Studying at a top dutch university
The city
Leiden is a vibrant student city in the heart of South Holland, famous worldwide for its lovely canals as well as for having a very rich cultural and artistic heritage. Many great artists and scientists were born here, like Rembrandt, or were attracted to Leiden thanks to its prestigious university which dates back to 1575.
The central position of the municipality of Leiden, located right in the middle of the eastern side of the Netherlands, makes it very easy to reach via train all the major cities in the surrounding regions, like Amsterdam (40 minutes train ride), Rotterdam, Utrecht and the nearby Den Haag with its beaches and coastline (just 10 minutes away!).
Leiden is a very popular destination for international students. They choose this beautiful town because the Universiteit Leiden is one of the best in the world, the standards of living are high, it is easy to get by even without knowing the local language and you get to live in one of the happiest and safest places in the world. For more info on why life in the Netherlands is great, you should check out our dossier at this link.
General facts
The Universiteit Leiden is the oldest higher education institution of the country, established by none other than William of Orange, and it is over five centuries old. Since its year of foundation, this university has been renowned worldwide for its high-quality education, a broad choice of courses, and an active international student life. Leiden always sits in the top 100 rankings of universities worldwide and it is a founding member of the League of European Research Universities
All master’s programmes and many of the bachelor’s programmes are fully taught in English, meaning that international students have a very broad selection of courses to pick from. This institution offers all the traditional programmes in the fields of humanities and sciences, and it also features very avantgarde courses in future-oriented subjects, like for example the Sustainability and Global Challenges programmes.
While most of the courses are taught in Leiden, some of the international courses take place in The Hague (or Den Haag, as the locals call it), a major global hub and the Netherlands’ fastest-growing student city.
Social life
Leiden is and has always been a student city, with its many pubs, cafés and coffee shops. Over 10 percent of the population are students; they participate in university life not only through the academic courses, but also by subscribing to student associations.
Student associations are the heart of the student experience of social life at uni, and Leiden has over 20 of them! They cover every area of interest ranging from sports, music and social clubs to cultural associations. Joining the associations is a great way to make new friends and network with fellow-minded people.
Did you know that even the King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands was a member of a Leiden student association in its time at university?
Admissions and applications
Applying to Leiden University is a very easy and straightforward process. The tuition fees are much more affordable compared to institutions abroad that have equal reputation, which makes Leiden a very attractive place for higher education.
The first step is to choose your bachelor’s or master’s programme on the catalogue available on the Universiteit Leiden website. From there, you will be able to access all the info you need to apply, like for example the mandatory admission requirements and the deadlines for your application.
At this point you will be asked to submit your application through the website Studielink, a platform on which you will also have to upload all the relevant supporting documents. You will be asked to provide documents such as your ID, letters of recommendation, language proficiency certificates, personal statements, original copies of your diplomas and so on. If you have any troubles obtaining those or you don’t know what to write on your personal statement, don’t panic: DreamanDo is here for you! Our team of experts will help you gather all the requirement documents without stressing.
If your application is successful, you will be able to pay your tuition fees and finally register as a student of Leiden University.
Transport
The size of the town means you can walk pretty much everywhere. The absence of car traffic, the lack of hills and the many bike lanes available are three reasons that make Leiden the perfect place to move around with a bycicle.
Landmarks and attractions nearby
The Universiteit Leiden is the oldest in the Netherlands, but the actual university campus is the perfect blend of new and old architecture, like in the case of the Academy Building. The main campus in town is located right next to the many characteristic Dutch canals and windmills. Check out the nearby Burcht van Leiden, a 11th century fort built on a mound!
Entertainment and leisure
Leiden has many beautiful attractions that are worth exploring. Typical activities include visiting the many museums in town (all 13 of them!), cycling past the castles and flower fields of the region, enjoying the freshly fried fish in the bi-weekly local market on the Oude Rijn, or shopping in Haarlemmerstraat and Breestraat.
Famous alumni
Notable Leiden alumni include members of the Dutch royal family, King Willem Alexander, Princess Beatrix van Oranje-Nassau and His Royal Highness Constantijn van Oranje-Nassau, as well as former Secretary General of NATO Professor Jaap de Hoop Scheffer and current Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Even Winston Churchill was an honourary degree recipient of Leiden University!