1. Academic requirements Your previous education needs to be deemed equivalent to at least a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree ( wetenschappelijk onderwijs, WO ) obtained at a research university (nominal duration 3 years). Please find more information about your admissibility with a non-Dutch degree here . 2. Programme specific requirements Law degree You can be admitted to the programme if your degree is assessed as the equivalent of a Dutch academic Bachelor's degree in Law and if you have completed enough courses relevant to the specialization(s) which you wish to pursue. Other academic degrees If you have an academic degree which is relevant for the specialization which you wish to pursue, you may also be admitted, if your degree is assessed as the equivalent of a Dutch academic Bachelor's degree and you: - have completed at least 60 EC in law courses; and - have acquired knowledge of and insight into the area(s) of law relevant to your specialization to at least the level of the end-terms of the VU Law bachelor. In practice, this means that you must have obtained both introductory and advanced level courses in the area(s) of law relevant to your chosen specialisation. You cannot be admitted to the programme with a degree which is not relevant for the specialization, not even if you have completed 60 EC in law courses. Admission on the basis of a degree from a University of Applied Sciences in not possible. 3. English-language proficiency requirements You will have to demonstrate sufficient English language proficiency. You can find an overview of relevant information to demonstrate your English language proficiency on the language requirement page . Check how to apply Application procedure with a Dutch university level (WO) bachelor’s degree (VU bachelor's degree or bachelor's degree at another university) First check whether you meet the admission requirements. To apply, it is not necessary that you have already obtained your bachelor's degree; you must, however, graduate by 31 August. You can apply from 1 October. The application deadlines are: To start on 1 September: 15 July for degree holders from EU/EAA countries To start on 1 February: 1 January for degree holders from EU/EAA countries Use this application procedure for Dutch degrees. Please note: on Studielink you apply to the master 'Law'. On VU Dashboard you can specify which specialization(s) you wish to pursue. For this master you do not need to provide a letter of motivation, letters of recommendation or a thesis. Application procedure with a Dutch higher vocational education (HBO) bachelor’s degree (pre-master's) First check above whether you meet the admission requirements. Students can only apply with an HBO-Rechten with a Dutch language track, kindly check our Dutch website for the application procedure.
To apply you are required to provide the following documents: Scan of your passport or national ID card (ID for EEA students only) valid at the start date of the programme. Master Application File please download the correct file from this website . In this file you can see which documents are required to apply for your programme. Proof of English language proficiency (if already obtained) upload your proof of English language proficiency or English language test results. Please find the English language requirements here . After having prepared the required documents, please follow the online application procedure .
All students seeking admission to an international Master’s programme with an international degree are required to pay a non-refundable €100 application fee. Only after you have paid this fee will we be able to start the evaluation of your application file. If you are applying for more than one programme, you will only need to pay the application fee once. Your application fee payment is valid for two years. The application deadlines are: To start on 1 September: 1 December (with complete dossier) for international students applying for one of the VU scholarships 1 April for international students applying for university accommodation 1 April for degree holders from non-EU/EEA countries 15 July for degree holders from EU/EAA countries To start on 1 February: 1 November for degree holders from non-EU/EEA countries 1 January for degree holders from EU/EAA countries Please note: on Studielink you apply to the master 'Law'. On VU Dashboard you can specify which specialization(s) you wish to pursue.
Studying law at VU means Law in Action. You will learn how to apply the law in practice and develop a strong understanding of its significance in society. In class, you will approach legal problems from an interdisciplinary perspective and critically discuss real-world cases. Lecturers organise moot courts and regularly invite guest speakers from practice. We also arrange relevant excursions, with a visit to the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg as the yearly highlight. You can also learn how to provide legal advice to NGOs in our law clinics, which include the International Law Clinic, the EU Citizen Rights Corner, and the Climate Change and Sustainability Law Clinic.