Leiden University
Universiteit Leiden
The Netherlands' oldest university, founded in 1575, with a second campus in The Hague for politics, law and global affairs.
- Students
- 33,494
- Tuition
- €14,700
- From · 2027-28
- Founded
- 1575
- QS World Ranking
- #119
- 2027 edition
About Leiden
Founded in 1575, Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands. It has 33,494 students (2024) in two cities: the historic university town of Leiden and Campus The Hague, home to the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs, the International Studies programme and Leiden University College The Hague. Its seven faculties are Archaeology, Governance and Global Affairs, Humanities, Law, Medicine/LUMC, Science, and Social and Behavioural Sciences.
Leiden offers 51 bachelor's programmes. Many are Dutch-taught, but international students can choose English-taught options such as International Studies, Security Studies, International Relations and Organisations, Psychology and the Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges degree at Leiden University College (LUC), a selective college of about 200 new students a year. About 23% of incoming bachelor's students in 2024 were foreign nationals.
The university counts 16 Nobel Prizes. Physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes first liquefied helium here in 1908, and Leiden's Hortus Botanicus is the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands. Leiden suits students drawn to law, politics, international relations, the humanities and the sciences, who like the idea of a small, historic city with The Hague's government and international institutions close by.
Libertatis Praesidium
“Bastion of Freedom” — university motto
Why students choose Leiden
Campus The Hague, in the Dutch seat of government, is home to International Studies, the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs and Leiden University College.
Leiden University College offers a selective, small-class liberal arts and sciences degree themed around global challenges, with an Early Bird round on 1 December.
EU/EEA students pay the statutory fee of 2,771 euros for 2027-28, and the university reserves rooms for new international students through the DUWO housing agency.
Leiden has 16 Nobel Prizes and an ARWU 2026 place in the 101-150 band, with strengths running from law and humanities to physics and medicine.
Admissions
2027-28 entry (applications open 1 October 2026)
Selectivity
Leiden does not publish an overall admission rate. Most bachelor's programmes admit applicants who meet the diploma and language requirements, with compulsory matching. Numerus fixus programmes (Biomedical Sciences, Clinical Technology, Criminology, International Politics, International Relations and Organisations, Medicine, Political Science and Psychology; all but International Relations and Organisations and Psychology are Dutch-taught) and Leiden University College select students; LUC selects 200 students a year.
Typical entry requirements
| Dutch VWO | VWO diploma; some Dutch diplomas give automatic admission, and science programmes have specific subject requirements |
|---|---|
| International diplomas (IB, A-levels, Abitur and others) | A diploma at least equivalent to Dutch VWO, checked against Leiden's list of common non-Dutch diplomas; science programmes set extra subject requirements |
| English language | IELTS 6 · TOEFL iBT 80 For English-taught Humanities bachelors such as International Studies: IELTS Academic 6.0 with 6.0 in each component; TOEFL iBT 80 with 20 per component for tests before 21 January 2026 (4.5 overall and per section on the new scale); Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency 169 per component. Exemptions include an IB Diploma taught in English and secondary education in the US, UK, Ireland, Australia, Canada and several other countries. Requirements vary by programme. |
Deadlines
- Leiden University College The Hague: Early Bird Non-binding Next deadline · In 56 days1 December 2026, 23:59 Dutch time
Required for LUC Financial Support; strongly recommended for non-EU applicants because of visa processing. Pre-admission classes 18 January to 5 February.
- Numerus fixus programmes Non-binding In ~3 months15 January 2027, 23:59
Biomedical Sciences, Clinical Technology, Criminology, International Politics, International Relations and Organisations, Medicine, Political Science and Psychology (only IRO and Psychology are English-taught). Apply in Studielink (and uSis if applicable); transcripts due in uSis by 31 January. Maximum two numerus fixus programmes per year, and Medicine at only one institution.
- Leiden University College The Hague: Regular (final) Non-binding In ~5 months15 March 2027, 23:59 Dutch time
Final LUC deadline; pre-admission classes 14 April to 4 May.
- Other bachelor's programmes: applicants needing a visa or residence permit Non-binding In ~6 months1 April 2027
Also applies to students extending a Dutch study residence permit.
- Other bachelor's programmes (with compulsory matching) Non-binding In ~7 months1 May 2027
For applicants who do not need a visa or residence permit.
Leiden's general deadlines page gives these dates without a year, as standing annual deadlines; the LUC page confirms that applications for September 2027 open on 1 October 2026, gives 1 December 2026 as the Early Bird deadline and states that LUC applications submitted on 16 March 2027 or later will not be considered, so the regular deadline is 15 March 2027 (the page's headline still reads '15 March, 2026', a typo). Always check your programme's own page.
How to apply
Register your programme choice in Studielink; a day later you receive login details for Leiden's application portal, uSis, where you upload documents and complete your application before the deadline. Non-numerus fixus programmes include compulsory matching. LUC applicants also attend an online pre-admission class and write a short reflection as part of selection.
What admissions looks for
- A diploma at least equivalent to Dutch VWO, plus the specific subjects required for science programmes.
- Proof of English (or Dutch, for Dutch-taught programmes) at the required level.
- At LUC, a holistic review of academic skills and potential, English proficiency and writing, motivation for studying Global Challenges, extracurricular activities, willingness to engage, the written reflection and maths skills.
