Netherlands · Leiden and The Hague
About this opportunity
Leiden University awards about 25 Excellence Scholarships a year to outstanding non-EEA students starting a full-time master’s programme in September. Awards are €10,000, €15,000, €17,500, €18,500 or €19,000 deducted from tuition — it is not a full scholarship, so you need to fund the rest of your tuition and living costs.
Apply for admission first, then select the LExS in the Scholarships section of your online application and upload a motivation letter (up to 500 words). More than 1,000 students apply each year; results by the end of March.
Who can apply
Non-EEA/non-EFTA passport holders not eligible for Dutch student finance, starting a full-time Leiden master's in September. Excellent results — roughly the top 10% of your graduating class.
- Eligible nationalities
- All nationalities
- Study level
- Master's
Mandatory conditions
- Not open to Leiden Law School LLM (non-advanced) and MSc programmes.
- February intakes are not eligible.
What the funding covers
€10,000–€19,000 off tuition
A fixed amount of €10,000, €15,000, €17,500, €18,500 or €19,000 off the tuition fee. Living costs are not covered.
- Tuition Partly covered / varies
- Stipend or salary Not separately covered
- Travel Not separately covered
- Accommodation Not separately covered
- Health insurance Not separately covered
"Not separately covered" means the provider does not pay for it on top — you pay it yourself, usually from the stipend if there is one.
Documents & tests
- Completed Leiden master's admission application
- Scholarship section of the online application
- Motivation letter (PDF, up to 500 words)
- Tests
- Not stated — check the official page
- Application fee
- None for the scholarship
How to apply
- Submit your Leiden master's application (allow up to three working days to complete it).
- In the Scholarships section, select the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship.
- Upload a motivation letter of up to 500 words.
- Submit before 1 December 2026 — late or edited applications are not accepted.
- Applying to more than one programme? Submit a separate LExS application for each.
Before you apply
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Program dates
- Duration
- Length of the master's (1–2 years)
Quick answers
Who can apply for Leiden University Excellence Scholarship?
Open to all nationalities. Level: Master's. See "Who can apply" for the full rules.
Is Leiden University Excellence Scholarship fully funded?
Funding type: Partially funded, Tuition waiver. Amount: €10,000–€19,000 off tuition. Not separately covered: tuition (partly), stipend or salary, travel, accommodation, health insurance.
What is the deadline for Leiden University Excellence Scholarship?
The deadline is 1 Dec 2026. Status: Open now. Always confirm the date and time zone on the official website.
Does Leiden University Excellence Scholarship require IELTS or another test?
Our record does not state a test requirement — check the official page and your chosen university.
How do I apply for Leiden University Excellence Scholarship?
Submit your Leiden master's application (allow up to three working days to complete it). Apply only on the official website (www.universiteitleiden.nl). The full steps are listed under "How to apply".
Is there an application fee?
None for the scholarship. ScholarsChapter never charges a fee, and no agent can sell you a place.
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Verification
- Information
- Verified against the official source. This confirms the details we list — it does not mean applications are open; see the application status above.
- Official source
- www.universiteitleiden.nl
- Last checked
- 19 Oct 2026
- Listing updated
- 19 Oct 2026
ScholarsChapter is an independent listing service. We never charge application fees. Deadlines, amounts and eligibility can change — always apply through the official website. How we verify listings
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