To obtain civiel effect you must have completed a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree in Law (LL.B), or an applied sciences degree in Dutch law plus a pre-master's programme for the effectus civilis, plus a Dutch academic Master’s degree in Law (LL.M) which meets the requirements of the Civiel Effect covenant.

Law in Society students can obtain Civiel effect by completing the Preparatory programme Civiel effect LIS. Please note that the Civiel effect programme is in Dutch, for which Dutch at C1 level is recommended.

The VU Master's programmes Law (all specialisations) and International Business Law meet the requirements for civiel effect. For Law and Politics of International Security, additional courses must be completed (see art. 10.4 OER). You cannot obtain civiel effect on the basis of an International Crimes, Conflict and Criminology degree, as this is an MSc and not an LL.M.

It is not possible to obtain the Dutch ‘civiel effect’ on the basis of an international degree.

Dutch Bachelor’s in Law

If you have or are pursuing a Dutch Master’s in Law degree and are interested in the Dutch ‘civiel effect’, you can additionally complete a Dutch Bachelor’s in Law degree. For the VU Law Bachelor (in Dutch), you may be eligible for an exemption for the minor component (30 EC) of the bachelor. Other exemptions may be possible if completed international courses are sufficiently similar in content to the VU bachelor courses.
Please note, however, that to be admitted to the VU Bachelor’s in Law programme, you must have a C1 command of the Dutch language. You must prove your Dutch proficiency with a Dutch VWO State exam diploma or a CNaVT (EDUP C1) certificate. An NT2 II certificate does not qualify you.

To learn what alternatives are available to you if you completed your Bacherlor’s degree in Law in the EU, you can contact the Netherlands Bar.