Applications are now open for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship 2027, a competitive tuition award for international students who want to study at one of the Netherlands’ most respected universities. Leiden University, founded in 1575 and the oldest university in the country, is offering this merit-based award to strong applicants entering a full-time Master’s programme in September 2027, with tuition reductions that run from €10,000 up to €19,000. The scholarship mainly targets students outside the EU or EEA, though a small number of programmes, including the Advanced LLM tracks and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy, stay open to applicants of any nationality. Candidates should generally sit among the top 10 percent of their graduating class, and the application window closes on December 1, 2026. One thing to keep in mind from the start: this award only reduces tuition. It does not pay for rent, flights, insurance, or day to day living costs, so read through every section below before you build your budget around it.
What Makes LExS Worth Applying For
Getting accepted into a Dutch university is rarely the toughest part of studying abroad. The number that usually stops people is the tuition invoice, and that is precisely the gap the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, known for short as LExS, is built to close. Leiden sits among Europe’s oldest academic institutions and remains part of the League of European Research Universities, so this is not a minor discount tucked away on some obscure page. It is a genuinely competitive award reserved for candidates whose transcripts already put them near the top of their field.
For a student who qualifies, LExS can shave up to €19,000 off the tuition bill for a Dutch Master’s degree, which turns an otherwise expensive year or two into something far more realistic financially. Even so, do not mistake this for a full ride. LExS handles tuition and nothing else. Housing, travel, health insurance, and the proof of funds required for a Dutch residence permit remain entirely the applicant’s own responsibility. For students coming from outside the EU or EEA, the scholarship makes the overall cost more manageable, but it will not remove the immigration requirement to show you can financially support yourself while studying in the Netherlands.
If your academic record stands out and Leiden is on your shortlist, this guide walks through everything you need: the award tiers, who actually qualifies, which programmes are open to you, and the exact steps to submit a complete application before the deadline.
Weighing Leiden against other European destinations? You may also want to check the University of Coimbra guide, covering courses, costs, and campus life for international students in Portugal.
Scholarship Snapshot
- Scholarship Name: Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS)
- Host University: Leiden University
- Host Country: Netherlands
- Degree Level: Full-time Master’s programmes starting September 2027
- Scholarship Type: Merit-based tuition fee reduction
- Award Range: €10,000 to €19,000, split across five tiers
- Duration: Covers the entire length of the Master’s programme
How Much Money Is Actually on the Table
LExS runs for the full duration of your Master’s programme and pays out at one of five fixed tuition reduction levels:
| Award Tier | Tuition Reduction |
|---|---|
| Tier 1 | €10,000 |
| Tier 2 | €15,000 |
| Tier 3 | €17,500 |
| Tier 4 | €18,500 |
| Tier 5 (Top Award) | €19,000 |
Whichever tier a selection committee awards you, that figure is locked in and cannot be renegotiated afterward. Also worth repeating: LExS is a partial scholarship, not full funding, so even the top tier of €19,000 will likely leave a real gap between the award and your total cost of studying in Leiden.
Looking for a fully funded alternative instead of a partial tuition reduction? You may also want to check the Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships 2027/2028, a fully funded route for international students in Switzerland.
Who Actually Qualifies for LExS
Programme Requirements
You need to be applying for a full-time Master’s programme at Leiden University that starts in September 2027. Two programme categories sit outside the scholarship entirely:
- Standard (non-advanced) LLM programmes at Leiden Law School
- MSc programmes offered through Leiden Law School
Nationality Rules
Most Master’s programmes under LExS require applicants to:
- Hold a passport from outside the EU, EEA, or EFTA zone (meaning outside the EU plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland)
- Be ineligible for Dutch government student financing, known locally as Studiefinanciering
Two categories break from that rule and stay open to students of any nationality:
- All Advanced LLM Studies programmes
- The MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy
A note for UK applicants: since the United Kingdom sits outside the EEA, British citizens remain eligible for LExS. The one exception involves anyone who was already living in the Netherlands and registered with a Dutch municipality’s BRP system before January 1, 2021.
Academic Standards
Your previous academic record needs to show genuinely strong results, and that record has to connect directly to the Master’s programme you are applying for. As a rough benchmark, Leiden looks for candidates who finished among the top 10 percent of their cohort. You will not need to submit formal proof of class ranking, but the committee uses that benchmark to judge how competitive your file looks next to everyone else’s.
