Law (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD))

Frequently asked questions

• How much does Law (Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)) cost?

  CAD 4,325 / year.

• What English score does it need?

  IELTS 8.0 overall is the score listed for this programme.

• How long is it?

  12 terms, as listed by the university.

• What are the entry requirements?

  Programme admission requirements as published by Western: • Master's degree in Law with a B+ (78%) average. • Students from disciplines other than law may be considered if they demonstrate adequate preparation in legal theory and methodology (at least three full-course equivalents above the first-year level including one seminar). || Additional requirements: • A sample of academic writing, such as a research paper, thesis or a published journal article. The subject matter of the academic writing sample must be legal. || SGPS university-wide minimum - Master's: 'Applicants must possess a four-year degree from a university, college or institute. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requires at least a 70% average across courses taken in the last two full-time years of the undergraduate degree. Equivalent qualifications may be considered based on the standards of the discipline or profession.' Doctoral: 'Applicants must possess a Master's degree or equivalent from a university, college or institute, and provide evidence of research potential. The School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies requires at least a 70% average in the Master's degree, as determined by the School of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.' Source: https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/international/index.html || English language proficiency: Applicants whose first language is not English must furnish evidence of their proficiency in the use of the English language: • The Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). The minimum acceptable score for the Faculty of Law for applicants to all graduate programs is 109 for the internet-based version, with a minimum score of 25 for writing and speaking skills, or 630 (paper-based). • The International English Language Testing Service (IELTS Academic). The minimum acceptable score for the Faculty of Law is 8.0 out of 9. · English: IELTS 8.0 · English test waiver: Western does not publish a blanket country or medium-of-instruction waiver for graduate admission. SGPS states the requirement applies to 'Applicants whose first language is not English', and under 'Exemptions': 'Applicants may request an exemption by contacting their graduate program(s) of interest. For the French and Hispanic Studies programs only, evidence of proficiency in English is a degree requirement but not a requirement for admission.' Western also offers a conditional route instead of a test: the Western English Language Centre 'allows academically eligible students interested in pursuing a graduate degree at Western the opportunity to receive a conditional offer of admission to graduate studies without successful completion of an English language proficiency test', on condition the student completes the Centre's programme. Source: https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/apply.html and https://grad.uwo.ca/admissions/international/index.html · Application fee: CAD 185.00 - 2026-2027 Application Fees Table 3, Graduate Programs: 'All other graduate programs 185'. Source: 2026-2027 Application Fees (Table 3), https://registrar.uwo.ca/student_finances/fees_refunds/2026-27-Application-Fees.pdf · Deposit: Western publishes no tuition deposit for this programme in the 2026-2027 Program-Related Tuition Fees (Table 2). The only general graduate deposits listed there are line 226 'Tuition Deposit, Full-time International Masters, non-refundable, 2,000' and line 222 'Admission Deferral Deposit, non-refundable, 500'. Source: https://registrar.uwo.ca/student_finances/fees_refunds/2026-27-Program-Related-Fees2.pdf

• Is there a scholarship?

  Western Graduate Research Scholarship (WGRS), Graduate Teaching Assistantships, Graduate Fellowships and Graduate Student Assistantships are administered by the graduate programme; SGPS states 'Decisions regarding the structure, sources and annual amount of your graduate funding over the course of your program are made primarily at the Faculty and/or graduate program.' Doctoral funding guarantee, open to international students: 'For domestic and international doctoral students who start their program in September 2026 (September 1, 2026 - August 31, 2027), Western guarantees a minimum annual funding support package of $17,000, plus $6,487 for tuition, for a total of $23,487.' Average funding received from all sources: Doctoral CAD 35,476 (2025), Master's CAD 26,277 (2025). International students are eligible for Western's Graduate Bursary and for the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS). Western lists formalised international sponsorship partnerships with: CGS-Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplements, China Scholarship Council, Libya North-American Scholarship Program, Egypt Cultural and Educational Bureau, Mitacs Globalink Research Awards, Organization of American States Program, Rhodes Scholarships, Russia Global Education Program, Saudi Arabia King Abdullah Scholarship Program and the Vietnam International Education Development Program. Source View scholarship page