Hi everyone,
Just for your information, I was admitted to ALS but I do not apply for the MTEC scholarship since I am not an EU citizen. Can anyone could give me information about how can I pay the admission fee? The ALS website did not mention any Bank account to where I should pay the fees. They only mention that the admission fee/ tuition fee should be received by ALS prior 30th of August 2006.

btw, the elective course i chose is :

Law of Public International Organization (10 EC)
WTO Law: Institution and System of Dispute Settlement (5 EC)
International Trade Law (5 EC)
Sources and Foundations of International Law (5 EC)
Law of the Internal Market (10 EC) (for 5 EC)

I also need to take the introductory courses on Public International Law and European Law for 5 EC each.

Rusadi R. Nurima

law.rusadi@gmail.com

Hello everyone,

I am also one of the new LLM students at Amsterdam with the MTEC Scholarship.
This is my email: behohler@yahoo.com

I also expect the UvA to arrange for the flights and right now I am just wondering about the accomodation...where, how, with whom...:)

As for quality of UvA I hope it is good. I did an Eramus in utrecht last year and it was great. UvA was mainly appealing because of the full scholarship, but from what I hear here and from other sources the programme is good.

Keep smiling and hope to hear from you.
Beti

Does anybody now how many people is in the LLm ,and how many will come with the MTEC scholarchip. In my case ill will finance my studies, that means part time job. One more, do you know how is the thing with twxt books, are they expensive?? I ve been advised to take a laptop with me, areu taking laptops, or just using the lab computers??
Cheers. Juan.

I bring my laptop with me. I think it is best to bring laptop because I would expect a lot of paper work we should make.

Hi everybody,
Great advice on the laptops. However, I would want to know if there is easy access to the Internet in the Faculty or even computers. Does anybody know?
I do not think it is very feasible dragging on the laptops every day.

It would be great to get to know each other before the beginning of the year so here is my e-mail: ioana.mazilescu@gmail.com

Details for the payment of the fee.
I have looked into some papers received previously from them and the following instructions were included:

ABN-AMRO Bank, Acc. No: 50.90.95.402,
FdR, Amsterdam Law School,
P.O. Box 1030,
1000 BA Amsterdan,

And while transferring, please mention your name and the code C.2112.0004

However, I would recommend checking with them before making the transfer.

More on accommodation?

Regards,
Ioana

Has anyone (specially MTEC scholars) received info on accomodation? And travelling?

I am pretty sure there is wireless access for the internet at the faculty premises and usually in student appartments (especially for internationals) as well.

Keep smiling:)

As I've read some of you have been already in Holland, any advise about the weather?? Is it deadly cold in winter, or just a regular winter (Here in Mendoza, Argentina, a normal winter would be between11 max and 02 or 0° minimum).
Anybody from South America??
Cheers, Juan.

The weather in Amsterdam can only be described as .. rainy. That means that in autumn and winter you will see more rain than snow and that's not very pleasant.

I dont think we will experience many days under 0 °Celsius but there will be no chance of wearing shorts. Of course, it depends on your own temperature resistance but, for myself, it will be quite tough to adjust.

As an example, today, mid-summer season, there are 26° C in Bucharest (Romania), where Im from but only 19°C in Amsterdam. Not quite the summer I know!

On the other hand, in winter, there will be little snow and rarely the temperature will be below zero.

Bring your umbrella, strong shoes and warm clothes!

Ioana

The weather in NL is unpredictable. There is a lot of rain, but not heavy rain.
Good shoes are definitely recommendable, also a raincoat or something similar, because the waay to get around in NL is by bike and with an umbrella that's a bit more difficult.
It is not very cold, but might be quite windy.

All in all...it is also not as bad as it might sound. Although...comparing to South America...hmmm, it might seem cold:)

Greets from Slovenia,
Beti

Hello everybody,

I was admitted to the ALS with an MTEC scholarship too. The thing is that I was put on the waiting list, somebody refused the scholarship and they called me yesterday and invited me over :) I believe that I was not awarded MTEC on the first place, because my employer did not sign his statement on the scholarship application form. Remember, there were financial obligations for the employers in the case of cancellation the participation in the program within 4 weeks before its start. Anyway, my employer did not sign his part of the statement and I have sent the application just like this. I did not think that there is any chance for me to be given a scholarship for the ALS, but it happened! :) I am so happy now :)
In the meantime I was awarded full scholarship for the University of Nottingham, the UK and I have accepted the offer. The study subject there is Human Rights and honestly this is what I really wanted to study.
When they called me yesterday on my cell phone I was ssooooo surprised! They gave me two days to decide. It is really tough decision now. GB and Nottingham University are really something that is worth much, but the MTEC is so tempting. In Nottingham the scholarship does not cover the lining expenses and I would have to work part time. I think I will choose the ALS, regardless the better reputation of the University of Nottingham. International and European Law sound fine as well. Yessss, I think I made up my mind and I will see all you guys in September.
What do you guys think on my case? Is it worth to give up from Nottingham for the easier life in Amsterdam?

There is a question I would like to rise here for discussion What do you think about the obligation we undertook to return to our countries after finishing the programme and to work in the field of study for at least two years?

greetings from Bulgaria to all of you :))

The obligation to return to your country of origin is most common with these kind of scholarships. There is almost always some kind of obligation with substantive scholarship like this.

Hi, blossom,
10x for the opinion.

