Frequently Asked Questions and Planning Tips
When Should a Student Start Planning?
What Is The Best Way To Choose A Foreign School? / Which Schools Does ILS Recommend?
What if the School Abroad Has A Different Academic Calendar Than HLS?
Is Studying In Another Language A Problem?
Whom Should A Student Choose As An HLS Faculty Advisor?
What Is The Best Way To Secure A Foreign Faculty Advisor?
How Many Credits Does A Student Need Prior to Going Abroad?
What Happens to Financial Aid If A Student Spends a Semester Abroad?
What Differences Might A Student Encounter When Spending A Semester Abroad?
Who Can Be Contacted With Questions Or For Suggestions?
When Should A Student Start Planning?
It is a good idea to start planning for a semester abroad as much in advance as possible and no later than two semesters before one expects to go abroad. Specifically, if a student hopes to study abroad in the Spring of her 2L year, she should submit an initial statement of interest in the Spring of her 1L year, followed by a more detailed proposal in Fall of her 2L year. A student who hopes to study abroad in the Fall of his 3L year should submit an initial statement of interest in the Fall of his 2L year, followed by a more detailed proposal in Spring of his 2L year.
Also, students who plan to spend a semester abroad often have concerns about missing clerkship opportunities, journal and review work, recruitment season, or involvement in student organizations. It can be helpful to carefully consider potential involvement in these aspects of law school and the impact a semester abroad might have.
What Is The Best Way To Choose A Foreign School? / Which Schools Does ILS Recommend?
It is up to the student to determine which foreign law school best fits with his/her particular interests and goals for studying abroad. Considerations might include: type and range of courses offered, expertise of faculty members, language of instruction, location, calendar, student body, and contacts, among other things.
The Study Abroad Program can provide information about the foreign schools with which HLS has linkages, and HLS faculty and students can also serve as excellent resources. Please see the section on Study Abroad Locations and Resources for additional suggestions.
What if the School Abroad Has A Different Academic Calendar Than HLS?
Many of the academic calendars abroad (particularly those in the southern hemisphere) do not coincide with Harvard’s academic calendar. It is the responsibility of the student to plan carefully to avoid (or reconcile) conflicts with summer jobs, his/her return to Harvard, his/her search for summer and/or permanent employment, and other commitments at home.
Is Studying In Another Language A Problem?
If a student is applying to an institution at which English is not the language of instruction, the student’s level of fluency/proficiency should allow him/her to take courses, converse and write papers in the foreign language in question. Most institutions provide information about the language requirements and it is the responsibility of the student to satisfy HLS requirements regarding the necessary proficiency to study abroad effectively. Although studying law in a foreign language can be challenging, it can also be an excellent way to increase language facility and familiarity with foreign legal terminology.
Whom Should A Student Choose As An HLS Faculty Advisor?
The choice of an HLS faculty advisor for a semester abroad is really up to the student. However, only HLS professors can serve as advisors; faculty members holding the title of lecturer are not eligible. Students should seek out a faculty member whose areas of interest and expertise (thematic and/or geographic) are similar and relevant to the proposed semester abroad. Although it can be advantageous for a student to work with a professor whom s/he already knows, and who can recommend the student, it is more important for the faculty advisor to be in a position to consider the coherence of the proposed plan of study. Most faculty members are happy to meet with students and provide advice and assistance when possible.
What Is The Best Way To Secure A Foreign Faculty Advisor?
Often HLS students are able to identify excellent foreign faculty advisors simply by determining who teaches the courses at the school abroad that are of the greatest interest to them. HLS professors and students (especially LLM and SJD students who have studied in other countries) can also suggest people who might be appropriate advisors. Once the student has identified one or more potential foreign faculty advisors, s/he should contact the professor to discuss the role and determine whether the professor would be an appropriate advisor.
How Many Credits Does A Student Need Prior to Going Abroad?
A student can earn 10 to 12 ungraded classroom credits for a semester abroad; the exact number depends on the particular course load taken at the foreign school. In addition, s/he earns one graded credit for the independent paper written the semester after return to HLS. Before going abroad, students should be sure that they have completed all required first-year work at HLS and have planned to earn the 52 additional credits as stipulated by the HLS Registrar’s Office (including the pro bono, written work and professional responsibility requirements). The total of 11 to 13 credits for a semester abroad should be taken into consideration.
What Happens to Financial Aid If A Student Spends a Semester Abroad?
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.
What Differences Might A Student Encounter When Spending A Semester Abroad?
HLS students often encounter striking differences between their experience at HLS and at a foreign law school. These may include different pedagogical methods both within the classroom and in terms of how students research, write, and prepare for classes and exams.University facilities such as housing, libraries, athletic facilities and computers may differ in quantity and quality. Unlike at HLS, the student body can often be composed of both students working toward their first degree (the equivalent of a bachelor’s) and graduate students. At some schools, the majority of students commute rather than living on or near campus. Social and legal norms may be quite unlike those in the United States or other places where students have lived or studied.
While the differences between a semester at HLS and one at a foreign law school can be striking and occasionally difficult to negotiate, study abroad participants consistently report that the study abroad experience broadens their horizons in a variety of ways. They recommend a combination of advance preparation and openness to the new experience of a semester abroad.
Who Can Be Contacted With Questions Or For Suggestions?
For questions, please contact Sara Zucker, Manager of International Legal Studies Programs and Events, 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 am and Thursdays from 3:30 pm to 5:00 pm. Sara’s office is located in room 231 of the Lewis International Law Center.
There are also many other members of the HLS community who can serve as invaluable resources for students considering a semester abroad. JD students who have studied abroad, as well as LLM and SJD students who hold a degree from a foreign school, can provide extensive information about foreign schools and the social and legal cultures in other countries. (Lists of these students and the schools where they studied may be obtained from Sara Zucker.) Faculty members and staff of HLS research centers and programs can also serve as useful resources.
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