About
Leiden University is a public research university in the Netherlands. It is the oldest university in the country, founded in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange, as a reward for the city’s contribution during the Eighty Years’ War. Today, close to 35,000 students attend the university with a faculty of almost 8,000. Leiden University research is based around the belief that the world must be understood before it can be made a better place, featuring five broad clusters of research interests, as well as an over-arching focus on artificial intelligence development. Learn more about the Leiden University ethos here.
Consult Leiden University on QS World Rankings to learn more about their current world ranking and academic reputation in different subject areas.
Location
Leiden University is primarily located across the city of Leiden, with a secondary campus in The Hague. Both campuses are in South Holland within the Netherlands and are approximately fifteen minutes apart by public transport.
Students in the School of Law can study on the Leiden campus only.
Students in the School of Politics and International Relations can study either solely at The Hague or at a combination of the two campuses.
Level of competitiveness
This destination is only open to students in (2): the School of Law; and the School of Politics and International Relations.
- School of Law bilateral agreement (with Leiden's Law School): Less competitive *
- School of Politics and International Relations bilateral agreement (with Leiden's Institute of Political Science): Competitive **
The level of competitiveness (Less competitive * / Competitive ** / Very competitive ***) refers to one's chances of being allocated an exchange space at this partner. This is an approximation determined by the number of applications received for this destination during the last academic year versus the total number of exchange spaces available to Queen Mary students.
Language of Instruction
- Students from the School of Law studying with Leiden's Law School: teaching and examinations in English
- Students from the School of Politics and International Relations studying with Leiden's Institute of Political Science: teaching and examinations in English
While most people in the Netherlands speak English, students may find it useful to learn some basic Dutch. Leiden University's Academic Language Centre offers Dutch language courses for a fee, yet international students can register for the free online Dutch language course which has been developed for international students completely new to the language. Once any student has completed this online course (SPOC) successfully, they can register for the Dutch 1B course at Leiden's Academic Language Centre for a nominal cost. In-person courses are available at regular intervals throughout the year.
Note: Language courses are not available as regular exchange programme courses.
Academic Calendar
Students are encouraged to attend the Warm Welcome Service and should attend all Orientation events and activities scheduled from mid-August before the formal start of teaching that starts the beginning of September. All exchange students who go to Leiden from Queen Mary must go for the full academic year.
- Semester One: September – early February (exams run from late December through January)
- Semester Two: February – early June (exams run from May, June and early June)
Re-sits may be taken over the summer period.
Courses
A full list of courses available can be found in the university prospectus by searching ‘exchange’. From there students will find exchanges within the School of Law (‘Exchange Rechtsgeleerdheid’) and exchanges within the Institute of Political Science. Students taking any course within the Institute of Political Science should make a particular note of the course location. Some courses may also require pre-requisites. A full list of departmental considerations can be found here.
Undergraduate level courses are marked 100, 200 or 300, and advanced undergraduate level courses (equal to final year of undergraduate) are marked 400. Courses above 300 level will require pre-requisite knowledge. Master’s level courses are marked 500 or above and are not available to undergraduate students.
Note: Dutch language courses are not available as regular exchange programme courses.
Credits
Students must enrol on a full courseload: 30 ECTS per semester / 60 ECTS for the full academic year (equivalent to 60 Queen Mary credits per semester / 120 Queen mary credits for the full academic year).
Leiden's marking system is out of 10 and goes up in half points. A full explanation for this system is available on the website.
Find out more about Queen Mary's credit transfer and grade conversion process.
Queen Mary student feedback
Blog posts on Queen Mary Global Bloggers:
Global Opportunities Ambassador Oscar also studied in Leiden - get in touch with them to learn more.
Accommodation
As Leiden University does not have a central campus or student halls, there is limited university accommodation available. Students are expected to arrange their own housing before arrival.
