Leiden University

Established in 1575, Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands. It is a public research university with campuses in Leiden and the Hague. Leiden University is home to more than 33,000+ 23% are foreign nationals at the bachelor's level and 36% at the master's level. Also Check: Leiden University Gallery

It is one of the top-ranked universities globally. A top-ranking publisher has ranked Leiden University #119 in the world in 2026 The university offers 16 English-taught bachelor's courses and 80 English-taught master's courses. It has faculties in the fields of Humanities, Medicine, Law, Science, etc. Leiden University acceptance rate is around 63%, signifying that the university is selective at the time of admission. A total of 16 Nobel prize winners are associated with Leiden University. It is known for its international focus, with more than 13,000 students. Check some of the Top reasons to study at Netherlands.

A detailed overview for Leiden University Indian students are given below:

• Top Ranked: Leiden University ranks among the Top 200 Universities in the global rankings such as QS, Times Higher Education, U.S. News & World Report
• International environment: This university boasts a diverse student body with a more than 12,000 international students, creating a multicultural learning environment
• English-taught programs: Leiden University Netherlands offers 16 English-taught courses at the Bachelor’s level and 80 courses at the Master’s level. Since a wide range of English taught programs are offered, the university becomes more accessible to Indian students
• Admission Requirements: Indian students thinking to apply to Leiden Uni must meet all the general and program-specific requirements. Also, an English language proficiency score has to be submitted too
• Career services: Leiden University Netherlands a number of career services to international students such as advising, events and workshops
• Scholarships: A number of scholarships are offered by Leiden University, including those from India. A couple of scholarships available for international students at this university are Holland Scholarship and Leiden Excellence Scholarship

Here is an IELTS Mock Test for students' reference which includes who really want to get admission at Leiden University-

Things to Know about Leiden University

Some of the facts about Leiden University are given as follows:

History

Leiden University was the first university to be established in the Netherlands. It was established in 1575 by William of Orange. By the 1960s, 500+ students enrolled from all across Europe, making it the largest Protestant University. In 2012, Leiden University entered into a strategic alliance with the Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam. The university is also home to the Bilderberg Group.

Check out the below videos of Leiden University for more information:

Leiden University admission deadline is Oct 15, 2026 for Bachelor's courses. Check Leiden University Reviews from here. 

Established in 1575, Leiden University is the oldest university in the Netherlands. It is a public research university with campuses in Leiden and the Hague. Leiden University is home to more than 33,000+ 23% are foreign nationals at the bachelor's level and 36% at the master's level. Also Check: Leiden University Gallery

It is one of the top-ranked universities globally. A top-ranking publisher has ranked Leiden University #119 in the world in 2026 The university offers 16 English-taught bachelor's courses and 80 English-taught master's courses. It has faculties in the fields of Humanities, Medicine, Law, Science, etc. Leiden University acceptance rate is around 63%, signifying that the university is selective at the time of admission. A total of 16 Nobel prize winners are associated with Leiden University. It is known for its international focus, with more than 13,000 students. Check some of the Top reasons to study at Netherlands.

A detailed overview for Leiden University Indian students are given below:

• Top Ranked: Leiden University ranks among the Top 200 Universities in the global rankings such as QS, Times Higher Education, U.S. News & World Report
• International environment: This university boasts a diverse student body with a more than 12,000 international students, creating a multicultural learning environment
• English-taught programs: Leiden University Netherlands offers 16 English-taught courses at the Bachelor’s level and 80 courses at the Master’s level. Since a wide range of English taught programs are offered, the university becomes more accessible to Indian students
• Admission Requirements: Indian students thinking to apply to Leiden Uni must meet all the general and program-specific requirements. Also, an English language proficiency score has to be submitted too
• Career services: Leiden University Netherlands a number of career services to international students such as advising, events and workshops
• Scholarships: A number of scholarships are offered by Leiden University, including those from India. A couple of scholarships available for international students at this university are Holland Scholarship and Leiden Excellence Scholarship

Here is an IELTS Mock Test for students' reference which includes who really want to get admission at Leiden University-

Things to Know about Leiden University

Some of the facts about Leiden University are given as follows:

History

Leiden University was the first university to be established in the Netherlands. It was established in 1575 by William of Orange. By the 1960s, 500+ students enrolled from all across Europe, making it the largest Protestant University. In 2012, Leiden University entered into a strategic alliance with the Delft University of Technology and Erasmus University Rotterdam. The university is also home to the Bilderberg Group.

Check out the below videos of Leiden University for more information:

Leiden University offers a number of scholarships to international students. Besides the university scholarships international students can get scholarships from the Dutch government and EU organizations. Students joining full-time Master’s program at Leiden Uni (with the exception to all Humanities program) and LLM Non-Advanced and MSc Int. Relations and Diplomacy) can avail Leiden University Excellence Scholarship. The students must be among the Top 10% in their previous study program. There are 5 levels of scholarship. Make sure to apply for this scholarship separately. It is awarded for the duration of the study program.

