Study Abroad Exchange Programs

Students may receive approval to study abroad at an institution having an exchange partnership agreement with Pace Law School. Through these agreements, Pace has negotiated exchange relationships wherein a limited number of students will be permitted to study at a foreign institution and vice versa. Typically, students make an application to both their home school and to the foreign institution. Should English not be the language of study, students must demonstrate the appropriate level of foreign language ability as determined by the foreign institution. Students must make a compelling case that their educational objectives may be met at the other institution.

Eligibility: Students that have completed their first year of law school and have a minimum GPA of 2.8 may apply to spend a semester of law school abroad through an exchange partnership. Students seeking to study abroad should make every effort to have completed core requirements prior to the semester abroad. Students who will be graduating immediately after their study abroad semester must be sure that all graduation requirements have been fulfilled by visiting the Registrar's Office or by emailing Betty Donovan at bdonovan@law.pace.edu. Currently, required upper level courses include Income Tax, Professional Responsibility, Upper Class Writing, and Upper Class Skills. These requirements cannot be met with courses taken at a law school abroad. Please have the Registrar's Office email confirmation that you will have satisfied your graduation requirements to Prof. Matthew Brotmann at mbrotmann@law.pace.edu.

Approval and selection for study abroad will be dependent upon several criteria including an applicant's proposed plan of study and academic achievements.

How to Apply:
Required documents (to be delivered to Prof. Matthew Brotmann at mbrotmann@law.pace.edu or in Preston Hall 321):

• Application form
• Resume
• Law School Transcript (an unofficial copy is acceptable)
• Statement of Purpose or Study Plan (no more than three pages double-spaced) detailing interest in the program and how study abroad will complement your educational and professional objectives. We will be looking toward the extent to which participation in an exchange program will fit into your professional and academic objectives. When creating your study plan, please refer to the specific course offerings for the year in which you plan to participate. Be sure to propose course selections with defined educational objectives.
• Letter of recommendation from a Pace Law School faculty member (delivered or emailed to Prof. Matthew Brotmann directly)

Deadlines: Fall Semester Programs: February 15. Spring Semester Programs: September 15. Students should begin preparing materials at least one to two months prior to deadlines. Students will be notified by email whether they have been approved for an exchange program. After receiving approval from Pace, students may be required to submit application materials to the foreign institution. Approval from Pace is not a guarantee of acceptance into an exchange program. In the event that interest in study at a particular institution is high, preference for participation in the exchange program will be given to equally qualified 3Ls. Please note, not all exchange programs operate on the same schedule as Pace. Please be aware of this when making your application.

GUIDELINES FOR PARTICIPATION IN FOREIGN EXCHANGE PROGRAMS

Transferring Credits:
Pace J.D. students may earn up to 16 credits for study abroad. As a condition to receiving credit students:

• Must submit a hard copy of course titles, credit hours and descriptions along with a Course Description Approval form to Lisa Lancia for approval in advance. Failure to receive advance approval will jeopardize credit transfer. Please see 'Registration' section below for information how to calculate credit hours. Course Description Approval form.
• Must earn a passing grade to be able to receive credit for course work done abroad. (Please note: The grades themselves do not transfer, and are not included in a student's grade point average nor will they appear on a student's transcript from Pace.)
• Must register for a full-time course load abroad in order to fulfill residency requirements. (Again, please see 'Registration' section below for information how to calculate credit hours.)
• Must not duplicate coursework taken at Pace.
• Under ABA rules, students may not receive credit for externship placements associated with these exchange agreements.

Finances:
Financial Aid
Students may apply for financial aid to cover tuition charges as well as living expenses and travel costs for an approved semester abroad. Students participating in an exchange program will pay their full tuition to the Law School. All financial aid and scholarships awards will also apply for a study abroad exchange program as long as the criteria for maintaining a scholarship are met. For further information about financial aid, students should contact Adriana Pace in the Financial Aid Office.

Living expenses, including travel, passport/visa requirements, insurance, housing, books, food, personal expenses and any medical expenses not covered by health insurance are the responsibility of the student and can vary considerably by destination. For a link to foreign exchange rates, check here.

Registration:
In order to maintain residency requirements, students must register for a minimum of the equivalent 13 credits at the host institution. Please note that foreign institutions do not necessarily operate on the same credit system as US institutions. The amount of credit granted for coursework completed abroad will be based on a calculation of time spent in class at the exchange institution (the formula is 700 minutes of class time = one credit hour) so please be sure to calculate this prior to enrolling.

Pre-departure Information:
Insurance
Students must secure health insurance coverage for the duration of their overseas study. Students covered under the Pace policy will also have coverage abroad. Should medical treatment abroad be necessary, students will pay out of pocket for services, get an itemized bill in US currency, and submit a claim upon their return. For those students on prescription medications, you may purchase up to four months of a prescription drug prior to departure. To do this, please contact Stephanie Chow in Student Services at schow@law.pace.edu. Please allow ample time to receive your prescriptions prior to departure; at least two months.

For students not on the Pace health insurance policy, please note not all domestic insurance policies will cover students while they are abroad, so check with your provider. If you would like to contract for your own coverage for the time you are abroad, consult the following list of companies compiled by NAFSA: Association of International Educators. You will be required to submit proof of insurance prior to departure. These companies specialize in health insurance for those going abroad for educational purposes. Pace Law School provides this information for educational purposes ONLY. We do not endorse any of the companies mentioned below.

• Wallach & Company, Inc.
• Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI)
• HTH Worldwide (formerly Hinchcliff International)
• International Student Protection (ISP)
• For more listings, see: U.S. State Department -- Medical Information for Americans

Traveling Abroad
You are required to check the US State Department website for any travel warnings or advisories that may exist for the county to which you intend to travel. You should familiarize yourself with any special circumstances that could impact your safety while overseas. Please be sure to refer to the appropriate information sheet well in advance of your departure and to continue to check back for updates. For further information or to check on the status of a particular country, please visit the State Department website.

Disabilities
Please be aware that disability accommodations may not be available in foreign countries. Mobility International USA can assist students with information.

Passport and Student Visas
Plan ahead to be sure you have a valid passport for travel. U.S. Citizens should click here for comprehensive information on obtaining a passport. Students are responsible determining whether they need a visa, and if so, applying for a visa at the appropriate foreign consulate.

Travel Waiver Form
Pace requires students to sign a liability waiver prior to participating in a foreign exchange program. Please find a pdf of this document here.

Exchange Program Participants

The Law School has arranged exchange relationships with law faculties abroad. Under these agreements, the foreign school will send students to Pace for a semester, and we will be permitted to send our students to their schools in exchange. Please note that you should not make contact with the foreign institution, or fill out their application, until your internal application has been processed and you have been approved to seek admission to a foreign institution under our exchange agreement.

University of Adelaide in Adelaide, Australia.

Fundacao Getulio Vargasin Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. See the courses FGV offers in this chart.