About the opportunity
What this programme is offering
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) is designed to attract high-achieving international students from outside the European Economic Area (EEA) and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). The scholarship rewards academic excellence and provides financial assistance for students pursuing eligible master’s programmes at Leiden University.
The scholarship is awarded for the full duration of the master’s programme and is available across several faculties, including:
Archaeology
Humanities
Medicine (LUMC)
Governance and Global Affairs
Law
Social and Behavioural Sciences
The programme aims to support future leaders, researchers, and professionals who demonstrate exceptional academic performance and the potential to make meaningful contributions within their fields.
Education
Eligible Master’s Programmes
The scholarship is available to applicants admitted to most full-time master’s programmes beginning in September.
Time& Calendars
However, the following programmes are excluded:
LLM (Non-Advanced) programmes offered by Leiden Law School
MSc programmes at Leiden Law School
Master’s programmes beginning in February
Students applying for Advanced LLM programmes and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy are exempt from certain nationality restrictions.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must satisfy all eligibility requirements before applying.
Candidates must:
Apply for an eligible full-time master’s programme beginning in September.
Hold a non-EEA or non-EFTA passport.
Not be eligible for Dutch government student finance (Studiefinanciering).
Demonstrate outstanding academic achievement.
Have completed previous studies relevant to their intended master’s programme.
Leiden University indicates that successful applicants are generally among the top 10% of graduates from their previous degree programme. Although official class ranking documentation is not required, this benchmark illustrates the highly competitive nature of the scholarship.
However, this exception does not apply to applicants who were already living in the Netherlands and registered in a Dutch municipality before 1 January 2021.
Scholarship Value
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship provides partial tuition fee support rather than full funding.
Available award levels include:
€10,000 towards tuition fees
€15,000 towards tuition fees
€17,500 towards tuition fees
€18,500 towards tuition fees
€19,000 towards tuition fees
The award amount is determined by the university and cannot be negotiated
How to apply