The Brussels School of Governance - Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Pleinlaan 5
Boulevard de la Plaine
1050
Brussels
Belgium
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- Part-Time
Full Profile
The Program
Curriculum
Why this LLM?
This LLM is one of the oldest LLM programs around, offering 95% employability, a 1,300+ strong alumni network from 110 nationalities, and situated at the heart of Europe. It is renowned since 1971 for its outstanding quality, international character, and a carefully developed curriculum that reinforces the skills you will need in your career in order to prepare LLM students to assume leading positions in an interconnected world where legal areas are increasingly interlinked. Students will acquire a multidisciplinary perspective and will receive a very versatile training, covering the various roles that they can take on professionally, be it legal advisor, policy maker, negotiator, data or sustainability consultant, human rights defender, or researcher.
Key features:
- Innovative curriculum: Combining core areas of European and international law with emerging global challenges.
- Evening classes: Designed for your convenience, the evening classes format offers the perfect balance for professionals and students who wish to continue their education while managing daytime commitments.
- Flexible study duration: Choose from a one-year intensive track or a two-year part-time format, catering to different pacing and scheduling needs.
- Research-backed education: Taught at the Brussels School of Governance, a leading institute in policy and fundamental research of the highest quality in an international context.
- Strategic location: Benefit from the knowledge and networks of professors working at the EU and other institutions and law firms in Brussels.
- Interactive learning environment: Experience personalised learning with limited class size, ensuring meaningful interaction and networking opportunities.
- Solid foundations: Programme of excellence established in 1971.
- Global alumni network: Join a community of over 1300 alumni, expanding your professional network and career opportunities.
- Unique educational experience based on the STEP approach to teaching and learning.
- Supported by the expertise of our Office for Teaching and Learning Innovation to accommodate sophisticated blended teaching methods .
Curriculum:
This LLM has three components:
- Core areas of international and European law (12 ECTS): Deepen your understanding of EU History and Law and of Policy-Making and Interest Representation.
- Emerging global challenges (30 ECTS each): Engage with courses in EU External Relations Law, EU Migration and Human Rights Law, EU and Global Sustainability Law, The Law of the Transforming EU Economy, and EU Data Law, focusing on Data Protection, AI, and beyond.
- Research block (18 ECTS): Culminate your studies with an MA thesis, demonstrating your expertise in a chosen topic under personalised guidance.
For a full overview of courses, please click on here.
Talk directly to our students and staff:
On our LLM website, you can submit your questions through a form or by e-mail, but you can also engage in a live chat with our students and staff to get an immediate answer to all your questions about the programme.
The University
The Brussels School of Governance (BSoG) is the alliance between the Institute for European Studies (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) and Vesalius College. For decades, both institutions have built up strong reputations as frontrunners in education, research, and academic services on the international scene. This LLM is a programme that is organised by the Institute for European Studies, a Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, and of which the degree will be awarded by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB). The programme is co-directed by Prof Dr Sven Van Kerckhoven and Prof Dr Tony Joris.
The Brussels School of Governance hosts important research projects funded by the EU in topics such as sustainability, climate policies, the role of the EU in the world politics, digitalisation, and migration and diversity, among other topics. This environment allows LLM students to learn about developments in these topics directly from those who are leading the field.
The Law School
Set against the backdrop of Brussels, the capital of Belgium and Europe and a pivotal location for European and international law, this LLM’s curriculum offers an immersive experience in the legal dynamics of Europe and beyond. It integrates traditional legal education with a focus on current global challenges. Capitalising on the core areas of the BSoG’s research portfolio, it zooms in on EU external relations, sustainability, migration, human rights, economy, and the evolving landscape of digital law (data protection / artificial intelligence).
Our campus is only a few tram stops away from the EU institutions, NATO headquarters, the Commission's outstanding library as well as dozens of think tanks and law firms. Our location offers the possibility to study the EU not just through courses, but also through the living lab of scores of policy related events and a maze of contacts in the Brussels policy hub.
The Faculty
The LLM is organized in cooperation with the Faculty of Law and Criminology of the VUB. The teaching staff is a unique mixture of renowned EU scholars, top-level EU practitioners and practicing lawyers that combine academic rigor with the latest practical insights and cultural diversity.
Entry Requirements
The Master in International and European Law is a post-graduate “Master after Master” programme. Each year we make a careful selection of maximum 40 students from all over the world, based on the following requirements:
Academic requirements
- Students are eligible to apply when they have either (1) obtained a MA in Law (5 years / 300 ECTS), or (2) if they have obtained, in accordance with the regulations of the country where the diploma is issued, a final law degree that provides access to the legal profession or to the qualifying exams for admission to the Bar, even if that law degree is less than 300 ECTS. The equivalence of foreign degrees will be decided by the Academic Board of the Programme.
- Students are selected based on an overall assessment of their profiles, including their academic qualifications, work and other relevant experience, motivation as well as the required level of proficiency in English (see below).
Language requirements
The Programme’s language of instruction is English. Every student who applies must provide recent certified proof of proficiency in English, by means of one of the 5 tests that we accept, with the required minimum level or score.
Visit our website here for a complete overview of entry requirements.
Application Procedure
The application process for the LLM in International and European Law is a two-phased one. In the first phase, students are assessed by the BSoG Selection Committee. In the second phase, students who have been accepted in Phase 1 need to formally register online with the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), which is the degree-awarding entity for this programme.
We recommend prospective students to apply as soon as possible to maximize the chances of being admitted.
We accept and review applications starting in October. The deadlines for students to apply are:
- 31 August for EEA citizens
- 30 April for non-EEA citizens
- 30 September for students with a Belgian Higher Education Degree
Visit our website here for details on how to apply.
Tuition and Fees
For the academic year 2024-25, students taking the programme in one year pay 6.000 EUR (60 Study Points). Students taking the programme in two years pay 3.500 EUR per academic year, so 7.000 EUR in total. These tuition fees are applicable to both EU and non-EU students.
Please note that when applying, a 50 EUR application fee is due, which is not refundable.
Please check our website here for the latest information on tuition fees and waivers
Financial Aid
The Programme offers a number of scholarships that take the form of (partial) tuition fee waivers, which are awarded on the basis of merit and demonstrated need. Students can apply for such a waiver by 15 April at the latest. For more information visit the FAQ section of our LLM website here.
Location
Brussels voted as best student city in Belgium
Brussels is one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. It is officially bilingual (French and Dutch), although it boasts an astonishing variety of cultures, styles and nationalities. Being the capital of an expanding Europe, Brussels is an international city like no other. 31% of its population is of foreign origin, and this makes for a unique atmosphere in which cultures interact easily with one another. A great many people work in Brussels. It is the headquarters of the European Commission, the European Council, the European Parliament and also plays host to NATO's European headquarters. The reason for this is Brussels' specific advantages: its central location in Europe, the fact that it is a multilingual city, the presence of different cultures and the population mix.
Accommodation
For all questions about accommodation visit the accommodation page of the VUB, here.
Programs at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Full-Time
- Business Law
- Public Law
- Data Law
- Sustainability
- Social Inclusiveness & Human Rights
- Digitalisation
- Students taking the program in 2 years pay 3,500 EUR each year.
Part-Time
- Business Law
- Public Law
- Data Law
- Sustainability
- Social Inclusiveness & Human Rights
- Digitalisation
- Students taking the program in 2 years pay 3,500 EUR each year.
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The Brussels School of Governance - Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB)
Pleinlaan 5
Boulevard de la Plaine
1050
Brussels
Belgium
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