Education Abroad Programs

The Office of International and Graduate Affairs at Moritz has partnered with universities in China and Europe to provide opportunities for Moritz students to travel and study abroad. Explore the world, gain valuable educational experiences, and prepare to become a global lawyer.

Moritz College of Law sponsors the following education abroad programs:

Oxford 5-Week Summer Program

The Oxford Summer Law program will add global perspectives and experiences to your legal education, give you the opportunity to learn international law, build networks with globally minded peers, learn from professors at Moritz College of Law and Oxford University who have vast experience in international law and practice, and open up yourselves to a new worldview and new people. You will be able to take advantage of the central location of London to travel around England and Europe.

With up to 6 credits earned in this summer program, you will be able to reduce your course load in the second and third year, freeing up more time for you to focus on an externship, job search, or bar exam preparation upon return to the U.S., or simply to have extra time to relax! The program also offers a course that allows you to meet the JD requirement of a professional responsibility course while gaining a comparative perspective of the rules on legal ethics from different countries outside of the U.S.

Do not miss the opportunity to learn from top-notch law faculty of both The Ohio State University and Oxford University, while immersing yourselves in the rich culture and tradition of England!

1. Year-long Dual (Concurrent) Degree Program (transfer of up to 29 credits towards JD degree)

• Madrid, Spain* | Academic Year at Comillas Pontifical University. Moritz students will spend their third year at Comillas (Madrid, Spain), and earn both the JD degree and the Master's Degree in International and European Business Law upon successful completion of this year in Madrid.

*For information on courses, health insurance, application details, and more, please visit the Semester at Comillas Pontifical University page.

2. Semester-long Programs (transfer of up to 15 credits towards JD degree)

• Antwerp, Belgium  | Semester at University of Antwerp
• Beijing, China | Semester at China University of Political Science and Law
• Beijing, China | Semester at Peking University
• Chongqing, China | Semester at Southwest China University of Political Science and Law
• Leiden, Netherlands  | Semester at Leiden University
• Madrid, Spain | Semester at Comillas Pontifical University
• Paris, France | Semester at Panthéon-Assas University Paris II
• Shanghai, China | Semester at East China University of Political Science and Law
• Turin, Italy | Semester at the University of Turin

1. Application Process:

Applying for a credit-earning exchange program is a multiple-step process:

Step 1: Schedule an advising session with Dean Pham at pham.521@osu.edu via this link

Step 2: Submit an online application and upload all required materials by March 1 of the current year for studying abroad in the next academic year (and February 1 for the Leiden program). Required materials include:

• A petition to study abroad with the Moritz Academic Affairs Committee – Please email Dean Pham (pham.521@osu.edu) to receive the template for the petition for each program you intend to enroll in. You will need to submit this petition via email to Dean Pham by March 1 of the current year for studying abroad in the next academic year (or by February 1 if you are requesting the Leiden program).
• J.D. transcript (or advising report) (undergraduate transcript not necessary)
• Resume

Step 3: Dean Pham will submit your application to Moritz Academic Affairs Committee for approval

Step 4: Once pre-approved by Moritz AAC, you will be nominated to the host institution and to OSU Office of International Affairs

Step 5: Upon acceptance of the nomination from Moritz, the host school will contact you directly to require you to complete host institution’s application for admission (with required supporting documents) – it is your responsibility to meet the admission requirements and deadlines set by the host school per their instructions

In addition, OSU Office of International Affairs will contact you to request a submission of a study abroad application ($150 program fee) along with related paperwork (orientation, risk management, supplemental health insurance)

Step 6: if and once admitted by host institution, you are expected to start as soon as possible the visa application process and housing search.

ATTENTION: Start the process to apply to study abroad  as soon as possible, to give you sufficient time to meet all different deadlines, and to obtain a visa and find a suitable accommodation.

2. Study Abroad Scholarships and Fellowships: view details here.

3. Visa and Housing Search for Studying Abroad

Note: Applying for and obtaining a visa to enter the host country to study, and searching for housing in the host country, are the sole responsibilities of the exchange students.

Neither OSU nor the host university is able to provide exchange students with preparing or compiling paperwork for a visa application; nor can we apply for visas for students on the students' behalf. Exchange students are expected to research and follow closely the instructions from the official consulate websites of each destination country and apply for a visa in accordance with the instructions and deadline posted on their websites. We strongly encourage you to start the visa application process as soon as you receive the admission decision from the host school. Please also note that in recent years, the application process for a Spanish visa has become very cumbersome, especially for students who go to Spain to study for more than one semester. Thus the earlier you start the visa application process, the more certain you will get the visa on time to participate in your study abroad program.

Similarly, while OSU and the host institution will provide exchange students with resources and information related to housing search in the host country, we are not able to provide you with direct assistance in securing a place to stay, either on a temporary or permanent basis, unless you face an emergency situation. While Leiden University has very limited on-campus housing and will assign on-campus housing to exchange students on a first-come, first-served basis, all other partner universities do not have on-campus housing available to exchange students.

Non-credit Summer Programs

• Brasilia, Brazil | 2 Weeks at University of Brasilia
• Chongqing, China | 2 Weeks at Southwest University of Political Science and Law

How to Apply for Non-credit Summer Programs: Submit this online application form and upload with the form your resume (or C.V.), your JD transcript (or Advising Report), and a 250-word statement of educational objectives if you are requesting the short term summer non-credit program. The statement should elaborate your interest in the study abroad opportunity and how such opportunity will benefit you academically, professionally, and culturally

Moritz College of Law Faculty Rules allow for students to petition to participate in other law schools’ ABA-approved education abroad programs. For full details on the process of studying abroad through another law school’s program, please refer to the Faculty Rules of the College of Law, section 9.45. ABA-approved semester/year-long study abroad programs and ABA-approved summer programs, as well as the overview of ABA-approved foreign study, can be found on the American Bar Association website.

See our International Programs page for more opportunities.