Study Abroad at Leiden University
The faculty of law at Leiden University in the Netherlands conducts the Leiden Law Courses (LLC) for law students from other European countries and the United States. The curriculum is designed and taught by the Leiden faculty as an integral part of its enterprise. Most of the faculty come from the School of Law, but members of the political science and economics faculties also teach in the program.
The foreign students program is administered as a subdepartment of the School of Law. The courses are cross-listed with the program taken by students in the University’s regular law program. Dutch students, students from other European countries, and American students take the classes together, with English as the language of instruction. Participants in the program thus are, in effect, students at Leiden University for their term of enrollment.
The LLC’s offerings center on international law, comparative law, legal history, the law of the European Union, and law and economics in the international context. Accordingly, the program should be of particular interest to students who look toward practice in international business transaction, international trade regulation, and public international law.
Admission, Course of Study, Calendar, and Degree Credit
The law school seeks to enroll between two and five students per year in the Leiden Law Courses. Selection decisions are made by a committee that includes Professor Gregory Mark, Associate Dean for Institutional Affairs. Students who wish to apply should submit a letter explaining their interest in the program and noting the courses they want to take. A law school transcript is also required. Interviews may be conducted at the committee’s discretion. Application materials should be submitted to Nicky Fornarotto, program administrator, by September 10, 2009. Decisions will be made quickly.
Rutgers students are eligible for classes held in the spring semester. The Leiden semester is broken up into two terms; the first term usually runs from early February through the end of March and the second term runs from April through early June. The number of class meeting hours varies from course to course. Reading loads vary from 400 to 1,200 pages. Depending on the student’s course selection, the term can end at any time from the beginning of May to the end of June.
The full Spring 2010 course schedule can be found on Leiden’s website. The mode of instruction at Leiden differs from the practice in American law schools. It contemplates a greater proportion of student time spent on outside reading and writing and a lesser proportion spent sitting in class than is the case with legal education here.
Dean Mark will have final say in approving a program that justifies 11 semester credits for work done in Leiden. As a practical matter, Rutgers students will usually take four substantial LLC courses to earn 11 credits. In addition, in order to make up for the shortened instructional period caused by the change in academic calendar, students must enroll in at least one Independent Research credit here at Rutgers and produce a paper on a topic approved by Dean Mark.
Students will register here for a Leiden semester and then depart for Leiden and register again there for a course of study approved in advance at Rutgers. Degree credit will be awarded only for courses taken with prior approval here. Programs and credit loads are worked out on an individual basis by each participating student and Dean Mark.
Leiden grades students on a scale of one to 10, with six being the lowest passing grade. This is a tough grading system, but Rutgers students have done very well. Indeed, the Leiden faculty generally has been pleased with the quality of the work done by American students. But there have been some failures. Their system, however, allows for second chances through re-examination. Our rule respecting degree credit and Leiden grades is as follows: If the average grade of all courses taken is 6.0, we will grant degree credit for grades of 5.5 or higher; if the average grade of all courses taken is less than 5.5, we will grant degree credit only for courses with a grade of 6.0 or higher.
Tuition, Expenses, and Housing
Students pay Leiden costs in euros. Preliminary figures for 2009-2010 are 8,700 euros for tuition, housing, and fees per semester. Student accommodations are arranged through Leiden University’s student housing office.
Students are required to pay Rutgers an off-campus student fee of $100 and a reduced computer fee of $20. Students must also enroll in at least one unscheduled credit at Rutgers, which may be journal credits, independent research, etc., for which they must pay the applicable per credit tuition rate to the University.
Foreign students studying at Leiden are required to apply for a residence permit; the fee for applying for such a permit is 433 euros. Medical insurance is arranged here through the University. The policy costs a little over $100 and pays medical expenses up to $2,500, subject to a small deductible. Students also are encouraged to enroll in an optional Major Medical Policy.
