University of Kent, Brussels School of International Studies

Looking for Passionate, Independent Minds in the European Union’s Capital

Passion, curiosity, and independence are some of the key characteristics of successful applicants to the University of Kent’s Brussels School of International Studies (BSIS). Admissions staff look for signs of these traits as they scrutinize motivation letters, scouring for more than the minimum entry requirements in a candidate’s all-around profile to consider their work experience, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities.

Located in the Belgian capital, which is home to most of the European Union’s institutions, BSIS seeks students with a variety of backgrounds—in the social sciences, the classics, philosophy, languages, or history. Its aim for diversity is geographic, too. BSIS’s approximately 250 students hail from about 55 countries across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.

“Our students are independent, curious, and like to challenge and question norms,” says Jeremy Carrette, the school’s academic head. “We are looking for motivated students who are passionate about international affairs.”

In addition to a range of Master of Arts (MA), Master of Law (LLM), and Master of Science (MSc) degrees, the school plans to offer a new MSc in Global Health Policy in the near future.

BSIS always has offered a degree of flexibility with its admissions criteria. Extensive work experience, for example, may compensate for gaps in a candidate’s academic background. That will continue, but in consideration of the ongoing pandemic and economic recession, the school will be more flexible with deferral or delayed entry, Carrette says.

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MA in International Migration

This program focuses on human migration and immigration as major global issues. The United Nations’ refugee agency estimates that currently, about 80 million people are forcibly displaced from their homes worldwide, due to conflict, persecution, or other crises. That’s more than 1 of every 100 people, and twice as many as a decade earlier.
)))Students in this program dive into the legal and moral aspects of migration and what it means to be a citizen in another country, focusing not only on those forcibly displaced inside their own countries or refugees abroad, but also on economic migrants. In a post-pandemic world, tensions surrounding migration may escalate again, as countries work to rebuild their economies. That makes this field ever more crucial in global discourse.

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Graduate Degree Program Options
• MA in EU External Relations
• MA in International Political Economy
• MA in International Conflict and Security
• MA in International Development
• MA in Political Strategy and Communication
• MA in International Migration
• MA in International Relations
• LLM in Human Rights Law
• LLM in International Law
• MSc in Global Health Policy (new, pending)

Deadlines for 2021
Application: For January 2021 entry, October 31, 2020; for September 2021 entry, July 31, 2021
Financial Aid/Scholarships: For September 2021 entry, May 1, 2021

Standardized Exam Scores: None are required.

Recommendation Letters: One is required. Academic references are preferred, with exceptions for candidates who have been out of school for several years.

Application Checklist: https://www.kent.ac.uk/courses/postgraduate/apply