ABA criteria must be followed
in order for students in Independent Study Programs in foreign
institutions to receive credit. The guidelines below will
help you in planning your Independent Study Program. Make
sure you start this process at least eight months before
your expected day of departure. You may also consult the
ABA Home Page (HTTP://www.abanet.org/legaled)
for the Independent Study Programs Criteria or stop by the
Student Affairs office for a copy.
Research
the Program
Make sure you check the program's
name, description, dates, cost, requirements and list of
courses as well as specific information on classes
and credits you intend to take. Find a contact person
or advisor for your program in the foreign institution,
as well as the home institution. Request the school's student
handbook, and/ or catalog, application form and any other
information needed. Make
an appointment with Noemar Castro, Office of Student Affairs
at the Levin College of Law, for the ABA pre-visit notification
form and bring all this information with you.
Eligibility
Requirements
Only students who have finished one year of full time study
(28 credits or more) and who are in good standing (2.00
GPA or better) at the UF College of Law may enroll in law
study for credit at a foreign institution. The student must
be fluent in the language of instruction.
Academic
Requirements
Students may not receive more than
one-sixth of the credit hours required for J.D. at UF College
of Law for study (no more than 14 credits.) The UF College
of Law will determine whether specific prerequisites are
required for enrollment in certain courses.
NO CREDITS shall
be awarded for:
- Activities
such as visits to legal and government institutions except
for instances in which the content of those activities
is academic in nature and is related to the courses in
which credit is awarded.
- Externship
placements (i.e., in a law firm, government office or
corporation.)
Amount of Transferable Credits
The ABA has determined that for
every 700 minutes that a class meets, the student will receive
one credit. The student must receive a grade of "c"
or better to receive credit for the course or courses. Note
that only credits will be transferred to a student's record,
not the grades themselves.
Fill out the ABA Pre-Visit
Notification Form
The student must turn in the ABA pre-visit notification
form (available at the Student Services front desk) and
any information regarding the program of interest. The
ABA pre-visit notification form must be completed and submitted
to the ABA at least forty-five (45) days prior to the enrollment
of the student in the foreign institution. This
petition will be acted upon as soon as possible. The result,
if approved, will be a letter sent DIRECTLY to the schools
listed on the ABA pre-visit notification form. This letter
will state that the student has been approved to take certain
courses through that particular foreign institution.
