Semester Abroad

The Semester Abroad Program is a wonderful opportunity for Harvard Law School students to receive a semester of ungraded credit towards the Harvard JD degree for study at a law school overseas.  The study abroad program is intended to afford students an educational experience not available at Harvard Law School – immersion in a foreign legal culture.  This includes exposure to what makes the legal system function as it does – its underlying assumptions, how local lawyers think about law, what law is designed to do, and how it relates to the society more broadly.

Immersion in a foreign legal culture is only one of many educational benefits of the study abroad experience. For some students, there may be particular substantive areas of law that are covered in greater depth abroad than is the case at HLS.  Other students may be contemplating a career with substantial ties to a particular country or region, and therefore may wish to learn as much as possible about the legal system(s) of that country or region.  Others may desire a broader exposure to the civil law system than is available at HLS.  Each student has his or her own specific constellation of reasons for wanting to study law in a foreign setting.  Accordingly, each student designs a semester abroad that meets his/her specific academic goals.

Yet study abroad participants consistently report that the semester abroad experience gives them several advantages in their job searches and careers.  In particular, they cite the value of first-hand knowledge of another legal system and culture; foreign language proficiency; and an extensive network of contacts around the world. (For perspectives from study abroad alumni, see here.)

In recent years students have developed individualized programs of study abroad that have enabled them to explore the following: commercial and capital market regulation in Argentina; rights of indigenous people in Australia; environmental law in China; and European take-over law, among others.

There are two categories of semester abroad programs:

1. Exchange programs: HLS students may apply for designated spots for a semester’s study at selected foreign law schools with which HLS has an exchange agreement
2. Independent semester abroad: HLS students may choose to spend an “independent” semester at any foreign law school that meets the study abroad program requirements (please see below for more information).

Study Abroad Locations

Exchange Programs

Harvard Law School has exchange agreements with a select group of foreign schools that have a designated number of places for HLS students to spend a semester abroad, subject to acceptance by the foreign school. The list of participating schools currently includes:

University of Sydney Law School (Sydney, Australia)

Fundação Getulio Vargas Schools of Law (Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil)

University of Chile School of Law (Santiago, Chile)

Fudan University Law School (Shanghai, China)

Sciences Po Law School (Paris, France)

University of Tokyo, Graduate Schools for Law and Politics (Tokyo, Japan)

University of the Witwatersrand School of Law (Johannesburg, South Africa)

Seoul National University School of Law (Seoul, South Korea)

University of Geneva Faculty of Law and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Geneva, Switzerland)

 

Each school will accept a number of HLS JD students per year through the same application process as the general study abroad program. As such, each student will need to gain approval from both the HLS study abroad committee and the host institution.

Independent Semester Abroad

The semester abroad program does not limit students’ options to a specific school or country.  According to the American Bar Association criteria, “the foreign institution will generally be one that is government sanctioned or recognized, if educational institutions are state regulated within the country; recognized or approved by an evaluation body, if such an agency exists within the country; or chartered to award degrees in law by the appropriate authority within the country” (ABA Criteria Section I.C.1.).  In addition, the school should be one that is generally viewed as offering one of the top law programs in its country or geographic region.  HLS students may not enroll in programs of US schools given abroad or programs designed expressly for American students or those from countries other than that in which the school is located.

In the past, HLS students have studied abroad for a semester at:

• University of Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
• University of Melbourne (Melbourne, Australia)
• University of New South Wales (Sydney, Australia)
• University of the West Indies (Bridgetown, Barbados)
• Universite Libre de Bruxelles (Brussels, Belgium)
• University of Toronto (Toronto, Canada)
• Pontifica Universidad Catolica (Santiago, Chile)
• Peking University (Beijing, China)
• Tsinghua University (Beijing, China)
• University of Hong Kong (Hong Kong, China)
• University of Los Andes (Bogota, Colombia)
• Queen Mary, University of London (London, England)
• School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London (London, England)
• University of Ghana (Accra, Ghana)
• Hebrew University (Jerusalem, Israel)
• Tel Aviv University (Tel Aviv, Israel)
• Università degli Studi di Firenze (Florence, Italy)
• Libera Universita Internazionale del Studi Sociali (Rome, Italy)
• Keio University (Tokyo, Japan)
• University of Leiden (Leiden, The Netherlands)
• Vrije University (Amsterdam, The Netherlands)
• University of Cape Town (Cape Town, South Africa)
• Seoul National University (Seoul, South Korea)
• Instituto de Empresa (Madrid, Spain)
• ESADE Law School - University Ramon Llull (Barcelona, Spain)
• Universidad Pontifica Comillas (Madrid, Spain)

HLS also has a joint degree program with the University of Cambridge that involves spending a year in England reading for an LLM degree.

