Leiden University Excellence Scholarship: Selection Rules for International Master’s Applicants

Leiden University’s main scholarship for incoming international master’s students is the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship, always shortened to LExS. The number worth internalizing before anything else: roughly 25 scholarships are awarded each year, against more than a thousand applicants. This is one of the more competitive named scholarships covered in guides like this one, and it’s a partial award, not a full ride — both details change how you should plan around it.

Here’s what LExS actually pays, who qualifies, how the application mechanics work inside Leiden’s own portal, and where the scam risks sit for a scholarship this widely searched.

Why This Scholarship Matters

Leiden University was founded in 1575, making it one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands, and it’s built a strong international reputation particularly in law, international relations, humanities, and the social sciences, partly through its close ties to institutions in The Hague. For a non-EU/EEA student, Dutch tuition for non-EEA nationals runs meaningfully higher than what EU students pay, so a scholarship that knocks a fixed amount off that bill can be the difference between a program being financially workable or not.

LExS is explicitly framed by Leiden as recognition of academic excellence rather than a full funding package, and that distinction matters for how you should use it in your planning. It’s not designed to replace your own financial planning — it’s designed to reduce it. Combined with Leiden’s international student population (the university draws students from well over 100 countries) and its concentration of English-taught programs, LExS functions as one piece of a funding strategy for a genuinely competitive academic environment, not a stand-alone solution.

Quick Reference Table

Who Actually Qualifies

Non-EEA/non-EFTA students, with specific exceptions. The core nationality rule is that you hold a passport outside the EU/EEA/EFTA zone and aren’t eligible for Dutch government student finance. UK students are now eligible following Brexit, with one carve-out: this doesn’t apply if you were already living in the Netherlands and registered in a Dutch municipality’s population register before 1 January 2021. Certain specific programs — Advanced LLM programs and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy — are open to applicants of any nationality, EEA included.

Students with a strong academic record relevant to their chosen program. Leiden’s own language here is that you need “excellent academic results” in previous study that’s relevant to the master’s you’re applying for, with top 10% of your prior program’s graduates used as an indicative benchmark. Importantly, Leiden states you don’t need to submit formal proof of that ranking — it’s a guide to competitiveness, not a document requirement.

Applicants to eligible programs. LExS covers most master’s programs at Leiden, but LLM (non-advanced) and MSc programs specifically at Leiden Law School are excluded from the general scheme (those two program types have their own separate exceptions carved out above for Advanced LLM and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy). Program eligibility can vary by faculty and by year, so checking the specific list of eligible programs for your intended degree is a necessary step, not an optional one.

Students without a Leiden master’s degree already, with narrow exceptions. If you already hold a master’s from Leiden, you generally can’t receive LExS again — unless your target program specifically requires a prior master’s degree or relevant work experience as an admission criterion, such as certain Advanced LLM tracks.

Students not already holding another full scholarship. LExS can’t be combined with another full scholarship from an external provider, and Leiden requires you to notify its scholarships department if you’re awarded one elsewhere. Combining LExS with a partial external scholarship may be possible in some circumstances, but that requires direct contact with the Scholarships Team rather than an assumption either way.

Step by Step: How the Application Actually Works

Step 1: Apply for admission to a master’s program first. LExS isn’t a standalone application — it lives inside Leiden’s regular online application for admission. You submit that application, and pay any applicable application fee, before you can touch the scholarship section at all.

Step 2: Build in processing time. Leiden notes that creating and submitting an admission application can take up to three working days on their system, so starting well before the LExS deadline isn’t just good practice — it’s necessary to avoid missing the cutoff entirely.

Step 3: Return to the Scholarships section after submitting admission. Once your admission application is in, go back to the “Apply” screen and click Scholarships. If you’re eligible, LExS will appear there. If it doesn’t appear, Leiden is explicit that it means one of three things: your admission application isn’t submitted yet, you’ve missed the deadline, or you’re not eligible for this particular scholarship.

Step 4: Indicate you want to apply and upload your motivation letter. The letter is a PDF, capped at 500 words, explaining why you should be considered for the award. This is the one substantive piece of writing the whole application hinges on, so it’s worth treating as seriously as any admissions essay.

Step 5: Submit before the deadline — with no changes possible afterward. Once your scholarship application is submitted, Leiden states plainly that you cannot make changes to it, either online or by emailing additional material. Late applications aren’t considered under any circumstances, so treat the deadline as a hard stop.

Step 6: Repeat separately for each program, if applying to more than one. If you’re applying to multiple Leiden master’s programs and want LExS consideration for each, you need a separate LExS application and a separate motivation letter within each individual admission application — there’s no single combined submission covering multiple programs.

Step 7: Wait for the faculty committee’s decision. Faculty selection committees nominate LExS recipients within six weeks of the deadline. Every applicant then receives an email confirming whether they’ve been awarded a scholarship — by end of April for September-intake applicants, or end of November for February-intake applicants.

