Leiden University in the Netherlands has opened applications for its 2027 Excellence Scholarship, known as LExS, designed for both Dutch and international students joining full time Master's degree programmes in the heart of Europe. The award offers up to €19,000 towards tuition fees, with the application deadline set for 1 December 2026.

The scholarship is primarily available to Non EEA and Non EFTA nationals applying for Master's programmes at Leiden University. The University explained that EEA and EFTA nationals include applicants from all European Union countries as well as Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, who fall outside this eligibility category, while a separate note applies to students from the United Kingdom. Students of all nationalities, however, remain eligible if applying for the LLM Advanced Studies programme or the MSc in International Relations and Diplomacy.

According to the scholarship guidelines, applicants must have achieved excellent academic results in a previous study programme relevant to the Master's degree they are pursuing. The University noted that successful candidates are typically among the top 10% of graduates in their previous programme, although proof of ranking is not required when submitting an application.

Funding under LExS is awarded for the full duration of a student's chosen study programme and is available at five different levels. These include awards of €10,000, €15,000, €17,500, €18,500 and €19,000 of the tuition fee, depending on the Faculty and programme selected.

Eligible fields for the scholarship span Archaeology, Humanities, Medicine through the Leiden University Medical Centre, Governance and Global Affairs, Law, Social and Behavioural Sciences, Science, African Studies and Asian Studies. The University disclosed, however, that the scholarship does not cover its standard LLM programme or MSc programmes offered through Leiden Law School, even though other Master's programmes across the institution remain eligible.

With the 1 December 2026 deadline approaching, candidates intending to apply for the LExS award have been advised to confirm their eligibility status and prepare the required academic documents well ahead of the closing date. The scholarship remains open to Master's level applicants across the Netherlands based University, with award levels varying according to the Faculty and programme chosen for the 2027 intake.