The Canada Connection: Gaining global perspectives—and a master’s degree

When Kwa Zhi Cheng ’25 boarded his flight to Canada for a year-long exchange at the University of Toronto (UoT) in August 2024, he knew he was embarking on a unique experience. The chance for the undergraduate to study for an LLM at an internationally renowned institution at the heart of Canada’s commercial capital offered both adventure as well as familiarity from a legal perspective.

That was why he chose UoT instead of other top universities in the UK, US and Australia, when deciding on a destination for the fourth year of his LLB degree programme. This is part of NUS Law’s notable Exchange Plus Programme, under which students will graduate with an LLB from NUS, and an LLM from a partner university.

What Zhi Cheng didn’t yet realise was just how much being so far from home would impact him both academically and on a personal level.

Finding Community Across Cultures

Arriving in Toronto without knowing a single person, and discovering he was the only Singaporean law student at UoT that year, was daunting. He recalled, “Living alone, adapting to a new country and facing a new academic environment, all felt rather overwhelming to me in the beginning. But I took it one step at a time and knowing that many of my seniors had walked this path at UoT before me, helped me to push through the tough times.”

That challenge became the foundation for an incredibly rich cultural exchange. “In my entire time in Toronto, I never got to meet another Singaporean and, in hindsight, this pushed me to connect with more people from other cultures,” he shared.

Zhi Cheng recalls fondly how his close-knit group of LLM friends helped one another through the harsh winter months and stressful examination season. “We cooked for one another, hosted game nights, and even had our own Chinese New Year celebration. I will always cherish the moments we shared, which have undoubtedly formed a core part of my experience at UoT.”

A Different Way of Learning

Academically, the experience proved both rigorous and refreshing. Zhi Cheng explained that at UoT, LLM students shared classes with Juris Doctor students who had already earned their degrees in other disciplines. “This truly enriched classroom discussions as they were able to contribute insightful, interdisciplinary perspectives, or simply share more about what they had learnt from their other degree, with the class,” he explained.

Instead of specialising, Zhi Cheng chose a general coursework LLM to explore a wide range of courses to complement those he had taken at NUS Law. Three courses stood out for him—Tort Law in Practice, where he had the opportunity to draft an appellate brief based on a real, ongoing case; Financial Crimes and Corporate Compliance, taught by a seasoned practitioner who brought the subject to life; and Criminal Process, where he chose to write a 12,000-word legal research paper, the first time he produced an academic piece of such significant length.

“We had the unique opportunity to opt for the alternative form of evaluation for any course taken, which was to independently produce a legal research paper of considerable length. I made full use of this opportunity to gain more experience and confidence in producing more significant pieces of academic writing. That was undoubtedly the highlight of my academic journey at UoT.”

Life Beyond the Classroom

Life in Toronto wasn’t confined to lecture halls and legal texts, though. Through sports and student-run events, Zhi Cheng found the right balance to the academic rigour of law school and even achieved a personal milestone. “I completed my first half marathon at the 2024 Niagara Falls Marathon event with some of my friends from UoT Law. I even trained for the 2025 Toronto Full Marathon, but had to miss it due to injury.”

He also picked up tennis through UoT’s student recreation programme and actively participated in law faculty and student association events, which helped create a well-rounded experience and allowed him to foster stronger bonds with his community.

Lessons in Law

Reflecting on how his experiences over the last year would impact his legal career in the future, Zhi Cheng commented, “The experience of independently researching and crafting significant pieces of academic writing has sharpened my thinking and helped me gain more confidence in my own voice, opinions and legal writing style. I will certainly build on this and continue to hone my legal research and writing skills as I enter legal practice.”

“The Exchange Plus Programme at UoT enabled me to connect with and learn from many legal professionals who come from cultures that were novel to me. The soft skills and cultural knowledge that I learnt through interacting with them, will hopefully enable me to become even more perceptive as a lawyer,” he added.

Having benefitted greatly from this overseas experience, Zhi Cheng offers advice to fellow NUS Law students who are planning to take this path. Academically, he believes that NUS Law equipped him well to excel at UoT Law. “Have faith in the legal skills and knowledge that we have gained in the first three years of law school.” On the practical side, he encourages students to do their research on scholarships and awards.

And lastly, to truly get the most out of the exchange experience, Zhi Cheng said, “Keep an open mind, embrace the diversity and connect with people from other cultures that are new to you.”