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. Please make sure that you pay the application fee at least 24 hours before the application deadline of your programme.

Early bird application deadline  

• Studielink (advisory deadline): 8 January 2025, 23:59 CET  

• MyInfo: 15 January 2025, 23:59 CET 

Application deadline for students who need a visa (NON-EU/EEA) 

• Studielink (advisory deadline): 22 February 2025, 23:59 CET  

• MyInfo: 1 March 2025, 23:59 CET  

Regular application deadline  

• Studielink (advisory deadline): 25 March 2025, 23:59 CET  

• MyInfo: 1 April 2025, 23:59 CEST  

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

If you would like to be considered for a scholarship, you will need to have submitted your LLM application (including all required documents) in MyInfo before 1 January 2025. The deadline for submitting the intake form for the scholarship and all scholarship related documents is 15 January 2025. 

Admission to the Master’s programme is determined based on 2 aspects: 

1. Academic background 
2. English language proficiency 

The Master's programme in International and Transnational Criminal Law is a selective, specialised programme open to motivated and ambitious students. Therefore, in addition to the aspects listed above, applicants will be selected on the basis of study results and motivation by a Selection Committee. The criteria that are employed by this committee are as follows: 

• academic performance 

• motivation 

• demonstrable affinity with and/or relevant experience in the field of study of the relevant programme 

Academic background 

Your academic background must include a Bachelor’s degree in academic higher education in one of the following degree programme: 

• A Bachelor’s degree in law from a research university (Dutch: WO). 

• A Bachelor’s degree in the law track of PPLE (Politics, Psychology, Law and Economics) from the University of Amsterdam. If you did not complete the law track, then you will need to have obtained at least 45 ECTS of law courses as part of your completed PPLE programme.  

• A Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts & Sciences from any University College in the Netherlands, including at least 45 ECTS of law courses as part of this completed programme.  

• A Bachelor’s degree comparable to a Dutch Bachelor’s degree in European Studies or International Relations, including at least 45 ECTS of law courses as part of this completed programme.  

• A Bachelor’s degree from a research university (Dutch: WO) in another discipline, provided that at least 60 ECTS of law courses were obtained as part of this completed programme.  

• A Bachelor’s degree in Law from a university of applied sciences (Dutch: HBO-Rechten, CROHO code 39205) followed by the Dutch-language Pre-Master’s programme with ‘civiel effect’ at the Open University (Schakelzone Recht). 

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

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.  

• 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 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), the TOEFL iBT Home Edition are NOT accepted. Please note that we do not accept TOEFL MyBest scores. The required scores need to be obtained in one attempt.   
** The IELTS Academic Online, IELTS General Training and IELTS Indicator are NOT accepted. Please note that we do not accept the IELTS One Skill Retake. The required scores need to be obtained in one attempt. 

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

• Students who have received their prior education in English in one of the following English-speaking countries: Australia, Canada (except Quebec), Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom or the United States. Please note that if your education was bilingual, you do not qualify for this exemption; 

• 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). Please note that if your education was bilingual, you do not qualify for this exemptio; 

• 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. 

Ask the Admissions Office of the Amsterdam Law School a question:

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. 

When registering for this track ’in Studielink, first select ‘International Criminal Law’ as your study programme. You will be asked to select the specific track during a following step. In Studielink you can only register for one track of the LLM programme. If you are interested in applying for both tracks, you can do so in the application form (step 6). 

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 that you 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 (pdf) 

Go to Studielink 

After submitting your enrolment request in Studielink, you will receive an email with your UvAnetID. Follow the instructions in this email to activate your UvAnetID 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. Make sure to pay your application fee at least 24 hours before the application deadline of your programme. Only after paying the fee will you receive the invitation to 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);  

• If you have previously applied for this LLM programme at the UvA and you have deferred your application to the following academic year. Please contact the Admissions Office via the ‘Contact’ tab at the top of this page after you have registered again for the LLM programme in Studielink, so they can waive the application fee for you. 

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 complete online applications will be processed. A complete online application consists of the following documents: 

• Curriculum Vitae (CV) written in English, which includes the grades received for courses relevant to ITCL.

• A motivation letter written by yourself in English (maximum 400 words) which states:  

1. Your relevant background and reasons for choosing to study international criminal law (maximum 200 words), and: 
2. Your reasons to apply for LLM International (and/or Transnational) Criminal Law at the University of Amsterdam (maximum 200 words). 

Note: Your CV and motivation letter should be together in one Word/PDF document. This same document can be uploaded for both the CV and motivational letter.  

NB: The misuse of ChatGPT and other AI tools by the applicants may affect the outcome of the selection. 

