Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands — founded in 1575, tucked along the canals of a storybook city, and home to sixteen Nobel laureates. It also runs one of the country's best-known merit awards: the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, or LExS. This isn't a full ride, and Leiden says so openly. It's a tuition fee reduction worth between €10,000 and €19,000, awarded for the full duration of an eligible full-time Master's programme to students who finished near the top of their class. With only around 25 LExS awards each year and well over a thousand applicants, this one is for the genuinely excellent.
The timing: the deadline for the September 2027 intake is 1 December 2026 — and Leiden does not accept late scholarship applications, full stop. Because the scholarship application lives inside the admission application, you need to start both well before December.
In short: The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) 2027 is a merit-based tuition reduction of up to €19,000 for outstanding non-EEA/non-EFTA students starting an eligible full-time Master's programme at Leiden University in September 2027. Around 25 awards are available each year, and applications close on 1 December 2026. It does not cover living costs — budget for those separately.
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Quick Overview
- Host Country: Netherlands
- Host Institution: Leiden University (campuses in Leiden and The Hague)
- Degree Level: Master's (full-time, eligible programmes only)
- Program Duration: Full duration of the Master's programme
- Funding Type: Partial (tuition fee reduction, five fixed award levels)
- Deadline: 1 December 2026 (September 2027 intake; no time-of-day stated — submit early)
Benefits of the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship
Let's be precise about what LExS pays for, because the word "scholarship" makes some applicants imagine full funding. This is a tuition fee reduction — and a generous one at that:
- Five award levels — €10,000, €15,000, €17,500, €18,500, or €19,000 off your tuition fee. The level is final and non-negotiable once awarded.
- Awarded for the full programme duration — the reduction applies across your whole Master's, not just the first year.
- Covers seven faculties — Archaeology, Humanities, Medicine/LUMC, Governance and Global Affairs, Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences, and Science (with the Law School exceptions below).
And an honest word on what it does not cover: accommodation, living costs, health insurance, travel, visa fees, and the proof of funds Dutch immigration requires for your residence permit are all on you. Leiden states plainly that a significant personal contribution will be required. Arrive with a realistic budget, not a wish.
Eligibility Criteria for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship
The rules are clearly laid out on the official LExS page. You must meet all of the following:
- Applying for an eligible Master's starting in September — all full-time Master's programmes starting in September, except LLM (non-advanced) and MSc programmes at Leiden Law School. February-start programmes are not eligible either.
- Non-EEA/non-EFTA passport — you must hold a passport from outside the European Economic Area and EFTA (that's all EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland), and not be eligible for Dutch government student finance (Studiefinanciering). UK students qualify as non-EEA — except those already living in the Netherlands and registered in their Dutch municipality's BRP before 1 January 2021.
- Two exceptions to the nationality rule — applicants of any nationality may apply for the LLM Advanced Studies programmes and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy.
- Excellent academic record — your previous studies must be excellent and relevant to the Master's you're applying for. As an indication, you should be among the top 10% of graduates in your previous programme. Proof of ranking isn't required — it's Leiden's way of signalling just how competitive this is.
- Not already a Leiden Master's graduate — you can't hold the LExS if you've already obtained a Leiden University Master's degree (with the narrow exception of programmes where a previous Master's or work experience is mandatory, like the LLM Advanced Studies).
- No double full funding — the LExS cannot be combined with another full scholarship from an external provider. You must notify the scholarships department if you receive one. In some circumstances it can be combined with a partial scholarship — contact the Scholarships Team first.
How to Apply for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship
The application process is built into your admission application, so the two move together. Follow the steps exactly as Leiden describes them:
1. Apply online for admission first — submit your application for admission to a Master's programme at Leiden University and pay the application fee if one applies. Important: it can take up to 3 working days to create and submit an admission application, so don't begin at the end of November. 2. Open the Scholarships section — after submitting your admission application, return to the *Apply* screen in your online application and click on *Scholarships*. If you're eligible for the LExS, it will appear there. (If it doesn't appear, you haven't submitted your admission application yet, you've missed the deadline, or you're not eligible.) 3. Write and upload your motivation letter — indicate that you want to apply for the LExS and upload your motivation letter as a PDF of no more than 500 words, explaining why you should be considered. Tight, specific, programme-focused — every word has to work. 4. Submit before 1 December 2026 — submit the scholarship application before the LExS deadline. After submitting, you cannot change anything, online or by email. 5. One application per programme — if you're applying for more than one study programme or specialisation and want LExS consideration for each, submit a separate LExS application and motivation letter inside each admission application.
