Students at the University of Wisconsin Law School may earn up to 30 credits toward a University of Wisconsin Law School J.D. by studying law abroad. Students may:

• participate in one of our our international exchange programs;
• attend other law school programs; or
• create their own independent foreign study programs.

Credits earned abroad may be used to meet graduation requirements. With the exception of the UW Law School's Summer Session in International and Comparative Law in Giessen, Germany, credits earned abroad are entered as "satisfactory/unsatisfactory". Students must earn at least a C or its equivalent in the study abroad program to receive credit.

Participating in a UW Law School Exchange Program

The Law School participates in nine exchange programs with foreign universities. In an exchange program, UW students pay the same tuition and fees to UW that they would pay for a semester at UW but attend foreign law schools or programs. In exchange the foreign schools send their students to the UW Law School. Some of the foreign programs are taught in English. Some, however, require proficiency in another language. Currently, the UW Law School has exchange programs with the following schools:

• JLU-Giessen, Giessen, Germany.(http://www.recht.uni-giessen.de)
  Classes mainly taught in German but many classes are now taught in English
  See more information about Giessen.
  For additional information, contact Professor Heinz Klug.
• University of Groningen, The Netherlands. (http://www.rug.nl/rechten/Index)
  Classes taught in English. Limit: equal number of students.
  For more information, contact Professor Nina Camic.
• European University Institute, Florence, Italy. (http://www.iue.it)
  Classes taught in English. See more information about EUI.
  For additional information, contact Professor Heinz Klug.
• Diego Portales University, Santiago, Chile. (http://derecho.udp.cl)
  Classes taught in Spanish.
  For more information, contact Professor Steve Barkan.
• Catholic University, Lima, Peru. (http://www.pucp.edu.pe/unid/facul/derecho)
  Classes taught in Spanish.
  For more information, contact Professor Steve Barkan.
• University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa. (http://www.law.wits.ac.za)
  Classes taught in English. Limit: 2 students. See more information about Wits.
  For more information, contact Professor Heinz Klug.
• University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom. (http://www.shef.ac.uk/law)
  Classes taught in English. Limit: 2 students.
  For more information, contact Professor Nina Camic.
• University of Paris X, Nanterre, Paris, France. (http://www.u-paris10.fr)
  Intermediate knowledge of French is necessary
  For more information, contact Professor Nina Camic.
• Pontifical Catholic University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (http://www.puc-rio.br)
  See more information about Latin American Programs.
  For additional information, contact Professor Steven Barkan.
  

  Application procedure
  

  An additional information session to explain the application and selection process will be held on Wednesday, February 10, 2010 from Noon - 1:00pm in Lubar Commons. Selection of students will be done by the Faculty Committee on Study Abroad chaired by Professor Heinz Klug. Application deadline for 2010-11 academic year is Monday, February 26, 2010.

  Send application form and other documents on or before the deadline to: Sumudu Atapattu, Associate Director, GLS (6222 Law).

Other Study Abroad Opportunities for UW Law School Students (internships)

• Internships in India - The Global Legal Studies Center together with the South Asia Legal Studies Working Group have set up an internship program in India with the following institutions:
  
  
  1. Human Rights Law Network, Delhi
     
  2. Fox Mandal Little, Delhi
  3. Consumer Unity & Trust Society, Jaipur
     
  4. Majlis, Mumbai
  5. Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, Delhi
     
     Send application form and other documents by Monday, February 26, 2010 to Sumudu Atapattu, Associate Director, GLS (6222 Law).

• China, Thailand, and other East Asian and Southeast Asian countries.
  Short programs through the East Asian Legal Studies Center. See Center Activities of Special Interest to J.D. Students at the Law School.
  For more information, contact Professor Charles Irish or Susan Katcher.
  
  

Summer Session in International and Comparative Law

Giessen, Germany (dates tba)

The first annual Summer Session in International and Comparative Law will be held this summer in Giessen, Germany. The program is a partnership with Marquette University Law School and the University of Giessen Law School.

Students will take 2 courses from a curriculum of 4 courses and will earn a total of 4 credits. Courses will be taught in English by faculty members from Giessen, Marquette, and Wisconsin. The courses that will be offered are:

• International Intellectual Property Law
  
• International Environmental Law
• International Sales
• International Criminal Law
  

The program is open to all law students who have completed one year of studies and are in good standing. Applications and more details can be found at: http://law.marquette.edu/jw/studyabroad

Application procedure and deadlines will be announced soon. For more information, please contact Professor Steven M. Barkan

Foreign Study Programs Offered by Other U.S. Law Schools

Our students also may participate in law programs offered by other American Bar Association-approved law schools around the world. Students must be admitted by the programs and pay tuition and fees as charged by the programs. A list of the many of the ABA-approved semester-abroad programs may be found at the following web-page: http://www.abanet.org/legaled/studyabroad/semester.html; a list of summer-only study abroad programs is at: http://www.abanet.org/legaled/studyabroad/foreign.html.

Creating an Independent Study Abroad Program

The American Bar Association permits law students to earn credits toward the J.D. through independent study programs abroad. Students may create a program at one foreign law school or several. The ABA criteria for such foreign independent study is set forth at the following web-site: http://www.abanet.org/legaled/studyabroad/abroad.html (click on the links to "Criteria for Student Study in a Foreign Institution"). The UW Law School will help you if you wish to construct your own individual study abroad plan, but most of the responsibility will be yours. UW Law students interested in pursuing this option should start by reviewing on their own the ABA criteria, researching the admissions process (as a non-permanent student) at the foreign school(s), as well as any applicable deadlines and the potential law courses available.

Please contact Sumudu Atapattu, Associate Director, GLS, to discuss your options. Course plans will be reviewed by Assistant Dean Kevin Kelly. Please note that you need to obtain prior approval for all the courses you intend to take in order to ensure that the foreign law credits can be transferred.

Study Abroad Handbook for Law Students

The Global Legal Studies Center has prepared a Study Abroad Handbook for Law Students which enumerates all the steps that you have to take in preparation for study abroad. This handbook will be updated from time to time.

Checklist for Students Preparing to Study Abroad

Students who are studying abroad should check out our Checklist for Students Preparing to Study Abroad for a list of things that need to be done before leaving the U.S.

Further Questions?

For answers to general questions about study abroad opportunities, contact Sumudu Atapattu, Associate Director, GLS. For questions about how financial aid is impacted by study abroad, contact Mike Hall, Asst. Dean for Admissions & Financial Aid.