Leiden University Admission Requirements 2027

Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands, teaching bachelor's and master's programmes in the humanities, law, sciences, social sciences and medicine. Non-EEA bachelor's tuition ranges from about EUR 14,300 to EUR 30,200 a year, and non-EU applicants needing a visa should complete their application by 1 April.

Requirements

Bachelor

A secondary qualification recognised as giving access to university-level study, meeting the chosen programme's own subject prerequisites. English-taught programmes require IELTS Academic 6.0 overall (6.0 per component) or TOEFL iBT 80 overall (20 per component), unless exempt.

Master

A relevant bachelor's degree meeting the specific master's programme's own grade and subject requirements; several master's programmes ask for a higher English level than the bachelor's floor.

Documents

Diploma and transcript of secondary (and, where relevant, higher) education, certified translation if not in Dutch or English, a passport copy, and an English test certificate taken in a test centre within the last two years unless exempt. Master's applicants also submit their bachelor's degree certificate or a transcript showing progress, a curriculum vitae and, for many programmes, a motivation letter or writing sample.

How to apply

Register in Studielink for your chosen bachelor's or master's programme.
Pay the EUR 100 application fee if you hold an international diploma and are not exempt.
Complete Leiden's own application and upload your diploma, transcript and English test result before the deadline (15 January for numerus fixus, 1 April if you need a visa, otherwise 1 May).
If admitted and from outside the EU/EEA, apply for a residence permit for study with Leiden University as your recognised sponsor.
Pay the tuition invoice and arrange housing and health insurance before enrolling.

English test waiver

Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency, each with a minimum of 169 per component, are accepted instead of IELTS or TOEFL. Leiden does not accept IELTS Academic Online, IELTS One Skill Retake, TOEFL Essentials, TOEFL MyBest scores or the TOEFL ITP.