If you are planning to study in the Netherlands with financial support, the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship is one of the best opportunities available for international students. This scholarship provides fully funded programs across a wide range of fields. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, including its benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a detailed step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship 2026-2027 is offered for master’s studies. This scholarship provides an average amount of €17,500 annually.
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship invites applications from international students to pursue a master’s degree at Leiden University, the Netherlands. These scholarships are fully funded and awarded to bright students.
The number and type of scholarship awards depend on the budget available for each faculty department. Leiden University was founded in 1575 and is one of Europe’s leading international research universities.
The motto of the university is ‘Praesidium Libertatis’—bastion of freedom. It has seven faculties in the sciences, arts, and social sciences, spread over locations in Leiden and The Hague. The university has over 6,700 staff members and 28,130 students.
Scholarship Summary
- Level of Study: Master’s
- Institution(s): Leiden University
- Study Destination: Netherlands
- Courses Offered: All master’s programs except Leiden Law School’s LLM (non-advanced).
- Program Period: The maximum study period for a 1-year program is 12 months. The maximum study period for a 2-year program is 24 months.
Leiden University Excellence Scholarship Application Deadline
The application deadlines for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship are February 02 for programs starting in September and October 01 for programs starting in February.
Scholarship Coverage
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LexS) provides the recipient with the following benefits:
- €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
Eligibility Criteria for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship
To qualify for a Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LexS), candidates must fulfill all of the following requirements:
- Required Language: English
- Eligible Countries: Non-EU/EEA international students
- In prior academic education, the student must have achieved excellent study results that are relevant to the program for which the student wishes to enroll. As an indication, the student will be among the top 10% for the relevant program followed abroad.
- Students must have achieved excellent study results in their previous education, this being relevant to the master’s program for which they are applying. As an indication, the student is among the top 10% of graduates in his/her previous study program. Note: proof of ranking is not required—this information is purely to indicate the level of competitiveness.
- The student will hold a non-EU/EEA passport and will not be eligible for support under the Dutch system of study grants and loans, “Studiefinanciering.” For more information, please refer to www.duo.nl. This does not apply to the Advanced Masters; applications for the LExS for these programs are open to all nationalities.
- Continuation of the LExS is not guaranteed when a student changes his or her degree program during the study program. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and the final decision will be made by the Faculty Selection Committee(s). In case the change is before the student has registered for the study program, the LExS scholarship will be revoked, and the student will have to reapply for the scholarship.
- The LExS is only valid for the period the student is registered at Leiden University as a full-time student within the time frame of the study program.
- An LExS granted for the academic year as specified in the decision letter cannot be transferred to another academic year or to the next intake within the same academic year. In case a student has been awarded an LExS for the September (or February) intake and decides to postpone his/her participation in the study program, the LExS will be revoked. Requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, and the final decision will be made by the Faculty Selection Committee(s).
- The student is not permitted to receive any additional full scholarship for the same program, other than in the case of partial scholarships, where the award has to be confirmed in writing in advance. The student should notify Leiden University if another full scholarship, such as the Netherlands Fellowship Program, Jean Monnet, etc., has been awarded and which scholarship has been accepted.
- For a program lasting more than one year, the student is required to obtain a minimum of 60 ECTS in the first year of study to retain the right to LExS for the following academic year. In cases where there is any uncertainty as to the number of ECTS standards for satisfactory progress, the time and manner in which progress will be measured will be set by the Leiden University Selection Committee.
- A student is allowed to submit several applications for scholarships at one time. However, combining scholarships provided or sponsored by Leiden University is not possible. This condition concerns the following scholarship programs: Orange Tulip—China and CEU Praesidium Libertatis. Also, it is not possible to combine the LExS with scholarships which are provided on a bilateral agreement with educational institutions, or any other scholarship which might be provided or sponsored by Leiden University in the near future
- The student must comply with Dutch visa regulations.
- The LExS will not be awarded to students who are admitted to a second master’s program at Leiden University, with the exception of students applying for a master’s program for which a specified previous master’s program or work experience is mandatory.
- Leiden University should be notified as soon as possible of any change in nationality, type of residence permit, and/or possible “Studiefinanciering” support throughout the academic year.
- If the student terminates the study prematurely, any requests for reimbursement of tuition fees will be made to Leiden University and are analogous to the “Regeling inschrijving, college- en examengeld” for the applicable academic year. The student should submit the deregistration form to Leiden University. If applicable, the student will subsequently receive a reimbursement of the tuition fee, less the scholarship on a pro rata basis.
- During the study at Leiden University, the student will take an active part in activities to promote the LExS.
- The student has to accept the granted LExS scholarship by filling out the Acceptance Form LExS.
How to Apply for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship?
Please follow the instructions below to avail this scholarship:
- Apply online for admission to a master’s program at Leiden University and pay the application fee if applicable.
- In the scholarship section of your online application, indicate that you wish to apply for an LExS (Leiden Excellence Scholarship).
- Upload your LExS motivation letter as instructed in your online application. This is a Word doc of max. 500 words, in which you explain why you would like to be considered for the award.
- Submit your online application, containing your LExS application, before the LExS application deadline.
- If you apply for more than one study program and want an LExS for each, state this in each application and upload an LExS motivation letter.
Website
To know more about Leiden University Excellence Scholarships (LexS), please visit the official website: