Frequently Asked Questions - Summer and Winter Courses
Summer and Winter Courses - General Information
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Do I get any credits for attending the courses?
No. The Academy is not a university but a centre for the research in and teaching of public and private international law. We therefore don’t allocate any university credits (ECTS or other) nor do we issue official statements to the benefit of individual participants specifying the amount of hours of lectures followed. The Certificate of Attendance (signed by the Secretary-General) you receive at the end of the session is the official proof that you regularly attended the courses.
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How to estimate the overall cost of my stay in The Hague?
You should at least include the following in your budget: your travel expenses, registration fees, accommodation fees, food expenses and sundries (museums, restaurants, going out etc.). Food budget: around €450 per month.
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Are there any social events organized during the Summer and Winter Courses?
The Academy organizes social activities (a reception at the Municipality of The Hague, a beach/winter party and other events) and visits to institutions based in The Hague. Embassies in The Hague are also approached to invite the Academy’s attendees and explain the role of an ambassador and the activities of an embassy.
Attendees should be aware of the fact that it’s not possible to participate in all activities and that therefore they will have to select a few.
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When is it best to arrive in The Hague?
We recommend that you arrive in The Hague the day before the courses start, which will give you time to settle in. You can leave The Academy on the afternoon of the last day of the courses.
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Should I have health insurance?
Health insurance coverage is mandatory and will be verified when you arrive at the Academy. If you’re not covered for your stay, you will need to purchase a temporary insurance policy on the first day of the courses at a cost of €50. European citizens are invited to check with their insurer if they have the European Health Insurance Card.
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Will I be allowed to use the Peace Palace Library?
Attendees of the Academy have full access to the Peace Palace Library and are strongly encouraged to use it. The access badge, which is issued to you on the first day of the courses, includes a bar code allowing you to borrow books. Information about the library can be found on https://www.peacepalacelibrary.nl.
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Is there a dress code at the Academy?
There is no official dress code during the courses at the Academy but a decent standard of dress is required nevertheless.
Business attire or tenue de ville is required for the reception hosted by the Mayor of The Hague and for embassy visits.
Online Registration
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I haven’t yet obtained my degree; what document should I attach to my application?
You should upload a transcript of the marks you have already obtained in international law or a document from your academic institution certifying that you are registered as a student and specifying for which degree course. Please also indicate when you are expected to obtain your degree.
The documents should demonstrate that you have completed at least four years of university studies including some international law courses or three years of Law studies (preferably including courses on international law).
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Should the copies of transcripts be certified (apostille or legalization)?
No. You can send copies of your transcripts accompanied by a sworn statement signed by you, attesting the conformity of the copies to the originals.
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Can I make my own translation of documents that are not in English or French?
Yes. You can make your own translation of required documents into one of the two languages of the Academy (English or French), as long as you add a sworn statement to each translated document, certifying the accuracy of your translation (on the document itself or on a separate sheet of paper) and adding the date and place of signature, your name and your signature.
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I applied online, but I haven’t received a confirmation e-mail
Please verify whether the e-mail ended up in your spam box. If you didn’t receive a confirmation e-mail, your registration probably wasn’t received by the Academy and you are requested to register once more. Try using another Internet browser when applying again.
Please avoid using business or academic e-mail addresses to which you won’t have access during the months preceding the courses.
Payment
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What do the registration fees cover?
The registration fees cover the registration itself as well as access to course materials.
The fees do NOT cover :
– accommodation
– meals
– travel expenses to and from The Hague, nor transportation in The HagueThe registration fees for the Summer Courses are:
- €1300,- for each session (i.e. Public or Private International Law)
- €2300,- for both sessions (i.e. both Public and Private International Law)
The registration fees for the Winter Courses are €1300,-.
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Will the registration fees be reimbursed to me if my Visa application is denied?
If your Visa application is denied through no fault of your own, such as having sent in your Visa application too late, the paid registration fees will be reimbursed to you in full.
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I can’t attend the courses anymore; can I get a refund?
The registration fees for the Summer and Winter Courses are not refundable except in cases of serious medical emergency or other exceptional circumstances, which must be proven to the Academy, who will evaluate them.
Scholarships
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Can I apply on a full fee basis AND apply for a scholarship for the same session of courses?
No. You must choose one or the other type of application. If you submit two applications for the same session, we will disregard your full fee application and only consider your scholarship application.
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I was granted a scholarship in the past and attended the courses at the Academy. Can I apply for a scholarship again?
