is Italian, Korean, Ethiopian or Nicaraguan, Toronto has it all, including nightlife. Outside Toronto, Canada is a beautiful and friendly place. Particularly, I found the Province of Québec to be a highlight. Only 5 hours down the road from Toronto and you are in Montréal - a complete linguistic and cultural reversal from Toronto.

It's also super easy to pop over the border into the United States. I particularly enjoyed spending time in New York and Boston. I also spent my mid-semester break in February in Miami and travelled through Mexico, Colombia and Ecuador before and after my exchange.

Benefits of going on exchange

I learnt a lot about independence through my exchange. I'd never been away from my family for so long. It is also a bit daunting going to another university and having to make friends from scratch! I believe that after my time away, I've become more outgoing and confident.

Career Benefits

Canadian law students are extremely committed to their studies, given that it is a highly competitive JD program. I found that my study and writing skills markedly improved in Canada, where I had to work hard to stay afloat. My Canadian peers were also really big on class participation. I learnt to shrug off my Australian inhibitions and spoke up in class. This, in turn, has helped me to think more critically about law, policy and life in general.

Money and Budgeting

• Make sure you've checked if you can get Centrelink. I supported myself through Youth Allowance and OS-HELP loans, as well as some savings. Make sure you check the fine print of Youth Allowance. Although you have to physically be in Australia when you apply, you are allowed to apply approximately 13 weeks before your 22nd birthday. As I had bought flights out of Australia before I turned 22, the fact that I had applied early meant that I was able to receive Youth Allowance. It was super helpful!
• Try as many new activities as you can! In Canada, I tried skiing, because it is much cheaper and accessible to Canadians than it is to us (it's more of a luxury for us rather than a leisure activity).

Top tips

• Go on exchange for Semester 2 if you can, and if you have electives, try to stay for a full year. Arriving in Semester 2 means that you can participate in O-week, which helps you make friends. I really felt like I got to know Canada well and made some really awesome friends, from Canada and all over the world.
• Don't underestimate how much travelling can tire you out, and don't feel bad for turning down the 5th consecutive weekend away with your new friends!
• You're going to get homesick! Sometimes I found myself craving Australian food. I found Netflix super helpful - I binge-watched all of Kath and Kim and Offspring to help me get through it.
• Try and get involved on campus as much as you can! Often, student societies allow participation from exchange students, especially if you're staying a full year. My co-curricular activities really helped me build a friendship (and professional) network overseas, which I'm finding is really helpful to talk about in job interviews back here. I also found that because I wasn't allowed to work, I could devote more time to co-curricular activities than I do back in Melbourne.
• Exchange students are given the option to be housed on-campus, at either Passy or Assiniboine residences. I would recommend going for on-campus housing. The rental market in Toronto is an absolute nightmare, and trying to find a private, short-term rental downtown could be near-impossible, especially for a non-Canadian. The only slight downside to on-campus housing is that it is about 45 minutes on the subway to downtown Toronto. But the subway is super clean, quick and reliable!