Master’s scholarships are now being accepted for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) 2024 in the Netherlands. Applicants who are itending to get admission in a Leiden University Master’s degree program will be considered for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, with the exception of those enrolling for a Master’s program in Leiden Law School and LLM or non- advanced studies programs.

Key Details

• Host University: Leiden University
• Opportunity Type: Partially funded
• Degree level: Master’s
• Deadline: February 1, 2024 for programs starting in September 2024
• Eligible Nationalities: Non-EEA/Non-EFTA students
• Exception: For Advanced LLMs and MSc International Relations and Diplomacy, all nationalities are eligible.

Fields of Study

• Archaeology
• Humanities
• Medicine/LUMC
• Governance and Global Affairs
• Law
• Social and Behavioral Sciences
• Science
• Interfaculty Center for Teacher Training
• Educational development and further training
• African Studies Centre,
• International Institute for Asian Studies

Benefits of the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship

The LExS Master’s Degree Scholarship is given for the duration of the program of study. There are three levels of awards available:

• € 10,000 tuition fee
• € 15,000 tuition fee.
• Full tuition fee without statutory tuition fee

Note: It is important to note that the LExS is not a complete scholarship. Non-EEA LExS participants must still provide ‘evidence of sufficient funds’ when applying for a student visa or residence permit.

Eligibility Criteria

All applicants should meet the following requirnments:

• Students must have excelled in their previous academic program(s), which must be relevant to the Master’s program for which they are applying. As an example, the student was in the top 10% of his or her previous study program’s grads. It’s worth noting that confirmation of ranking isn’t required; this data is only provided to reflect the degree of competition.
• Applicants must hold a passport that is not from the European Economic Area (EEA) or the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).
• Students who are awarded an LExS must follow the rules and regulations related to the scholarship and confirm their consent in writing before the scholarship is awarded.
• Scholarships will not be offered to applicants who have already earned a Master’s degree from Leiden University, with the exception of students applying for a Master’s program that requires a specific previous Master’s program or work experience (e.g. LLM advanced studies programs).
• It is not possible to combine the LExS with another Leiden University scholarship.
• The LExS cannot be combined with another full scholarship from an outside source. If a student receives a full scholarship from another source, they must contact the scholarships department. The LExS may be coupled with a partial scholarship from an external supplier in specific cases.

Required Documents

Please submit these supporting documents for your applicaiton:

• A photocopy of a valid passport or identification card
• A copy of a residency permit in the Netherlands (if applicable)
• Résumé (CV)
• English language proficiency (if applicable)
• Diplomas and transcripts copies
• Motivational letter
• Recommendation letters
• Other documents specific to the program

How to Apply for Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS)?

• Apply for a Master’s program at Leiden University online and pay the application fee if necessary.
• Indicate that you want to apply for an LExS in the scholarship part of your online application.
• As directed in your online application, upload your LExS motivation letter. This is a 500-word PDF file in which you explain why you want to be considered for the award.
• Before the LExS application deadline, submit your online application, which includes your LExS application.
• If you apply for multiple study programs and want to apply for an LExS for each, make sure to specify this in each application and file an LExS motivation letter for each.

Apply Now

Selection Process:

Up to 6 weeks after the LExS deadline, the faculty selection committees will nominate LExS recipients and notify the Scholarships Team. All LExS applicants will be notified of the following decisions by the Scholarships Team:

• By the end of April for September intake.

For more information about Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS), please visit Leiden University’s website.

Similar scholarships:

• Danish Government Scholarship at University of Southern Denmark
• Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarships for 2024
• Maastricht University Holland-High Potential Scholarship 2024-25 for Master’s Studies
• Danish Government Scholarships for Non-EU/EEA Countries at the UCPH, 2024