Start your application procedure on time 

You need to submit your enrolment request via Studielink, activate your UvAnetID, pay the application fee (if applicable) AND submit your complete application request via MyInfo before the deadline stated below. It may take several days to complete all these steps. We recommend you to register in Studielink at least one week before the deadline of your programme.

Early bird application deadline 

• Studielink (advisory deadline): 8 January 2024, 23:59 CEST 

• MyInfo: 15 January 2024, 23:59 CEST 

• Notification period: You will be notified about the decision within 4 weeks after the application deadline 

Application deadline for students who are in need of a visa (non-EU/EEA) and/ or want to apply for UvA housing 

• Studielink (advisory deadline): 25 March 2024, 23:59 CEST 

• MyInfo: 1 April 2024, 23:59 CEST 

• Notification period: You will be notified about the decision within 4 weeks after the application deadline 

Application deadline for those students who do not need a visa and will not apply for UvA housing 

• Studielink (advisory deadline): 25 May 2024, 23:59 CEST 

• MyInfo : 1 June 2024, 23:59 CEST 

• Notification period: You will be notified about the decision within 4 weeks after the application deadline 

If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, you will need submit your LLM application and the intake form for the scholarship and all scholarship related documents on 1 April 2024, 23:59 CEST at the latest. You can find more information about the available scholarships and how to apply for them on the tuition fee and scholarships webpage. 

Please note that applications received in MyInfo after the deadline will not be considered for admission. 

A limited number of students will be admitted to the programme through a selection procedure. 

Entry requirements 

• Academic background 

• English language profiency 

Selection criteria 

In addition to the entry requirements, the selection committee assesses applications for admission based on the following selection criteria: 

• It is valued during the selection process if your previous study programme included courses on tax law, or if you have acquired relevant competencies through work experience in tax law. This study or work experience can be in either domestic or international tax law. This helps students entering this programme to have a good understanding of the content of the programme and give them the opportunity to share their knowledge in the field with their fellow students. Applicants that do not have any experience in tax law, either through university study or work experience, will also be considered, provided that they can show a genuine interest in the topic. 

• You must be willing to participate actively in the classroom.  

• You must have an open mind towards different cultures. 

All applications will be considered on an individual basis. Diplomas will be evaluated in accordance with guidelines set by the NUFFIC. 

Academic/professional background 

The candidate must satisfy one of the following sets of requirements: 

• Have completed a university degree in law that is the equivalent of a Master’s degree in the Netherlands. An initial Master’s degree from a university that follows the European BA-MA system is equivalent.*  

• Have completed a Bachelor’s degree in Law from a Dutch or foreign research university (Dutch: WO) which is equivalent in level, workload and contents to the University of Amsterdam’s (UvA) Bachelor’s degree in Law and be admissible to the bar. 

• Have completed a Master’s degree from a research university (Dutch: WO) in any discipline, who has obtained at least 30 ECTS of law courses during university education. An initial Master’s degree from a university that follows the European BA-MA system is equivalent to a Dutch Master’s degree.*  

• Have completed an (advanced) Master’s degree from a technical college in a strongly related discipline, namely tax law, fiscal economics, or accountancy. An initial Master’s degree from a university that follows the European BA-MA system is equivalent to a Dutch Master’s degree.*  

• Hold a professional accountancy qualification (such as Chartered Accountant or Certified Public Accountant). 

* Degrees from universities that do not follow the European BA-MA system must require a study of at least four years in order to be equivalent; if you are not sure whether your degree is the equivalent of a Dutch master’s degree, please consult the NUFFIC. 

Note: If you are not sure whether you satisfy the entry requirements, please consult us in advance with details of your education and qualifications and we will be happy to advise on your admissibility to this programme. 

English language proficiency 

In an international environment, sufficient mastery of the English language is critical for academic success. Students must take an English-language proficiency test to demonstrate their ability. The Amsterdam Law School accepts the following tests and test results: 

• TOEFL* (Test of English as a Foreign Language) - The minimum required TOEFL score is 100 iBT, with a minimum of 24 for subscores reading and writing, a minimum of 22 for subscore listening and a minimum of 25 for subscore speaking. Please make sure to mention our institutional code: 9011 when signing up for the TOEFL test so we can verify your scores online. 