Expenses have not been a problem for Rutgers students at Leiden. Past experience shows that Rutgers students can go to school at Leiden for roughly what it costs to go to school here and still have some money left over for travel in Europe.
The foreign students program is administered as a subdepartment of the School of Law. The courses are cross-listed with the program taken by students in the University’s regular law program. Dutch students, students from other European countries, and American students take the classes together, with English as the language of instruction. Participants in the program thus are, in effect, students at Leiden University for their term of enrollment.
The LLC’s offerings center on international law, comparative law, legal history, the law of the European Union, and law and economics in the international context. Accordingly, the program should be of particular interest to students who look toward practice in international business transaction, international trade regulation, and public international law.
Admission, Course of Study, Calendar, and Degree Credit
The law school seeks to enroll between two and five students per year in the Leiden Law Courses. Selection decisions are made by a committee that includes Professor Gregory Mark, Associate Dean for Institutional Affairs. Students who wish to apply should submit a letter explaining their interest in the program and noting the courses they want to take. A law school transcript is also required. Interviews may be conducted at the committee’s discretion. Application materials should be submitted to Nicky Fornarotto, program administrator, by September 10, 2009. Decisions will be made quickly.
Rutgers students are eligible for classes held in the spring semester. The Leiden semester is broken up into two terms; the first term usually runs from early February through the end of March and the second term runs from April through early June. The number of class meeting hours varies from course to course. Reading loads vary from 400 to 1,200 pages. Depending on the student’s course selection, the term can end at any time from the beginning of May to the end of June.
The full Spring 2010 course schedule can be found on Leiden’s website. The mode of instruction at Leiden differs from the practice in American law schools. It contemplates a greater proportion of student time spent on outside reading and writing and a lesser proportion spent sitting in class than is the case with legal education here.
Dean Mark will have final say in approving a program that justifies 11 semester credits for work done in Leiden. As a practical matter, Rutgers students will usually take four substantial LLC courses to earn 11 credits. In addition, in order to make up for the shortened instructional period caused by the change in academic calendar, students must enroll in at least one Independent Research credit here at Rutgers and produce a paper on a topic approved by Dean Mark.
Students will register here for a Leiden semester and then depart for Leiden and register again there for a course of study approved in advance at Rutgers. Degree credit will be awarded only for courses taken with prior approval here. Programs and credit loads are worked out on an individual basis by each participating student and Dean Mark.
Leiden grades students on a scale of one to 10, with six being the lowest passing grade. This is a tough grading system, but Rutgers students have done very well. Indeed, the Leiden faculty generally has been pleased with the quality of the work done by American students. But there have been some failures. Their system, however, allows for second chances through re-examination. Our rule respecting degree credit and Leiden grades is as follows: If the average grade of all courses taken is 6.0, we will grant degree credit for grades of 5.5 or higher; if the average grade of all courses taken is less than 5.5, we will grant degree credit only for courses with a grade of 6.0 or higher.
Tuition, Expenses, and Housing
Students pay Leiden costs in euros. Preliminary figures for 2009-2010 are 8,700 euros for tuition, housing, and fees per semester. Student accommodations are arranged through Leiden University’s student housing office.
Students are required to pay Rutgers an off-campus student fee of $100 and a reduced computer fee of $20. Students must also enroll in at least one unscheduled credit at Rutgers, which may be journal credits, independent research, etc., for which they must pay the applicable per credit tuition rate to the University.
Foreign students studying at Leiden are required to apply for a residence permit; the fee for applying for such a permit is 433 euros. Medical insurance is arranged here through the University. The policy costs a little over $100 and pays medical expenses up to $2,500, subject to a small deductible. Students also are encouraged to enroll in an optional Major Medical Policy.
Expenses have not been a problem for Rutgers students at Leiden. Past experience shows that Rutgers students can go to school at Leiden for roughly what it costs to go to school here and still have some money left over for travel in Europe.