What happens next: the faculty selection committees nominate their LExS recipients within 10 weeks of the deadline, and all applicants receive an email before the end of March telling them whether they've been awarded the scholarship.
Required Documents
The scholarship application itself is deliberately light — Leiden wants your motivation letter to do the talking. But the underlying admission application needs the full package, which varies by programme. Typically:
- Academic transcripts and degree certificate (or proof of expected completion)
- Valid passport
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- English language proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL, or accepted equivalent, per programme requirements)
- Motivation letter for LExS — PDF, max 500 words (required in the scholarship application)
- Any additional programme-specific documents requested in your admission application
Double-check your chosen programme's admission page for its own document list, because the LExS is judged alongside your admission file.
Leiden University Excellence Scholarship Deadline
The official deadline for the September 2027 intake is 1 December 2026. No time of day is stated on the official page, so treat it as an end-of-day deadline and aim to be done days earlier. Leiden is explicit that late scholarship applications will not be considered, and it is entirely your responsibility to get both the admission and scholarship applications in on time — nobody will chase you. Given that admission applications can take up to 3 working days to create and submit, realistically you want your admission application in by mid-November at the latest.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the LExS really a full scholarship?
No — and this is the most important thing to understand before applying. LExS is a tuition fee reduction of €10,000 to €19,000, fixed in five levels, and it does not cover living costs, insurance, travel, or visa fees. You will still need substantial personal funding and must show proof of sufficient funds for your residence permit.
How competitive is the LExS?
Very. Leiden awards only around 25 LExS scholarships each year while receiving well over a thousand applications. The university uses "top 10% of graduates" as an indication of the expected level — if your record is strong but not near the top of your class, be realistic about your chances.
Can EU or EEA students apply?
Generally no — applicants need a non-EEA/non-EFTA passport and must not be eligible for Dutch student finance. Two exceptions: the LLM Advanced Studies programmes and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy are open to all nationalities.
I'm from the UK — am I eligible?
Yes. Post-Brexit, the UK is a non-EEA country, so UK students can apply. The one exception: applicants who were already living in the Netherlands and registered in their Dutch municipality's BRP before 1 January 2021 are not eligible.
Can I apply for a February-start Master's?
No. The LExS is only available for programmes starting in September. February starters are explicitly excluded.
What if my programme is at Leiden Law School?
The LLM (non-advanced) and MSc programmes at Leiden Law School are excluded from LExS. The LLM Advanced Studies programmes, however, are eligible — and open to all nationalities.
Can I combine LExS with another scholarship?
Not with another full scholarship from an external provider — and you must inform Leiden if you receive one. Combination with a partial scholarship is sometimes possible; contact the Scholarships Team for details before assuming anything.
How many words can the motivation letter be?
Maximum 500 words, as a PDF. Keep it specific: why this programme at Leiden, why you, and what the academic record behind you proves. Generic praise of Leiden won't survive a selection committee.
When will I know if I got it?
Faculty committees nominate recipients within 10 weeks of the 1 December deadline, and every applicant receives an email with the outcome before the end of March.
If I change Master's programmes, do I keep the scholarship?
Not automatically. Continuing the LExS after a programme change isn't guaranteed — such requests can be reviewed case by case by the relevant faculty selection committee, so confirm the effect before switching.
Final Words
The LExS is one of the cleanest merit scholarships in Europe: no financial-need paperwork, no interviews, just your record and a 500-word letter doing the convincing. But its honesty cuts both ways — it rewards the top of the class and tells everyone else the truth about funding. If your grades put you near the top, give it everything before 1 December.
