Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands, established in 1575 by William of Orange. It is located in the city of Leiden and The Hague, with an international honours college based in the latter.
Throughout its history the university has stood for freedom and its motto, Praesidium Libertatis, translates as ‘bastion of freedom’, dating back to when its founder conferred university status on Leiden in recognition of the city’s resistance against Spanish invaders.
The modern day Leiden stands for inclusiveness and diversity. It comprises seven faculties in the arts, sciences and social sciences, is home to 28,500 students from 116 different countries and describes itself as ‘a place of refuge where any question can be asked and answered in complete freedom'.
Leiden prides itself on a teaching style that emphasises individual learning and small group work. Its modest-sized classrooms are designed to allow faculty to offer personal supervision and ensure that students’ needs are met. It also offers a ‘pre-university college’ to prepare high school pupils for university life.
A total of 15 Nobel Prize winners are associated with Leiden as well as 21 Spinoza Prize winners, the highest accolades awarded in Dutch science. Albert Einstein was once a visiting professor at Leiden and, in terms of modern scientific research, the university works closely with the Leiden Bio Science Park, the most prestigious life sciences cluster in the Netherlands and one of the most successful science parks in Europe.
It credits its high international rankings in science to the freedom it continues to give to its scientists to pursue excellence.
Notable Leiden alumni include members of the Dutch royal family, Princess Beatrix van Oranje-Nassau and His Royal Highness Constantijn van Oranje-Nassau, as well as former Secretary General of NATO Professor Jaap de Hoop Scheffer.
Leiden University is a public institution that was founded in 1575, making it the oldest university in the Netherlands. It is located in the city of Leiden, with facilities just a few miles away in The Hague as well. Students from countries outside the European Union and European Economic Area, with the exception of Swiss and Surinamese students, pay higher tuition. The university does not operate its own student housing, but the school housing office helps international students secure accommodations managed by an outside organization.
The university has seven main academic divisions: archaeology, governance and global affairs, humanities, law, medicine, science, and social and behavioral sciences. In all, the university offers upward of 40 bachelor’s and 70 master’s programs. Most Leiden University bachelor’s programs are taught in Dutch, though a handful of English-taught programs are available. The primary language of instruction for graduate programs is English. The university’s academic calendar is semester-based. Leiden University has 11 research focus areas, including brain function and dysfunction over the lifespan, interaction between legal systems and language diversity in the world. The university is involved with the Leiden Bio Science Park – a cluster of more than 170 businesses, research institutes and other organizations focused in large part on drug research and development. Some of the university’s facilities are located in the science park, including the faculties of science and social sciences, as well as the Leiden University Medical Center.
Leiden University has been elevating minds, pioneering research and having a real-world impact since 1575. Broaden your horizons through one of our 50 bachelor’s programmes or 78 master’s programmes from our 7 faculties: Archaeology, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Governance and Global Affairs, Medicine, Humanities and Law.
Leiden University unites people and knowledge from all corners of the world. Currently there are approximately 28,500 students across the two campuses, with 10% coming from over 116 nations.
These days, the university has also a campus in The Hague. Both cities are located in the Western part of the Netherlands and are within 20-30 minutes of the international airport. Furthermore there are excellent train connections to other European mainland cities, such as Brussels, Paris and Berlin.
LeidenLeiden is a typical university city: the students who live and study in Leiden give the city its relaxed, yet vibrant atmosphere. It’s a small and safe city in the heart of Western Europe with many international students. The historical centre has many beautiful 16th and 17th century buildings, and is crisscrossed by canals, giving it a medieval feel. The university buildings, new and old, are spread throughout the city. However, you will never more than a 10-minute bike ride away from your university destination.
The HagueThe Leiden University’s Campus The Hague is just ten minutes by train from the city of Leiden. In the judicial capital of the world, home of the International Court of Justice and the Peace Palace, programmes based on the themes of peace and justice are offered within the Dutch and global context. The Hague is a cosmopolitan city bursting with style and culture, full of parks, elegant homes, embassies and non-government organizations. The city has always been the seat of national government and the official residence of the Dutch monarchs. It is also one of the most international cities in the Netherlands, with over 40% of the population being comprised of expatriates.
Leiden University will contribute to your academic and your personal development. Besides attending lectures, you will be doing your own research into topics that are relevant to society today. Engage with our lecturers, who are renowned for their ground-breaking research and worldwide networks. Benefit from the personal and interactive classroom experience.
In its nearly 450 years of existence, our university has built a solid reputation. We invite you to follow in the footsteps of our 15 Nobel Laureates, and other notable alumni such as King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands, our current prime minister Mark Rutte and international DJ Armin van Buuren. Not to mention former US president JohnQuincy Adams, Nelson Mandela, Winston Churchill, and Albert Einstein! Leiden University's good name will help you find a job after you graduate.
