Applications are due on February 15 for both the Fall and Spring semesters for the following school year. We do a “top up” application intake for the Spring semester (January to April) due October 15. You can apply as early as you wish, as long as you clearly indicate which semester you’re applying for.
To apply to the LLC, undergraduate students must have at least 60 semester hours with a minimum average GPA of 2.75, and have taken POLS 234 or an equivalent course. See our Apply page for more details on application requirements.
Students attending the LLC need some background and foundational knowledge of the Canadian governmental system. Students will also need background knowledge of the Canadian governmental system for their courses, which is provided through the prerequisite course POLS 234. As well, many internships are with Canadian political offices or NGOs that interact with political offices.
POLS 234 is offered every semester at TWU, including as a summer course option. Visiting students can contact us to determine if an acceptable equivalent is offered at their home institution. BUSI students can take BUSI 245 as an acceptable equivalent. POLI 309 and POLI 260 through Athabasca University (online) are also acceptable equivalents.
The LLC is open to students of all majors. We have had students studying everything from Business to Biology who have enjoyed a semester at the LLC, with internships relevant to their areas of interest.
Most of the LLC courses can be used to meet core requirements and practicum options from many programs. Plan ahead and enlist the help of your academic advisor to make it work for you.
Undergraduate or graduate students enrolled in universities or colleges that are members of either Universities Canada or CHEC may apply to the LLC Certificate Program as a visiting student. Visiting students will be students of Trinity Western University for a semester at the LLC. It is up to the student to determine in advance if the courses will be transferable to their home institution. Students should obtain a letter of permission from their home institution to ensure transferability of part or all of the course credits. We regularly have visiting students from a variety of other institutions join us at the LLC!
Yes, students who have already graduated have the option of obtaining a Graduate Certificate. They will participate in the same courses as undergraduate students but receive an extra assignment from the Director.
LLC students take three interdisciplinary, interactive courses. The course offerings enable you to learn about leadership, public policy, ethics, and contemporary culture. You will benefit from the insight of guest speakers who are leaders in government and public policy. The courses offer a strong conceptual framework for the practical realities students encounter in their internships.
You will complete 15 semester hours in total: three academic courses totaling nine semester hours and an internship totaling six semester hours.
*Students have also completed HKIN, GEOG, ARTS, and Human Services practicum placements in cooperation with TWU faculty supervisors.
To obtain the Certificate in Leadership and Applied Public Affairs, you must complete all three courses, and it is generally expected that students will do so. However, in some circumstances students have been allowed to take only two courses, or two plus an alternative course (such as a directed study through TWU, an online course from another university, or a course at one of the Ottawa universities). The program fee remains the same in these cases. Please speak to the Director to determine if an alternative third course arrangement would be allowable in your case.
The courses are taught by experienced professors and feature many dynamic guest speakers, from MPs to legal experts to NGO professionals.
The total amount for tuition and fees of the LLC is as follows:
The program fee for a full semester at the LLC includes tuition, housing and other costs specific to the LLC program, such as orientation week, guest speakers, LLC swag, Community Life events, and trips. In addition students are responsible for other TWU fees, such as the Student Association fee. For the current additional fees, please see the Office of the Registrar’s website.
There are a variety of scholarships available specifically for students of the LLC. Students should complete a Financial Aid needs assessment and endowment application. Visit the website of the Financial Aid Office to apply.
The most up-to-date information for LLC endowment awards can be found by following this link and selecting Undergraduate > Returning > Laurentian Leadership Centre. Applicants will automatically be considered for most of these scholarships as a part of their financial aid assessment.
The Robert Borden Scholarship requires an additional application and is awarded to one new or returning student who will be attending the LLC in the Fall semester and one who will be attending in the Spring semester. Students must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and be committed to extracurricular involvement, determined by review of the student’s curriculum vitae.
Students who are eligible to receive the Torch Scholarship will be accepted to the LLC only if they are not taking the spot of a paying student. If accepted into the program, Torch Scholarship students will need to cover the housing and other additional fees. Contact us for details on the current fees.
Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from the LLC. This includes all air, train, and bus travel to and from Ottawa, as well as transportation to the airport, train station, or bus station. We recommend making use of taxis, buses, or Uber/Lyft services.
The LLC provides transit passes only to students who need to commute farther distances to their internship placement. Otherwise, students are responsible for their own transportation within Ottawa.
The LLC Director places all students in internship placements. After a student is accepted into the program, they will meet individually with the Director to discuss their interests, experience, and long-term goals. If a student has a unique interest, or something outside the typical range of internship placements, the Director may ask the student to participate in finding and securing an internship placement. More details on how this process works can be found here.
Some offices will request an advance interview with a student by phone or video call. This is becoming increasingly common. The LLC Director will inform you if an advance interview is being requested.
All students will have an initial meeting with their internship supervisors, accompanied by the LLC Director, or an LLC Staff Member. In some cases, this initial meeting is treated by the internship supervisor as an interview.
The LLC Director will strive to place students according to their requests, preferences, experience, and goals. However, due to a variety of circumstances, it is not possible to guarantee any particular internship placement.
Yes, of course! A wide selection of internship possibilities exist. We have had students participate in a variety of placements, including and not limited to urban planning, magazine/newspaper writing, street youth outreach, international anti-poverty advocacy, sports event management, and many others as part of their internships. Ottawa, as the nation’s capital, has a wide array of organizations and opportunities.
