Law in Society

Law in Society is a selective programme

We’re looking for talented and motivated students with an affinity for law, as well as for the programme’s multidisciplinary approach to it. The Admission Board will assess whether your motivation matches the desired student profile based on the selection criteria.

Check which documents you need to upload, as well as the application link, under “Application”.

Selection criteria

As part of the application procedure, please complete the VU Application Form - Law in Society. Your acceptance to the programme will depend on your:

• Eligibility for admission – if you do not meet our entry requirements at first you might need to take (an) additional entrance exam(s)
• Motivation to join our multidisciplinary law programme
• Experience you can add to our  mixed classroom

The Admission Board meets each month to discuss the applications received. 

The dates below will be updated for the new admission round:                                      

You’ll receive a response by email within one or two weeks after the meeting.

There are two possible outcomes:

1. Selected for a Zoom interview: you’re invited for a Zoom interview to discuss your motivation for, and expectations of, the programme. A webcam is required to participate. Your application form is the basis for the interview, which usually takes place within two weeks after the Admission Board meeting.
2. Rejected: unfortunately, you’ll not be able to follow the Law in Society Bachelor’s.

If the interview is successful, you’ll receive either a conditional or an unconditional offer for the Bachelor’s programme.

Law in Society is a selective programme.

Applicants holding a non-Dutch pre-university diploma should apply via the International Office. We’ll check whether your previous education meets a number of requirements*. If you don’t yet meet the requirements but expect to do so in the future (by obtaining your diploma, for example), you can already apply. We’ll evaluate your application and inform you of the decision by the Admission Board. Admission to the programme will remain conditional until your certified diploma copy is received and the conditions in your admission decision letter have been met.

Requirements that apply:

1. A diploma equivalent to the Dutch VWO pre-university diploma

Please see the international diploma list for examples of diplomas accepted per country. Note that this list is intended to provide an indication of admissibility; no rights can be derived from it.

Bear in mind that if your previous education does not meet our entry requirements, you may need to take additional tests for admission. If you believe your previous education might not be equivalent to the Dutch VWO pre-university diploma, we advise you to apply before 1 April to ensure you can register for the necessary tests in time.

2. Proof of sufficient proficiency in English

You can find all accepted tests and scores on the language proficiency requirements page. We require an English language test for all applications, unless you qualify for an exemption. You can start your application process before you’ve completed the test, and then submit your (pass) score once you’ve been conditionally admitted. 

Deadlines for submission of the English language test: 

•    1 June for students who require a study visa
•    31 August for students with EU/EEA nationality and other students who do not require a study visa

3. Proof of sufficient proficiency in mathematics
After you've applied for the programme and uploaded the requisite documents in your VU Dashboard, the International Office will check whether your diploma is considered to be equivalent to the Dutch VWO pre-university diploma and whether your level of mathematics is sufficient.

The following examples of diplomas demonstrate sufficient proficiency in mathematics:

• International Baccalaureate: all IB mathematics subjects
• British GCE A-Levels: mathematics A-level or AS-level at grade A, B or C
• Germany: Zeugnis der allgemeinen Hochschulreife
• European Baccalaureate: mathematics, written or oral examination, at least 3 hours during the Orientation Cycle

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*Not directly eligible for admission?

If you don’t meet the mathematics requirement but have an otherwise strong application, you could still be selected and accepted with a conditional offer. In this case, you’d be asked to participate in an entry test in mathematics (Dutch VWO mathematics C) and, in certain cases only, in history (you can find more information about the history test here). ). If participation in the exam(s) is necessary, this will be communicated to you in the offer letter.

Mathematics Exams in the Netherlands

• Boswell-Bèta (English) in Utrecht, the Netherlands, provides a mathematics course in English with exams in December, May and July.
• The Online Mathematics Placement Test-E (OMPT-E) is an online mathematics test that you can take from home via online proctoring.

A positive result for the mathematics examination (5.5/10 in the mathematics C exam or 60% in the OMPT-E online exam) is required for admission to the programme. If your OMPT test result was obtained more than a year ago, you may be asked to re-take the test to prove your proficiency in mathematics. If this applies to you, the admission decision letter will tell you whether retaking the test is needed.

To ensure that your application is processed in time to study and register for the exams, we ask applicants to apply for the Bachelor's programme before:

• 15 December if you are applying via the 21+ Entrance exam route
• 1 April for all other students

Note that in addition to these tests, all applicants will need to submit proof of sufficient proficiency in English. You can find all accepted tests and scores on our Language proficiency Requirements page.