• IELTS Academic ** (International English Language Testing System) - The minimum required overall IELTS score is 7.0, with a minimum score of 6.5 for each individual component. 

• Cambridge English Language Assessment: minimum grade C1 Advanced with a minimum score of 190. Please make sure to ‘share’ your test results with us so we can verify your scores online. 

Please note: The Amsterdam Law School only accepts English language proficiency test results that are no more than two years old on the day you submit your application in MyInfo. 

* The TOEFL ITP test (Institutional Testing Program) and the TOEFL iBT home edition are NOT accepted.  
** The IELTS Academic Online, IELTS General Training, IELTS Indicator and IELTS UKVI are NOT accepted. 

The following students are exempted from the above-mentioned test requirements: 

• Students who have received their prior education in one of the following English-speaking countries: Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States; 

• Students who possess an international or European baccalaureate diploma (provided that it is an English-language diploma); 

• Students who have completed a Bachelor’s or Master’s programme taught entirely in English (note: this does not include exchange, summer school or other non-degree programmes); 

• Students who possess a Bachelor’s diploma from a Dutch research university; 

• Students who have completed the specific pre-Master’s programme for this LLM programme. 

Questions? Please take a look at our FAQ. 

Before you can apply to the UvA, you will need to submit an enrolment request in Studielink. Studielink is the national online system for students who would like to pursue a degree programme at a Dutch university. 

Check your DigiD (before starting in Studielink) 

A DigiD (Digital Identification) is an online ID (username and password) that provides access to government administration websites. 

• Students who do not live in the Netherlands can use Studielink without a DigiD. 

• Students who currently live in the Netherlands will need their DigiD to use Studielink. We strongly recommend you to apply for your DigiD at least three weeks before registering in Studielink. 

Read the step-by-step guide to Studielink 

Before starting your enrolment application in Studielink, read the ‘Step-by-step guide to Studielink’.  

Download the Step-by-step guide to Studielink 

Go to Studielink 

Please note that in Studielink and MyInfo you will see (links to) information for Master's applicants of regular LLM’s. Be aware that not all information applies to applicants to this programme. For the right information, please visit the pages linked to the Advanced Master programme, such as ‘Tuition fee’. 

After submitting your enrolment request in Studielink, you will receive an email with your UvAnetID. Follow the instructions in this email to activate your ID as you will need it to complete your UvA application. 

All students applying for a Master’s degree programme with an international diploma are required to pay a non-refundable €100 application fee. You can pay your €100 application fee by credit card (Mastercard or Visa) or iDEAL. Only after paying the fee, can you start your application in MyInfo. It is not possible to start an application without paying the application fee. 

You don't have to pay the application fee: 

• If you have or will obtain a Bachelor’s degree from a Dutch research university; 

• If you have already applied and have paid the application fee for another Master’s programme at the UvA for the academic year 2024-2025;  

• If you are applying through the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF). 

After enrolling in Studielink and paying the application fee (if applicable), you will receive an email within 24 hours with a link to your MyInfo UvA application form. To log in to MyInfo  you need your activated UvAnetID. Please fill out the application form, upload the required documents and submit your MyInfo application form before the application deadline. 

Online application 

Please make sure you have all documents ready before you start your application. Only a complete online application will be processed. A complete application contains the following documents: 

• Curriculum Vitae. 

• A copy of university transcripts including grades. (Please note: if you have a non-legal Master’s degree, please provide us with an overview of which courses on your transcript are law courses, including a document with course descriptions or syllabi of these courses. You can add these documents to your application after you have submitted your application form, by clicking on the paperclip sign next to your application in MyInfo to add additional documents.) 

• A copy of your university diploma (if it has already been obtained). 

• Proof of your English language proficiency (see Entry Requirements). (Please note that you cannot submit your English language proficiency test after submitting your application form.) 

• Motivation letter. 

• Two recommendation letters (in English; at least one academic). Please note that you will need to upload the reference letters yourself during your application. We will not contact your referees to request the reference letters. 

• If appropriate: evidence that you have work experience in tax law. 

In case any of the above mentioned documents is missing, your application will be considered incomplete and we cannot continue with your application. 

Once we have received your application, it will be evaluated by our Admissions Board. Only those applicants who fulfil the entry requirements for the advanced LLM will be presented to the Selection Committee after the application deadline. You will be notified about the decision within 4 weeks after the application deadline (15 January / 1 April / 1 June). 

