Eligibility Criteria for Leiden University Excellence Scholarships for International Students
To be eligible for a Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) you must meet all of the following requirements below:
Language: English
Nationality: Non-EU/EEA students
- The student has shown excellent study results in previous relevant courses for the programme he/she wants to follow. The student will be in the top 10% for the programme followed abroad as a sign.
- For Master’s programmes students must have shown excellent academic performance in previous studies. The fact that the student is in the top 10% of the previous programme is an indication. Note: this is only to show the level of competition; verification of ranking is not necessary.
- The student is not eligible for the Dutch “Studiefinanciering” system of study grants and loans since they do not have a EU/EEA passport. For more information please visit www.duo.nl. The Advanced Masters programme is excluded; students of any nationality can apply for the LExS.
- If a student changes the degree programme during his/her study period, there is no guarantee that the LExS will be continued. Each request will be assessed individually and the Faculty Selection Committee or committees will make the final decision. The LExS will be cancelled and the student will have to reapply if the change occurs before the student has registered for the study programme. The LExS is only valid for the duration of the study programme at Leiden University.
- According to the decision letter an LExS awarded for the academic year cannot be carried over to the next intake or to another academic year. An LExS awarded for the September (or February) intake will be cancelled if the student decides to delay his/her participation in the study programme. Each request will be assessed individually and the Faculty Selection Committee or committees will make the final decision.
- Except for partial scholarships which require prior written confirmation, the student is not allowed to receive any other full scholarships for the same degree. If another full scholarship (e.g. Netherlands Fellowship Programme, Jean Monnet, etc.) has been offered and accepted the student should inform Leiden University.
- To be eligible for LExS for the next academic year, students in programs longer than one year must earn at least 60 ECTS in their first year of study. The Leiden University Selection Committee will determine the period and method of measurement in case of doubt about the number of ECTS required for good progress.
- A student can apply for multiple scholarships at the same time. However, scholarships offered or supported by Leiden University cannot be combined. This applies to the following scholarship programs: Orange Tulip: Praesidium Libertatis in China and the CEU. Also, LExS cannot be combined with any other scholarships that Leiden University may offer or support in the future or with scholarships awarded under a bilateral agreement with educational institutions. The student must comply with the rules on Dutch visas.
- Except for Master students who require a specific prior Master or work experience, students who are admitted to a second Master at Leiden University will not be eligible for LExS.
- Throughout the academic year, Leiden University should be informed as soon as possible of any changes to a student’s nationality, type of residence permit and/or potential “Studiefinanciering” support.
- Requests for tuition reimbursement will be sent to Leiden University and analogues to the “Regeling inschrijving, college-en examengeld” for the relevant academic year if the student stops studying. The de-registration form should be sent to
- Leiden University by the student. The student will then receive a pro rata reimbursement of the tuition fee minus the scholarship, if applicable. The student will actively participate in LExS promotion efforts while studying at Leiden University. The student must fill in the “Acceptance Form LExS” to accept the awarded LExS scholarship.
How to Apply for Leiden University Excellence Scholarships for International Students 2025/2026
To apply for the 2025 Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, you;
- Click the button below to go to the scholarship page.
- Apply to Leiden University’s Master’s programme and, if applicable, pay the application fee.
- Tick that you want to apply for an LExS in the scholarship part of your online application.
- Upload your LExS motivation letter as required by your online application. You can write no more than 500 words in this PDF document explaining why you would like to be considered for the award.
- Submit your online application and LExS application before the LExS deadline.
- Make sure to tick in each application that you want to apply for an LExS for each programme you apply to and attach a motivation letter for each programme.
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