LSAT Canada Registration - Information for Canadian Test Registrants

Upcoming LSAT Test Dates Across Canada

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is offered throughout the year as listed below. For the most current dates, visit the LSAC website.

2023

• January 13 & 14
• February 10 & 11
• April 14 & 15
• June 9 & 10
• August 11 & 12
• September 8 & 9
• October 13 & 14
• November 10 & 11

2024

• January 12 & 13
• February 9
• April 12
• June 7 & 8

Beginning in July 2019 the LSAT test was offered in a digital format.

List of Canadian LSAT Test Centre Locations

Canadian LSAT test centre locations are listed in the table below. 

Please note that not every test centre will offer each writing of the LSAT.

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LSAT Fees and Services for Canadian Registrants

The following table summarizes the LSAT fees and services for Canadian registrants. For additional information on all these fees, please visit the LSAC website. 

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About the Law School Admission Council

Headquartered in Newtown, Pennsylvania (about 48 km north of Philadelphia), the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) is best known for administering the LSAT, with an average of 100,000 prospective law students writing the test each year. LSAC is a nonprofit organization whose membership includes 205 ABA-approved law schools in the United States and 16 law schools in Canada.

All US law schools approved by the American Bar Association (ABA) are LSAC members along with 16 Canadian law schools recognized by a provincial or territorial law society or government agency. For a brief description of LSAC's services and programs check the "About LSAC" page at www.LSAC.org.

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About the LSAT

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is a half-day, standardized exam administered throughout the year by the Law School Admission Council (LSAC) at designated testing centres throughout the world, but primarily in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean. Most Canadian law schools along with all American Bar Association (ABA)-approved law schools require the LSAT as part of their admissions process.

The LSAT provides a standard measure of acquired reading and verbal reasoning skills that law schools use as a primary factor in assessing applicants. The test itself is comprised of numerous questions designed to assess a wide range of abilities involved in critical thinking, with an emphasis on the skills that are central to legal reasoning. These skills include:

• the reading and comprehension of complex text with accuracy and insight
• the organization and management of information and the ability to draw reasonable inferences from it
• the ability to think critically
• the analysis and evaluation of the reasoning and arguments of others

Many law schools require the LSAT to be taken by December for admission for the following fall. However, it is advised that students take the test earlier – in June or September – to allow ample time to prepare to re-test if need be.

The test consists of five 35-minute sections of multiple-choice questions. Four of the five sections contribute to the test taker's score. These sections include: two Logical Reasoning sections, one Analytical Reasoning section, and one Reading Comprehension section. An unscored fifth section typically is used to pre-test new questions or to pre-equate new test forms. The placement of this unscored section, which is commonly referred to as the “experimental section”, varies for each administration of the test. 

The LSAT is scored on a scale from 120 to 180, with 180 being the highest possible score. A Writing Sample is administered seperately from the multiple-choice test sections, online via a secure testing platform. The Writing Sample is not scored, but copies of the Writing Sample are sent to all law schools to which a candidate applies.

LSAC administers the LSAT four times a year at hundreds of designated test centres around the world. Since 2010, the annual average number of test-takers writing the LSAT has been just above 120,000.

According to a recent LSAC research report, approximately 6% of all test-takers write the LSAT in Canada, with 93% writing it in the United States and the remaining 1% writing the LSAT in other countries. Although it is the very same LSAT test that all Canadian, American, and foreign test-takers write, LSAC has observed that Canadian and foreign test-takers have had slightly higher mean LSAT scores than test-takers from the United States.

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LSAT Test Centre Regulations

Regulations and the full list of permitted and forbidden items that can be brought into the test centre can be found at www.lsac.org. This information will also be provided on LSAT admission tickets. LSAC warns that "ignorance of these regulations will not be considered an excuse for their violation. Bringing prohibited items into the test room may result in the confiscation of such items by the test supervisor, a warning, dismissal from the test centre, and/or cancellation of a test score by LSAC."

• Items permitted in the test room

  Test-takers may bring into the room only a clear plastic Ziploc bag, maximum size one gallon (3.79 liter), which must be stored under the chair and may be accessed only during the break. The Ziploc bag may only contain the following items:
  • Your signed LSAT Admission Ticket stub;
  • Valid ID; wallet; keys;
  • Feminine hygiene products;
  • Medical products (including diabetic testing supplies);
  • #2 or HB pencils, highlighter, erasers, pencil sharpener (no mechanical pencils);
  • Tissues; beverage in plastic container or juice box (20 oz./591 ml maximum size) and snack for break only (no aluminum cans permitted).