- LUC also looks for students who are self-motivated, communicative and enthusiastic about its global challenges theme.
Tips for applying to Leiden
- 1 Register in Studielink early: it can take several working days to get uSis access, and both steps must be finished by the deadline.
- 2 If you want LUC Financial Support, you must apply in the Early Bird round (1 December 2026).
- 3 International Relations and Organisations and Psychology are English-taught but numerus fixus, so their deadline is 15 January, not 1 May.
- 4 Request university housing as soon as you apply: rooms reserved through DUWO go first-come, first-served and there is a 285 euro housing fee.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in EUR
EEA students may be eligible for Dutch government student finance (DUO); non-EEA students with a qualifying Dutch residence permit can pay the statutory fee. Leiden University College offers LUC Financial Support for applicants in the Early Bird round. Scholarship deadlines are often earlier than admission deadlines.
- 425 to 1,200 euros per month including utilities, plus a 285 euro housing fee
- University-arranged housing (DUWO)
Academics
Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges (BA/BSc), Leiden University College The Hague
A selective English-taught college of 200 students a year, with small classes and a pre-admission class as part of selection.
International Studies (BA)
An English-taught Humanities bachelor based at Campus The Hague, and one of the Faculty of Humanities' largest programmes.
International Relations and Organisations (BSc)
An English-taught numerus fixus programme with a 15 January deadline.
Security Studies (BSc)
An English-taught bachelor with courses such as Introduction to Security and Safety; prospective students can join Student for a Day sessions.
Psychology (BSc)
Offered in both English and Dutch as a numerus fixus programme.
Research
- Heike Kamerlingh Onnes ran the world's first university low-temperature laboratory at Leiden and first liquefied helium in 1908.
- Leiden records 16 Nobel Prizes, 7,190 academic publications and 557 PhDs awarded (2024).
- In 2005 Einstein's manuscript on the quantum theory of the monatomic ideal gas was discovered in one of Leiden's libraries.
- The Hortus Botanicus is the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Archaeology
- Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs
- Faculty of Humanities
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Medicine/Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC)
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences
- Leiden University College The Hague
Student life
Leiden is a classic Dutch university town: the Academiegebouw on the Rapenburg canal, the Hortus Botanicus and faculty buildings are spread through the historic centre, and most students get around by bike. A second student community lives and studies in The Hague, where Campus The Hague hosts International Studies, the Faculty of Governance and Global Affairs and Leiden University College. Incoming students come from 120 nationalities. Bachelor's students rated their satisfaction 3.9 out of 5 in the National Student Survey. Housing is tight, so international students are encouraged to request a university-reserved room as early as possible.
- Two campuses: historic Leiden and Campus The Hague.
- Students from 120 nationalities.
- Leiden University College The Hague: a small, international liberal arts community.
- The Hortus Botanicus, the oldest botanical garden in the Netherlands, is part of the university.
Housing. Leiden reserves a number of rooms each semester for new international students through the DUWO housing agency, first-come first-served, at 425 to 1,200 euros a month plus a 285 euro fee; housing is not guaranteed, except for the 200 first-year LUC students, who are guaranteed a room on the LUC campus in The Hague.
Location
Leiden is a small, canal-lined city in the province of South Holland, and its university shapes much of the historic centre. The Hague, the seat of the Dutch government and home to many international organisations, is nearby and hosts the university's second campus. Students in either city face a tight housing market.
Nearest airport: Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
Notable alumni
- W Willem-AlexanderKing of the Netherlands; studied history at Leiden
- MR Mark RuttePrime Minister of the Netherlands 2010-2024 and NATO Secretary General; MA in history from Leiden
- HG Hugo GrotiusJurist and humanist, a founder of international law; studied at Leiden
- HL Hendrik LorentzPhysicist and Nobel laureate (1902); graduated from Leiden
- JQ John Quincy AdamsSixth President of the United States; attended Leiden University
- AH Ayaan Hirsi AliWriter and activist; master's in political science from Leiden
Frequently asked questions
What are Leiden University's application deadlines for 2027?
15 January 2027 for numerus fixus programmes, 1 December 2026 (Early Bird) or 15 March 2027 for Leiden University College, 1 April for other programmes if you need a visa, and 1 May otherwise.
How much is tuition at Leiden for international students?
For 2027-28, non-EEA students pay 14,700 euros for most bachelor's programmes, 19,200 euros for Science and Biomedical Sciences, 31,400 euros for Medicine, and 18,050 euros plus a 3,070 euro institutional fee at LUC. EEA students pay the statutory 2,771 euros.
What English test score does Leiden require?
For English-taught Humanities bachelors such as International Studies, IELTS 6.0 with 6.0 in every component, or TOEFL iBT 80 with 20 per section (4.5 on the new scale). An English-taught IB Diploma is one of several exemptions.
How does Leiden University College select students?
LUC reviews each application holistically: academic skills and potential, English proficiency and writing, motivation for Global Challenges, extracurriculars, willingness to engage, a written reflection and maths skills. Eligible applicants attend an online pre-admission class and write the short reflection. It selects 200 first-year students a year.
Does Leiden University guarantee housing?
Not for most students. Leiden reserves a limited number of DUWO rooms for new international students on a first-come, first-served basis, so apply for housing as soon as you apply for admission. The exception is Leiden University College: its 200 first-year students each year are guaranteed housing on the LUC campus in The Hague.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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