Leiden University Excellence Scholarship programme (LExS)

For excellent Non-EU/EEA students enrolling in a Leiden University master's degree programme and for excellent students from all nationalities enrolling in a Master of Law Advanced Programme or MSc in International Relations & Diplomacy.

For whom?
Additional requirements
Scholarship Amount
Application procedure for February 2015 / September 2015 intake
Letter of motivation
Selection process
Disclaimer
Please note

For whom?

Non-EU/EEA students enrolling in a Leiden University master's degree programme starting February 2015 or September 2015 (All MA, MSc and LLM programmes as mentioned on the website Master's programmes in Leiden, a number of programmes have a start date in September only).
All nationalities enrolling in the following programmes starting February 2015 or September 2015 (programmes listed below have a September start date only, with the exception of Adv. Studies in Air & Space Law):
Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in Air & Space Law
Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in European & International Business Law
Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in International Tax Law
Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in Public International Law
Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in International Civil & Commercial Law
Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in Law & Digital Technologies
Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in European Tax Law
Master of Laws: Advanced Studies in European & International Human Rights Law
MSc in International Relations & Diplomacy


LExS awards ceremony 2011

LExS awards ceremony 2011
Additional requirements

In his or her prior academic education abroad, the applicant must have achieved excellent study results which are relevant for the programme for which the student wishes to enrol. As an indication, the student will be among the top 10% for the relevant programme followed abroad. We do not need proof of this, it is just to indicate the competitiveness of the scholarship.
The applicant will hold a non-EU/EEA passport and will not be eligible for support under the Dutch system of study grants and loans ("Studiefinanciering"; more information). This does not apply to applicants who apply for a LexS for programmes mentioned under point 2 "For whom".
Scholarships will not be awarded to applicants who have already obtained a Leiden University master’s degree.
Students who are granted a LExS must comply with and confirm in writing their agreement with the Rules and Regulations attached to the scholarship prior to the granting of the scholarship.

Scholarship Amount

The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship programme has 3 awards:

€ 10.000 of the tuition fee

€ 15.000 of the tuition fee

Total tuition fee minus the home fee

The number and type of award of the scholarship depends on the budget available for each Faculty department. The type of award has no reflection on the students' academic level of excellence.
Application procedure for February 2015 / September 2015 intake

Step Procedure Deadline
1
Fill in your online application for admission to Leiden University.



Deadline 1 October 2014 for programmes starting in February 2015.


Deadline 1 February 2015 for all programmes starting in September 2015 except Law programmes.



Deadline 1 March 2015 for all Law programmes starting in September 2015.

2 Upload all required documents.
3 Indicate clearly that you would like to apply for the LExS scholarship on the scholarship page.
4 Upload your letter of motivation for the LExS scholarship on the scholarship page.
5 Submit your online application.
6 Pay the application fee.




All LExS applicants will be informed by the scholarship department of Student Educational Affairs.


Mid November 2014 for the February 2015 intake.



End of April 2015 for the September 2015 intake for all programmes except Law programmes.
Mid May 2015 for the September 2015 intake for all Law programmes.

Letter of motivation

To apply for the LExS, you should write a letter of motivation (in Word) of a maximum of 500 words, in which you indicate why you believe you should be considered for this scholarship. The Word document should then be attached on the scholarship page in your online application for the master's programmes for which you are applying.

It is possible to submit applications for more scholarship programmes simultaneously. However, it is not possible to obtain more than 1 scholarship from Leiden University for the same study programme.

If you have already submitted your online application for admission to Leiden University, but would still like to apply for the LExS scholarship, we kindly request you to submit the LExS motivation letter to the Scholarships department (by sending an e-mail to scholarships@sea.leidenuniv.nl, stating "LExS motivation letter" in your subject) before the deadline.

Selection process

The Faculty selection committee will review the applications. Students are selected on the basis of academic merit.
Disclaimer

The student is responsible for submitting a complete application, according to the steps described under 1 - 6 by the aforementioned deadline. Leiden University cannot be held responsible for late and/or incomplete applications.
Please note

Students should be aware that the LExS is not a full scholarship. It is necessary to find additional funding to be able to finance their study and stay completely.

One of the requirements for being granted a residence permit in the Netherlands is that students must submit proof that they have sufficient financial means to finance their study period in the Netherlands. Leiden University advises a budget, not including the tuition fee, of approx. €12,000 to €15,000 per year to cover the costs for rent, insurance, living expenses, course books and local transportation. How much money students actually spend will of course depend on their life style and spending habits.

link: http://prospectivestudents.leiden.edu/scholarships/scholarship/lexs.html