Accept 

If you meet all the entry requirements and the Admissions Office has approved your application, the university will send you a letter of (conditional) acceptance by email. We request that you accept or decline within 2 weeks. After you have accepted your offer, your application will be further processed. Please make sure to accept your (conditional) offer in MyInfo within 2 weeks. If you are not sure yet if you will be attending the LLM programme, you can choose the option ‘I would like to confirm my participation, but I have doubts’. This will not have any consequences for your admission. If you do not respond to your offer within 2 weeks, we cannot continue with your admission process (and visa request if applicable). Please note that if you select ‘I would like to confirm my participation, but I have doubts’, you are still able to withdraw your enrolment request in Studielink until the 31st of August. 

Decline 

If you decline the offer in MyInfo, please do not forget to also withdraw your enrolment request in Studielink. 

Certified documents 

If you have been selected for our Advanced Master's programme, we need to verify your prior academic credentials. You will need to send us certified copies of your transcripts and degree certificates. Photocopies or scans of the original certified documents are not accepted.  

If you are required to submit documentation, there are two ways in which you can provide us with your diploma/statement of graduation and transcript. You can ask your university to email these documents to us directly at mailto:admissions-law@uva.nl. Please note that we will not accept emails forwarded by students, but only emails directly sent to us by the issuing university. Please make sure that your name, your UvA ID (student number) and your study programme are mentioned in the email. 

If your university does not provide this service, you can send us certified hardcopies of these documents by post to the address below. 

What is a certified hardcopy? 

A certified copy is a photocopy of the original document with a wet ink stamp and signature from your school/university or from an authorised notary. Uncertified photocopies or scanned copies of original documents will not be accepted. Do not send us the original documents - we cannot be held responsible for any documents that get lost in the process. 

Translations 

Documents that are not written in Dutch, English, German or French, must be accompanied by an official translation to English made by a sworn translator or a notary. 

Please send your certified documents by regular post to the following address: 

Admissions Office of the Amsterdam Law School (room A6.01a) 
Post Office Box 1030 
1000 BA Amsterdam 
The Netherlands 
 
Please note: In case of registered post: 

Admissions Office of the Amsterdam Law School (room A6.01a) 
Valckenierstraat 59 
1018 XE Amsterdam 
The Netherlands 

You will need to pay the tuition fee in order to complete your enrolment in a degree programme at the UvA. Find out more about tuition fees in the Netherlands to see which matters of your enrolment possibly still need to be completed. 

Practical information 

If you are an international student, you will need to arrange a variety of practical matters before starting your studies. 

Visa, residence permit, insurance 

The first step is to determine whether you will need a visa and/or residence permit. Then you need to arrange your insurance. 

Housing 

The UvA does not offer student housing on our campuses. We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the housing market in the Netherlands before you choose your study programme. It can be difficult to find available housing in Amsterdam, so you will need to start looking for yourself as soon as possible via Dutch student housing websites. For international students, the UvA has limited number of rooms available throughout Amsterdam, which you can apply for via UvA Housing. Please note there are not enough rooms available via UvA Housing to accommodate all international students. As placement for UvA Housing is not guaranteed, we advise you to start your orientation for housing options early and to always explore the private housing market as well. 

A student ID card is a personal document which serves as proof of identity for examinations and library privileges. You will receive instructions by email explaining how to request your student ID card.  

Course registration 

After you have been (conditionally) admitted to the LLM programme by the Amsterdam Law School you will be signed up for courses by the Amsterdam Law School for the first semester.

For questions on course registration, please contact our Education Desk. 

Courses per semester 

You will find a course overview per semester (with course descriptions) in the online Course Catalogue.

Academic calendar 

The academic year is divided into two semesters, each lasting 20 weeks. Semester 1 classes begin in the first week of September. Semester 2 classes begin in the first week of February. 

Go to the academic calendar 

For international students moving to another country, while exciting, can also be overwhelming. Plan your arrival date and find out what you need to do once you arrive in the Netherlands. 

To help you get started, the Amsterdam Law School organises an Introduction Day for all new Master’s students the week before teaching starts. You will receive information on the Introduction Day by email before you start your studies in September.