No. You can only be awarded a scholarship for the courses of the Academy once, either for the Summer Courses or for the Winter Courses.
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Should the letter of motivation focus on the courses or on the scholarship?
Your letter of motivation must include all the reasons why you are applying for a scholarship. Scholarships are not awarded on the basis of financial criteria but on the basis of academic merit.
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If I intend to apply for a scholarship and for the Directed Studies, can I use the same letter of motivation and recommendation for both applications or should the letters be different depending on the application?
You may use the same letter of motivation, provided you clearly indicate your reasons for applying for the scholarship on the one hand, as well as your motivation to participate in the Directed Studies on the other.
Similarly, you can use the same letter of recommendation for both applications.
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My professor has not yet received an e-mail from the Academy asking him/her to write a letter of recommendation on my behalf. When can he/she expect to receive it?
The Academy does not send e-mails to the professors recommending applicants. It is the applicant’s sole responsibility to inform his or her professor of the e-mail address and the deadline for sending in the letter of recommendation.
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If I’m not awarded a scholarship, will I nevertheless be admitted to the courses at the full fee, even if the deadline for registering has expired?
The results of the scholarship selection will be communicated to applicants by e-mail either in April (for the Summer Courses) or in October (for the Winter Courses). We reserve a limited amount of places at the full fee for unsuccessful scholarship applicants. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
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I received a message about the result of the scholarship selection, but not about the Directed Studies. Is this normal?
Yes. The result of the selection for the Directed Studies is communicated separately and subsequently to the result of the scholarship selection.
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I have been granted a scholarship for the Summer Courses on Private International Law. Does it also cover the registration fee for the extra courses on European and/or Comparative Law?
No, it doesn’t. You are requested to register separately for one or both of the extra courses, at a fee of €25 per course.
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I sent in my application, when will I know if I was awarded a scholarship?
Summer Courses: You will be informed about the results of the scholarship selection by e-mail in April.
Winter Courses: You will be informed about the results of the scholarship selection by e-mail in October.
Organization of the Courses
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I’m interested in following only one or two of the courses of the session. Is that possible?
No. Registered attendees are required to follow the session in full. This means that they should attend all the courses offered during a session.
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What document is issued by the Academy at the end of the courses?
At the end of each session, and if you regularly attended all the courses, you will receive a Certificate of Attendance signed by the Secretary-General.
This certificate should not be confused with the Diploma of the Academy, which is a high level diploma, awarded after a very selective exam, which is open only to a few attendees among those admitted to the Directed Studies sessions.
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Where can I find the time table for the courses and access the recommended readings?
The time table will be made available on the Academy’s e-learning environment shortly before the start of the Summer and Winter Courses. Registered attendees will also receive the schedule by e-mail.
The recommended readings will be gradually uploaded to the e-learning environment during the month of June for the Summer Courses and during the month of December for the Winter Courses. Attendees can access the environment via their personal Academy account.
Languages
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What are the language requirements for participating in the Summer or Winter Courses?
It is indispensable that you have a good working knowledge of either English or French in order to be able to follow the courses. You are not required to provide us with official language proficiency certificates when applying.
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Are the courses simultaneously translated?
All courses, lectures and seminars are simultaneously translated into either French or English.
Diploma
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Can I sit for the Diploma Exam if I don’t attend the Summer or Winter Courses?
No. Only registered attendees of the Summer or Winter Courses who followed the Directed Studies sessions may be eligible to sit for the Diploma Exam.
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Can I attend the Directed Studies if I don’t sit for the Diploma Exam?
The Directed Studies are first and foremost intended for candidates to the Diploma Exam.
However, they are also open to a limited number of attendees who are already highly specialized in international law but who wish to improve their knowledge and methodology. In the interest of effective teaching, only a limited number of places is available for the Directed Studies sessions.
As longs as places are available, it may be possible for candidates who failed to apply within the above deadlines to be allowed, with the agreement of the Secretary-General, to attend the Directed Studies sessions and, if applicable, to sit for the Diploma Exam.
All attendees allowed to the Directed Studies must undergo a short test (or mock exam) – please refer to the Directed Studies and Diploma Exam page on this site.
Visa
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To obtain a visa, I need an official invitation letter from the Academy, on headed paper, stamped and signed.
After the receipt of your payment of the registration fees, the Academy will send you an official letter of admission in PDF format. You can print this letter and show it to Dutch consular authorities, who as a rule accept these print-outs.
If you need to provide an address in The Hague and have used the services of the Skotel or the Legal Lodging agency, they will provide you with the required information upon your request.