• €10,000 of the tuition fee
• €15,000 of the tuition fee
• €17,500 of the tuition fee
• €18,500 of the tuition fee
• €19,000 of the tuition fee

Leiden University offers a number of Undergraduate and Graduate courses. 16 English-taught bachelor’s courses are offered by this university. On the other hand, 80 English-taught master’s courses are offered. A few PhD courses are also offered. Study areas at the bachelor’s level are International Studies, Political Sciences, Psychology, Urban Studies, etc. At the master’s level, a few of the study areas are Arts and Culture, Asian Studies, Biology, Bioinformatics, Chemistry, Computer Science, etc. Among Indian students, the popular Leiden University courses are LLM, MSc in CS, MSc in ICT in Business and the Public Sector, MSc Molecular Science and Technology.

Some of the courses studied by this university’s graduates are Law, Psychology, Economics, International / Global Studies, History, Political Science and Government, etc. There are seven faculties at Leiden University. These faculties are Archaeology, Law, Humanities, Governance & Global Affairs, Medicine, Science, and Social and Behavioral Sciences.

A comparison of Leiden University with Utrecht University and University of Groningen is given as follows:

Some of the famous celebrities who have studied at Leiden University are John Quincy Adams, Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, Beatrix of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte, etc.

Names	Designation	Images
Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands	King of the Netherlands
John Quincy Adams	Former Statesman, Politician, Diplomat, Lawyer
Beatrix of the Netherlands	Member of Dutch Royal House
Mark Rutte	Dutch Politician
Paul Verhoeven	Filmmaker
Rembrandt	Golden Age Painter, Printmaker, etc.

A number of career services are offered by Leiden University for international students. Additionally, students can participate in the workshops that offer coaching to develop the skills. Students can take part in the career events organized by the university and meet the potential employers there. Leiden University Career Zone offers information to students on all the steps of career orientation including self-assessment, exploring the job market, skill development and more. The placement rate for Leiden University graduates from course to course. However, for MSc in CS, 96.9% is the placement rate.

Leiden University ranks at #93 in the Global Employability ranking 2025 by the Times Higher Education and for Netherland employability ranking, it ranks at #3 position in 2025. Additionally, this university has one Mentor program in which students are mentored by experts in their chosen field.

Alumni Statistics: Sectors Placed

A few of the job industries where Leiden University graduates are working are Operations, Business Development, Legal, Community and Social Services, Healthcare Services, Engineering, IT, etc.

ROI after Education from Leiden University

According to a survey, the 2016-2018 alumni of this university had an average monthly salary of €2,967 (Around INR 2.6 lakh) per month, which is around the average salary in the Netherlands (€3,000 per month). If this is the per month average salary, then for a single year, the average salary could be around INR 31 lakh. As per Shiksha Study Abroad, the average tuition fee is around INR 2 L - INR 19 L. Looking at the average salary and the tuition fee, it can be said that studying at this university could lead to a greater ROI.

Top Employers

Some of the top employers of this university’s graduates are:

• Rabobank
• Amsterdam UMC
• Deloitte
• EY
• European Commission

The annual Leiden University tuition fee is between INR 2 L - INR 18.7 L. The tuition fee as per UG and PG courses is given as follows:

The monthly living expenses for international students are €968 - €1,338 for international students (Around INR 86k - INR 1 L) . Check distribution of these expenses mentioned below

Leiden University admission deadline is Oct 15, 2026 for Bachelor's courses. Check Leiden University Reviews from here. 

To get admission to Leiden University Indian students should apply through Official Application Portal. Leiden Uni admission requirements, which comprise previous scores, required GPA, standardised test scores, essays, resumes, SOPs and LORs must be submitted to complete the application process by all Indian applicants. Indian students also have to submit scores of entrance or English proficiency exams, such as IELTS, TOEFL and PTE, must also be submitted by students.

Leiden Uni is one of the leading international research universities in Europe. It has more than 40 national and international research institutes. Also, note that Leiden is a member of the Coimbra Group, the Europaeum, and a founding member of the League of European Research Universities.

There are five main research domains of Leiden University namely Human in the world; Resilient and Learning Society; Technology and Society; Health and Life Sciences; Peace, Justice, Democracy and Governance. The university has a strong reputation for research, especially in areas like Physics, Law, and Archaeology.

The Leiden University is considered to be one of the top universities nationally. According to Shiksha Popularity Ranking, Leiden University ranking stands at #4 in 2026 at national level. Also, the university is ranked #64 in the world by Shiksha Popularity Ranking 2026. Moreover, a few of the Leiden University courses are also ranked by Shiksha Popularity Ranking as mentioned below-

By Other Ranking Bodies

Apart from Shiksha Popularity ranking, QS has also ranked the university globally. It ranks Leiden University at #119 in 2026. Leiden University ranking stood at #56 as per US News in 2025 and #70 by THE in 2026, globally.

Leiden University is located in Leiden and The Hague. At Leiden University, there are campus-wide organizations that students can join. This include the International Student Network or Leiden United. Also, students can utilize the University Sports Centre (USC). This centre offers 55+ sports and group lessons, including tennis, boxing, yoga, dance, and swimming. Also, there are 3 university dining areas in Leiden, which can be used by this university’s students. Check details about Leiden University campus.

Student Associations

There are 20+ student association at Leiden Uni (Leiden campus) ranging from Sports, Music, and Social Clubs to Cultural Associations. International students can join the student associations like Erasmus Student Network Leiden and Leiden United. These associations ease international students’ integration into the new study environment.

Housing

Each semester, the University of Leiden reserves a limited number of rooms for international students via a local agency. The maximum rental contract is for one year. Students can also live off-campus. The average room cost in Leiden is between Euro 300 – Euro 750 per month.