For excellent Non-EU/EEA students enrolling in a Leiden University master's degree programme and for excellent students from all nationalities enrolling in a Master of Law Advanced Programme or MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy.
For whom?
- Non-EU/EEA students enrolling in a Leiden University master's degree programme starting September 2012 or February 2013 ( All MA, MSc and LL.M programmes as mentioned on the website Master's programmes in Leiden).
- All nationalities enrolling in the following programmes starting September 2012 or February 2013:
Additional requirements:
- In his or her prior academic education abroad, the applicant must have achieved excellent study results which are relevant for the programme for which the student wishes to enroll. As an indication, the student will be among the top 10% for the relevant programme followed abroad
- The applicant will hold a non-EU/EEA passport and will not be eligible for support under the Dutch system of study grants and loans ("Studiefinanciering"; more information)
- Scholarships will not be awarded to applicants who have already obtained a Leiden University master’s degree
- Students who are granted a Leiden Excellence Scholarship must comply with and confirm in writing their agreement with the terms and conditions (pdf) attached to the scholarship prior to the granting of the scholarship.
Scholarship Amount:
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship programme has 5 awards:
| Platinum | Covers the tuition fee minus the home fee* and an allowance of €10,000 for living costs |
| Gold | Covers the tuition fee minus the home fee* |
| Silver | Covers 75% of the tuition fee |
| Bronze | Covers 50% of the tuition fee |
| Ivory | Covers 25 % of the tuition fee |
The number and type of award of the scholarship depends on the budget available for each Faculty department. The type of award has no reflection on the students' academic level of excellence.
* The tuition fee will be reduced to the amount of the home fee. Students who have been awarded a Platinum or Gold award still have to pay the home fee themselves.
Application procedure for September 2012 / February 2013 intake
| Step | Procedure | Deadline |
| 1A | Fill in your online application for admission to Leiden University | Deadline 1 March 2012 for programmes starting in September 2012. Deadline 1 April 2012 only for programmes of the Leiden Law Schoolstarting in September 2012. Deadline 1 October 2012 for programmes starting in February 2013. |
| B | Upload all necessary documents | |
| C | Indicate clearly that you would like to apply for the LExS scholarship on the scholarship page | |
| D | Upload your letter of motivation for the LExS scholarship on the scholarship page | |
| E | Submit your online application | |
| F | Pay the application fee | |
| 2A | All LExS applicants will be informed by the scholarship department of Student Educational Affairs. | The end of May 2012 for September 2012 intake. Mid November 2012 for the February 2013 intake. |
Letter of motivation
To apply for the scholarship, you should write a letter of motivation (in Word) of a maximum of 500 words, in which you indicate why you believe you should be considered for this scholarship. The Word document should then be attached on thescholarship page in your online application for the master's programmes for which you are applying.
It is possible to submit applications for more scholarship programmes simultaneously. However, it is not possible to obtain more than 1 scholarship from Leiden University for the same study programme. (terms and conditions (pdf))
If you have already submitted your online application for admission to Leiden University, but would still like to apply for the LExS scholarship, we kindly request you to submit the LExS motivation letter to the Scholarships department (e-mail).
Selection process
The Faculty selection committee will review the applications. Students are selected on the basis of academic merit.
Disclaimer
The student is responsible for submitting a complete application, according to the steps described under 1A-F by the aforementioned deadline. Leiden University cannot be held responsible for late and/or incomplete applications.
Please note
Students should be aware that the LExS is not a full scholarship. It is necessary to find additional funding to be able to finance their study and stay completely.
One of the requirements for being granted a residence permit in the Netherlands is that students must submit proof that they have sufficient financial means to finance their study period in the Netherlands. Leiden University advises a budget, not including the tuition fee, of approx. €10,000 to €14,000 per year to cover the costs for rent, insurance, living expenses, course books and local transportation. How much money students actually spend will of course depend on their life style and spending habits.