• A reference letter in English and contact details of this referee. The reference letter should be addressed to and written specifically for your application to the I(T)CL LLM at UvA. A general reference letter will not be considered sufficient. Reference letters written by staff of the programme International Criminal Law will not be accepted. Please note that you will need to upload the reference letter yourself during your application. We will not contact your referee to request the reference letter. 

• A copy of university transcripts including grades. (Please note: if you have a non-legal Bachelor’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 icon next to your application in MyInfo.) 

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

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

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 Master's programme will be presented to the Selection Committee after the application deadline. The Selection Committee does not review applications on a rolling basis. You will be notified about the decision within 6 weeks after the application deadline (15 January /1 March / 1 April).

Accept 

If you meet all the entry requirements and the Admissions Board has approved your application, we will send you a letter of (conditional) acceptance by email. 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, regardless of your response to the offer, you are still able to withdraw your enrolment request in Studielink until the 31st of August. 

Defer 

You are allowed to defer the start of your studies for up to one year, provided that the admission criteria remain the same as the previous year. Please keep in mind that when you defer the start of your studies, for administrative reasons you will need to withdraw your current enrolment request in Studielink. When applications open for the next year, you will need to re-enrol in Studielink. Once you have done so, please contact the Admissions Office to receive a waiver for the application fee, and resubmit your UvA application form in MyInfo. You can upload the same documents as for your application of the previous year. After resubmitting your application form in MyInfo, please also upload your letter of (conditional) acceptance of the previous year by clicking on the paperclip icon next to your submitted application in MyInfo. This way, your application will be recognised as a deferral.

Decline 

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

By Dutch law, you must obtain your Bachelor’s and/or Master’s degree prior to the start of the Master's programme on 1 September. The Admissions Office needs to verify whether you have successfully completed your previous education.

I have a Dutch degree

If you will complete or have completed your previous education at the University of Amsterdam or another Dutch university, the Admissions Office will verify your graduation in DUO. You do not have to send us your diploma and transcript, unless stated otherwise in your conditional admission letter.

It may take several weeks for your university to register your graduation. Have you completed all courses of your Bachelor's and/or Master’s programme, but is your graduation not yet officially registered? In that case it is also possible to be admitted based on a graduation statement. The graduation statement needs to be sent by an authorised department at your university to certifieddocuments-law@uva.nl. We do not accept digital documents sent to us by students.

Once your graduation has been verified, you will be admitted to the Master’s programme. You will receive an official confirmation once your admission has been finalised.

I have a non-Dutch degree

We need to receive digital copies of your final transcript(s) and degree certificate(s) to finalise your admission. Please note that the deadline for submitting your documents can vary per student, as some are in need of assistance with an entrance visa or resident permit. In the conditional admission email, you will find the required documents and the deadline by which we need to have received them. 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.

Graduation statement

If your diploma will not be issued before the deadline you can submit a graduation statement instead. In this graduation statement your university needs to declare that you have met all graduation requirements and have graduated from your Bachelor's and/or Master's degree, stating your exact graduation date.

The document should be on official letterhead of your university and has to contain the following information:

• First (given) name and last name;
• Date of birth;
• Country of birth;
• Name of study programme;
• That you have met all graduation requirements of your Bachelor’s and/or Master’s programme;
• Official graduation date;
• Stamp and signature from a representative of your home institution.

How to submit your digital documents?

Through a secure portal:

We accept digital documents sent to us through a secure portal, such as: Parchment, Digitary, Hear, My eQuals, Gradintelligence, or CSSD (formerly CHESICC).

The email address with which you can share the documents is certifieddocuments-law@uva.nl.

Via email:

We accept digital documents sent to us by an authorised department of your university (such as the Registrar’s Office). Please ask the authorised department to send your documents to certifieddocuments-law@uva.nl. Please note that we do not accept digital documents sent to us by students.

What happens after we have received your documents?

Once we have received your digital documents, we aim to verify them within 3 weeks. Upon successful verification, you will receive an email confirming your unconditional admission.

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 a 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 at the Amsterdam Law School, you will need to sign up for courses during the registration periods indicated on the website. 

Without a course registration you cannot attend education. Course registration takes place before the start of every semester. After you've been admitted to the Master's programme you'll receive information on how to register for courses. 

Please note: The Amsterdam Law Clinics have a different registration period prior to the course registration period. Check the clinics deadlines in the Course Catalogue. 

Course registration

After you have been (conditionally) admitted to the LLM programme at the Amsterdam Law School, you will need to sign up for courses during the registration periods indicated on the website.

Without a course registration you cannot attend education. Course registration takes place before the start of every semester. After you've been admitted to the Master's programme you'll receive information on how to register for courses.

Please note: The Amsterdam Law Clinics have a different registration period that is prior to the regular course registration period. Check the clinics deadlines in the Course Catalogue.

For questions about course registration, please contact the Education Desk.

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.

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.