• Items permitted on the desk

  Test-takers may only have tissues, ID,  LSAT admissions ticket, No.2 or HB wooden pencils, erasers, pencil sharpener (not supplied at the test centre), highlighter, and an analog wristwatch (not digital) on their desk. No electronic timing devices are permitted (zero tolerance policy).
  

• Prohibited items

  Candidates are not permitted to bring into the test centre the following items: books, papers of any kind, backpacks of any kind, briefcases, handbags, ear plugs, mechanical pencils, mechanical erasers or erasers with sleeves, ink pens or felt-tip markers, rulers, calculators, fitness tracking devices, timers of any kind (except analog wristwatches), recording or photographic devices, cellular phones, pagers, beepers, headsets, personal computers, and/or other electronic devices (iPods, personal digital assistants, etc.), listening devices, electronic cigarettes, weapons or firearms. Bringing prohibited items into the test room may result in the confiscation of such items by the test supervisor,  dismissal from the test centre, and cancellation of a test score by LSAC. Prohibited items may not be used while in the test centre, including during the break. LSAC and LSAT testing staff are not responsible for test-takers' belongings.

• Hats/Hoods

  No hats or hoods are allowed, except items of religious apparel.

• Handbags, backpacks, briefcases

  No handbags, backpacks, briefcases, or other bags—except the Ziploc bag described above—are allowed in the test room.

• Cancellation/Complaint Deadlines

  The LSAC must receive test-taker complaints and cancellation requests within six days of the test date. This is a change from previous years.

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LSAT Contact Information for Canadian Registrants

Canadian registrants can contact LSAC via their website or by email, telephone, fax, or mail. The contact information for each method is listed below:

Registering for the LSAT in Canada

Registering for the LSAT is done on a first-come, first-served basis; therefore, the earlier you register, the better your chances are of being assigned to the test date and test centre you selected. LSAT test-takers can register online, by telephone, or by mail. Registration for the test must be completed on or before the registration deadlines; registrations after these dates are not accepted. Please see the LSAT Test Dates and Registration Deadlines section for exact dates and deadlines.

Those wishing to have their score sent to law schools or pre-law advisories must make the request when they register for the test.

LSAT Test Dates and Registration Deadlines

The following table highlights the upcoming LSAT test dates and registration deadlines. Individuals can register online, by telephone, or by mail:

Changing Canadian LSAT Test Centres and Test Dates

Any changes regarding Canadian test centres and test dates can be done if the request is made on or before the appropriate deadlines listed below. There are fees associated with changing test dates and test centres; please see the LSAT Fees and Services for Canadian Registrants section for the appropriate fees. 

Changes to test dates and test centres can be done using the following four methods:

• Online: www.LSAC.org (must be received by midnight (EST) on the deadline date)
• Telephone: (215) 968-1001 (must be received by 4:45 PM EST [March – August]; 6:00 PM EST [September – February] on the deadline date)
• Mail to:
  LSAC,
  PO Box 2000-T,
  Newtown, PA, 18940-0979
• Fax: (215) 968-1277 (must be received by midnight (EST) on the deadline date)

A Test Date Change Form must be done when making changes by fax or mail.

The following table outlines the deadlines for the test centre and test dates changes:

Note: You will be assigned to the nearest test centre if your requested test centre is full or closed.

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LSAT Exam Score Release Dates

The following table highlights the exam score release dates for upcoming LSAT test dates:

For score reports received by mail, please allow 5–7 days from the email release date listed above.

LSAC has not set a score release date for the August 2021 LSAT yet. Given the addition of an unscored variable section for every candidate, and the anticipated high volume of test takers in August, they may need to adjust the score release timeline to ensure they have a smooth process for managing all of the scored and unscored data streams, but it’s too soon to say for sure. They will announce the planned score release date in mid-May, when they open registration for the August 2021 LSAT, so that test takers can have certainty on when they will have their scores. For the October administration and beyond, they fully expect to release scores in the same three-week timeframe we’ve been releasing scores for the LSAT-Flex.

For more information about the digital LSAT visit the LSAC website.