For a full overview of admission requirements for students with a Dutch previous education, please visit our Dutch admissions page.

VWO pre-university diploma

At VU Amsterdam, you can study Law in Society with the following VWO profiles:

• Natuur en Gezondheid, supplemented with English (minimum grade: 7)
• Natuur en Techniek, supplemented with English (minimum grade: 7)
• Economie en Maatschappij, supplemented with English (minimum grade: 7)
• Cultuur en Maatschappij, supplemented with English (minimum grade: 7)

Higher professional education (HBO) propaedeutic year
The following additional requirements apply:

• English at VWO level 6: minimum grade rounded-off 7
• Mathematics at VWO level 6: grade A or B or C

Higher professional education (HBO) completed programme
The following additional requirements apply:

• English at VWO level 6: minimum grade rounded-off 7
• Mathematics at VWO level 6: grade A or B or C

21+ applicants with a valid Dutch home address and residence permit
If you don’t meet any of the programme requirements listed above and you’re aged 21 or older, you may be admitted to the Bachelor’s based on an entrance exam. You can find more information on the application deadline and fees on the entrance exam page.

The following certificates must be obtained at VWO level 6:

• English: minimum grade rounded-off 7
• Dutch
• History
• Mathematics: grade A or B or C

Deficiencies at 6 VWO level
You can obtain the relevant certificates at various institutions.

Ready to apply?
Great! You can apply via Studielink, bearing in mind the application deadlines. Use your personal dashboard on VU.nl to complete the application form.

Note that for diplomas obtained outside of the Netherlands, an application fee of €100: Application fee payment options and possible exemptions

Application documents (for non-Dutch previous education)

• Scan of your passport or national ID card (ID for EEA students only): this must be valid on the start date of the programme.
• VU Application Form – Law in Society: please download the correct format from this page. On the form, you’re asked to provide further details about your previous education level and motivation for studying the Law in Society programme.
• Proof of English language proficiency (if already obtained): upload your proof of English language proficiency or English language test results. Read more about the  Law in Society English language proficiency requirements

Application documents (for Dutch previous education)

Are you applying with a Dutch previous education? Please visit our Dutch admissions page.

If you don’t speak Dutch please contact admission.law@vu.nl

Application procedure

Application deadline
The earlier you apply, the earlier you’ll find out whether you’ve been selected! Please submit your application by the following deadlines:

• 1 April  for non-EU/EEA students
• 1 May for Dutch and EU students
• 15 December if you are not directly eligible for admission and are applying via the 21+ Entrance exam route

Do you have non-Dutch nationality? Then you may be eligible for housing via the International Office Accommodation Services. In this case, we recommend you apply early.

Ready to apply?
Have you read all the information above and feel ready to apply? Great! Take a look at the step-by-step application procedure.

Use your personal dashboard on VU.nl to complete the application form within six weeks and no later than one week after the application deadline closes.

The BSA is a recommendation given to all Bachelor’s students on four occasions during their first year concerning their study progress. The fourth recommendation, issued at the end of the first year, is binding in nature. To continue to the second year you must have obtained a certain number of credits.

To receive a positive BSA for this Bachelor’s programme, you must have obtained a minimum of 42 credits at the end of the first year of enrolment. Every student has access to an overview of the results achieved, and assessments are available for inspection after registration of the test result.

We’re looking for talented and motivated students with an affinity for an interdisciplinary approach to law – students who are eager to learn from each other’s diverse perspectives in a mixed classroom. We’d therefore like to find out whether studying in a mixed classroom suits you, why you want to pursue a law degree, and what appeals to you about this Bachelor’s programme.

Since all courses are taught in English, and you’ll attend lectures and conduct research in an international classroom, you must have a good command of the English language. Please check the admission requirements above.

To pursue a legal profession in the future, you must be admitted to the bar association of a specific country. Dutch-speaking students of Law in Society can follow the Voorbereidend Civiel Effect (VCE). It’s worth 60 credits, half of which can be completed during your minor, with an additional six months of study after your Bachelor’s. Alternatively, you can complete all 60 credits during an extra year. There are three different routes you can take to obtain your VCE. Having completed it, you’ll need to obtain your Master of Laws (LL.M) at a Dutch university.

Similar conversion programmes may also be available in other countries. For example, Law in Society alumni who wish to practise law in the United Kingdom can follow a conversion course to obtain a “Graduate Diploma in Law”. It’s important to note that each country has its own national requirements, and such conversion courses are not available in all countries.