Self-assessment

SELF-ASSESSMENT Do I qualify to apply to the NCA?

Want to know if your current education and training make you eligible to apply for the NCA assessment process? Simply complete our self-assessment form below.

This self-assessment asks a few questions and is intended only to give you a general idea of the assessment outcome you would likely get. It does not replace an actual NCA assessment and we cannot guarantee that the result it gives you will match the result of an actual assessment.

Do you have a qualifying law degree? A qualifying law degree would allow you to practise law in the jurisdiction where you studied, if you successfully completed the bar admission process. This would not include a paralegal degree or a CILEx degree (in England).
- Yes
- No
Unfortunately, you must have a qualifying law degree for the NCA to assess your legal education and training. If you don’t and are considering studying abroad, here's what you need to know before you study abroad.
In which country did you complete your law degree?
Did you get your law degree through a distance education (online) program?
- Yes
- No
Congratulations! Your legal education and training qualify you to apply for an NCA assessment.
Likely assessment result
Distance (on-line) education
If you earned your law degree through distance (online) education, please see section 7. (Mode of Study) of the NCA’s Policies. This policy outlines what we require for distance education.
If you took your law degree through distance education or a program that does not meet the interactive learning requirement, the NCA will assign you two full years in a law program acceptable to the NCA. NCA will review your education to determine if any of your studies were completed in-person or through online interactive instruction. Interactive online instruction must be part of a program that consists of at least one year of in person instruction and must provide opportunities for students to develop legal problem solving and legal communications skills and include six of the eight criteria listed in NCA’s Policy at section 7.2, Interactive Learning Requirement. As part of your study, you must complete the following NCA mandatory Canadian subjects represented in bold with an asterisk. The subjects not represented in bold with an asterisk may be assigned:
- Canadian Administrative Law* *
- Canadian Constitutional Law**
- Canadian Criminal Law* *
- Foundations of Canadian Law* *
- Canadian Professional Responsibility*
- Contracts
- Torts
- Property
- Business Organizations
- Family Law
- Remedies
- Taxation
- Evidence
- Civil Procedure
- Commercial Law
- Real Estate
NOTE: If you received instruction at a local learning centre, whether in-person or interactive, it will not be considered as meeting the interactive learning requirement and will not reduce the two-year in-person requirement in section 7.3.
Your options to meet the assignments
You could consider any one of the following three options to complete your two years of in-person instruction:
- Either one year of a course-based LL.M., plus a Legal Practice Course (LPC) or a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) in England, Wales or Northern Ireland.
- Two one-year course-based LL.M. programs. If you choose this option, you could complete a course-based LL.M. at any approved law school in any common law jurisdiction.
- One two-year course-based LL.M. program.
REMINDER: Any additional legal studies completed as part of an LL.M. program must consist of at least one year of in-person instruction.
In all cases, you must take the five mandatory Canadian subjects listed with an asterisk above at an approved Canadian law school. If you have already completed the two-year in-person or online interactive requirement in another country, you may write the corresponding NCA examinations.
Legal Research and Writing Requirement
If your qualifications are assessed after January 1, 2022, you will also need to complete a course in legal research and writing offered either by an approved Canadian common law program or though the NCA legal research and writing module with the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED).
Get your courses approved
If you want to take courses at a Canadian law school, you MUST have the NCA approve your courses before you take them to make sure they meet our requirements. To get approval in advance, send an email with your proposed plan of study to nca@flsc.ca.
Click here to learn more about the NCA Process.
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Distance (on-line) education and non-common law education
It seems you have studied in a non-common law country and that you have a distance degree. Please contact the NCA and we'll guide you through the steps you will need to complete with us.
Click here to learn more about the NCA Process.
Congratulations! Your legal education and training qualify you to apply for an NCA assessment.
Likely assessment result
Mixed common law
If you earned your education and experience in a mixed jurisdiction that includes common law, we will consider the common law content of your programs and experience. We ask most graduates from a mixed jurisdiction to show they are competent in all eight core subjects.
- Canadian Administrative Law (mandatory)
- Canadian Constitutional Law (mandatory)
- Canadian Criminal Law (mandatory)
- Foundations of Canadian Law (mandatory)