Independent housing
Leiden University encourages exchange students to apply for university housing, as it is the easiest and most cost-effective way to find a room for a one-year let; most students in the Netherlands rent rooms for the duration of their studies, rather than finding a new let every year. However, should you prefer a private rental, these are available, though in limited supply, especially for (by Dutch standards) short-term.
Leiden and The Hague are popular student cities, with a competitive housing market. Leiden University offers a comprehensive guide to looking for housing, with yearly updated price guides. They encourage students to start searching early and to register with non-profit housing organisations and commercial agencies, which can provide easy to search accommodation lists as well as waiting lists where students can sign up for the next available housing slot.
Please note that some of these organisations require a joining fee.
Leiden University housing
A limited number of rooms are reserved by the International Student Office each year by Leiden University Housing Office. Students are advised to apply as soon as possible, but to keep in mind that this accommodation cannot be guaranteed. Read more about this process here.
Prospective students are advised to apply well before the housing application deadline of April 1st for a full-year exchange.
Important Note: Students from the School of Politics and International Relations are advised to seek accommodation in The Hague, as most teaching will take place on this campus. However, as the cities are only 15 minutes apart by very frequent train, it is doable to live in Leiden and take classes in The Hague. Do keep in mind the additional travel cost in this case.
Cost of living
Leiden University provides information on the cost of living as a student here. Public transport is not free for exchange students, but discount cards are available. You can find more general, up-to-date information about the cost of living in Leiden here and in The Hague here.
Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination country available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.
Leiden requires all students to have health insurance to cover any medical costs incurred during their stay. Students must ensure that they have medical insurance before their arrival. Leiden also highly recommends for students to take out liability insurance to cover any accidental damage caused to other persons or property.
Student life
There are a variety of student-run sporting and social societies on offer for exchange students to join. The full list can be found on this webpage. Leiden University houses several international student associations who organise cultural and social events for international and internationally-oriented students in Leiden and The Hague - a great way to make friends and get involved!
The University Sports Centre offers affordable sporting activities in both Leiden and The Hague.
A wide variety of creative courses in the arts, such as drawing, painting, singing and photography, are available for students to enrol in throughout the year alongside their studies. These often cumulate in an optional performance at the end of each course.
Support services
For all incoming students, Leiden offers a ‘Warm Welcome’ service, assisting international students with practical and administrative tasks. This includes a welcome desk at Amsterdam Schiphol airport and both city train stations, assistance with rail travel to Leiden or the Hague, assistance with locating the university, and information lounges on matters including bank accounts, housing, student cards, insurance policies and how to register for a GP in the Netherlands.
Leiden also organises two optional orientation programmes for all incoming students in both Leiden and the Hague, designed to help new international students settle in and discover city and student life. These are organised by Dutch and international students on behalf of the university. Find out more about these programmes here.
There are a variety of emotional and practical support services available at Leiden University; these range from study skills workshops to financial aid. The university provides this helpful roadmap, featuring links and contacts for all support services: Student Support Roadmap [PDF 97KB]
The Student Support Services desk in Leiden is the student information point at Plexus Student Centre, where students can go for information about study options, study skills and any other study-related matters. In The Hague, Beehive Student Centre welcomes students to access the services provided by Student Support Services. Students can contact the student support services desk with questions about issues related to study skills, internships, careers and the job market, regulations and rights, finances, etc.
Students with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND): Comprehensive support is available from Leiden's Fenestra Disability Centre. Students who will require accessible accommodation should contact the Global Opportunities team as early as possible for related guidance, and once nominated, also Leiden's housing services to discuss relevant needs further.
Support for mental health and wellbeing is also available at Leiden. Students can learn more about accessing non-emergency healthcare, how to see a GP and insurance matters here.
As a current Queen Mary student you will be able to find a summary sheet for this partner university on our QMplus page, with an overview of the local student support services available on the following topics: specific learning differences, physical impairments, sensory impairments, long term medical conditions, autism spectrum conditions, mental health and wellbeing difficulties, special accommodation provision, non-emergency health care, emergency services, harassment and trauma and suicide prevention.
