Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) is one of the few Dutch awards that cuts a large slice off a non-EU student’s tuition without asking for a full scholarship application file. For 2027-28 the award comes in five levels, from EUR 10,000 to EUR 19,000 off the tuition fee, and the deadline for the September 2027 intake is 1 December 2026.
Indian students hold exactly the passport this scholarship is aimed at: it is open to non-EEA and non-EFTA nationals who are not eligible for Dutch student finance. The competition is real – Leiden says around 25 LExS awards are available each year against more than a thousand applicants – so both the admission application and the 500-word motivation letter need to be finished well before the deadline.
Leiden University Excellence Scholarship 2027: quick facts
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | Leiden University (Netherlands), Student and Educational Affairs |
| Study level | Full-time Master’s degree programmes starting in September 2027 |
| Number of awards | Around 25 LExS scholarships a year across all faculties |
| Award value | EUR 10,000, EUR 15,000, EUR 17,500, EUR 18,500 or EUR 19,000 off the tuition fee, awarded for the duration of the programme |
| Who can apply | Non-EEA/non-EFTA passport holders who are not eligible for Dutch student finance (Studiefinanciering) and are in the top 10% of their previous programme |
| Last date to apply | 1 December 2026 (scholarship application inside the admission application) |
| Official website | universiteitleiden.nl – Leiden University Excellence Scholarship |
What the LExS actually pays
The scholarship is a fixed reduction of the tuition fee, not a living-cost grant. Leiden runs five levels: EUR 10,000, EUR 15,000, EUR 17,500, EUR 18,500 and EUR 19,000. The level you are given is final and cannot be negotiated afterwards.
- The award runs for the duration of the study programme, not just the first year.
- It is not a full scholarship. Leiden states plainly that a significant personal contribution is still required, and non-EEA recipients must still show proof of sufficient funds for the student visa and residence permit.
- It is awarded by the faculty selection committee, so the level and the number of awards differ by faculty: Archaeology, Humanities, Medicine/LUMC, Governance and Global Affairs, Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences and Science all take part.
Who is eligible
- You hold a non-EEA/non-EFTA passport – this includes India. The one additional note Leiden makes is for UK students, who count as non-EEA.
- You are not eligible for Dutch student finance (Studiefinanciering), and you were not already living in the Netherlands and registered in a Dutch municipality before 1 January 2021.
- You apply for a full-time Leiden Master’s programme starting in September, and you have excellent academic results in a previous degree relevant to that programme – Leiden’s indication is the top 10% of graduates, and it says proof of ranking is not required.
- You are not applying for an LLM (non-advanced) programme or an MSc programme at Leiden Law School – both are excluded from the LExS.
- You are not applying for a programme that starts in February, and you do not already hold a Leiden University Master’s degree (except where a previous master’s is a formal entry requirement, such as the Advanced LLM programmes).
Two programme families are exempt from the nationality rule: all Advanced LLM programmes and the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy are open to all nationalities. Everything else in the LExS is restricted to non-EEA applicants.
How to apply, step by step
- Apply for admission to your Leiden Master’s programme through the online application portal, and pay the application fee if one applies. Leiden warns that creating and submitting an application can take up to three working days, so start early.
- Return to the Apply screen after submitting the admission application and click on Scholarships. The LExS appears there only if you have submitted a complete admission application and meet the eligibility rules.
- Upload a motivation letter as a PDF of no more than 500 words explaining why you should be considered for the award.
- Submit before 1 December 2026. After submission you cannot change the scholarship application or add documents by email, and late applications are not considered.
- Repeat for each programme if you apply to more than one Leiden programme or specialisation and want to be considered for an LExS in each – a separate scholarship application and letter is needed inside every admission application.
What happens after the deadline
Faculty selection committees nominate their LExS recipients within ten weeks of the deadline, and every applicant receives an email before the end of March telling them whether the award was granted. Because the level is set by the committee and is non-negotiable, the practical decision for a shortlisted student is whether the offered amount is enough to make the programme affordable.
One planning point: a full scholarship from an external provider cannot be combined with the LExS. If you receive one, you must tell the scholarships office, and in some cases a partial external award can be combined. Ask the Scholarships Team before you count on two sources of funding.
Documents to keep ready
- A submitted Leiden admission application for a September 2027 Master’s programme.
- A motivation letter of no more than 500 words, as a PDF – this is the only document unique to the scholarship application.
- Transcripts and degree certificates for the previous programme, as required by the admission application.
- English language test evidence, if your programme requires it, and proof of funds for the visa stage later.
Frequently asked questions
1 December 2026. The LExS application sits inside the admission application, so the admission application must be submitted on the portal before that date and the motivation letter uploaded with it.
Between EUR 10,000 and EUR 19,000 off the tuition fee, in five fixed levels: EUR 10,000, EUR 15,000, EUR 17,500, EUR 18,500 and EUR 19,000. It is not a full scholarship and does not cover living costs.
Yes. The scholarship is open to non-EEA and non-EFTA passport holders who are not eligible for Dutch student finance, which includes Indian students, except for the LLM non-advanced and Leiden Law School MSc programmes that are excluded from the scheme.
No separate portal. After you submit the admission application, the LExS option appears under Scholarships in the Apply screen, and you apply there by uploading a motivation letter of up to 500 words.
Leiden says there are around 25 LExS scholarships each year and more than a thousand applicants, and that awardees are typically in the top 10% of their previous programme.
Yes. The LExS is awarded for the duration of the study programme, subject to the terms and conditions you confirm in writing before the award is finalised.
Not with another full scholarship from an external provider. You must inform the scholarships department if you receive one, and a partial external award may be combinable in some circumstances.
Official links
Related reading: Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) page
All Leiden University scholarships
Internal reading: see how the LExS compares with the University of Twente Scholarship, the Radboud Scholarship Programme and the NL Scholarship. Browse all study abroad scholarships, international scholarships and post graduation scholarships.
Related scholarship posts
- University of Twente Scholarship 2027: EUR 3,000 to 22,000 for master’s students
- Radboud Scholarship Programme 2027: tuition cut to EUR 2,771
- NL Scholarship 2027: EUR 5,000 for non-EU master’s students