The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship is a prestigious funding opportunity for outstanding international students seeking to pursue a master’s degree in the Netherlands. The scholarship recognises academic excellence by offering tuition fee reductions to highly qualified applicants enrolling in eligible master’s programmes at Leiden University.
About the Scholarship
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) is awarded to exceptional international students applying for full-time master’s programmes at Leiden University. The scholarship is available primarily to non-EEA and non-EFTA students, although some programmes are open to applicants of all nationalities.
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship supports academically outstanding students by reducing tuition fees throughout the duration of their master’s programme. However, it is a partial scholarship and recipients should be prepared to contribute towards the remaining costs of their studies and living expenses.
The scholarship is highly competitive, with only around 25 awards available each year from more than one thousand applications.
Scholarship Benefits
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship provides tuition fee reductions at one of the following levels:
- €10,000 tuition fee reduction
- €15,000 tuition fee reduction
- €17,500 tuition fee reduction
- €18,500 tuition fee reduction
- €19,000 tuition fee reduction
The award applies for the duration of the eligible master’s programme. The scholarship does not cover the full cost of studying or living expenses.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, applicants must:
- Apply for a full-time master’s programme beginning in September at Leiden University.
- Hold a non-EEA or non-EFTA passport, except for programmes where all nationalities are eligible.
- Meet the admission requirements for their chosen master’s programme.
- Demonstrate outstanding academic achievement and rank among the top-performing graduates in their previous degree.
- Not already hold a master’s degree from Leiden University unless applying for an eligible exception programme.
Applicants are not eligible if they:
- Apply for a non-advanced LLM or MSc programme at Leiden Law School.
- Apply for programmes starting in February.
- Receive another full external scholarship covering all study costs.
Eligible Programmes
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship is available for eligible master’s programmes offered by faculties including:
- Archaeology
- Humanities
- Medicine
- Governance and Global Affairs
- Law (Advanced LLM programmes only)
- Social and Behavioural Sciences
- Science
Required Documents
Applicants should prepare:
- Completed admission application.
- Academic transcripts and certificates.
- Passport.
- Motivation letter (maximum 500 words).
- Any programme-specific admission documents required by Leiden University.
How To Apply
To apply for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship:
- Apply online for admission to an eligible master’s programme at Leiden University.
- Submit your admission application and pay the application fee where applicable.
- Return to the scholarship section of your online application portal.
- Select the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship if you are eligible.
- Upload a motivation letter (maximum 500 words) explaining why you should be considered for the scholarship.
- Submit the scholarship application before the deadline.
Applicants applying for multiple eligible programmes must submit a separate scholarship application and motivation letter for each programme.
Selection Process
Applications are assessed by faculty selection committees based on academic excellence and overall competitiveness.
Successful applicants will normally receive notification before the end of March following the scholarship deadline.
Application Deadline
December 1, 2026