Resources

In order to identify an appropriate school for a semester abroad, students are encouraged to contact other HLS students who have spent a semester abroad; to obtain names and contact information, please e-mail the International Legal Studies office. Also, many HLS faculty members, LLM and SJD students have contacts at foreign law schools and are willing to make suggestions to JD students contemplating study abroad.

HLS maintains a list of foreign law schools recognized as strong institutions and/or which HLS graduate students have attended in their home countries. This list may be especially helpful to HLS JD students who are considering where they might study abroad.

There are a number of resources that can be useful for students contemplating a semester abroad.  These include:

• Hieros Gamos: A worldwide legal directory that provides information on foreign law schools and foreign legal systems
• U.S. Department of State: A country-by-country resource guide
• Library of Congress: Country studies and global legal information network
• ABA Study Abroad: Outlines general requirements for study abroad credit
• Harvard Law Library: International, Foreign, and Comparative Law Research Guides

Students who are considering how semester abroad might fit in with a job search can contact Marni Goldstein Caputo in the Office of Career Services or Lisa Williams in the Office of Public Advising.  OCS and OPIA advisors are also able to counsel students by phone, e-mail or Skype during their semester abroad. 

For additional information, please see Frequently Asked Questions and Planning Tips.

Application Process

The opportunity to study abroad is available to students in either semester of the second or third year. Please note that students wishing to study abroad in spring of their 3L year will not graduate at the end of that semester but will receive their HLS diploma the following year once all graduation requirements are met.  This can have ramifications for taking the bar exam and starting employment so students should consider the timing carefully. Study abroad proposals for the first year will not be approved.  Students who transfer to HLS after completing their first year at another law school are eligible to study abroad in their 3L year.  JD students who are foreign nationals will not be approved for study abroad in the country in which they have received a first degree in law.  JD students who are enrolled in joint degree programs may not be eligible for the semester abroad program. 

Potential participants in the program initiate the planning process for their own program of study.  The International Legal Studies staff is happy to work with students in order to help them develop an appropriately tailored application that meets the program’s requirements.  This involves thinking through educational objectives, identifying the country and school for study, and developing a preliminary list of courses. 

Application materials for semester abroad (independent semester abroad and exchange programs) are due by September 15, 2011 for students wishing to study abroad in spring 2012 and February 15, 2012 for students wishing to study abroad in fall 2012.  Applications should be submitted to Sara Zucker in Suite 5005 of Wasserstein Hall or by e-mail to szucker@law.harvard.edu.

Students considering semester abroad are encouraged to meet with a member of the International Legal Studies staff as needed but applicants must do so at least once prior to, or shortly following, the submission of a proposal.

The Study Abroad Committee, which consists of faculty and staff, reviews the completed HLS application and takes into consideration the following criteria:  academic record at Harvard Law School to date; the student’s motivation for study abroad including educational objectives and the “fit” between those objectives and the proposed program of study and the selected institution abroad. Generally, students who are approved for study abroad have achieved a cumulative average of at least Pass in their HLS classes.

Please note that students applying for designated spots in HLS exchange programs must be recommended by the HLS Study Abroad Committee but ultimately selections are made by the foreign law schools (see above for a list of foreign schools with which HLS has an agreement).  Students applying for the independent semester abroad program must receive approval from the HLS Study Abroad Committee as well as apply directly to the host institution in accordance with the foreign school’s application process and receive an acceptance by the foreign school.

Once a student is approved for semester abroad, s/he will be notified of the date by which s/he must make a firm commitment to the program. 

Credits, Written Work, and Course Load Requirements

A student must be enrolled at the foreign school for a minimum of 13 contiguous weeks. A student may receive a total of 10 to 12 ungraded credits for coursework done through the semester abroad program plus one credit for a paper written upon return, if the student chooses this option.  In order to ensure that the proposed course of study is a rigorous one, a student must supply descriptions of the courses s/he proposes to take before the fact, with instructor names and reading lists if possible.  The student is urged to develop this list of courses in consultation with his/her faculty advisors both at HLS and the foreign school.  Ultimately, the HLS faculty advisor will be asked to confirm that the courses selected meet the student’s outlined educational objectives. The student's course selection must be approved by the Study Abroad Committee, and then the student must obtain confirmation from the foreign school faculty advisor that the student’s course load is as stated and that it is consistent with the student’s educational objectives.

