Leiden University Excellence Scholarship programme

Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS)

You will receive a reduction in tuition fees of 10,000, 15,000, 17,500, 18,500 or 19,000 EUR for a Master’s programme at Leiden University in the Netherlands. The exact amount is determined by your faculty and is non-negotiable. The funding applies for the entire duration of your studies: up to 12 months for a one-year Master’s programme (60 ECTS) or up to 24 months for a two-year Master’s programme (120 ECTS). Around 25 of these scholarships are awarded each year through the University’s Office for Student and Academic Affairs. This is not a full scholarship. Whilst it reduces your tuition fees, you will still have to pay a significant portion yourself, and students from non-EEA countries must also prove that they have sufficient financial resources to obtain a visa.

Who can apply

• Degree: You will be starting a full-time Master’s degree at Leiden University in September. Programmes starting in February are excluded from this.
• Field of study: Most Master’s programmes are eligible for credit transfer. The LLM programmes (excluding the advanced level) and the MSc programmes at Leiden Law School are not.
• Nationality: You hold a passport from a country outside the EEA/EFTA (i.e. neither an EU country nor Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland) and are not eligible for state-funded student finance in the Netherlands. Students from the United Kingdom are regarded as non-EEA nationals and may apply. Exception: Students of any nationality may apply for all LLM Advanced Studies programmes as well as the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy.
• Grades: You have achieved excellent results in your studies to date and are therefore among the top 10% students on your degree programme in a subject area relevant to the Master’s programme you are applying for. You do not need to provide proof of your ranking.
• No earlier Leiden Master: You do not yet hold a Master’s degree from Leiden University. Exception: degree programmes for which a previous Master’s degree or professional experience is required, such as the LLM Advanced Studies.

How to apply

First, apply online for admission to your Master’s programme at Leiden University. Once you have submitted your application, select LExS under ‘Scholarships’ in the same system. Upload a personal statement (PDF, max. 500 words, in English) explaining why you wish to apply for the scholarship. Apply separately for each programme you are considering. The application deadline for the September intake is 1. The faculty committees will notify all applicants of the outcome by email by the end of March.

How realistic are your chances?

This place at university is highly sought-after: each year, there are around 25 scholarships for more than 1,000 applications. The entry threshold is roughly in the top 10% per cent of your previous degree programme, so good grades are merely the basic requirement for even making it onto the shortlist. A clear, compelling personal statement is what sets applicants apart from the rest. Your chances improve if you apply for one of the less popular or more specialised degree programmes and can demonstrate consistently excellent grades.