Practical Experience

A competitive edge

International law is one of the most dynamic and exciting fields of law and if you wish to pursue a career in this area, the competition is tough. One of the best ways you can make yourself stand out from your competitors is by gaining real, practical experience of what the law is like in action.

The legal capital of the world

Today, many international courts, tribunals and human rights bodies are increasingly looking to universities and think tanks to provide them with legal support and Utrecht University, lying just half an hour away from the many multinational institutions of The Hague, is ideally positioned to offer that support. This has led to the creation of four experiential programmes that will offer you a unique insight into the world of international law.

Unique programmes

As a student on the LLM programme in International Human Rights and Criminal Justice, you can apply to participate in one of the following programmes:

Clinical Programme: A chance to gain hands-on experience working at one of the international organisations based in The Hague or at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in San José, Costa Rica.

Externship Programme: An experiential learning programme, in which you work directly alongside international lawyers litigating cases before one of the international courts or tribunals based in The Hague.

Public International Law & Policy Group Programme: An opportunity to work as a Research Associate at a global pro bono law firm.

Moot Court Programme: A chance to compete in several international moot court competitions, including the International Criminal Court Trial Competition and the Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition.

If you wish to organise your own internship, it is a good idea to talk about it with your teaching staff. Almost all of them have extensive professional experience and they will be more than happy to introduce you to colleagues who work in your field of interest.