LOT is a graduate school in which five major research institutes/groups of linguistics in the Netherlands have joined forces: the Centre for Language Studies (CLS) ; the Leiden Centre for Linguistics (ULCL); the research group The shape of language (VU/TCG); the Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC) and UiL OTS. UiL OTS officially serves as the administrative office of the LOT-school and provides it with the necessary secretarial support.

The creation of LOT as the national graduate school in linguistics has resulted in a structure that has obviated the fragmentation observed elsewhere in the humanities in Europe (see the NWO report 'Strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in European humanities research') and resulted in a further strengthening of the international position of linguistics in the Netherlands. LOT is unique in that world-wide there is no other single institution coordinating high-level research in all of these areas.

The board of LOT is responsible for all activities and initiatives undertaken in the context of the graduate school: Prof.dr. P.C. Hengeveld (University of Amsterdam, ACLC), Prof. dr. T.H.A.J.M. Janssen (Free University, TCG), Prof.dr. P.C. Muysken (Nijmegen University, CLS, chair), Prof.dr. L. Noordman (Tilburg University, CLS), Prof.dr. S.G. Nooteboom (Utrecht University, UiL OTS), Prof. dr. A. Verhagen (Leiden University, ULCL). Prof.dr. H. J. Bennis, director of the Meertens Institute, is a LOT-external member of the board. The managing director of UiL OTS, Dr. M.B.H. Everaert, is the academic director of LOT. He is responsible for the school's daily affairs, drafting research plans, graduate programs, and the annual report, and submitting these to the board for approval; he is also responsible for the school's budget. The academic director functions as secretary to the board and participates in the board meetings.

LOT has an international advisory board consisting of: Prof. M. Beckman (Ohio State University, Prof. E. Dresher (University of Toronto), Prof. B. Partee (University of Massachusetts at Amherst, chair), Prof. L. Rizzi (University of Siena), Prof. S. Thomason (University of Pennsylvania), Prof. J. Weissenborn (University of Potsdam).

There is a management committee to execute the various activities and plans determined or approved by the board. The committee consists of the directors of each of the institutes and meets regularly. These meetings are chaired by the academic director.

A curriculum committee assists in the development and ordination of LOT's graduate program. It consists of representatives of each of the participating institutes, and a representative of the graduate students. The committee also has a general curriculum coordinator, who acts as secretary to the committee. Currently this position is held by Dr. J. Don (UiL OTS).