Semester Abroad Application: Exchange Program

Semester Abroad Application: Exchange Program

Please complete this section if you are applying to study abroad at a school with which HLS has an exchange program:

• University of SydneyLaw School (Sydney, Australia)
• Fundação Getulio Vargas Schools of Law(Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, Brazil)
• University of Chile School of Law(Santiago, Chile)
• Renmin University Law School (Beijing, China)
• 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 ofLaw (Johannesburg, South Africa)
• Seoul National University School of Law (Seoul, South Korea)
• University of Geneva Faculty of Law (Geneva, Switzerland)
• Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Geneva, Switzerland)

Application Instructions and Deadlines

In addition to completing this form, please note that you will need to attach additional documents, or arrange to have them sent to the International Legal Studies office.

Detailed application instructions can be found on our Semester Abroad Eligibility and Application web page.

Applications for a semester abroad are due by:

• September 15 at 5 p.m. for study abroad in spring
• February 15 at 5 p.m. for study abroad in fall

The completed Semester Abroad Application Form and the additional documentation noted below should be submitted to Sara Zucker in Suite 5005 of Wasserstein Hall or by email scripts and required documentation may also be mailed to Sara Zucker, International Legal Studies, Harvard Law School, Wasserstein Hall, Suite 5005, 1585 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138.

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

Please click on the shaded form field below each question to enter your response.

Student Information

Your full name
Your HLS email address
Current year of study
1L 2L 3L
Semester during which you plan to study abroad
Spring Fall
Foreign law school, cityand country where you propose to study
Name of proposed HarvardLaw School faculty supervisor
(Please note that the role of advisor is limited to HLS professors; faculty members holding the title of Lecturer, Visiting Professor, or Affiliated Professor are not eligible.)
Name and title of a full-time faculty member at the foreign school whom you expect will act as your supervisor while you are studying abroad
(Please note: this is not necessary for students applying for a semester at Sciences Po.)

Educational Objectives and Proposed Course of Study

NOTE: In answering the following questions, please be as specific as possible, with answers in the range of 250-300 words.

Why have you chosen this particular foreign school?
Describe your educational objectives and how a semester abroad at the foreign institution you have selected could help you achieve them. Please also explain how a semester abroad would tie in with your plans for the future (upon your return to HLS as well as after graduation), to the extent that you have determined them.
What academic, professional, or personal experiences have led you to propose this course of study abroad?
Provide examples of law courses you would like to take during your semester abroad; please include course descriptions and the number of minutes each class meets during the week.
(You should check course levels carefully to ensure that your selections are suitable for an American J.D. student and for your particular degree of familiarity with the subject matter.Although it is not necessary for every course taken during the semester abroad to relate directly to your main area of academic focus, it is desirable for the preponderance of courses to support your particular law-related goals and interests.)

1. Course name

Description:
Class time per week: / minutes

1. Course name

Description:
Class time per week: / minutes

1. Course name

Description:
Class time per week: / minutes

1. Course name

Description:
Class time per week: / minutes

1. Course name

Description:
Class time per week: / minutes

1. Course name

Description:
Class time per week: / minutes
Please explain how the program of study described above would be consistent with the educational objectives you have articulated.

Language Proficiency

If the courses at the foreign school are taught in a language other than English, explain the basis for your fluency in that language.
If the courses are taught in English, but the local language is not English, explain the basis of your proficiency in the local language.

NOTE: Additional documentation or an interview to determine language proficiency may be required.

By submitting an application for semester abroad, I confirm that I have reviewed and understand the following:

___ I have carefully reviewedthe information and requirements described on the semester abroad webpage in relation to my proposed program of study.

___ I have a clear understanding of how a semester abroad will affect my overall credit count and ability to meet HLS degree and American Bar Association requirements.

___ I have assessed the course offerings at the foreign school and determined that I will be able to undertake an appropriate semester of study, subject to approval by the HLS Study Abroad Committee. Considerations include: ability to meet my academic goals given course enrollment options, credit equivalencies, academic calendar, and language of instruction, among others.

___ I have consulted with my HLS faculty advisor regarding my proposed program of study abroad and will do so again prior to finalizing my course selections abroad.

___ If taking classes and/or living abroad involves operating in a language in which I am not fully proficient, I have considered the possible challenges and am prepared to meet them.

___ I will be responsible for paying regular HLS tuition and will be eligible for regular HLS financial aid and student loans for the period I am abroad.

___ I will be responsible for making my own visa, travel, and living arrangements (including health insurance) in the foreign country, and for all associated costs.

___ If my application is approved by the HLS Study Abroad Committee, I will commit to semester abroad by the deadline (November 15 for spring semester abroad, and April 15 for fall semester abroad). This commitment obligates me to apply to the foreign school noted in my semester abroad application and, subject to acceptance by that school, participate in the HLS semester abroad program. Since my commitment to take up a place in the semester abroad program has implications for other students, HLS, and the foreign school, I will carefully consider my decision prior to the deadline.

___ I understand the HLS international travel policy and procedures and, if I undertake semester abroad, will take the necessary steps to comply.

______

Name (printed)SignatureDate

Additional Documentation

Please attach, or have sent, the following:

1. An official recent copy of your Harvard Law School transcript (from the HLS Registrar’s Office). Transfer students must also provide an official transcript from the law school where they completed their first year. (Please note that requests for HLS transcripts may take 3-5 days to process, so applicants should plan accordingly.)
2. A copy of your resume.
3. A letter (or email) from your proposed Harvard faculty supervisor indicating that he/she is willing to act as your supervisor during the proposed time abroad and commenting on your proposed program of study.