The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) 2027 is now open for outstanding international students applying for eligible Master’s degree programmes in the Netherlands.
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship offers funding of up to €19,000 toward tuition fees, providing exceptional students with the opportunity to pursue a world-class Master’s degree at one of Europe’s leading universities.
Scholarship Summary
- Host Country: Netherlands
- Category: Postgraduate Scholarships | Masters Scholarships
- Eligible Countries: All Countries
- Reward: Up to €19,000 Grant
- Deadline: December 1, 2026
Scholarship Details
The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) is a prestigious tuition support award created to recognize academically outstanding students enrolling in eligible full-time Master’s degree programmes at Leiden University. The scholarship significantly reduces tuition costs and is available to both Dutch and international applicants who meet the eligibility requirements.
The scholarship applies to most Master’s programmes offered by the university, with the exception of non-advanced LLM programmes and MSc programmes at Leiden Law School. Eligible students may study across several faculties, including Archaeology, Humanities, Medicine/LUMC, Governance and Global Affairs, Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Science, the African Studies Centre, and the International Institute for Asian Studies.
Eligibility Criteria
To be qualified for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, applicants must:
- Be a non-EEA/non-EFTA national applying for an eligible Master’s programme at Leiden University; or
- Be of any nationality applying for an Advanced LLM programme or the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy.
- Apply for an eligible full-time Master’s programme at Leiden University.
- Meet the admission requirements of the chosen Master’s programme.
- Have achieved outstanding academic results in previous studies relevant to the intended Master’s programme.
- Be among the top-performing students in their previous degree programme, with academic performance generally comparable to the top 10% of graduates.
Scholarship Benefits
Successful applicants for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship will receive one of the following tuition fee awards:
- €10,000 toward tuition fees
- €15,000 toward tuition fees
- €17,500 toward tuition fees
- €18,500 toward tuition fees
- €19,000 toward tuition fees
The scholarship is awarded for the full duration of the recipient’s Master’s programme.
Selection Process
The selection process for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship includes:
- Faculty selection committees reviewing all eligible applications.
- Nomination of successful candidates by each faculty.
- Notification of results by the Scholarships Team within approximately six weeks after the application deadline.
- Decisions are typically announced:
- At the end of November for the February intake.
- At the end of April for the September intake.
How to Apply
To apply for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship:
- Visit the scholarship application webpage.
- Apply online for admission to an eligible Master’s programme at Leiden University.
- Pay the application fee where applicable.
- Indicate in the scholarship section of the online application that you wish to apply for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS).
- Upload a motivation letter (PDF format, maximum 500 words) explaining why you should be considered for the scholarship.
- If applying for more than one Master’s programme, submit a separate scholarship motivation letter with each application.
- Submit your complete application before the application deadline.
To begin the scholarship application process, Click HERE
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