The Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS) is a merit award for non-EU/EEA students starting a Master's degree at Leiden University in the Netherlands. It pays part of your tuition. It does not pay all of it, and it pays nothing toward rent, food or travel. That single fact should shape how you think about it from day one.
For a Pakistani student with a strong academic record who already wants a Leiden Master's, the LExS is a welcome discount on a bill you were planning to pay anyway. For a student who needs a fully funded place to go abroad at all, it will not close the gap on its own. You can see the full scholarship details on our scholarship page, and this guide walks through how the award works in practice.
A partial tuition award tied to your admission file
Most scholarships ask you to write a separate application. The LExS does not. There is no separate scholarship form. You apply for admission to a Master's program, you indicate in that admission application that you want to be considered for the LExS, and the faculty admissions board looks at your file for both things at once.
This sounds easy, and in one sense it is. The catch is that your admission documents now carry double weight. The same transcripts, motivation letter and recommendation letters that get you a place also decide whether you get money. A file that is good enough for admission may not be strong enough for an excellence award.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Provider | Leiden University |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Level | Master's |
| Fields | Most Master's degree programs at Leiden University |
| Funding | Partial: a contribution toward tuition fees |
| Deadline | Varies by program, confirm on the official site |
| Official site | Leiden University LExS page |
What the tuition contribution does and does not pay
The LExS is a partial tuition fee waiver. The amount is not fixed. It depends on the award level you are granted, and award amounts vary by faculty and by student profile. So two students in different faculties, or even in the same one, can receive different sums.
Here is what the award leaves to you:
- The rest of your tuition fee, since the award does not cover full tuition
- All of your living expenses in the Netherlands
- Any costs in later years, because the award is non-renewable
Because the award is described as non-renewable, read your award letter carefully to see exactly which period it applies to. Do not assume it repeats.
The practical consequence for Pakistani applicants is simple. You will still need to show that you can pay the remaining tuition and support yourself, and you should plan your finances as if the scholarship were a bonus rather than the base. Our guide to bank statements and proof of funds is a good place to start that planning.
Are Pakistani students eligible?
The LExS is for non-EU/EEA nationals, which includes Pakistani citizens. Nationality is only the first filter, though. Based on the listed requirements, you must:
- be a non-EU/EEA national
- hold a relevant Bachelor's degree
- have excellent study results in your previous education
- be admitted to a Master's degree program at Leiden University
- not be eligible for support under the Dutch system of study grants and loans
The phrase "excellent study results" is doing a lot of work. There is no published minimum GPA or percentage in the information we have, and the judgement is made by the admissions board of the faculty you apply to. In plain terms, this is competitive. The university looks at your academic record, your motivation and the quality of your application materials, and compares you against other strong applicants.
The "relevant" Bachelor's point also matters. If your undergraduate degree is in a different area from the Master's you want, expect the board to look harder at whether you are a good fit, both for admission and for the award.
The five documents that decide both admission and funding
The documents listed for the LExS are the normal Master's admission documents:
- Academic transcripts
- Proof of English language proficiency
- Motivation letter
- Letters of recommendation
- Curriculum Vitae
Check the program page for any extra items your specific Master's asks for, since faculties can set their own criteria. If you are still gathering papers from Pakistani institutions, our scholarship documents checklist covers the usual issues with transcripts, degree certificates and translations.
Transcripts that show where you ranked
Pakistani transcripts often list marks or a CGPA with no context. A reviewer in Leiden may not know whether your CGPA put you at the top of your batch or in the middle. If your university can issue a letter or a transcript note showing your class rank, position or relative standing, get it. Your transcripts should make your ranking or GPA relative to your peers clear.
A motivation letter written for an excellence award
Your motivation letter is reviewed for admission and for the scholarship. Write it so it answers the second question as well: why are you one of the strongest candidates in this applicant pool? Point to concrete academic work, such as a thesis, research assistance, publications or top marks in core courses, and connect it to the specific Leiden program. Generic praise of the Netherlands or of Leiden does nothing for you here.
Applying for LExS through the admission portal
- Apply for admission to your chosen Master's program at Leiden University through the online portal.
- In that admission application, indicate that you want to be considered for the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship.
- Submit all required admission documents before your program's deadline.
- Wait while the faculty admissions board reviews your application for both admission and scholarship eligibility.
- Receive the scholarship decision alongside your admission decision.
The step people miss is the second one. If you do not tick or state your interest in the LExS in the admission application, you have given the board no reason to consider you for it.
Why applying early matters more than the official deadline
There is no single LExS deadline. Timing varies by program, and the admission application must be completed for you to be considered. Selection happens after admission, when faculty boards review candidates. Confirm the exact dates for your program on the official LExS page and on your faculty's website.
Apply for admission as early as you reasonably can. A file that is complete early gives the board time to assess you for the scholarship before any internal scholarship cut-off. Some faculties have their own internal deadlines or extra criteria, so check the faculty website as well as the main scholarship page. Waiting for one last document to be perfect, and missing the earlier round as a result, is a bad trade.
Who should apply, and who should look elsewhere
Apply if you have a genuinely strong record, a relevant Bachelor's, a clear reason to study at Leiden, and a funding plan that works even if the award is small. In that case the LExS costs you almost nothing extra to try for, because it rides on an application you are already making.
Look elsewhere, or at least in parallel, if you need full funding to study abroad. The LExS will not cover living costs or full tuition, and you will not know the amount until the decision arrives with your admission result. Treat it as one piece of a wider search. You can compare options in all Netherlands scholarships.
The most common mistake is budgeting around a scholarship you have not yet received. The second is treating the motivation letter as an admission formality when it is also your scholarship pitch.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship fully funded?
No. It is a partial scholarship that contributes toward tuition fees. It does not cover full tuition or any living expenses.
Do I need a separate application for the LExS?
No. There is no separate scholarship form. You indicate your interest in the LExS during the online admission application, and you are considered based on that application.
How much money will I receive?
The amount varies. It depends on the award level granted, and award amounts vary by faculty and student profile. You will find out with your admission decision.
Can Pakistani students apply?
Yes, the scholarship is for non-EU/EEA nationals. You also need excellent previous results, a relevant Bachelor's degree, admission to a Leiden Master's program, and you must not be eligible for Dutch study grants and loans.
Is the award renewed in later years?
The award is listed as non-renewable. Check your award letter for the exact period it covers and plan your later costs separately.
Before you apply, confirm the current cycle, award levels and your program's deadline on the official Leiden University website, and keep the full LExS scholarship page handy as you prepare.