Master of Laws in International and European law: European Union Law Ghent University Law School

The LLM in European Union Law presents the best of Ghent Law School’s renowned expertise in EU law for students aspiring to specialize in the law and institutions of the European Union. By a careful combination of compulsory core courses and elective specialized courses, students receive an all-around high-level EU law education, while maintaining freedom of focus on personal career or research needs.

The European Union Law specialization presents the best of Ghent Law School’s renowned expertise in EU law for students aspiring to specialise in the law and institutions of the European Union. By a careful combination of compulsory core subjects and elective specialised courses, students receive an all-round high-level EU law education, while maintaining freedom of focus on personal career or research needs.

About the programme

What

The Ghent Law School is an EU "Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence", recognised for its expertise and its available resources for European Union Law. With the EU institutions in its vicinity, Ghent Law School offers all the necessary facilities for an in-depth study of the law and practice of the European Union. Students can also benefit from the excellent library, which doubles as a European Documentation Centre.

With an ever-expanding and further integrating European Union, and in an ever more global legal environment, this LLM offers an additional law degree that is instrumental in the international job market. The specialised nature of the programme allows students to develop specific skills and competences in the rapidly developing areas of EU law. In short, this Ghent University Law School LLM specialisation forms a significant stepping stone for lawyers and professionals who require knowledge of EU law and/or EU institutions for their career development.

Structure

Students need to obtain 60 credits, over a period of two semesters. There is great flexibility in shaping one’s own curriculum. Eighteen credits cover courses specializing in European Union law. Ten more credits are dedicated to the compulsory supporting courses dealing mainly with various legal and political developments in order to broaden the horizons of legal professionals. Students are also required to write a fifteen-credits’ worth LLM Paper in connection with one of the courses on the curriculum.

The remaining credits are filled with elective courses on a variety of topics from the following fields: European Law, Economic and Social Law, Environmental Law, Public International Law, Criminal Law. Students can choose from approximately twenty five different courses, all of which are exclusively taught in English. Teaching is generally done interactively, requiring advanced reading and class participation. The programme typically hosts several internationally reputed guest professors with a rotation on a yearly basis. Students can also choose to participate in one of the various moot courts or legal clinic as an official part of their curricula.

Organised social activities are an important part of the LLM-experience, and not all are extracurricular. Curricular activities include guided visits to important EU and international institutions and participation in several colloquia.

Master's dissertation

The master's dissertation is a requirement for every candidate to obtain a master’s degree. The master's dissertation is an original piece of research work. It aims to develop and strengthen the research capacity skills of the students. The student selects a topic and is given guidance by a promoter or supervisor throughout the academic year.

Study programme quality

Strengths

1. Intake guidance is essential. The LLM-programmes invest substantially in reaching out to the appropriate candidates and in guiding them towards application and admission. The guidance continues after the start of the academic year. Incoming students participate in an extensive Orientation programme.
2. Curriculum flexibility: Ghent law school offers three different LLM programmes that reflect varying career aspirations. Within the framework of your personal position and ambitions, you are able to design the curriculum that best fits your needs.
3. Active learning: the LLM-programmes attach great importance to teaching methods that ensure students are not passive absorbers of knowledge. Instead they are encouraged to do independent research and to think critically through class preparation assignments, small papers throughout the semester, essay questions and the like.
4. International outlook: the programmes reflect their European and international outreach beyond the subject matters offered. The body of professors and lecturers consists of experts with wide international exposure and experience.
5. Stakeholder engagement: a key strength of the study programmes is the strong link and interaction with the professional world and the broad institutional reality of EU and international law, providing students with information about the actual operations and common practices on the ground and preparing them for a professional career.

Testimonials

Kristaq Profkola

"This LLM program made me realise that the EU is probably one of the greatest achievement of the 20th century. The direct contact with such an international mix in the heart of Europe and the technical skillfulness of the professors in relation to a variety of current EU issues provided me with a realistic and professional view of how this gigantic institutional mechanism works and grows. My professional career and my life certainly took a complete change of course after my experience in Ghent. For that, I am always proud to be an alumnus of this program."

Ivanco Vladimir

"A stimulating academic environment and superb student life."

Minjie Zhang

"Very impressed with the learning environment fostered there and the availability of the professors."

Nasir Mahmood

"The most beautiful part of my educational life."

Gloria Folguera Ventura

"Student life at its best. Apart from lectures, I had the opportunity to meet new people from all over the world, chance to learn Dutch and have Duvel and Leffe (Belgian beers) contests with friends. It was student life at its best that one can imagine."

Admission requirements

To have a law degree, i.e. the degree that - in its country of origin - is required for the exercise of the legal professions. Students who are graduating may apply and can be conditionally admitted, subject to the successful completion of their degree.

After an examination of their curriculum and in view of their acquired competences, candidates may be admitted who have a university degree other than law. In such case, the admission may be made subject to limitations with respect to the courses to be followed.

To present proof of sufficient English proficiency at C1-level.

To have sufficient financial support, either through personal financial means or via financial aid.

To apply for admission to the LLM-programme before the deadline, with the completed application form and all required documents.

Information on admission requirements and the administrative procedure for admission on the basis of a diploma obtained abroad, can be found on the following page: https://www.ugent.be/prospect/en/administration/enrolment-or-registration

Off to a good start

Application deadline (for international degree students)

For both Belgian and international students:

The application for this advanced master programme is to be started up via Oasis.

The application form and the accompanying documents, in electronic version, should reach the International Admissions Desk in the spring of the year preceding the academic year for which you are applying. Please refer to the different application deadlines mentioned below for EU/EEA citizen students, non EU/EEA citizen students and students holding a Belgian diploma.

Early applications are recommended (certainly for students in need of visa) and will be decided upon between February and June/early July.

Applications received after June will be considered if the number of students admitted previously permits.

Application Deadlines:

1st of April for non EU/EEA citizen students,

1st of July for non EU/EEA citizen students living in Belgium with a valid residence permit,

1st of July for EU/EEA citizen students.

Tuition Fee

6540,10 euro