College of Europe

European law is a multifaceted, rapidly developing, increasingly significant and fascinating area of the law. Having a solid and in-depth knowledge of the subject is beneficial, if not essential, for all lawyers nowadays.

The programme covers European law in-depth and comprehensively. It establishes a balance between the economic and the constitutional aspects of European law, and emphasises both the increasing complexity of EU law and the context in which it is evolving. The law programme is particularly demanding and requires extensive individual preparation in advance of each class. Students must learn to identify the particular, often complicated, features of a case, the structure of these features, the principles that can be drawn from the judgment or decision, to discuss the merits of such a judgment or decision and to compare it with others. Developing such skills is necessary for a lawyer who wants to specialise in EU law.

Bilingualism: Both the English and French languages are used in study and practical work.

The Diploma: The LLM awarded by the College of Europe has an outstanding reputation. It is valued inter alia by international law firms and European institutions. It offers excellent job opportunities at national, European and international level.

The most genuinely European of all the University Institutes of European Studies

The academic quality and the variety of its postgraduate European study programmes are renowned worldwide. The College of Europe is the most genuinely "European" of all the university institutes of European studies: it attracts a highly qualified pan-European faculty and welcomes students from across the entire continent and further afield; it enjoys a truly European atmosphere on its Bruges campus, and it can draw from its unique network of personal and institutional relationships developed, throughout Europe and beyond, over the past 65 years. As the careers of many of its alumni illustrate, the College degree opens up rewarding professional prospects in Europe and even worldwide.

A mix of excellent scholars and eminent practitioners from over 25 countries and varied legal traditions offer a truly European legal education. The students also are carefully selected and have different legal backgrounds from all over Europe and beyond.

All applicants to the College of Europe must hold a relevant university degree. Admission to the College of Europe requires either a Bologna Master's degree, or a pre-Bologna equivalent degree, or a final university degree and at least 240 ECTS credits acquired in the course of one's university studies. Holders of a Bachelor degree are also eligible provided they demonstrate strong qualification in relation to the academic programme for which they apply.
Equivalence will be determined on the basis of objective criteria.

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Candidates must submit a formal application for admission, which consists of an online application: http://www.coleurope.eu/apply

Applications need to be submitted with all the requested supporting documents before the deadline date (15 January 2020). All applicants, including students who do not apply for a scholarship, must indicate their selection committee (according to their nationality) in the application form. Should there be no selection committee, please select 'No selection committee - College of Europe'.

Before completing the online application form, please read the application instructions on our website.

After the deadline, the applications are evaluated and the preselection of all candidates is made by the selection committee in collaboration with the College of Europe on the basis of the online application. Preselected candidates are invited for an interview with the national committee. In most cases, a representative of the College participates in these interviews. If there is no local selection committee, preselected candidates are invited for an interview with the College directly.

The decision to admit a candidate is taken by the selection committee and by the College after the interview.

Please note that applications for admission are valid for one academic year only.

Tuition Fee: 17.000 Euros (2021-2022)
Board and Lodging fee: 9.000 Euros (2021 - 2022)

Approximately 70% of the students are granted scholarships by their government or by public or private institutions. For more detailed information about possible scholarships please consult the scholarships webpages. 

For all scholarships mentioned on our website candidates should submit an online application, indicating that they apply for these scholarships on the application form. Scholarships are awarded according to the final ranking of the candidates. Preselected candidates will be informed about the scholarship decisions as soon as possible after the selection interviews have taken place.

Bruges is a multifaceted city. It is a maze of medieval streets, meandering canals and green city ramparts enthrals millions of visitors every year.

The city prospered through the cloth trade and by the 15th century was a major emporium for the Hanseatic League, with as many as 150 trading vessels calling at its harbour every day. Commercial decline set in during the mid 15th century, in part caused by the harbour's sea access silting up, and by the 16th century the city had become known as Bruges-la-Morte, a depressed state in which it largely persisted until the late 19th century. At the turn of the last century, Bruges was once again reconnected to the sea via the newly-built Boudewijn Canal and its fortunes began to revive.

Only lightly damaged in both World Wars, the city was well-placed to profit from the huge expansion of tourism in the affluent post war decades, and today welcomes large numbers of visitors from around the world, whilst still retaining its historic appearance and highly attractive character.

The College's teaching and administrative centre and its halls of residence are situated in and around the historic centre of Bruges, one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and appointed 'Cultural Capital of Europe' in 2002.

The College of Europe offers its students a wide range of facilities. All students are allocated their own room with private bathroom in one of the student residences. The halls of residences feature a common room. Sheets, pillows, blankets, towels, duvets and cutlery are supplied. Washing machines are available in each residence.

Students enjoy privileged access to museums, concerts and sports facilities in Bruges.

Students are supported in all aspects related to their time spent at the College by the Student Affairs Office, particularly on practical matters related to administrative issues and everyday student life.

The Office assists students in the organisation of conferences as well as a series of national events and other social activities celebrating the diverse cultural heritages of their respective countries. Hereby some examples of the rich student life.