The Dean Rusk International Law Center at the University of Georgia School of Law offers a semester-long international exchange for J.D. students with our institutional partner, O.P. Jindal Global University. This exchange offers students access to a wide range of international law courses and professors, as well as unique professional development opportunities.
This immersive placement allows students to take courses in English while living on campus and becoming part of an international law community. Through the tuition-exchange model, students pay their regular tuition to Georgia Law for the semester, in addition to a small pre-determined fee by the host university. This information is updated annually and will be communicated to student applicants prior to their participation in the exchange.
O.P. Jindal Global University, India
Located in Sonipat, just outside of New Delhi, India, O.P. Jindal Global University's Jindal Global Law School is ranked the top law school in both India and South Asia by QS World University Rankings and is ranked 70th in the world for law. Students have access to the law school's 25 research centers, which include International Trade, UN Studies, and Women, Law, and Social Change, while benefitting from immersion in India's political center.
Students can either spend a semester as part of an academic exchange or participate in a short-term clinical experience or externship, although no credit can be given for field placements unless it is consistent with the requirements of ABA Standard 304c. Students are encouraged to consider combining their studies with a Global Externship Overseas (GEO) in New Delhi.
This substantive academic and professional experience in India, an emerging global economic superpower, offers students a unique means of preparation for the globalized practice of law.
Academics & Admissions
In accordance with the ABA's Criteria for Accepting Credit for Student Study at a Foreign Institution ("Criteria") this exchange offers students the opportunity to engage with courses of study related to the socio-legal environment of the host country and to take classes with an international and/or comparative focus.
This exchange is open to J.D. students who have completed one year of full-time study and are in good academic standing. Students who would like to participate in this exchange program must meet with the Associate Dean for International Programs at least one semester prior to their intended semester of enrollment. They will discuss and seek approval for their academic course of study to be undertaken at the host university and receive preliminary information about policies and procedures governing the exchange, including updated financial and refund information. Together, the student and the Associate Dean will develop a written plan to define the educational objectives of the student seeking the exchange, as well as the methods by which the student's objectives will be evaluated. Any changes that occur, such as a course change or cancellation, will prompt the student and the Associate Dean to reexamine their plan. This meeting will also include an academic audit to ensure that the student will not exceed one third of the credits required for the J.D. program during their exchange. Credit will be awarded by Georgia Law in a manner consistent with the requirements of ABA Standard 310.
After developing a plan of study, students must apply through the Office of Global Engagement's Study Away portal to be in compliance with university and University System of Georgia policies and best practices. Through this process, students will be prompted to register their travel with the U.S. Department of State, and will be alerted if the Travel Warning level changes during their program of study.
Once students are accepted into the exchange program, they will be put in contact with a student-services professional at the host university who will assist them with logistics at the host university. This person, in addition to the Georgia Law Associate Director for Global Practice Preparation, will serve as the student's point of contact throughout their exchange program. Students will also be provided with all mandated information in the ABA's Criteria Section I.H. once they have been admitted.
Upon completion of their exchange program, students will work with the Associate Director for Global Practice Preparation to evaluate in writing their experience, including (but not limited to) faculty, courses, and their overall experience. This information will be made available to future students interested in the exchange, as well as to the administration for purposes of ongoing programmatic assessment.
The exchange program will be administered consistently with the requirements in the ABA's Criteria for Accepting Credit for Student Study at a Foreign Institution.
Contact
For more information or to apply, contact: Sarah Quinn, Director, Dean Rusk International Law Center, University of Georgia School of Law, at squinn@uga.edu or (706) 542-5176.