I understand that such obligations are common when you are given free money :) of course you are expected to do somethin' in return. However I think that this matter raises more complex and substantial questions.
Lets begin with the provision in the so-called Return statement that we all have signed when we applied for the MTEC scholarship:
I, the undersigned, declare that after finishing the programme, I will return to my home-country as soon as possible, to work in my field of study and apply the knowledge I gained for at least the two coming years.
Well, I am just trying to challenge your thinking.
The programme aims to educate us in the field of International and European Law. Should there be any exceptions for job offers within these two years from the EU structures? If the purpose of the scholarship is to educate young professionals from developing countries why it should be presumed that the only way to pay back is to work in your own country? What if my country sends me abroad to work? Does it count?
How about if after my return to my home country I can not find a position that is related to European or International Law?
What if I fall in love and get married to the guy who is Dutch (or anybody from around the word) and lets say he is refused an entry permit (lets suppose there is such a requirement) for my country. What do we do?
Could this statement in the application make a provision and deprive us from fundamental rights like the right to choose where to live, what to do, freedom to work or not, to earn what you deserve, get married and live with your family. What if I can not find a job? What if I could be more productive working in Brussels?
I understand that this is just one of many possible points of view and I will be glad to hear more.
Are all of you sure that you want to return to their countries and do not care for the eventual opportunities to work for the EU institutions?

Guys,
In my case (argentinian/italian) I'll have to suppourt myself in Amsterdam. Hence I dont have any compromise in working in such or any field for 2 years after finishing the LLM.
In your case, I think is just a compromise you assume in returning to your home country and working in such or ohter filed. A compromise is just what it is, just giving your word on something, there is no legal obligation (I have not read the MTEC regulation though), but as I can see, they (MTEC's people) want you to inherit what you've learnt in the LLM and in a way surpass that knowledege into your own countries. Of course if you fell in love, or if you have a great job opportunity, your way is going to vary and I don't think someone will look up for you and drag you to your country.
Again I'm just giving my point of view as an outsider, and my comment is valid for the case is just a compromise (not legally binding). If it were legally binding the facts were different.
Cheers, Juan.

Hi again...

I understand your concerns...and have found myself along similar lines of this thinking occasionally. I too do not know what after LLM, maybe some others professional doors will open and the fact that I must return will be a downset. However, this is something I take into consideration when applying. Most of the scholarships work this way, as I mentioned. This is the main principle - they want to make sure that the person whose education they are financing will 'give something in return'.

However, I do not agree that you would not be allowed to work in Brussels for an EU institution. If you are employed by your State and then send abroad, this qualifies as working for your national employer, for your State in the field of study. Legally, you are employed in your home country, no matter where de facto your position is.

As for other questions you raised...I might marry a Dutch, etc. ... First of all, none of your fundamental rights are violated, because it was your own decision to agree to this decision and take on this obligation!! You could have (any of us could) just as easily have said no in light of this questions and said 'no, i won't apply'.
Also...I expect exact terms of the Scholarship are going to be set in the contract we are, as I hear, about to receive during the next week or so. And then we will see the details of the obligations we might take on. And even if you accept the scholarship and decide not to sign the contract and decline the scholarship...as long as you do this 4 weeks before the start of the programme, there are no consequences for you (see point b.) of the return statement)).

Chilo2006, I definitely see your point, but I still think that there is a serious legal obligation even though we do not know yet (as blossom said there will be a contract regulating all this) the actual consequences of eventual breaking the terms of this scholarship contract. We will see, but I am positive there will be serious legal engagements there.
Blossom, you are absolutely right if you do not agree with the conditions do not apply in the first place and do not accept the offer in the second. The examined obligations under the scholarship agreement are still not something that would change my decision. The school, the programme and the scholarship are great (this is why we all have applied and finally choose this programme) and the truth is that I am totally fine returning back home for two years. I am just a little nervous about the possibility to loose an eventual opportunity as you said if some other professional doors will open you can not take the chance
Whit regard to your opinion that you would be allowed to work in Brussels for an EU institution it is not too convincing you have put your signature under the obligation that you WILL RETURN TO YOUR COUNTRY and work there, it does not give any room for wide interpreting, no EU, no CE, no UN, no NGOs.. the only way is the way back :) Which I am not saying is bad.. but still.. let us decide :)
Concerning your position that none of my rights are violated I totally agree. The examples I gave were only to try to outline the possible limitation in our fundamental rights. I believe you will agree that you can not put your self under the obligation that you will be put under inhuman treatment. Hence, we could think to what extend you could oblige yourself.
Nice discussion, thanks! :)

Cheers!

Hi again,

just wanted to say about working in an EU institution - I really think it IS covered by the statement. Also, when I talked to the co-ordinator a while ago, he answered that the obligation means to return to the home country or work for the home country. Don't get confused by the wording...to return to your home country, I believe, means being employed by a national employer - where that employers sends you is not relevant, your contract is with the, for example, the Ministry of Foreign affairs of an XY State, thus fulfilling the conditions!

And, yes, I do understand your questions and have similar ones myself but the way I see it - all I can do is decide about my near future and hope it all works out with the more distant future. And seizing opportunities available now is basically all I can do, otherwise I may not open some 'doors', just because I think I might possibly miss others in 2 years time.

Looking forward to meeting you in Amsterdam and worrying about all this some more...:)

Hi everyone.
I am also admitted to the International and European Law LLM in ALS (unfortunately without an MTEC scholarship:().
Did any of you request a mentor from the ISN and will you be coming to the introduction programme? I guess I won't be able to be there at September 1, because my temporary residence permit will probably begin that day.
By the way, I heard that the weather is not that cold in Amsterdam in winter. I was there in June and it was even hotter than Istanbul (where I live). So, I hope that it will be mild in winter too:)
Hope to see you all there...
Zeynep

I am also joing the ALS this year without scholarship - i did get in touch with a few alumni and all spoke favourably about the course structure and that the profs were good - by the way does anybody know about the Delta scholarships - whether the results are out??

Did you get information on accomodation yet? (Especially MTEC people). Where are you staying?