Start your application procedure on time 

You need to submit your enrolment request in Studielink, activate your UvAnetID and submit your complete application in SIS  before the deadline stated below. It may take several days to complete all these steps. We recommend you to register in Studielink at least 48 hours before the deadline of your programme.

Early bird application deadline  

• Studielink (advisory deadline): 13 January 2026, 23:59 CET  
• SIS application: 15 January 2026, 23:59 CET 

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

• Studielink (advisory deadline): 27 February 2026, 23:59 CET  
• SIS application: 1 March 2026, 23:59 CET  

Regular application deadline  

• Studielink (advisory deadline): 30 March 2026, 23:59 CEST  
• SIS application: 1 April 2026, 23:59 CEST  

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

To be considered for a scholarship, you must submit both your LLM application and scholarship application by 15 January at 23:59 CET. Please note that if either application is incomplete, we will not be able to process your scholarship application.

Law Scholarships - University of Amsterdam

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

1. Academic background 
2. English language proficiency 

A selection procedure applies whereby each application is evaluated by the programme’s Selection Committee. 

Students must fulfil the following criteria:  

• Motivation and ability to engage with study at an advanced academic level.  
• Motivation to actively participate in classes and to put in the work necessary to succeed.  
• Affinity or experience with international law.  
• Well-developed writing skills.  
• Well-developed analytical skills and ability to convey ideas clearly and logically.  

Academic background 

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

• 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 from a research university (Dutch: WO) that does not belong to the above-mentioned categories followed by the Dutch-language Pre-Master’s programme (‘schakelprogramma’) International and European Law.  Please note that your Pre-Master’s programme needs to consist of 60 ECTS.  
• 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 SIS. 

* The TOEFL ITP test (Institutional Testing Program) and 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 exemption; 
• 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.  

Please note that the Master International and European Law has 2 selective tracks: Public International Law and International Trade and Investment Law, and 2 regular tracks: European Union Law and European Competition Law and Regulation.

To register for this track in Studielink, start by selecting the 'International and European Law' programme. In the next step, choose the specific track you wish to register for. You may apply for a second track within the same application. However, the selection procedure does not allow a selective track to be chosen as your second track. If you are interested in a selective track, register for that track in Studielink. You can add a second, regular track later in SIS. Please note that we will not process a second track if you are (conditionally) admitted to your first track.

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 

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 application. 

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

Required documents

Only completed applications will be processed. An application consists of the following documents: 

• Curriculum Vitae in English. 
• 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. There is a specific field in the application form for this.)
• A copy of your university diploma (if it has already been obtained). 
• English language proficiency test results with sufficient scores (see Entry Requirements). Please note that you cannot submit your English language proficiency test after submitting your application form. 
• A motivation letter in English setting out your affinity or experience with international law and motivation to participate and succeed in the programme (maximum 300 words, any additional words will not be considered). 
• An essay in English in which you analyse one current problem or question of international law that triggers your interest in this field of law (maximum 300 words (excluding footnotes), any additional words will not be considered). 
• One reference letter in English from an academic referee (including their contact details). The referee should in any case address in the letter: their relation to the applicant; their opinion on the academic ability, and especially the writing and analytical skills of the applicant, and the participation of the applicant in class; their opinion on the applicant’s motivation to succeed in their studies. 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. 

If you already are a UvA student at the Amsterdam Law School or PPLE and your referee is a UvA professor of the Amsterdam Law School, you do not need to provide us with a reference letter. Filling out their contact details in the application form is sufficient. 

Please note that reference letters written by the staff of the programme International and European Law will not be accepted. 

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

Paying the application fee

All students applying for a Master’s degree programme with an international bachelor’s diploma are required to pay a non-refundable €100 application fee. Paying the application fee is the last step in submitting your application.

You can pay your €100 application fee by credit card (Mastercard, Visacard), PayPal, Bancontact or iDEAL. Only after paying the fee, will you be able to submit your application.

You don't have to pay the application fee: 

• If you have of will obtain a bachelor’s degree from a Dutch research university or university of applied sciences (HBO). 

• If you have already applied and have paid the application fee for another master’s programme at the UvA for the academic year 2026-2027. 

• If your tuition fees for the academic year 2026-2027 will be paid by the Foundation for Refugee Students (UAF). If so, your application fee will be refunded.

The application fee is non-refundable. You are not entitled to a refund even if you do not submit your application form, or if you submit an application form after the deadline (which will not be taken into consideration), or if you submit an incomplete 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 accept your offer in SIS within 2 weeks. 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 accepting the offer does not oblige you to start the programme. You will still be able to withdraw your enrolment request in Studielink until 31 August.

Defer 

You are allowed to defer the start of your studies for up to one year, provided the admission criteria remain unchanged from the previous year. To defer, you must cancel your current enrolment request in Studielink. When applications open for the next academic year, submit a new enrolment request in Studielink. You will also need to submit an application in SIS, for which you can use the same documents as the previous year. Additionally, upload your letter of (conditional) acceptance from the previous year to ensure your application is recognised as a deferral. You will not need to pay the application fee again.

Decline 

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

The Admissions Office needs to verify whether you have successfully completed your previous education. Therefore, we need to receive digital copies of your degree certificate(s) and final transcript(s) before the start of your programme. For instructions on how to submit digital documents, please go to this webpage. Please note that we cannot accept digital documents submitted by students themselves.

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. Course registration takes place before the start of every semester: in June for semester 1, in December for semester 2. After you've been (conditionally) admitted to the Master's programme you'll receive information on how to register for courses, and the exact dates on which you can do so. 

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. 

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. 

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.