Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS)

Deadline 1 December 2026 Target group Master Countries/ nationalities Non-EEA/non-EFTA students / Exception: All nationalities for Advanced LLMs & MSc Int. Relations and Diplomacy Scholarship type Study Faculty Archaeology, Humanities, Medicine/LUMC, Governance and Global Affairs, Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Science For whom 1. Study programme requirements Applicants for all Master's programme at Leiden University starting in September , with the exception of : Leiden Law School's LLM (non-advanced) and MSc programmes. 2. Nationality requirements Applicants must have a non-EEA/non-EFTA* passport, and may not be eligible for student finance via the Dutch government (Studiefinanciering) – with the exceptions of students applying for the programmes listed below for which no nationality restrictions apply: All LLM Advanced Studies programmes MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy *EEA/EFTA: All EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland Additional note for UK students As the UK is a non-EEA country, students from the UK are eligible to apply for the LExS. Note : this does not apply to applicants who were already living in the Netherlands and registered in their Dutch municipality's BRP before 1 January 2021. More information on Brexit can be found in the Brexit dossier . 3. Academic requirements Students must have achieved excellent academic results in their previous study programme(s), which must be relevant to the Master's programme for which they are applying. As an indication, the student is amongst the top 10% of graduates in their previous study programme. Note that proof of ranking is not required – this information is purely to indicate the level of competitiveness. Obligations Students who are granted a LExS must comply with, and confirm in writing, their agreement with the Terms and conditions attached to the scholarship prior to the awarding of the scholarship. Exclusions Scholarships cannot be awarded to applicants who have already obtained a Leiden University Master’s degree, with the exception of students applying for a Master programme for which a specified previous Master programme or work experience is mandatory (e.g. LLM Advanced Studies programmes). Scholarships cannot be awarded to students who will follow: an LLM (non-advanced) or MSc programme at Leiden Law School, or a study programme starting in February . Scholarships cannot be awarded to students who do not meet the nationality requirements stated above. It is not possible to combine the LExS with another full scholarship from an external provider. Students are obliged to notify the scholarships department if they receive a full scholarship from another source. In some circumstances, the LExS may be combined with a partial scholarship from an external provider. Contact the Scholarships Team for further details. Scholarship or loan amount The LExS is awarded for the duration of the study programme. There are five available levels of awards: € 10,000 of the tuition fee € 15,000 of the tuition fee € 17,500 of the tuition fee € 18,500 of the tuition fee € 19,000 of the tuition fee If and when awarded a LExS, the level of the award is final and non-negotiable. The LExS is not a full scholarship and does not cover the full cost of your studies. Always keep in mind that a significant personal contribution will be required . Non-EEA LExS recipients must still submit ‘proof of sufficient funds’ for their student visa/residence permit application . Be aware that the LExS is a highly competitive scholarship. Leiden University only has around 25 LExS scholarships available each year, while over a thousand students apply for the scholarship. Application process Apply online for admission to a Master's programme at Leiden University and pay the application fee if applicable. Note: it can take up to 3 working days to create/submit an application for admission, so start your application well before the LExS deadline. After submitting…