For more details, visit UW Law Study Abroad.

Exchange Programs

The Law School participates in twelve exchange programs with foreign universities. In exchange programs, UW students pay the same tuition and fees to the UW that they would pay for a semester at the UW but attend foreign law schools. 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 fluency in another language. Currently, the UW Law School has exchange programs with the following schools:

In addition, the Law School offers a Study Abroad Summer Program at the University of Giessen, Germany where students may earn up to 4 credits. For details contact Professor Anuj Desai.

Internships in South Asia

For internships in South Asia coordinated by the Global Legal Studies Center, and study abroad opportunities in East Asia including internships coordinated by the East Asian Legal Studies Center, contact the Study Abroad Advisor.

Other ABA-Approved Programs

Our students also may participate in law programs offered around the world by other American Bar Association-approved law schools. Students must be admitted by those programs and pay the tuition and fees charged by the programs. View Overview of ABA Approved Foreign Study Policies.

Independent Study Abroad Programs

Law students can also earn credits toward the J.D. through independent study programs abroad. Students may create a program at one foreign law school or several. However, in all cases, the Law School must pre-approve the independent study plan; if the plan is not pre-approved, the student will not receive credit toward the UW J.D. degree on return. Information about the process for approving individual study abroad plans can be obtained from the Study Abroad Advisor.

Study Abroad Logistics

Law School Registrar Audit & Transcripts

All students considering studying abroad should arrange for the Law School Registrar (registrar@law.wisc.edu) to audit their academic transcripts. During the “audit,” the Registrar gives the student an up-to-date report on total credits and subject area requirements that the student has satisfied. This information is essential to choosing appropriate credit loads and courses at the law school abroad. In some cases, courses taken abroad will be allowed to satisfy subject area requirements for the J.D. degree and/or Diploma Privilege. To demonstrate that courses taken abroad meet UW Law School subject area requirements, students are required to submit course descriptions for the proposed courses. Please contact the Law School Registrar with regard to completing re-entry forms when necessary before students can register for another semester at UW Law School following their study abroad experience. In all cases, students are responsible for arranging for official transcripts to be sent to the Law School Registrar by the foreign institution.

Considerations for Students Abroad in Final Semester

Students who study abroad in their final semester should be aware of the following:

1. It is your responsibility to ensure that the resulting transcript from the host institution is forwarded to the Law School Registrar. The Law School will NOT certify that you have met the JD degree requirements without this transcript.
2. If the transcript is greatly delayed, your ability to take an upcoming bar exam may be adversely affected (most jurisdictions require that you have your JD degree before taking their bar exam).
3. You should consult the Law School Registrar (registrar@law.wisc.edu) to determine if the delay will affect your graduation date. If you have not yet submitted a Diploma Privilege application, the application deadline (thirty days following degree conferral) may have already passed. Early application with the Board of Bar Examiners avoids this problem.

Grade Requirements

Students must earn at least the equivalent of a “C” to receive credit for a course taken abroad. Credits earned abroad will be entered as "satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory" on the UW transcript; a grade will not be recorded.

Health Insurance

There is a mandatory health insurance requirement that applies to all UW students studying abroad in a UW-sponsored program. The current provider of the mandatory insurance is Cultural Insurance Services International (CISI). CISI’s plan extends beyond medical expenses to include other emergencies, including emergency medical transportation, return airfare, and technical and legal assistance. This insurance is mandatory, regardless of whether or not the student has other coverage through UW Student Health (SHIP), through parents, spouses or partners, or through the institution that they will visit. Because the mandatory health insurance does not cover the student before or after the period of study abroad, students might find that they still need student or family-provided health insurance for the periods before or after they are abroad.

Please contact the Study Abroad Advisor to apply for health insurance at least three weeks prior to departure. They will give you an application form which you must complete and return with a check for the appropriate amount. If everything is in order, they will issue the insurance card. All relevant information as well as application forms and instructions can be found at the UW International Coverage information page.

Study Abroad Contacts

For answers to your general questions about study abroad opportunities, students may contact the Study Abroad Advisor. In most cases, students will need to discuss questions about financial aid with the Director of Scholarship Administration in the Admissions and Financial Aid Office.