Partial funding · Study in the Netherlands
Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS)
€10,000, €15,000, or the full tuition fee minus the Dutch statutory fee, for one year
- Funder
- Leiden University
- Level
- Postgraduate
- Coverage
- Partial
About this scholarship
LExS is Leiden's main merit award for non-EU master's students, and the university is explicit that it is not a full scholarship — a significant personal contribution is still required.
Only around 25 awards are made each year against more than a thousand applications, so treat it as an upside rather than the basis of a funding plan.
🗓️ Deadline
Usually 1 February for September starts; 1 October for February starts
Award cycles shift year to year. Confirm the current deadline on the official site before you plan around it.
Eligibility
- A national of a country outside the EU/EEA, applying to a Leiden master's programme
- Excluding LLM (non-advanced) and MSc programmes at Leiden Law School
- Open to all nationalities for the Advanced LLM programmes and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy
- An outstanding academic record in the bachelor's degree
- Holding or awaiting an admission decision by the scholarship deadline
How to apply
- Apply online for admission to a Leiden master's programme and pay any application fee
- Return to the Apply screen in the online portal and open the Scholarships section
- Submit the LExS application, including the motivation statement, before the deadline
- Await the outcome, which follows the admission decision
- Plan your budget on the assumption you will not receive it, given the award rate
Studying in the Netherlands
Europe's largest choice of English-taught degrees and a one-year orientation visa to find work. Post-study work: 12 months (orientation year).
Other scholarships for the Netherlands
Browse all Netherlands scholarshipsAmsterdam Merit Scholarship
University of Amsterdam
A partial tuition award; values and numbers are set by each faculty or graduate school
Eric Bleumink Fellowship
University of Groningen
Full tuition, international travel, subsistence, books and health insurance
Holland Scholarship
Dutch Ministry of Education and participating universities
€5,000 in the first year of study
Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS): your questions, answered
What does the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) cover?
€10,000, €15,000, or the full tuition fee minus the Dutch statutory fee, for one year. LExS is Leiden's main merit award for non-EU master's students, and the university is explicit that it is not a full scholarship — a significant personal contribution is still required.
Who is eligible for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS)?
Core requirements are: A national of a country outside the EU/EEA, applying to a Leiden master's programme; Excluding LLM (non-advanced) and MSc programmes at Leiden Law School; Open to all nationalities for the Advanced LLM programmes and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy; An outstanding academic record in the bachelor's degree; Holding or awaiting an admission decision by the scholarship deadline. Eligibility rules are set by the funder and can change each cycle, so confirm on the official site before applying.
When is the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) deadline?
Usually 1 February for September starts; 1 October for February starts. Because award cycles shift year to year, always check the official programme website for the current date.
Is the university placement service really free?
Yes, our service is 100% free. Counselling, university matching, application support and guidance right up to your offer cost you nothing. There are no consultation fees and no agent fees, because we are funded by our university partners. The only cost you take on is the university’s own tuition or semester fees, which you pay directly to the university after you accept your offer.
What exactly do you help with?
Everything from start to finish: understanding your options, shortlisting the right programme, preparing your application and personal statement, submitting to the university, and guiding you through the offer, enrolment and visa paperwork, all with a dedicated counsellor.
Which universities can you place me into?
We place students into a range of UK and international universities, and we shortlist the best-fit options for your grades, budget and goals rather than pushing a single school. On some pages we run dedicated free placement drives for a specific partner university, and we are always adding more partners. Tell us your goals and your counsellor will map out your options.