If you’re a current law student, you already know that law school is a very unique experience for graduate students when compared with other fields of study. Each study plan is customized according to the student’s specific interests and goals. And with a constantly changing legal system, law students find themselves studying a curriculum that is always evolving. The law school experience as a whole is evolving, too.
A law school semester abroad will get you out of the library for a little bit.
Can you study abroad in law school? While it is often believed that law school study abroad can be detrimental to a law study plan, GoAbroad is here to tell you why study abroad in law school can actually be the perfect supplement to your degree!
Many law universities have implemented law school semester abroad programs, so law students like you have the opportunity to study and explore other programs that may better suit your focus and open doors to challenging internship opportunities.
Both pre-law and graduate students with a desire to travel the world can stop wondering should I study abroad in law school—because law school study abroad is continuing to grow in popularity. Here’s why a law school semester abroad is a good idea.
Can I (and should I) study abroad in law school?
Does study abroad look good for law school students? You betcha! But before you jump on the first study abroad experience you hear about, do a little research to make sure you can optimize the benefits.
After all, if a law school semester abroad isn’t done properly, it can hold you back from internships at home where you could be making connections with local attorneys, and you could find yourself sinking further into debt by adding expensive fees to an already-hefty tuition bill.
First, consider your law school study abroad destination. As a law student, you won’t be looking for your typical study abroad experience, so it may be best to steer clear of vacation destinations and stick to countries with excellent opportunities and universities instead.
Do your homework and make sure your credits will transfer to your home university. And most importantly, ask yourself if studying abroad is worth the financial burden: will it benefit your career path and supplement your other courses? If the answer is yes, then what are you waiting for?
How do the scales of justice balance elsewhere?
Why study abroad in law school? 9 excellent reasons
Because each law student’s study experience is unique, the benefits of law school study abroad can vary from student to student. Even so, there are many reasons why study abroad in law school can be the perfect experience to complete your degree. Here are the top reasons to seize the opportunity for a law school semester abroad.
1. Different course options
What kind of law are you interested in pursuing? When contemplating if study abroad looks good for law school, consider what each country has to offer. While American universities may have wonderful programs for technology and law, you may find that Swiss universities offer courses more specialized to banking and financial law.
Depending on your specialty, you may find more course options abroad that are specific to the law you want to practice in the long run. Different course options can help you expand your specialized knowledge, opening doors for you post-studies.
2. Boost your resume
Meaningful international experience always looks good on a resume. Not only will a law school semester abroad allow you new and different course options, but doors can open in every direction with an international study experience.
If done properly, law school study abroad can help you stand out to future employers and show them you made the most of your study experience.
3. Shift your perspective
Quite possibly one of the biggest reasons why study abroad in law school is becoming popular in contemporary law is because of the opportunity to understand different legal systems. With a law school semester abroad, you’ll see how law works in other countries, shifting your perspective.
You’ll be more open-minded, more mature, and better at building strong work relationships across cultures. You’ll be able to think about law on a larger scale, rather than in the context of one single country, and this will enhance the quality of your work in any workplace.
4. Personal growth
Grow beyond the walls of law school!
So often, law students are told they need to focus only on two things: study and work. While these are important to graduate successfully for law school, it’s also equally important, if not more so, to grow as a human being and seek a wide range of experiences throughout your studies.
Studying abroad in law school can allow you to make new connections and discover a new culture, two things that will stay with you for life. It will force you out of your comfort zone, make you work hard, and loosen you up enough to enjoy your law school experience.
Not only will it help you grow on a personal level, but the skills you’ll learn will help you as a professional, too.
5. Opens international doors
Law these days is becoming more international, making law school study abroad the perfect opportunity for those wanting to pursue a career in international commercial or criminal law. While many are held back by the fear of missing out on internship opportunities near their home universities, internship abroad opportunities are readily available.
If you’re looking to break into the international industry, why not supplement your studies with an international law internship where you can gain firsthand experience in a foreign country?
6. Become an expert in country-specific law
Perhaps your goal is not to go home and practice international law from the confines of your native country. Perhaps you’ve always dreamed of working in a law system abroad or working for an organization with interest in a different region of the world. If this sounds like you, you’ll want much more than an internship abroad.
Study abroad in the country you eventually want to practice in, and seize every opportunity to hone your knowledge of the specific domestic legal system. Whether you want to explore earning a degree in law abroad, or simply to understand the requisites and qualifications needed to work in that country later, law school study abroad is essential if you want to one day practice elsewhere.
International experience could be essential to your future career.
7. Become a better lawyer
It’s no secret that certain branches of law are international by nature. From criminal law to human rights law to commercial law, it’s becoming almost essential to gain exposure to other legal systems in order to understand these branches on every level.
In fact, in some cases, it can almost be detrimental not to study abroad in law school because staying home limits your knowledge and understanding. With a law school semester abroad, you can step back from the nitty gritty of daily case reading and see how legal systems operate as a whole, helping you to become a better lawyer, no matter where you are in the world.
8. Become a better business person
Let’s cut to the chase, not everyone who goes to law school becomes a lawyer in the end. Some people want to work for a big international firm, while others use law school experience as a starting point to pursuing a career in business or politics.
With today’s global economy, study abroad experience is crucial to understanding business at an international level. Studying abroad in law school will give you an edge. Combine your resume boost, shift in perspective, and the challenge of earning a law degree in multiple countries, and you’ll be an unstoppable business person when you graduate with your degree.
9. Get inspired
It’s easy to get stuck behind a book or a screen, in your dorm room or the library. Law school is tough. But just because you’re studying a degree that requires a strong work ethic doesn’t mean you can’t break out of the mold and seize exciting travel opportunities, too.
If you’re lacking inspiration, stop wondering can you study abroad in law school? Law school study abroad offers new opportunities, some that you may never have considered by staying home.
You’d be surprised how far a little inspiration can take you.
You may discover a new avenue that you had never thought about, an underlying passion, sending you down a whole new career path. The options are endless, but all will undoubtedly leave you inspired.
Convinced? Talk to our FREE online advisor to get matched with law study abroad programs
Does study abroad look good for law school? You bet!
While it’s important to explore the options that make the most sense for your own personal study interests and career goals, law school study abroad is definitely an option that could enhance your overall study experience.
You’ll develop a new skill set that not only benefits you as a future lawyer, but heightens your ability to think creatively—a skill that is always appreciated by employers, whether you want to work in a big law firm or a small non-profit. You’ll become a citizen of the world, opening opportunities in more than just your home country.
So do your research, choose the right destination to optimize your study goals, and make your law school study abroad dreams a reality!
Explore ALL Law Study Abroad Programs on GoAbroad.com
Look for the Perfect Study Abroad Program Now
Start Your Search