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Funding

Partial / Stipend

Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS)

Master's ScholarshipNetherlands · Leiden

Leiden University

Application Deadline

December 1, 2026

Official Page

Can you apply?

Here's who can apply

Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.

“Applicants must have a non-EEA/non-EFTA* passport, and may not be eligible for student finance via the Dutch government (Studiefinanciering) – with the exceptions of students applying for the programmes listed below for which no nationality restrictions apply: … All LLM Advanced Studies programmes … MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy” Eligibility

  • Education required

    Bachelor

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The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) is a merit award run by Leiden University’s Scholarships Team for students starting a full-time master’s programme in September.

It reduces the tuition fee for the length of the programme, taught at the university’s campuses in Leiden and The Hague. Faculty selection committees choose the recipients.

Benefits & funding

  • One of five fixed reductions of the tuition fee: €10,000, €15,000, €17,500, €18,500 or €19,000; the level is final.
  • Valid for the programme’s length: up to 12 months (60 EC) or 24 months (120 EC).
  • Year two of a two-year programme requires at least 60 ECTS in year one.
  • Not a full scholarship: recipients still pay at least the statutory (“home”) fee, fund their living costs and show proof of sufficient funds for the visa.
  • Cannot be combined with another full scholarship.

Eligibility

  • Applicants to a full-time Leiden master’s programme starting in September; Leiden Law School’s LLM (non-advanced) and MSc programmes and February intakes are excluded.
  • A non-EEA/non-EFTA passport (EEA/EFTA = EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) and no eligibility for Dutch student finance (Studiefinanciering). All LLM Advanced Studies programmes and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy are open to every nationality.
  • UK nationals qualify, unless they already lived in the Netherlands and were registered in a municipality’s BRP before 1 January 2021.
  • Excellent results in a relevant previous programme (roughly the top 10% of graduates; no proof of rank needed).
  • Not open to holders of a Leiden master’s degree, unless a specified prior master’s or work experience is mandatory for the programme (e.g. LLM Advanced Studies).

Application process

  1. 1
    Apply for admission to the Leiden master’s programme and pay the application fee where one applies.
  2. 2
    After submitting the admission application, select the LExS under Scholarships in the same online application.
  3. 3
    Add a motivation letter (max. 500 words) on why you should be considered and submit by 1 December 2026; late applications and later changes are not accepted.
  4. 4
    Applying to several programmes means a separate LExS application and letter in each.

Program timeline

  1. LExS application deadline

    Dec 1, 2026

  2. Within 10 weeks of the deadline

    faculty committees nominate recipients

  3. all applicants notified by email

    By end of March 2027

  4. master’s programme starts

    September 2027

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