Leiden University
About
Leiden University is a public research university in the Netherlands that has just celebrated its 450-year anniversary. 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.
For Political Science in 2025, Leiden was ranked #2 in the European Union and #17 in the world. 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. Most exchange students travel regularly and frequently between these and other Dutch cities, thanks to the small size of the country and the spectacular and affordable public transportation system.
With nearly everyone speaking fluent English alongside native Dutch, studying in Leiden or The Hague may appeal to students who are nervous about linguistic adaption during an exchange abroad. Reserved in advance, train tickets between London and Leiden can be booked for €88 return, which may also appeal to students who prefer an affordable option for periodic trips back to London/the UK during an exchange.
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.
Leiden and The Hague offer great cultural diversity and restaurants. Leiden University is a diverse university with students from many backgrounds and international origins, speaking Dutch or other languages fluently as their first or second/third languages. Exchange students studying on the Leiden campus will find themselves studying among 60% Dutch and 40% non-Dutch students, while Politics and International Relations courses in The Hague have about a 40% Dutch/60% non-Dutch split. Many of Leiden's full-degree students are also first-in-family/first-generation university students, in parallel with Queen Mary.
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): Less 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: all teaching and examinations in English
- Students from the School of Politics and International Relations studying with Leiden's Institute of Political Science: all teaching and examinations in English
While Dutch is the official language spoken in the Netherlands, many Dutch people speak fluent English and nearly all residents in large cities like Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, and of course Leiden and The Hague do so, with these being very international cities; some shops even only hire English-speaking staff! All university staff as well as emergency services personnel in Leiden and The Hague (e.g. hospital staff, police) all speak fluent English, which may reassure students who are nervous about going abroad to a destination where English is not the native language.
Nevertheless, students may find it useful to learn some basic Dutch to enhance their feelings of integration in local life and for making lasting connections. 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. Please consult Leiden's website for full information for all Dutch courses on offer.
Note: Language courses are not available to enrol on as regular exchange programme courses for credit.
Additionally, Leiden University offers Dutch history and culture classes taught in English for students interested in learning more about where they are living and studying, the local life and culture, etc.
Academic Calendar
Students should attend the Warm Welcome Service and 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. 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.
Restrictions: Exchange students are not eligible to take any Business courses.
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 exchange students nominated at the undergraduate level.
Student and partner feedback suggests the curriculum is academically demanding, and so exchange students on a year abroad degree are advised to:
- only follow courses at the 300/400 level if and where this is in their specialist area and where they do already have pre-requisite/background knowledge in this topic
- select from 100/200 level courses for their other credits that allow for more flexibility in order to avoid overloading themselves and/or failing the year abroad.
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.
Learn more about studying at Leiden University: Leiden University Study Abroad-Exchange brochure [PDF 4,236KB]
Queen Mary student feedback
Blog posts on Queen Mary Global Bloggers:
- Niranda in the Netherlands (different programme and host institution but still relevant for country)
- Emily in the Netherlands (different host institution but still relevant for country)
Global Opportunities Ambassador Oscar also studied in Leiden - get in touch with them to learn more.
Instagram takeovers
Accommodation
Leiden University housing
While Leiden University does not have its own halls, it does reserve rooms for exchange students with Dutch student housing provider DUWO. This non-profit offers fully furnished rooms and studios in both Leiden and The Hague. Rent ranges from €425 to €1200 per month with options ranging from a shared bedroom to a single-occupancy studio. Leiden University is also Queen Mary's Dutch exchange partner offering the most substantial university-managed housing option and the only Dutch partner that prioritises exchange students for spaces in their housing offer.
While DUWO housing cannot be guaranteed, students who apply by the 1 April deadline should be allocated a room. Rooms are allocated in order of receipt of application, so Queen Mary students who will be studying at Leiden University should apply for housing as soon as possible once they are nominated and well before the deadline. Almost all students are allocated a room in the city they ask to live in (either Leiden or The Hague). Housing outcomes are typically shared with applying students by mid-April, providing students with housing reassurance far in advance of the academic year start.
Students can find more information on Leiden's university-managed housing here.
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 follow classes in The Hague as travel distances take less time than commuting within London's Tube network! Students should budget for the daily travel cost, though, if they plan to live in Leiden and follow courses in The Hague.
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, for students who prefer a private rental or who do not apply for university housing by the 1 April deadline, annual lets are available, though in limited supply and can be expensive, 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.
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 compared to London in Leiden here and in The Hague here.
Please consult the estimated minimum and maximum cost of living figures for this destination available in our “Estimated Costs of Living” document available on our Finance page.
Leiden University 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!
Many students travel frequently to neighbouring Dutch cities for socialising and on the weekends for events such as live music and film festivals, thanks to the 24-hour train running daily in a circuit between the largest cities (e.g. Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Utrecht, Leiden, The Hague). Given the extremely small size of the Netherlands, exchange students in one city can really feel like exchange students in the whole country, with all these cities at your fingertips.
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 Partnerships and 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 also 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.
Note: Some university buildings in Leiden are medieval and not fully accessible to students who may have sensory or physical impairments. If you do have an impairment and are interested in Leiden, please contact the GPO team to discuss further.