Step 8: Accept the award and its terms in writing. If you’re offered LExS, you’re required to confirm in writing that you agree to the scholarship’s terms and conditions before it’s formally awarded. The award level you’re given — one of the five fixed amounts — is final and can’t be negotiated upward.

Eligibility Details Worth Double-Checking

It’s a partial scholarship, not full funding. This is worth repeating because it’s easy to skim past: LExS does not cover your full cost of study. Leiden explicitly warns that a significant personal contribution is still required, and non-EEA recipients still need to submit separate proof of sufficient funds for their student visa or residence permit application — the scholarship doesn’t substitute for that requirement.

No formal proof of academic ranking is required at application. The top-10% benchmark is descriptive, not a document you need to produce — but that doesn’t mean the underlying academic strength doesn’t matter; it’s simply not verified through a ranking certificate the way some other universities’ scholarships require.

Changing programs after being awarded LExS is risky. If you switch degree programs after being granted LExS, continuation isn’t guaranteed — it’s reviewed case by case by the relevant faculty committee, and if the change happens before you’ve registered for the program, the scholarship is revoked outright and you’d need to reapply.

The award year is fixed and non-transferable. An LExS granted for a specific intake and academic year, as stated in your award decision letter, can’t be shifted to a different academic year or to a different intake within the same year — if your plans change, check directly with the Scholarships Team rather than assuming flexibility.

Avoiding Scams Around This Scholarship

LExS’s popularity, and the sheer volume of applicants competing for a small number of awards, makes it a magnet for bad information and outright phishing attempts. A few checks worth running:

There is no separate LExS application form outside Leiden’s own admissions portal. The scholarship section only becomes visible inside your existing online application for admission — if any external site offers you an LExS application form or portal separate from Leiden’s own system, that’s inconsistent with how the real process works.

No fee is charged specifically for the scholarship application. Standard admission application fees may apply as part of the regular master’s application process, but there’s no additional charge tied to applying for LExS itself. Treat any request for a scholarship processing fee as a warning sign.

The award amount is fixed at one of five levels — be skeptical of anything promising more. If a source suggests you can negotiate a higher LExS amount, or guarantees a specific award level before a decision is made, that doesn’t match Leiden’s own stated policy that the awarded level is final and non-negotiable.

Notification comes by email from Leiden’s Scholarships Team, tied to an application you already submitted. Be wary of unsolicited scholarship offers referencing LExS that don’t connect to an admission application you actually filed.

Confirm current-cycle deadlines and eligible programs directly on Leiden’s own scholarship page. Program eligibility and deadlines can shift between cycles, and some third-party sites mix up details from different years or intakes. Leiden’s official LExS page (under universiteitleiden.nl/en/scholarships) is the source to check before you act on any specific date or figure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for LExS without first being admitted to a master’s program?

No — and more precisely, you don’t even need to wait for an admission decision, but you do need to have submitted your application for admission first. The scholarship section of the online portal only becomes visible after that submission, so there’s no way to start an LExS application in isolation.

What happens if I’m not selected for LExS — does that affect my master’s admission?

No, these are separate decisions. Leiden is explicit that a scholarship rejection doesn’t mean rejection from the degree program itself; many students attend Leiden without LExS, funding their studies through other scholarships, loans, or family support instead.

Can I still apply if my previous program didn’t formally rank students?

Yes — Leiden doesn’t require proof of ranking, describing the top-10% figure as an indication of the competitiveness level rather than a document requirement. If your prior institution doesn’t produce class rankings, focus your motivation letter and application on demonstrating academic strength through grades, distinctions, or other verifiable indicators instead.

Is the LExS amount the same for everyone who’s awarded it?

No. There are five fixed award levels, from €10,000 up to €19,000, and which one you receive depends on the faculty committee’s decision — it isn’t a single flat amount, and once assigned, it can’t be adjusted upward through negotiation.

Can I combine LExS with another scholarship?

It depends on the type. Combining LExS with another full external scholarship isn’t allowed, and you’re required to notify Leiden’s scholarships department if you receive one. Combining it with a partial external scholarship may be possible in some cases, but that needs direct confirmation from the Scholarships Team rather than an assumption.

What if I need to defer my studies after being awarded LExS?

This is a genuine risk area, since an award tied to a specific intake and academic year can’t automatically transfer to a different year or intake. If you’re considering deferring for any reason after receiving an award, contact the Scholarships Team immediately to understand your options rather than assuming the scholarship will simply carry over.

Are all Leiden master’s programs eligible for LExS?

Most are, but not all — LLM (non-advanced) programs and MSc programs specifically at Leiden Law School are excluded from the general scheme, though Advanced LLM programs and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy have their own separate, broader nationality eligibility. Because eligible programs and faculties can shift slightly year to year, check the specific list published alongside the current cycle’s LExS information before assuming your chosen program qualifies.

Award amounts, deadlines, and eligibility details above reflect Leiden University’s most recently published LExS information as of 2026 and are subject to change between cycles. Always verify current-year specifics directly on Leiden University’s official scholarship page before applying.