Partner institutions nominate their selected students to our central International Relations Office. These students then have access to our Mobility Online system in which they fill out their application. After succesful application and acceptance, students can prepare their study programme in Antwerp taking into account the following important items.

Study level

Because the courses offered in English are at master’s level, we can only accept exchange students who have successfully completed at least three years of law school (180 ECTS) at the moment of arrival. The courses offered presume a preliminary knowledge of all basic law courses. Some courses require specific prior knowledge, please verify the prerequisites per course. Students from non-European universities are highly recommend to have had a course on EU law prior to arrival in Antwerp. 

Number of ECTS

A traditional semester workload is 30 ECTS per semester. We do not accept incoming students who take fewer than 18 ECTS per semester.

Courses from other faculties

We strongly advice against taking courses from faculties other than the Faculty of Law. If however this is required by your home institution, it is limited to maximum two courses from another faculty and upon explicit approval of both faculties. Please consult with the International Office Law, and keep in mind that this may cause conflict in class schedules and exam times.

Language requirements

All courses for exchange students are taught in English.
Students' level in English should be at least B2 (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) prior to arrival.

We recommend students who come for the full year, to take the first semester courses which are mandatory for enrolment in the second semester courses. It will increase their options in the second semester.

Please read the preliminary requirements per course. If you want to enrol in a course, and you have met the prerequisites for that course through a course you took at your home institution prior to enrolment in Antwerp, this needs to show in your transcript of records.

All specialised modules must be taken ‘as a complete set of courses’. Each module is worth 18 ECTS. Note that additional prerequisites apply to the modules as a whole, details of which you can find in the course offer for incoming exchange students document.

The module ‘Sustainable Development and Global Justice’ has a specific timing. It is more compact, but during the 10 weeks it runs, it requires a nearly full-time engagement.  This makes it difficult to combine this module with a large number of other courses.

Make sure not to take more than two 6-credit or 9-credit (Advanced) courses in total. The workload would not be feasable.

You can find the academic calendar here.

We expect exchange students to be here for the full semester / academic year, including the exam period.

You can find the most important dates here below:

Autumn semester

• Orientation day exchange students: 22 September 2023
• Start academic year / semester: 25 September 2023
• Christmas break (considered to be a study period): 23 December 2023 - 7 January 2024
• Exam period: 8 January - 3 February 2024

Spring semester

• Orientation day exchange students: 9 February 2024
• Start semester: 12 February 2024
• Easter break (considered to be a study period): 30 March - 14 April 2024
• Exam period: 27 May - 28 June 2024

International and European Legal Studies Certificate

Exchange students who register for 30 ECTS per semester and who pass all the exams can obtain the International and European Legal Studies Certificate.
Students who come for only one semester can obtain a semester certificate.

Comparative, International and European Law (CIEL)

The Faculty of Law of UAntwerp participates in the CIEL network which comprises the universities mentioned below.

• University College Dublin (Ireland)
  
• Maastricht University (The Netherlands)
• Universität Mannheim (Germany)
• Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona (Spain)
• Université de Toulouse 1 Capitole (France)
• Zagreb University (Croatia)
• Universiteit Antwerpen (Belgium)

Students who succesfully complete this programme are awarded the CIEL certificate of ‘European Master in Comparative, International and European Law’. As a CIEL student, you need to take 30 ECTS worth of courses. In addition you need to find a supervisor at UAntwerp for your master's thesis. Please contact us in time to find a co-supervisor in Antwerp. Mind that you have to write the thesis under the rules of your home university.
Only students from the universities mentioned above qualify for the CIEL programme, provided they have been nominated as such. If you want know if you can participate, please contact your home faculty.