Your opinion matters. Whatever your views, whatever your faith, for us freedom of thought and opinion is key. Discover yourself. We would love to welcome you at Leiden University!
UNDERGRADUATE
Leiden University and Leiden University College unite people and knowledge from all corners of the world. We currently offer 8 English-taught bachelor's programmes at the main university and 1 at the international honours college of the university, Leiden University College:
BA/BSc Archaeology
BA Art History: Arts, Media and Society
BA Dutch Studies (1 yr immersion programme also available)
BA International Studies
BA Philosophy: Global and Comparative Perspectives
BSc Political Science: International Relations and Organisations
BSc Psychology
BA South and South East Asia Studies
At Leiden University College, the curriculum is taught in the Liberal Arts and Sciences philosophy. The programme is aptly named a BA/BSc in Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges. The topics of study are thematic: Peace and Justice, Sustainability, Prosperity and Diversity. These themes are part and parcel of the college’s motto: building knowledge for a better world.
There are 6 majors to choose from to create a highly personalised, flexible and multi-disciplinary programme:
BA World Politics
BA International Justice
BSc Global Public Health
BSc Earth, Energy and Sustainability
BA Human Diversity
BA Governance, Economics and Diversity
Entry requirements are dependent upon the secondary school diploma a student may be studying. Essentially students must be university-prepared, and have followed a rigorous secondary curriculum that is aimed at preparing them for university. For example, a full IB diploma, A-levels, College Board AP exams and an American secondary school diploma, or one of many other national diplomas that fit this description. Applicants must also provide a motivational statement, an online application and application fee, a copy of their passport and grade transcripts when applying. Depending on diploma and country of education, an English proficiency exam may also be required. Depending on the particular programme, there may be other requirements in addition. The application process starts online by applying directly to the programme, followed by registration in the Dutch national study database, Studielink.
Tuition fees for EU/EEA citizens are set by the Dutch government each year. For the 2017-2018 Academic Year, this means €2006 per year for most programmes and programmes last 3 years. Non-EU/EEA citizens have higher tuition fees and are approximately €10,500 per year. Leiden University College students pay an institutional fee of €2135 in addition to these fees for the small-scale, intensive honours programme.
For non-EU/EEA citizens, there is The Holland Scholarship. A one-time award of €5000 to help with tuition costs. EU/EEA citizens have access to a tuition fee loan from the Dutch government. In all cases, students must budget for their living expenses and non-EU/EEA students must financially plan to cover most if not all of their tuition.
We invite you to engage with our lecturers, who are renowned for their ground-breaking research and worldwide networks. Benefit from the personal and interactive classroom experience. Study in an ideal setting to get the most out of student life while preparing for your international career.
Our campuses in Leiden and The Hague offer a wealth of social, academic, and housing options for students.
POSTGRADUATE
In 1575, The Netherlands founded its first university in Leiden. It soon became one of Europe’s leading universities and it still is today. Probably the most obvious reason to study in Leiden is its excellent international reputation as a multidisciplinary, research intensive university with a global orientation.
As a medium-sized comprehensive university, Leiden offers some 80 master’s programmes with almost 200 English-taught specialisations in Humanities, Law, Behavioural and Social Sciences, Mathematics and Science, Archaeology, Campus The Hague and Medicine. With this much choice, you are likely to find a programme that suits your needs.
Admissions requirements are per programme: you must sort out if you have a qualifying bachelor’s degree that suits the topic of study, if you have the required level of English proficiency and that you have taken the prerequisite courses if applicable. Each programme lists these requirements for you individually.
Tuition fees are dependent upon nationality. Tuition fees for EU/EEA citizens are set by the Dutch government each year. For the 2017-2018 Academic Year, this means €2006 per year for most programmes. Some programmes are not subsidized by the Dutch government, such as our Advanced LLM programmes and some specialty programmes. Therefore those fees are higher for all students. Non-EU/EEA citizens have higher tuition fees and are approximately €15,000-25,000 per year, depending on the programme.
There are specialized scholarships for excellent students from the university itself as well as through the organization for Dutch higher education, Nuffic, and other outside organisations. Many are dependent upon nationality or programme of choice, so be sure to see if you qualify for one: www.prospectivestudents.leiden.edu/scholarships/scholarship.
We invite you to engage with our lecturers, who are renowned for their ground-breaking research and worldwide networks. Benefit from the personal and interactive classroom experience. Study in an ideal setting to get the most out of student life while preparing for your international career.
Our campuses in Leiden and The Hague offer a wealth of social, academic, and housing options for students. Discover the world at Leiden University!
