Testimonials

My name is Benedict Tan and I am from Singapore. In the academic year 2019/2020, I was enrolled in Erasmus University Rotterdam’s LL.M. programme Commercial and Company Law, under a dual degree programme with the National University of Singapore.

Erasmus University Rotterdam was an excellent choice for me because it is such an international university. There are many wonderful opportunities in Erasmus University Rotterdam to meet people from all around the world, as well as develop an international mindset. Coming from a common law background in Singapore, it was also intriguing to experience the differences in a civil law jurisdiction.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Erasmus University Rotterdam. The curriculum for the LL.M. programme Commercial and Company Law was well-designed. It featured many international aspects, which means that it was relevant even for those who intended to return to their home country after completion of the degree. Moreover, many of the subjects provided a broad overview with useful comparative analysis. This is exactly what education for a master’s degree ought to be – concerned with more than just the black letter law, but also normative questions of what an effective legal system should be. Finally, the pace of lessons was also appropriate, in that it was sufficiently rigorous whilst still allowing me ample time to make friends, build a network, as well as travel around Europe.

I would highly recommend prospective master’s students to think hard about what they want to achieve in their master’s programme. Erasmus School of Law has much to offer, including well-run co-curricular activities such as study trips, student associations and moot competitions. The community is also friendly, warm, and welcoming – even for non-Dutch speakers like me. I never felt out of place and my Dutch friends truly made me feel at home. Ultimately, a master’s degree is for many of us the final few steps in our formal education, so do make the most out of it!

Goedendag! I am Antonia Solini, a 26-year-old LL.M. student in Commercial and Company Law, and  from the beautiful and always sunny Greece. Studying at Erasmus School of Law has been an experience better than I could ever have imagined! Let me explain why. 

During my prior studies in the Faculty of Law at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus, I realised that I wanted to specialise in Commercial and Company Law. I believe this is a fascinating field with many perspectives, and it has a significant impact on most important aspects of society. Following the advice of one of my professors, I began to look into the Erasmus School of Law. I knew immediately that I was closer to my goal of becoming an outstanding lawyer, and that this Master Programme would be an excellent starting point.

First of all, the high standards of research programmes at Erasmus University present a perfect opportunity to fulfill your professional ambitions. Meeting esteemed faculty members will turn your journey into an extraordinary period of learning. In addition, the wide range of modules on offer will greatly enrich your studies and help you in your prospective career.
In my opinion, the best part consists of the visits to law firms where you can see in practice all the theory that you have learned. It is also a tremendous opportunity to expand your networking even further. 

Rotterdam is one of the most important economic centres in The Netherlands, hosting some of the biggest multinational corporations and shipping industries in Europe. There is no better place to study this discipline. Moreover, studying in an international environment will give you the privilege of creating new bonds with people from all around the world. It is amazing how similar we are, even if we grew up in countries as far from each other as, for example, Greece and Ecuador. 

Rotterdam has many parks and lakes to visit on those lucky days when it happens to be warm. It is also the best city in which to ride a bicycle, as every street has a cycle path, and there are many bicycle parking spots around the city. All in all, cycling is an easy and a cheap way to explore the modern city of Rotterdam.

A quote that I particularly like, and that gives me strength in difficult situations, is this: ‘If you dream it, you can do it!’ To all prospective students, I recommend that you apply to Erasmus University now, and do not miss the chance of having the most exciting lifetime experience. And make the most of all the many fantastic opportunities that the University offers. 

I obtained a scholarship from the ESL TalentFund, which offers students from developing countries the opportunity to pursue an LL.M. at Erasmus School of Law. Since September 2016, I have been increasing my legal knowledge by following ESL’s LL.M. in Commercial and Company Law.

I come from Rwanda, and my first name is Emmanuel, which means God with us. My other name is Mugagga, and in our local language it means a very rich person. In God, I consider myself rich, although not currently in terms of money, but in many other wonderful ways, and the opportunity to study at Erasmus School of Law is just one of them, and a means to others.

Generally, no matter where lawyers live, they often have the same mindset and ideologies. The quality of education at Erasmus School of Law is very high, and the School’s pedagogical system motivates students to work hard. My LL.M. curriculum is good, providing students with structure and with the motivation to prepare well for class. In addition, Erasmus School of Law has excellent facilities, including an online library with a broad range of sources, to which students have access. In addition, there is a special library for law students − Sanders Law Library – with its selection of good books, magazines, and study areas. In my country, current legal resources are unfortunately scarce, and the system does not encourage or fully facilitate students to the extent that Erasmus does.

I have already been thinking about what I will bring back to my home country. In my opinion, it will be good to take the methodology and structure of the LL.M. of Erasmus School of Law as an example. I should be able to collect good literature, to prepare myself to give lectures and seminars, and to make sure that students can access the prescribed literature and are motivated to prepare themselves. This means that in the end, we can, together, raise the quality of lectures to a higher level.

Every week, I try to find time to walk around and to explore many different things in the city: for example, parks, museums, and the harbour. I also play soccer in a Dutch soccer team. In addition, I love to ride my bike from home to the university; it gives me the freedom to see a little more of the city, and I enjoy being outside, although it is a bit difficult for me to get used to the cold Dutch winter weather.

The process of applying for a scholarship takes time, so be committed and take the application very seriously. You also need to be patient. I did not receive a scholarship the first year that I applied, but I tried again, and in the second year I received one, which brought me to Erasmus School of Law in Rotterdam. It was absolutely worth the time and the effort!

My name is Niccolò, and I am a 25-year-old Italian. After completing my 5-year LL.M. programme in Italy, I realised that I wanted to focus my career on Business Law. Once I started looking for LL.M. programmes in Italy and abroad, my choice soon fell on the Commercial and Company Law programme in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. I chose it because of the excellent level of education as well as its affordability. Another reason for choosing Erasmus School of Law was one of the LL.M.’s most distinctive features: namely, its double focus on both the corporate and the trade aspects of EU and international law.

I found education in Rotterdam to be more practical than the education I had followed in Italy. The Commercial and Company Law  LL.M. really gets ‘down to business’, and the lectures are frequently based on cases and on problem-solving. The lecturers often have wide experience in the field, and that is an invaluable quality. The courses are challenging, and they require commitment, but the opportunities you get are incredible. Together with three other students from different Master programmes, I represent the Erasmus School of Law in the prestigious Willem C. Vis Moot on International Commercial Arbitration. We have already attended preparatory sessions at universities and international law firms in Amsterdam, London, and Paris. In April, we will go to Vienna for the real deal: to compete against students from 270 universities from all over the world, under the watchful eye of legal experts in this field. We have already met countless amazing people, and what we learn from this experience, both personally and professionally, goes beyond what I could have imagined.

There’s no doubt that the LL.M. in Commercial and Company Law is tough. So my advice to prospective students is: Be ready. You will be expected to invest a lot of effort into your studies, but as always, the more you give, the more you get. And what you get here can prepare you for whatever career you may want to pursue in the future. As they say: Nothing ventured, nothing gained!