INFORMATION Exam format
NCA exams are similar to those in Canadian law schools. They are fact-based, open-book and take three hours to write. You can look at past law school exams to get a better idea of how the exams are formatted. Past exams are available at some Canadian law school libraries.
Exams are graded on a pass/fail basis (i.e. 50 percent is considered a pass).
You have to study for your exams on your own (i.e. without help from the NCA). You must also get the study materials outlined by the NCA. You might decide to hire a private tutor to help you prepare.
To help, the NCA offers practice exams for each subject, as well as the guide How to Answer Fact-based Law Exam Questions.
Registration
Fees
Accommodations
If you have a recognized and medically diagnosed condition or disability, you can apply for accommodations that address any special needs you have (e.g. if you are visually impaired, you can write exams with larger print; if you are unable to write with a pen, you can use a computer to write your exam). To do so, please ask the Examinations Department for an Accommodation Request Form. Send us your request, with up-to-date supporting documents by the registration deadline for the exam session in question.
We review accommodation requests case by case. If you need an accommodation, we reserve the right to tell you the location and time of the exam. This is because not all sites can accommodate special requirements. For example, if you need a computer, this might mean you have to take the exam in a particular city.
Language
The Federation of Law Societies of Canada offers services in both of Canada’s official languages, so you may ask to write your exams in French. To do so, send a written request to our Examinations Department by the exam registration deadline.
Results
Examinations are graded on a pass/fail basis (i.e. 50 percent is considered a pass). Results are released about 10 to 12 weeks from the date of the last exam in each session. We will not rush the grading of individual exams. To protect the integrity of the grading process, our examiners grade the exams all together so that they can re-read and re-evaluate the exams as they go along. This helps ensure consistent and fair results for all applicants writing the same exam.
Exam review
If you fail an exam, the NCA will send you a memo from the examiner that provides reasons for the failure. The NCA will then allow you to review your exam.