Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) 2027 in Netherlands | How to Apply

The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) is open right now for Master’s programmes, and the deadline to submit both your admission application and your scholarship motivation letter is 1 December 2026. Funded directly by Leiden University, this partial scholarship awards between €10,000 and €19,000 off your tuition fee for the full duration of your Master’s programme — not just the first year. Only around 25 awards are made each cycle against more than 1,000 applicants, which makes this one of the most competitive institutional scholarships in the Netherlands.

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You do not apply separately for this scholarship: the LExS is embedded inside your Leiden admissions application, and if you miss the 1 December deadline, there is no second chance — late applications are not considered under any circumstances. Applicants must hold a non-EEA, non-EFTA passport and be among the top 10% of graduates in their previous programme. UK students are eligible. Two exceptions to the nationality rule apply: the Advanced LLM programmes and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy are open to all nationalities.

About Leiden University and the LExS Scholarship

Leiden University has been elevating minds since 1575, when William of Orange founded it as a reward to the city for its resistance against the Spanish siege — making it the oldest surviving university in the Netherlands. The university is a founding member of the League of European Research Universities and is home to students from more than 120 countries. The LExS was introduced specifically to attract non-EEA students of outstanding academic calibre who might otherwise be deterred by the cost of non-EU tuition fees, which currently range from roughly €14,300 to €30,200 per year depending on faculty. The scholarship is administered entirely through Leiden’s online admissions portal, with selection delegated to faculty committees who rank applicants within their own discipline.

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Summary of the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS)

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Qualifying Criteria for the LExS Scholarship

You must meet every condition below to apply:

Programme requirements:

• You must be applying for a full-time Master’s programme at Leiden University starting in September 2026
• The following are excluded from eligibility: LLM (non-advanced) programmes at Leiden Law School, MSc programmes at Leiden Law School, and any programme starting in February

Nationality requirements:

• You must hold a non-EEA/non-EFTA passport. EEA includes all EU member states; EFTA includes Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland
• You must not be eligible for Dutch government student finance (Studiefinanciering)
• UK students are eligible, as the UK is classified as a non-EEA country. One exception: UK applicants who were already living in the Netherlands and registered in a Dutch municipality’s BRP before 1 January 2021 do not qualify
• For Advanced LLM programmes and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy only: no nationality restrictions apply — all nationalities are eligible

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Academic requirements:

• You must have achieved excellent academic results in a previous study programme relevant to your chosen Master’s at Leiden. As a guide, you should be among the top 10% of graduates from your previous programme. No proof of ranking is required — this is an indicator of competitiveness, not a document you upload

Exclusions — you cannot receive the LExS if:

• You already hold a Leiden University Master’s degree, unless applying for a programme that specifically requires a prior Master’s or work experience (such as an Advanced LLM)
• You will receive a full scholarship from an external provider. Combining the LExS with another full external scholarship is not permitted. Combining with a partial external scholarship may be possible — contact Leiden’s Scholarships Team before applying

What the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship Covers

The LExS is a partial tuition scholarship applied for the full duration of your Master’s programme. There are five award levels:

• €10,000
• €15,000
• €17,500
• €18,500
• €19,000

The level is determined by the faculty selection committee and is final and non-negotiable once awarded. You will not know which level you have received until after selection.

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This is not a full scholarship. Non-EU tuition fees at Leiden range from approximately €14,300 to €30,200 per year depending on faculty. Even at the highest award level of €19,000, a significant personal contribution remains required for each year of your programme beyond the first, and you must still demonstrate sufficient funds for your Dutch student visa or residence permit application — the LExS award alone is not accepted as full proof of funds.

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Step-by-Step Application for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship

There is no separate LExS application portal. The entire process runs through your Leiden University admissions application:

1. Start your admissions application on Leiden’s online application system. Note that creating and submitting an application can take up to 3 working days — start well before 1 December, not on the deadline day
2. Pay the non-refundable application fee of €100 if applicable. This covers up to three programme or specialisation applications
3. Submit your application for admission first. The LExS option only becomes visible after admission is submitted
4. Return to the Apply screen in your online application and click on Scholarships. If you are eligible, the LExS will appear in the scholarships section. If it does not appear, you have either not yet submitted your admission application, missed the deadline, or are not eligible
5. Indicate that you want to apply for the LExS and upload your motivation letter. This must be a PDF, maximum 500 words, explaining why you should be considered. You cannot edit this letter after submission
6. If you are applying to more than one Leiden programme and want LExS consideration for each, you must submit a separate LExS motivation letter inside each separate admissions application
7. Submit your complete scholarship application before 1 December 2026. Late applications receive no consideration, and no exceptions are made

Faculty selection committees will nominate recipients within 10 weeks of the 1 December deadline. All applicants will be notified by email before the end of March 2027.

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Application Deadline

The deadline is 1 December 2026. This is a firm cutoff with no exceptions and no late applications accepted. Given that the admissions application itself can take up to 3 working days to create and submit before you can even access the scholarship section, treat your personal deadline as 25 November 2026 at the latest. Start gathering your documents — transcripts, motivation letter, English proficiency scores — now, not in November.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the LExS fully funded?

No. It is a partial tuition discount worth between €10,000 and €19,000 applied across the full duration of your Master’s. Non-EU tuition at Leiden ranges from approximately €14,300 to €30,200 per year, so a significant personal contribution is still required regardless of which award level you receive.

Can I apply for the LExS and another scholarship at the same time?

You cannot combine the LExS with another full scholarship from an external provider. Combining it with a partial external scholarship may be possible — contact the Leiden Scholarships Team before applying to confirm your specific situation.

Can UK students apply for the LExS?

Yes. The UK is classified as a non-EEA country for LExS purposes, so UK passport holders are eligible. One exception: if you were already living in the Netherlands and registered in a Dutch municipality’s BRP before 1 January 2021, you do not qualify.

How competitive is the LExS?

Very. Leiden awards approximately 25 LExS scholarships each year against more than 1,000 applicants. Your motivation letter and your academic record relative to other applicants in your faculty are the deciding factors.

Do I need to prove I am in the top 10% of graduates?

No. The top 10% benchmark is an indicator of the level of competitiveness, not a document requirement. You do not upload proof of ranking — the selection committee assesses your academic results against other applicants in your field.

When will I find out if I have received the LExS?

Faculty committees nominate recipients within 10 weeks of the 1 December deadline. All applicants receive an email decision before the end of March 2027.

Disclaimer: All scholarship details, deadlines, award values, and eligibility criteria in this post were verified from the official Leiden University website and the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship page as of July 2026. Information is subject to change without notice. Always confirm the latest details directly on the official Leiden University scholarships page before submitting your application. ScholarWaka is not affiliated with Leiden University.

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