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Leiden University

#131 QS World Ranking#157 THE RankingNetherlandsPublic
  • QS ranking#131
  • Acceptance rate≈45%
  • Typical GPAVWO or IB 30+ /…
  • Tuition / year≈$10,000–18,000

Overview

About Leiden University

Netherlands' oldest university (1575); Netherlands' most prestigious for law and social sciences; International Institute for Public Law; Hague-based International Law hub (ICJ, ICC proximity); strong humanities

  • International environmentDiverse; ~30% intl UG; The Hague and Leiden campuses
  • Teaching styleSeminar-based; discussion-focused; strong reading assignments; liberal arts breadth

Academics

Subjects and fit

Strongest subjects

  • Law
  • International Relations
  • Humanities
  • Political Science
  • Archaeology
  • Biomedical Sciences

Best for

  • Law
  • IR
  • humanities
  • political science
  • archaeology students wanting classic European university

Getting in

Admission requirements

  • GPA: VWO or IB 30+ / A-levels BBC
  • IELTS 6.5 / TOEFL 90+ (many English programs)
  • No SAT/ACT; selection for some programs
  • Difficulty: Moderate
  • Acceptance rate: ~45% overall
  • Deadline: BSc: Apr 15 | MSc: Feb 1 | Graduate: rolling

On campus

Campus and location

Student housing (DUWO); Leiden affordable; The Hague campus available

Money

Costs and scholarships

  • Tuition (USD)€9,000–16,000/yr ≈ $10,000–18,000 (intl fees)
  • Living cost (USD)14,000–20,000 USD
  • ScholarshipsLeiden Excellence Scholarship (LExS €10,000–full fee); Holland Scholarship

  • LUC Financial Support Programme at Leiden University 2026

    need

    Sinh viên quốc tế bậc Cử nhân, mọi quốc tịch; có nhu cầu hỗ trợ tài chính.

    Netherlands1 Apr 2026
    Official link

  • Leiden University Excellence Scholarship at Leiden University 2026

    merit

    Sinh viên quốc tế bậc Thạc sĩ, mọi quốc tịch.

    Netherlands1 Feb 2026
    Official link
See all scholarships

After graduation

Careers and outcomes

  • Industry connectionsInternational courts (ICJ, ICC, OPCW), Dutch government, law firms, NGOs
  • InternshipsUN/court placements; government internships; NGO fieldwork
  • EmployabilityWorld's best for international law; Hague proximity unique for IR/legal careers

The honest view

Why students choose Leiden University

  • Leiden Excellence Scholarship (LExS €10,000–full fee); Holland Scholarship
  • Employability: World's best for international law; Hague proximity unique for IR/legal careers

Worth knowing

Less business/tech focused; Dutch language needed for social integration; less startup ecosystem

GlowBal's insider note

VERIFIED: Leiden University has produced 16 Prime Ministers of the Netherlands. INSIGHT: The Hague campus is 15 minutes from the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court unique for law/IR students.

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