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LSAT Exam Scores

Upon the release of LSAT scores, candidates who have LSAC.org accounts, will receive their LSAT exam score by email. For those without online accounts, LSAC will send score reports by mail. Scores will only be released to the test-taker and not their parents, spouses, friends, or any other persons. Those wishing to have their score sent to law schools or pre-law advisories must make the request when they register for the test. Please see the “LSAT Fees and Services for Canadian Registrants” section for all fees associated with taking the LSAT.

The LSAT score is based on the total number of questions answered correctly and there is no deduction for incorrect answers. All questions are weighted equally and the total number of correct answers is converted to the LSAT scale of 120 - 180, with 120 being the lowest score and 180 being the highest score. A percentile rank is also calculated and displayed on the score report. Previous scores can be requested to be sent to you or to a law school by contacting LSAC via mail or fax.

Scaled Score vs. Percentile Rank Conversion Chart for LSAT Test Scores

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Cancelling the LSAT Score

The test-taker can cancel an LSAT score on the LSAT Status page when he or she logs into his or her LSAC.org account. The score cancellation option is available until 11:59p.m. (ET) six calendar days after the test-taker's test date. Cancellations will not be accepted after this time.

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Repeating the LSAT Test

Test-takers may repeat the LSAT if they feel the test score does not reflect their ability. As of September 2017, there are no longer any limitations on the number of times a test taker can take the LSAT in a two-year period. Not all law schools use the highest score; some take an average of all the candidate's test scores. If a candidate has some circumstances such as illness or anxiety that prevents him or her from scoring well on the LSAT, he or she should notify the law schools to which he or she applied.

LSAT Refund Policy

Individuals not able to take the test on the day for which they registered will receive a partial refund if the request is made before the specified deadline. Non-refundable fees include late fees, test date and test centre change fees, and fees for non-published test centres. All refund requests can be done in writing prior to the refund deadline to avoid an absentee notation appearing on the file or by filling out the Refund Request Form PDF. The refund takes approximately six weeks to process, and the test registration will be cancelled.

All written requests must include:

All LSAT refund requests must be sent to:

The following table outlines the refund request deadlines. For any further information regarding the refund policy, please contact the LSAC.

LSAT Test Preparation Courses Across Canada

Oxford Seminars offers 30-hour and 48-hour LSAT test preparation courses in the following locations across Canada:

List of Sample Practice LSAT Tests

* Publication of these PrepTests is now discontinued and they are no longer available for sale.

LSAT Practice Tests and Test Preparation Materials Available Through Oxford Seminars

Listed below are the most recent LSAT PrepTest materials we have to offer.

For additional information regarding the materials listed above, please visit Oxford Seminars Book List.

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Canadian Law School Rankings

Each year, Canadian Lawyer magazine conducts a nationwide survey of Canadian law schools. The survey provides future lawyers with a list of the top-ranked law schools in Canada. The following table is a brief summary of the grades assigned to each law school:

For a more detailed summary of these survey results, please visit the Canadian Lawyer website.

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Canadian Law School Profiles

The following links take you to concise descriptions of the 16 Canadian law schools which, according to LSAC, require applicants to take the LSAT as part of the admissions process. Each profile covers admission requirements, curriculum, special programs, expenses and financial aid, and a link to each law school's own website for additional information. Some of the law schools have also released an admission profile grid as an illustration of the credentials of previously admitted applicants.

• University of British Columbia Faculty of Law
• University of Calgary Faculty of Law
• Dalhousie University Schulich Law School
• Lakehead University Faculty of Law
• University of Manitoba Faculty of Law
• McGill University Faculty of Law
• University of New Brunswick Law School
• University of Ottawa Faculty of Law
• Queen's University Faculty of Law
• University of Saskatchewan College of Law
• Thompson Rivers University Faculty of Law
• University of Toronto Faculty of Law
• University of Victoria Faculty of Law
• University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law
• University of Windsor Faculty of Law
• York University's Osgoode Hall Law School

For a complete list of, and links to websites of all 205 ABA-approved law schools in the United States, visit the LSAC Official Guide. In recent years, the following law school application trends have been noticed:

• More Canadians are writing the LSAT each year (a 32% increase since 2001).
• Applicants are applying to more law schools (on average 6 law schools per applicant).
• Overall, applicants are completing their law school applications earlier in the admission-year cycle.
• Older applicants are applying later in the admission-year cycle.

Information about this test, and its requirements and policies, changes constantly. For the most up-to-date information, see the official testing website.