Information

INFORMATION Exam format

NCA exams are similar to those in Canadian law schools. They are fact-based and open-book You can look at past law school exams to get a better idea of the exam format and content. Past exams are available at some Canadian law school libraries.

You have a maximum of 3 hours to complete an NCA exam. If you finish early, you must to stay in place, with your computer still locked down, for the full 3 hours.

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 two guides How to Answer Fact-based Law Exam Questions and Tips for Writing NCA Torts Exam.

Registration

You may register for NCA exams once exam registration is open, you have your NCA assessment and we have told you that you can meet your requirements by writing NCA exams.

You may not register for exams if we have told you that you must attend a Canadian law school program to meet your NCA requirements, or if you do not yet have your NCA assessment.

The NCA offers twelve exam sessions per year, but not all subjects are offered in each exam session. View our schedule for details.

Write your exams over several sessions, if you wish. Your assessment report will give a deadline for when you must complete your NCA assignments.

Fees

The NCA operates on a cost recovery basis, and adjusts fees from time to time when expenses change. As of November 21, 2022, the fee for registration for each NCA exam (starting with exams being held in January 2023) will be $450 CDN plus applicable taxes. Consult our refund policy.

You must register online through the NCA Portal and pay in Canadian funds using a credit card. If you use a foreign credit card, you must pay any transaction fees and any difference caused by fluctuation in exchange rates.

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, we can provide an exam with larger font). To do so, please ask the Examinations Department for an Accommodation Request Form. Send us your request, with up-to-date supporting documents no less than 30-days prior to your exam.

We review accommodation requests case by case. If you need an accommodation, we reserve the right to determine the conditions of your exam including start times.

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.

When available, final results are posted in the NCA Portal.

Exam review

If you fail an exam, the NCA provides the opportunity to review your exam with the memo from the examiner that explains reasons for the final mark. You can then decide if you want to appeal your exam results. You can learn more about the Review and Appeal process at this webpage.

Understanding the rules

It’s important to understand how we administer the exams.
View the exam rules