In Python, can I import a C# DLL if it's not directly in path?

Question

I am using pythonnet and clr to import a C# .DLL
Folder structure is like this:

|-- project
    |-- foo.py
    |-- folderWithDll
        |-- Common.Dll
        |-- example.py

If I am running cmd from the \\project folder, this will work:

from folderWithDll.example import *  

But when I try this:

import clr
from folderWithDll.Common.APIs import *  

I am met with the following error:

ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'folderWithDll.Common'  

However if I add folderWithDll to the path with:

sys.path.insert(0, os.getcwd()+'\\folderWithDll')

Then I can just do this and it will work:

from Common.APIs import *

Why can I not import the DLL unless I have its parent folder added to sys.path?

Thank you!