What Rules You Out
A handful of situations automatically disqualify an applicant:
- Already holding a Leiden University Master’s degree, unless you are applying for an Advanced LLM that specifically requires a prior Master’s
- Applying for an excluded LLM or MSc programme at Leiden Law School
- Applying for a programme that starts in February rather than September
- Not meeting the nationality conditions listed above
Stacking LExS With Other Awards
You cannot hold LExS alongside another full scholarship from an outside organization, and you are required to inform Leiden’s scholarships office if a separate full award comes through after you have applied. A partial scholarship from another source may sometimes be combined with LExS, but that depends on the specific circumstances, so reach out to the Scholarships Team directly to confirm before assuming it will work.
Which Programmes and Fields Are Covered
LExS applies to essentially every full-time Master’s programme at Leiden University, aside from the standard LLM and MSc tracks at Leiden Law School mentioned earlier. The eligible fields span a genuinely wide range, including:
- Applied Sciences and Professions
- Art
- Business
- Economics
- Engineering and Technology
- Environmental Sciences
- Humanities
- Law, limited to the Advanced LLM route
- Management
- Natural Sciences
- Social Sciences
Keep in mind that LExS does not extend to programmes beginning in the February intake, so plan around the September start date from the outset.
Deadline to Remember
The application window closes on December 1, 2026, for anyone targeting a September 2027 start. There is no separate cycle for late submissions, so treat this date as final rather than flexible.
How to Apply, Step by Step
- Step 1: Confirm You Actually QualifyCheck that your nationality and academic background line up with the requirements above, that your target Master’s programme is not on the excluded list, and that you are applying for the September 2027 intake rather than February.
- Step 2: Submit Your Admission ApplicationApply online for admission to your chosen Leiden Master’s programme and pay the application fee where one applies. Give yourself extra time here, since processing an admission application can take up to three working days, and you want that finished well ahead of the LExS deadline.
- Step 3: Flag Your Interest in LExSOnce your admission application is in, go back to the Apply section of your online account and open the Scholarships tab. If you meet the eligibility bar, LExS will show up there as an option you can select. If it does not appear, one of three things has likely happened: your admission application has not been submitted yet, the deadline has already passed, or you do not meet the eligibility criteria.
- Step 4: Upload Your Motivation LetterAttach a motivation letter written specifically for LExS, capped at 500 words, explaining why you deserve consideration for the award. If you are applying to more than one Master’s programme, write a separate letter for each one and note clearly that multiple applications are underway.
- Step 5: Submit Everything Before the DeadlineSend in your completed application, LExS materials included, before December 1, 2026. Leiden does not accept late submissions under any circumstance, so build in a buffer rather than aiming for the exact cutoff.
- Step 6: Wait on the DecisionFaculty selection committees review nominations and pass their choices to the central Scholarships Team within roughly six weeks of the deadline. Final decisions then reach every applicant by the end of April, ahead of the September intake.
🔗 Official Application Link: Apply for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship on the official Leiden University website
Want your motivation letter and supporting documents to stand out? You may also want to check this guide on how to ask for a scholarship recommendation letter, useful for strengthening any competitive application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is actually allowed to apply for LExS?
Applicants from outside the EU, EEA, and EFTA zone applying to a full-time Leiden Master’s programme qualify, with two exceptions open to every nationality: the Advanced LLM programmes and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy.
What is the biggest award someone can receive?
The top tier reduces tuition by €19,000. Awards are set at five fixed levels ranging from €10,000 up to that €19,000 maximum, and the committee assigns the tier rather than the applicant choosing it.
Will LExS help pay my rent or flight ticket?
No. The scholarship only reduces tuition fees. Rent, flights, insurance, and the funds you must show for a Dutch residence permit all remain the student’s own responsibility.
When does the application period end?
December 1, 2026, for anyone entering a Master’s programme in September 2027. There is no alternate deadline for late applicants.
What does the actual application involve?
Apply for admission through Leiden’s online system, indicate your interest in LExS inside the Scholarships tab once admission is submitted, and upload a motivation letter of no more than 500 words explaining your case for the award.
Do I have to prove I finished in the top 10 percent of my class?
Not with formal documentation. The top 10 percent figure works as a general benchmark the committee uses to judge competitiveness, not a hard requirement you need paperwork to verify.
Are British applicants eligible?
Yes, since the UK falls outside the EEA. The only exception applies to UK citizens who were already living in the Netherlands and registered locally before January 1, 2021.