Study Abroad
Have you ever wanted to live abroad, discover a new culture, improve your language skills and study in depth the laws of a different legal system? If so then the Erasmus/exchange programme might be exactly what you are looking for.
The Law School has many Erasmus exchange places in Europe as well as exchange agreements with universities in Canada and the United States. In their Junior Sophister year (third year), Law, Law and Business and Law and Political Science students have the option of spending the entire academic year abroad. The student continues to pay Trinity fees, in so far as these are required, but pays no fees to the host university. Participation in the European Erasmus programme is usually assisted by a small grant from the EU Commission, which may be approximately one thousand euro. However the exact amount fluctuates from year to year and from country to country. Non-EU exchanges, on the other hand, do not include financial assistance. The year abroad is not permitted in any other year other than the Junior Sophister year for Law degrees.
Law students have three options:
1. Apply for European Erasmus and Non-European exchanges of the Law School.
2. Apply for college wide exchanges via the International Office.
Law and Political Science students have the following three options:
1. Apply for exchanges through the Department of Political Science.
2. Apply for European Erasmus exchanges via the Law School with the selected universities of Tübingen (DE), Mainz (DE), Hamburg (DE), Helsinki (FI), Toulouse (FR), IEP Paris (FR) and Strasbourg (FR). In most of these places both law and political science modules are taught through the respective languages of the country, and not entirely in English. However, in Helsinki (FI) and IEP, Paris (FR) teaching is also through English.
3. Apply for college wide exchanges via the International Office
Law and Business students have the following three options:
1. Apply for exchanges through BESS.
2. Apply for European Erasmus exchanges via the Law School with the selected universities of Tübingen (DE), Mainz (DE), Strasbourg (FR) and Uppsala (SE). In many of these places both law and business modules are taught through the respective language of the country and not entirely through English.. However in Uppsala (SE) English taught modules are not guaranteed.
3. Apply for college wide exchanges via the International Office.
Law and Language students will only be eligible to study in France/Germany and have to apply via the Law School through their law and language co-ordinators.
Destination Universities
[France] [Germany] [Finland] [Belgium] [The Netherlands] [Italy] [Spain] [ Sweden ] [USA] [Canada]
France
Paris II, Poitiers, Bordeaux IV, Strasbourg and Toulouse have specialist law schools (among other disciplines). Institut d’Études Politiques (Sciences Po) teaches a broad range of subjects other than law.
These places are offered to both Law and French and pure Law students who choose to study abroad as Junior Sophisters. The places in Toulouse, IEP Paris and Strasbourg are also open to Law and Political Science students. Strasbourg offer places to Law and Business students. However, in all cases Law and French students have the first choice of available places.
Germany
- Humboldt Universitat zu Berlin
- Friedrich-Alexander-Universitat Erlangen-Nürnberg
- Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universitat Würzburg
- Universitat Hamburg
- Johannes-Gutenberg-Universitat Mainz
- Philips- Universitat Marburg
- Friedrich Schiller- Universitat Jena
- Eberhard Karls Universitat Tübingen
- Ludwig-Maximilians- Universitat Munchen
- Albert-Ludwigs-Universitat Freiburg
These places are offered to both Law and German and pure Law students who choose to study abroad as Junior Sophisters. The places in Tübingen, Mainz and Hamburg are also open for Law and Political Science students. Tübingen and Mainz are also offered to Law and Business students. However, in all cases Law and German students have the first choice of available places.
Belgium
Students wishing to study at Louvain will have to select at least some courses taught through French.
Finland
The places in Helsinki are also available for Law and Political Science students.
Italy
The Netherlands
Spain
Sweden
Law and Business students will be given priority over pure Law students when applying for Uppsala.
Canada
United States of America
Eligibility and Requirements
Law, Law and Business and Law and Political Science
[See also Rules and Regulations for Erasmus and Exchange Applicants in Law available to download as a word document here]
Students who wish to participate in the exchange programme are required to have achieved at least a II.1 in their second year examinations and to show adequate linguistic proficiency in the language of instruction. The Law School allocates places using a competitive selection process. Applicant students are ranked in order of the results obtained in the Junior Freshman examinations and offered the highest of their preference that is available to them. Interviews are organised for Washington and Lee to select the best candidate.
Students should understand that they will need to work hard while abroad. Our partner universities have high standards, and the results which students attain abroad, will, after conversion into Trinity grades by the Law School’s Court of Examiners, count for a significant proportion of each exchange student’s degree. For Law, Law and Business and Law and Political Science students who choose to spend their third year abroad, just as for those who stay in Trinity, the Junior Sophister year counts for 50% of each student’s final degree mark. For these reasons, the year abroad must be taken seriously. However, experience has shown that the Trinity Law students who go abroad tend to be very able and motivated and acquit themselves very well, as well as enjoying all the other benefits of the experience.
Compulsory year abroad for Law and Language students
The Junior Sophister year abroad is compulsory for Law and Language students. Students will spend this year studying legal or related subjects in a French or German university.
35 per cent of Law and Language students’ final degree marks will be awarded on the basis of grades obtained during this year.
Law and French
[Course Requirements] (local access only)
Law and German
[Course Requirements] (local access only)
How to Apply
In order to apply, please read carefully the following documents and fill out the application form.
Information Sheets on Erasmus Year Abroad
- LL.B. students
- Law and Language Students
- Law and Political Science Students
- Law and Business Students
Notes for Completing the Exchange Programme Application Form
Once you have completed the Application Form, please send it as an electronic attachment to law.exchange at tcd.ie.
NOTE: the Application Deadline is 20th January 2012
Contacts
- Programme Co-ordinator: Ms Aislinn Lucheroni (lucheroa at tcd.ie)
- Programme Executive Officer: Celine Walsh
- Telephone: (01) 896 1997;
- Email: law.exchange at tcd.ie
Office Hours
Ms Aislinn Francesca Lucheroni
Thursday 14.00-16.00
Ms Celine Walsh Office Hours
Monday 14.00-17.00
Tuesdays - Thursdays: 10.00-13.00