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Study Abroad

Penn Law’s educational objectives for studying abroad are deepening knowledge of foreign law and developing comparative strength.

Students who choose to spend a semester or year at an elite overseas institution build global peer networks, push their language and cross-cultural skills to the next level, and distinguish their resumes with demonstrated connections to an important country or region.  

How It Works

Applications are due in the Fall of students’ second year at Penn Law for study abroad the following year. Individual students will be approved for overseas study on the basis of factors including academic achievement; relationship of study abroad to personal and professional goals; foreign language ability; maturity and cultural adaptability; and potential for contributing to Penn Law’s overall international programming. Application deadline is always the Monday after Thanksgiving Break.

Partnership Programs

Penn Law offers opportunities for study abroad through five formal partnerships with overseas law faculties. Students participating in official Penn Law partner programs pay tuition, apply for loans, and remain eligible for Penn Law financial aid grants just as if they were attending the law school in Philadelphia.

Program Location Term Focus/Highlights

ESADE Law School 

Barcelona, Spain

3L Fall semester

 

  • International business law curriculum
  • Spanish fluency requirement
  • Penn Law students must take at least two courses in Spanish 

Hong Kong University

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Hong Kong

3L Academic Year

(Joint Degree)

  • Earn a Master of Law degree (LLM) from Hong Kong
  • Opportunity to study in the legal and financial capital of Asia
  • Coursework offered exclusively in English 

Sciences Po

 

 

Paris, France

3L Academic Year

(Joint Degree)

  • Earn a Master in Economic Law degree from Sciences Po
  • Coursework in French and English (fluency required)
  • Elite international cohort 

Tsinghua Law School

 Tsinghua Law School�

 

Beijing, China

3L Fall semester

  • A comprehensive introduction to all aspects of Chinese law
  • No language requirement though some familiarity with Chinese is encouraged
  • Penn Law students can return after graduation to complete an LLM degree in one additional semester

Waseda Law School

 

 

Tokyo, Japan

3L Fall semester

  • Majority of coursework offered in Japanese
  • Popular English-language courses include Modern Japanese Law, Japanese Legal Culture, International Trade Law, and Comparative Finance Law
  • No language requirement

Ad-hoc Program

In addition to the above opportunities, many Penn Law students are seeking out experiences at unique institutions or destinations, and therefore request to study abroad at non-partnered law schools. When proposing an “ad-hoc” program, applicants must verify that the quality of the coursework is comparable in rigor and classroom minutes to a semester at Penn Law. Examples of successful past ad-hoc petitions have included: Central European University, Qatar University School of Law, Queen Mary University of London, Peking University, University of Amsterdam, University of Roma Tre, University of Sydney, and several others. Financial arrangements work a bit differently for ad-hoc programs; these students are assessed a “non-matriculation fee” by Penn Law in addition to the overseas institution’s tuition. Please read Study Abroad Guidelines for additional details. 

Coursework Outside Penn Law

For purposes of academic planning, please note that students who wish to study abroad can only credit one other outside course toward their law degree. This means that transfer students and students pursuing a joint degree with another University of Pennsylvania department are ineligible to study abroad.