Christian Garrard

I never intended on studying 'English' law and just becoming a lawyer in the UK but rather to specialise in international and/or European law straight away. This was not possible in the UK (at the time) with all European or international law being offered at masters level only. I came across the LLB programme for international and European law in Groningen and immediately realised it was exactly what I wanted to do.

Not only do you have the opportunity to study international and European law under the guidance of well-respected professors in the field, in a country renowned for international law but you study with people from all over the world as well. Add on to this that Groningen is all you can ask for in a student city with plenty of opportunities, a vibrant nightlife and a great atmosphere, then you have the perfect combination. Coming to the Netherlands over three years ago was without doubt the best decision I have ever made. The law faculty offers a tremendous amount of support for new students and this continues over the course of the degree. The areas covered in the LLB programme vary greatly and gave me a good opportunity to decide what area of law I would want to specialise in on completion of my bachelor degree. Despite not focusing on any national law the legal understanding developed as part of the programme, especially in public international and EU law will be indispensable in any legal career.

Asides from the high standard of education, what makes the experience of the LLB in Groningen so rewarding is the people I have shared that experience with, like minded students from so many different backgrounds make an excellent network of people that I will keep in contact with for the rest of my life. The city of Groningen, although small, is an excellent place to live as a student and especially an international student as there are already so many other international students in Groningen helping give it the great atmosphere it has. It is truly an overlooked gem in this part of Europe. You may even find yourself doing a masters in Groningen because you can't bring yourself to leave!

Christian Garrard, United Kingdom