- Canadian Professional Responsibility (mandatory)
- Contracts
- Torts
- Property
Legal research requirement
If your qualifications are assessed after January 1, 2022, you will also need to complete a course in legal research and writing offered either by an approved Canadian common law program or through the NCA legal research and writing module with the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED).
Click here to learn more about the process,
Your legal education and training may qualify you to apply for an NCA assessment.
Likely assessment result
Non-common law
We consider applicants from legal systems that do not have a substantial common law component, such as civil law, on a case-by-case basis. If you have no common law exposure (academic or professional), you are not likely to receive any recognition for your legal education and experience.
You can gain the required common law exposure by:
- taking an LL.M. program or by enrolling in individual courses
- being licensed as a lawyer, barrister or solicitor in a common law jurisdiction through successful completion of substantive course work or exams
- being certified as a paralegal or notary in a common law jurisdiction
In each case, the Executive Director has sole discretion to determine if some of the courses completed can satisfy requirements to proceed in the NCA assessment process
If you are enrolling in individual courses, once you successfully complete at least four common law subjects, the NCA will reconsider your file, as per NCA policy 15 (Assessment Reconsideration). We will then let you know which courses you still need to take to earn the NCA Certificate of Qualification.
Once you have the required exposure to common law, you can choose to satisfy the remaining subject requirements by writing NCA exams rather than taking law school courses, if you wish. Here is the NCA’s list of required subjects:
- Canadian Administrative Law (mandatory)
- Canadian Constitutional Law (mandatory)
- Canadian Criminal Law (mandatory)
- Foundations of Canadian Law (mandatory)
- Canadian Professional Responsibility (mandatory)
- Contracts
- Torts
- Property
Pre-approval for Law School Courses
Before you register for your courses, please have them approved by the NCA. For help, please see our Assistance for NCA students page. If you attend a Canadian law school, we will not require you to take a language test (each law school has their own language testing requirements). If you have any questions about the options available to you, please email us.
Legal research requirement
If your qualifications are assessed after January 1, 2022, you will also need to complete a course in legal research and writing offered either by an approved Canadian common law program or through the NCA legal research and writing module with the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED).
You can take other common law subjects – such as Family Law, Commercial Law or Remedies – to get exposure to common law concepts. However, you will need to show competency in the above eight subjects before we issue you with a Certificate of Qualification. You must complete the five mandatory Canadian subjects through an approved Canadian common law program or by NCA exam (only after you have successfully completed at least four law school courses).
Click here to learn more about the process
Congratulations! Your legal education and training qualify you to apply for an NCA assessment.
Likely assessment result
Canadian Civil Law
If you hold a Canadian civil law degree – LL.B., LL.L., Diplôme d’études supérieures spécialisées en Common Law nord-américaine (DESS) program of the Université de Montréal or the Diplôme de deuxième cycle de common law et droit transnational (DDCCLDT) program of the Université de Sherbrooke – the NCA will give you full credit for the courses you completed in federal law. We will usually ask you to show competence in the following subjects:
- Contracts
- Torts
- Property
- Canadian Professional Responsibility (if not successfully completed during your Canadian civil law education)
If you completed a Canadian civil law degree and are licensed by the Barreau du Québec, the NCA will automatically issue you a Certificate of Qualification when we review your completed application.
Click here to learn more about the process
Congratulations! Your legal education and training qualify you to apply for an NCA assessment.
Likely assessment result
Common law jurisdiction
Generally, the NCA assigns these five core common law subject areas to ALL applicants. Click on each subject to learn why it is mandatory:
- Canadian Administrative Law (mandatory)
- Canadian Constitutional Law (mandatory)
- Canadian Criminal Law (mandatory)
- Foundations of Canadian Law (mandatory)
- Canadian Professional Responsibility (mandatory)
Legal research requirement
If your qualifications are assessed after January 1, 2022, you will also need to complete a course in legal research and writing offered either by an approved Canadian common law program or through the NCA legal research and writing module with the Canadian Centre for Professional Legal Education (CPLED).
NCA may also assign additional subjects as required based on your education and experience.
Click here to learn more about the process

SELF-ASSESSMENT Do I qualify to apply to the NCA?

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