Internships offered through the LLC are unpaid, and students will receive course credit upon completion. This arrangement allows the LLC to access as many internship placement opportunities as possible.
Community life is a valuable aspect of a student’s time at the LLC. Because of this, students are expected to live in the mansion at the LLC. Living off-campus is an option only in special circumstances. Contact us if you have further questions.
We welcome married students to the LLC program. When space allows, students with a spouse/family will be given a private room. This will depend on enrolment numbers and whether or not we have a full semester. Non-student family members will need to cover the cost of their accommodations if they do stay at the LLC.
When we have a full semester, however, married students may need to find alternate accommodation arrangements. In previous years, married students have rented an apartment nearby for the semester. In these cases, students who live off-campus can get reimbursed for the accommodations portion of the LLC program fee.
Generally, parking for students at the LLC is very limited or not available. The majority of our parking lot is rented out to monthly parking tenants. In the Fall semester, we can sometimes accept one student car. In the Spring semester, there is no space for student cars. Please contact us in advance if you are hoping to bring a vehicle to the LLC and we will discuss availability with you. Parking fees for students are the same as TWU Langley’s current rates.
If family members or friends are dropping you off at the LLC by car, they are welcome to temporarily park at the LLC if there is space.
The community life at the LLC enables you to learn, grow, and share your experience within a close-knit community. Engaging in discussions in and out of class, travelling to your internships together, and coming home afterwards to share about your experiences are all valuable experiences that can foster lifetime friendships. A full-time Community Life Coordinator lives on-site and helps to facilitate community activities throughout the semester, from house-wide games and the classic LLC Murder Mystery Party, to class trips to Montreal, Kingston or the Sugar Shack, and the Diefenbunker. As well, there is a large TWU alumni community in Ottawa that is happy to encourage and help you. Each new LLC class also adds to the community life in its own way, coming up with everything from Documentary Mondays to Fat (Food) Fridays. You can always follow the LLC on Instagram and on Facebook, or browse #LLCottawa to see what the current group of students is up to.
The LLC mansion is located in downtown Ottawa, more affectionately known as Centretown. In and around the mansion, there are all sorts of things to do. In the fall, go for a bike ride along the Ottawa River. In the winter, go skating along the world-famous Rideau Canal Skateway. The LLC provides bikes, skates, and sports equipment that are all available for students’ use.
Located a short walk away from Parliament Hill, you’ll be right in the Ottawa action. Take in free fireworks at Parliament, visit museums for free on Thursdays, or join local organizations to hand out hot chocolate to homeless people on a cold winter’s night. Dress to impress and join your friends for a night at the Opera on a student budget; the National Arts Centre offers world-class theatre, dance, and classical music with student discounts. Suit up and rub shoulders with MPs and Senators at evening receptions on Parliament Hill.
Join a local gym or participate in yoga on the Parliament Hill lawn. Plan a weekend trip to Toronto, Quebec City, or New York. Connect with one of Ottawa’s vibrant church communities on Sunday mornings. Walk through a local market or festival to enjoy live local music and fresh food on your way home Sunday afternoon. Catch a professional hockey and football game with some friends. Are you convinced? There’s something for everyone to enjoy!
While we do not have Chapel every day at the LLC, there are plenty of opportunities and ways to connect with one another in faith. Lead or participate in a Bible study or prayer group with fellow LLC peers, or connect in community through a local church. During Orientation Week, students will meet pastors and leaders from several Ottawa churches who are eager to welcome you into their church communities for your short time in Ottawa. There’s often a “church crawl” early in the semester put on by local organizations, allowing incoming university students to discover local churches, worship together, and, of course, win prizes.
Your first few meals during orientation week will be provided for you by the LLC, and after that it’s up to you! We encourage students to form food groups and take turns cooking meals on different nights of the week. These “food families” become a highlight for many students, offering a place to collectively share about your day at your internship. There are several grocery stores within easy walking distance of the LLC. As well, a cooking class during Orientation Week will get your food preparation off to a good start.
Yes, we love to encourage family and friends to visit LLC students. We have a guest suite that parents of students can reserve, depending on availability. Contact the LLC for availability and booking. Each student gets three free dorm nights for guests to use during their semester at the LLC, allowing other family members and friends to stay in the dorms, provided that your roommates agree.
Generally, but not always, the semester starts on the first Monday of September for the Fall, and the first Monday of January for the Spring. The semester is 14 weeks long, with departure dates usually on the second Saturday of December for Fall, and the second Saturday of April for Spring. You will find out the exact start and end dates for your semester at the class meeting after you receive your acceptance.
Given that we are busy preparing the house for Orientation Week, students are not permitted to arrive early.
Yes, students are often able to stay past the semester end date, as long as there is availability. In these cases, students will have to cover the cost of accommodations beyond the end of the semester. How long you can stay is determined by the LLC’s schedule and room availability.
We do not have a reading break at the LLC. Our internship placements run uninterrupted throughout the semester, and a reading break would disrupt this flow. Instead, a semester at the LLC will end earlier than a regular semester at TWU.
We have some Packing Instructions to guide you as you prepare to come to the LLC. As well, you can read through the LLC Student Intern Handbook to get a sense of your expectations and dress requirements. Feel free to contact us if you have questions that are not answered after reviewing these guides.
Please contact us and we will be happy to help!