It is important to remember that a primary purpose of spending a semester abroad is to take law courses that are different from what is offered at HLS. While students are encouraged to develop an individualized course of study, there are some restrictions regarding course selections.

• A student studying abroad may not take classes that duplicate classes s/he has taken or intends to take at HLS.
• Courses on US law will not be approved.
• A student must take courses in the usual language(s) of instruction of the foreign school. Some schools offer courses in English to their regularly enrolled degree students. However, HLS students may not enroll in courses designed expressly for American students or students from countries other than that in which the school is located.
• A student must earn a minimum of 8 credits in law while studying abroad.
• A student who wishes to enroll in courses listed by the foreign school in disciplines or departments other than law must receive express permission from the Study Abroad Committee prior to enrolling in such courses. Should a student be allowed to take a course in another discipline, the correlating credits will count towards the maximum allowable for cross-registration in accordance with HLS’ academic policies.
• Foreign language courses taken abroad will count for cross-registration credit provided that they are in a language widely used in the country where the semester abroad occurs.  Such courses can not be substantially similar to courses the student has already taken.
• Independent research and study will not count as classroom hours for purposes of calculating credits.
• Credit will not be granted for any course taken abroad that serves as a prerequisite to another course taken abroad, if the prerequisite could have been completed at HLS.
• A student may not receive clinical credit for an externship undertaken while studying abroad for the semester. The HLS Office of Clinical Programs will evaluate in-house clinics at the foreign law school on a case-by-case basis, and the student needs to receive permission from the Office of Clinical Programs and the Study Abroad Committee before incorporating a clinical placement into a program of study abroad.

The administrative processes at foreign schools may be quite different than those to which HLS students are accustomed. Students should be prepared to take initiative in orienting themselves, and allow plenty of time to deal with unexpected administrative challenges or delays.

Students who are studying abroad at an institution where courses are taught in a foreign language should be aware of the challenges this can entail. Previous study abroad students have found it helpful to arrive in the foreign country early for language acclimation and/or to take a language training course before law classes begin. Some institutions may even offer a short orientation program for international students.

It is the student's responsibility to have a clear understanding of how a semester abroad will affect his/her overall credit count and ability to meet HLS degree requirements. As well, it is the student's responsibility to ensure that the courses s/he takes while abroad meet the requirements of the American Bar Association.

According to the ABA, “Law schools on a conventional semester system typically require 700 minutes of instruction time per ‘credit,’ exclusive of time for an examination.” HLS calculates credit equivalencies by totaling the classroom minutes for courses taken abroad and dividing by 700. Please note that HLS credits are based on classroom hours; the credits that a course carries at a foreign school may not be comparable.

In order to receive Harvard credit for work overseas, a student must earn the foreign law school’s minimum passing grade for all of his/her courses and provide HLS with an official version of his/her transcript from the foreign school.  The student also should retain copies of all of the written work done at the foreign school and be prepared to submit that work to his/her HLS faculty advisor for review after return if requested.  Finally, following return to Harvard (by March 15 if abroad during the fall semester or September 15 if abroad during the spring semester), the student must submit and receive approval for an evaluation report.  This report, which should be 4-5 pages in length, should recount and reflect on the student’s experience.  It should provide a description of the country’s system of legal education and information about the foreign school, including manner of instruction and workload, composition of student body, library facilities, student services, ease of assimilating, housing, and other information that may be useful to students interested in studying at that school in the future.

If a student successfully completes all of these requirements, his/her HLS transcript will reflect 10 to 12 credits (depending on the course load), graded "credit", for study abroad work.  These credits will be considered classroom credits and therefore not count against the HLS allowable maximum of non-classroom credits (unless express approval has been granted for classes taken abroad in a discipline other than law).  The particular courses taken overseas will not appear on a student's HLS transcript, nor will the grades for those courses.  No credit for the coursework abroad will appear until the student submits and receives approval on the evaluation report and his/her foreign transcript is received. It is the student's responsibility to submit his/her foreign transcript to Sara Zucker, who will forward it to the Registrar's Office.  If a student fails any of his/her courses overseas, the number of credits received for studies abroad will be reduced proportionately.  Students should be aware that grading systems in some countries are quite severe and that many local students fail one or more examinations on their first attempt.

