Heya,

I've gotten into both McGill and Leiden for the Air and Space Law LL.M. As I'm trying to chose between the two I was wondering if there are any others out there that had to make that choice and if so, what lead you to make whatever choice you did.
I was also wondering if anyone knows how selective each program is. I know the Leiden LL.M only has about 25-30 students, but I have no idea about McGill... This won't influence my decision but I'm curious about it nonetheless.

And just to clarify the McGill program I'm referring to is the one with the thesis.

Thank you :)

Hello!
I’m Valentina from Rome, student of the Advanced LL.M. in Leiden, and happy to give you some more details :)

My experience in the aerospace legal field took off with an internship in one of the leading aerospace companies, and now I landed in Leiden to build a solid air and space legal background.
I can tell you that I have chosen this LL.M. without the slightest hesitation. You tackle all the aspects of air and space law, combining academic insights and practical experience, especially thanks to the mandatory internship.

It’s a couple of years that the class has around 25 students, the intake is quite selective so first of all congrats for getting in!
The programme entails a variety of tasks: giving presentations, writing research papers, as well as taking part in international and internal moot courts organised both for the air and the space legal domain. They are hard but fun work, I am taking part in one and having the time of my life!

The Leiden environment is unique: the quality and variety of lecturers, ranging from professors to practitioners has astounded me from the start. I would add that the classmates are an added value to the programme: we come from all over the world, all passionate and enthusiast, with diverse legal backgrounds, and to a different extent we all possess professional experience. We spend a lot of time learning from each other and putting efforts together, both during class and in less formal settings. Our class is really close and this thanks to the International Institute of Air and Space Law which organises several activities to get us together: in a nutshell, the LL.M. in Leiden is a great community of people!

A great aspect of the programme is its proximity to European and international institutions. We have at the same time professors and practitioners from all over Europe and beyond Europe; one of the greatest initiatives the Leiden LL.M. organises is the Latin America day with practitioners from legal systems I would have never properly discovered without the LL.M.!
We also have a mandatory internship to carry out throughout the year and this is an outstanding opportunity to gain experience. It’s also a good chance to travel beyond the Dutch borders and dis-cover different work environments and gain new skills.

Working and studying in the aerospace environment is a great responsibility and opportunity, which requires a high specialisation. The Professors of the Leiden LL.M teach us how to strive for more and seize opportunities. The continuous exchange and support they give us is remarkable; every day I feel I’m building the stepping stones for my future career. I recommend the Leiden programme as a well-rounded and personally rewarding experience!!

[Edited by Valentina_Vecchio on Apr 21, 2017]

Hi!

My name is Julian. I’m from Puerto Rico and currently a student of the Advanced Master LL.M. in Air and Space Law at Leiden University, along with Valentina. I can relate with you as I have been in the same situation before. To be honest, I’m satisfied with my decision of choosing Leiden. I’m very pleased with the experience of living in the Netherlands and the quality of education I’m getting.

In my case, I chose Leiden mainly for two reason: their mandatory internship program (which McGill doesn’t offer) and its proximity to aviation, space and international law institutions (Airbus Defence and Space, Boeing, GECAS (aircraft lessor), Schiphol airport, KLM-Air France, ESA ESTEC, UNCOPUOS, UNOOSA, the Peace Palace Library, International Court of Justice, European Union institutions, among others).

The programme is an advanced master, hence, it’s specific and challenging. It entails writing papers, giving presentations, taking exams, participating in an international or internal moot court, doing an internship in any air or space law institution of your preference, and writing a thesis. You also have the opportunity to publish your papers in renowned journals. In addition, we are constantly encouraged to participate in conferences and symposiums, which help us to learn beyond the classroom and grow our professional network. That being said, I believe the programme itself is very complete.

The quality and variety of the professors and guest lecturers is outstanding. Guest lectures come from all over the world and from different entities, including ICAO, IATA, law firms, airlines, US and EU institutions, other universities, corporations, among others.

The director and deputy director of the International Institute of Air and Space Law are very well renowned persons in the Air Law and Space Law field, respectively. They, along with the coordinators of the program, are always available to help you on a one-on-one basis. Before taking the decision, I took a trip to Leiden to meet them in person and learn more about the program and clear some questions. That personalized approach made me feel I was valuable to them.

As for my fellow classmates, we come from all over the world. We are very diverse, yet, we get along very well and we enjoy our time together. We spend time learning from each other, having fun and building a strong bond that will prevail for years. Seriously.

Also, twice a year the Faculty of Law organizes an event called “Career Day” in which they offer workshops to help you with your CV, motivation letter and prepare you for job interviews. As a student you can also access the main University Library and visit the Peace Palace Library, as well as other public libraries in the country.

Leiden is a very charming student city. It has an impressive history, beautiful landscape and is easy to bike around. It’s also close to other major cities: The Hague is just 11 minutes away by train, Schiphol airport 15 minutes and Rotterdam Centraal and Amsterdam Centraal 33 minutes away. Plus, Paris, Brussels, London and Germany are easily accessible by train or plane.

Having the opportunity to study in the oldest university in the Netherlands is unique and rewarding. I feel that I took the best decision in choosing Leiden and I encourage you to do the same. The knowledge you’ll gain and the opportunities you will get can’t be found elsewhere. Good luck and enjoy!

I can relate with you as I have been in the same situation before. To be honest, I’m satisfied with my decision of choosing Leiden. I’m very pleased with the experience of living in the Netherlands and the quality of education I’m getting.