Leiden LExS 2027: €10,000–€19,000 Scholarship

Leiden LExS 2027 at a Glance

LExS is highly competitive. Leiden currently indicates that only around 25 scholarships are available each year while more than 1,000 applicants may apply.

Who Is Eligible?

LExS is primarily aimed at academically outstanding students applying to eligible full-time Leiden University Master’s programmes.

Applicants should generally:

• apply for an eligible full-time Leiden University Master’s programme beginning in September 2027;
• have excellent previous academic results, typically comparable to the top 10% of their prior programme;
• meet the admission requirements of the selected Master’s programme; and
• meet the nationality and student-finance conditions applicable to LExS.

Nationality rule

In most cases, applicants should hold a non-EEA/non-EFTA passport and should not be eligible for Dutch student finance.

An important exception applies to applicants for selected Advanced LLM programmes and the MSc International Relations and Diplomacy, where LExS may be open to applicants of all nationalities.

Eligible and Excluded Programmes

LExS is available for eligible full-time Leiden University Master’s programmes beginning in September 2027.

The current official information includes the Faculty of Humanities, so older statements excluding all Humanities Master’s programmes are outdated.

Current exclusions

• Leiden Law School LLM non-advanced programmes;
• specified Leiden Law School MSc programmes; and
• programmes beginning in February.

Because eligibility can vary by programme, applicants should check the live Leiden scholarship page and their Master’s programme page before submitting.

Scholarship Value

LExS is a partial tuition scholarship. It is not a full-cost or living-expense scholarship.

The current award levels are:

• €10,000 toward tuition fees;
• €15,000 toward tuition fees;
• €17,500 toward tuition fees;
• €18,500 toward tuition fees; or
• €19,000 toward tuition fees.

Non-EEA students may also need to demonstrate sufficient financial means for Dutch immigration and residence-permit purposes independently of the LExS award.

LExS Motivation Letter

After submitting the Master’s admission application, applicants can access the scholarship section of the Leiden application portal and select LExS.

A motivation letter in PDF format is required. The current limit is 500 words.

The letter should explain why the applicant is seeking LExS, why their academic background makes them competitive, and how the intended Leiden Master’s programme fits their academic and professional goals.

How to Apply for Leiden LExS 2027

1. Select an eligible Master’s programme. Confirm that it starts in September 2027 and is not excluded from LExS.
2. Prepare the Leiden admission application. Upload all academic and programme-specific documents required for Master’s admission.
3. Submit the admission application early. Leiden notes that setting up and submitting the admission application can take up to three working days.
4. Return to the scholarship section. After submitting the admission application, open the Scholarships section in the portal.
5. Select LExS. Indicate that you wish to be considered for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship.
6. Upload the 500-word motivation letter PDF.
7. Repeat separately for each programme or specialisation if applying for LExS consideration in more than one admission application.
8. Submit by 1 February 2027. Late applications are not accepted.

Important Scholarship Conditions

Previous Leiden Master’s degree

LExS is generally not available to applicants who have already obtained a Leiden University Master’s degree, unless the new programme specifically requires a previous Master’s degree or relevant professional experience.

Combining scholarships

LExS cannot normally be combined with another full scholarship. Certain partial scholarships may be combined only where Leiden University permits this under the applicable scholarship conditions.

Two-year Master’s programmes

For a 120-ECTS programme lasting two academic years, a recipient must obtain at least 60 ECTS in the first academic year to retain LExS for the second year.

Postponement

An LExS award is linked to the selected programme and intake. It cannot normally be transferred automatically to another academic year or later intake if study is postponed.

2027 Selection Timeline

Faculty selection committees assess eligible applicants and nominate scholarship recipients. Applicants should continue to monitor both their admission status and scholarship communications separately.

How to Strengthen a LExS Application

LExS is highly competitive, so the scholarship motivation letter should do more than repeat grades already visible in the transcript. It should explain why the proposed Leiden programme is a strong academic fit and why the applicant stands out within an already high-performing international applicant pool.

A strong letter is specific, evidence-based and concise. Applicants should connect previous academic achievement, relevant experience and future goals directly to the chosen Master’s programme.

Pre-Submission Checklist

• September 2027 intake confirmed
• Programme checked against current LExS eligibility rules
• Nationality/student-finance rule checked
• Advanced LLM or MSc International Relations and Diplomacy exception checked where applicable
• Academic performance is competitive with the top-10% benchmark
• Leiden Master’s admission application completed
• Scholarship section opened after admission submission
• LExS selected in the portal
• 500-word motivation letter saved as PDF
• Separate LExS application prepared for each additional programme/specialisation
• Scholarship-combination conditions checked
• Application reviewed before final submission
• Submitted before 1 February 2027