In addition, in the semester following semester abroad, students may choose to write an independent one-credit paper, supervised by the student’s Harvard Law School faculty advisor and written for a grade.  This paper should be thematically related to some aspect of the student’s academic work abroad. As with any paper submitted for a Harvard Law School grade, the paper should be a substantive effort involving analysis, synthesis and research; it is not simply a report.  In order to develop the topic and clarify expectations for this paper (including length), the student should consult with his/her faculty advisor before the semester abroad as well as during the time away.  In addition, the student should meet with his/her faculty advisor upon return to HLS, before completing the paper. The one-credit paper written for the Harvard faculty advisor will appear separately, like any other independent one-credit paper and must receive a passing grade, which will be noted on the student’s HLS transcript. 

Students are typically required to fulfill the HLS “Written Work Requirement” (see HLS Handbook of Academic Policies) while in residence at HLS. Permission to register for written work while studying abroad is granted only in special circumstances and approval must be requested from Sara Zucker in advance of enrollment at the foreign school.

Faculty Advisors

A student will work with two faculty advisors, one at HLS and another at the foreign school, to develop an appropriate course of study:

(a) The full-time faculty member at Harvard monitors the student’s activities overseas (including approving the student’s program of study and reviewing any written work done while there) and, for students who choose to write a one-credit paper, supervise the one-credit paper for a grade after return.

(b) The full-time faculty member at the foreign school acts as the student's primary contact while overseas and provides confirmation of the courses in which the student has enrolled and that those courses meet the student's educational objectives.

Identifying an appropriate HLS faculty advisor is something a student should consider early in the process.  Ideally, the student should match his/her interests with a faculty member who has done work in that specific field.   Please note that the role of advisor is limited to HLS professors; faculty members holding the title of lecturer or visiting professor are not eligible.  The International Legal Studies staff can help students identify appropriate faculty advisors.

Tuition

Harvard Law School charges each student going abroad regular HLS tuition for the period abroad; tuition costs of the foreign school are billed to Harvard rather than to the student.  Students remain fully eligible for regular Harvard financial aid and student loans for the semester abroad as if they had remained at HLS for the semester in question.

Travel, Living Expenses, and Medical Insurance

A student is responsible for making his/her own visa, travel, and living arrangements (including health insurance) in the foreign country, and for all associated costs. The visa application process for many countries can be very long, and students often need to begin the process several months prior to departure. Living and studying abroad can be expensive and the student should plan and budget accordingly.  To help defray these costs, the student will receive a budget increase of $1,500 as part of his or her financial aid package.

A student must obtain adequate health insurance coverage from an approved provider before departure. The student may also wish to waive the Blue Cross Blue Shield and University Health Service fees. For detailed information please consult the HUHS website.

The International SOS Travel Assistance Program offers “24 hour worldwide emergency medical and evacuation assistance for Harvard’s employees and students traveling on University related activities.”  It is a supplement to (not a substitute for) health insurance and can provide medical information and evacuation services, emergency assistance including translation services, legal referrals, and general travel advice, among other things.  Further information can be found on the HLS International Travel website.  Harvard students are automatically included in the university’s membership plan but must log in and register (see the HLS International Travel website for log in information).

A student’s spouse may accompany him/her while studying abroad, but it is the student’s responsibility to make all necessary arrangements to accommodate the spouse (e.g., housing, health insurance, etc.), bearing in mind any rules and restrictions of the foreign university.

ILS Contact

For questions, please contact Sara Zucker, Director of International Legal Studies Programs, at szucker@law.harvard.edu or 5-9030.  Sara is available to talk to students by appointment as well as during office hours on Tuesdays from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. and Thursdays from 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.  Sara’s office is located in Suite 5005 of Wasserstein Hall.

Students may also direct questions to Alexis Boyce, International Legal Studies Program Officer, at aboyce@law.harvard.edu or 6-8732. Alexis's office is also located in Suite 5005 of Wasserstein Hall.

International Legal Studies website: http://www.law.harvard.edu/news/spotlight/ils/index.html