r/mcgilllaw

Applied last cycle for the bcl/jd and got refused around may... Is there a way for me to get pointers on why my file was not competitive enough?

Thanks!

Hi,

I have the possibility of doing an exchange semester for Fall 2027/Semester 1 at McGill Law Faculty.
There is no strict language requirement apart from English proficiency, which I have.

However, it is said that some course materials and/or exam passages may contain French.
I would love to study in Montreal, it seems like an amazing city and McGill is obviously a good university.
However, despite there being no strict language requirement for French, I fear that it might still be a serious obstacle. On one hand, I've heard that it's not as big of a deal, on the other, I fear it might be more of a deal than I expect.

If I were to accept the offer, I would of course register only for English-taught subjects, and try to avoid subjects involving heavy French case law.

If I accept, I am of course also planning on practicing French, however I do not expect to become more than A2 level proficient.

Considering all this, I would like to ask the following:

• How much French is actually involved in upper-year Law subjects, especially English-taught ones? Course materials would be not that big of a deal, but following French lectures/tutorials or comprehending extensive passages on exams will be difficult.
• How big is the chance that I can enroll in only English-taught classes for Fall 2027? I must atleast follow International Public Law and earn atleast 6 credits in other Law subjects. Would it be possible to avoid French as much as possible?
• Lastly, what are the French language learning possibilities at McGill or Montreal in general?

I appreciate any feedback!