Public International Law (LL.M.)
Admission requirements
To be eligible for Public International Law at Leiden University, you must meet the following admission requirements.
Diploma requirements
In order to be considered for the Master programme Public International Law, you should possess (before the start of the programme) a Bachelor's in Law (LL.B) from a recognised research university. If you do not possess a full Bachelor in Law, you are required to do a law conversion program that allows you to sit for the bar in the relevant country upon completion. For instance, a J.D. program from the United States satisfies the Bachelor requirement of the Master programme.
For the purpose of the above, a recognized research university is a university that offers PhD. programme(s) in Law and is recognized as a research institute in international rankings. Law schools with an excellent reputation domestically may also satisfy the requirements, provided that they give access to the legal profession. Universities that exclusively offer vocational teaching (Dutch: HBO), however, do not qualify. If you are from China, please note that we only accept students from National Key Universities/Double First Class Universities.
Bachelor's in Law (Dutch students)
Je bent toelaatbaar met een bachelordiploma Rechtsgeleerdheid (met togatraject) van een Nederlandse universiteit afgerond vóór de start van de masteropleiding.
- Heb je een bacheloropleiding Rechtsgeleerdheid behaald of ga je deze dit collegejaar afronden met opleidingscode 50700 dan ben je direct toelaatbaar. Zie voor de opleidingscodes/RIO de website van DUO.
- Heb je een vergelijkbare bacheloropleiding maar met een andere opleidingscode dan 50700, dan dien je na de aanmelding in Studielink, een toelatingsverzoek in te dienen via het online aanmeldportaal uSis van de Universiteit Leiden.
Zie de aanmeldprocedure voor directe toelating en het indienen van een toelatingsverzoek.
Entry options via university of applied sciences (HBO)
From the 2028–2029 academic year onwards, entry for bachelors from a university of applied sciences will be possible via a faculty-run pre-master’s programme. This is to ensure the best possible alignment between the HBO bachelor’s degree and the relevant master’s programme. In the Bachelor’s programme in Law, a revised curriculum is currently being introduced year by year. Due to this transitional situation, the faculty is currently unable to offer a coherent pre-master’s programme.
However, for students from universities of applied sciences without a VWO diploma, a transfer to the Bachelor’s programme in Law is possible after the UAS propaedeutic year (subject to conditions) and after the UAS Bachelor’s degree (with exemptions within the Bachelor’s programme in Law).
Language requirements
Proven English language proficiency, demonstrated by way of an English test IELTS academic (overall score of 6.5) with at least 6.0 for each of the four components or an equivalent result for a Toefl or Cambridge ESOL test (check the equivalent scores). Your test result may not be more than two years old.
You can apply to a programme before you obtain the results of your language exam (if you already have your results you can upload them directly in our online portal). If you are admitted, it will be on the condition that these results will meet the required levels specified.
English language proficiency
The following requirements apply:
- IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall, with at least 6.0 for each separate component score.
For other accepted exams, including score equivalency tables and criteria for the accepted exams, refer to our English language proficiency requirements.
Note that English test results may not be more than two years old.
You do not have to submit an English proficiency test if you have completed your education in the USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada (except French-taught programmes in Canada) Singapore, South-Africa or Malta, if you have obtained an English-taught International Baccalaureate™; if you have completed a Dutch VWO diploma or an English-taught degree at a Dutch research university or an English-taught bachelor’s degree from a Dutch university of applied sciences.