Admission requirements

Source: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/education/admission-and-application/bachelors/admission-requirements

Do you know which bachelor’s programme you want to follow at Leiden University? First, check the admission requirements.

Academic requirements

Automatic admission?

Some Dutch diplomas grant automatic admission to Bachelor’s programmes at Leiden University. Check in the programme information whether your diploma grants you automatic admission. Generally speaking you cannot be automatically admitted, and must instead apply for admission, if:

• You are an international student (you have a non-Dutch diploma).
• You are a Dutch student without the appropriate VWO diploma (you have an international diploma or a VWO diploma that falls short of the applicable requirements, for example)
• You are applying for a Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges (LUC The Hague).

Minimum requirements

The minimum requirement for admission to any bachelor’s programme at Leiden University is a diploma that is at least equal to the Dutch pre-university diploma (VWO). Our Admissions Office has drawn up a list of common non-Dutch diplomas that generally meet the minimum academic requirements.

Be aware that there are also specific diploma requirements for our science programmes.

Other requirements

Language requirements

• For admission to Dutch-taught bachelor’s programmes you must be proficient in Dutch and, in most cases, in English.
• For admission to English-taught bachelor’s programmes you must be proficient in English.

You can find specific language requirements and minimum test scores in the relevant programme descriptions.

You do not need to submit an English proficiency test if you:

• have obtained a Dutch VWO diploma
• have obtained a bachelor’s or master’s diploma from a Dutch university of applied sciences (HBO) or a Dutch university
• have completed your secondary or higher education in the USA, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada (except French-taught programmes in Canada), Singapore, South Africa or Malta.
• have obtained an International Baccalaureate™ Diploma (IB DP) taught in English or with English A HL.
• have obtained a German Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife (Abitur) and English was included in your final year at least at Grundkurslevel.
• Exemptions can also be granted on the basis of certain other educational diplomas. Check our diploma requirements list to find out whether your diploma might entitle you to an exemption.

If none of the above apply to you, you must provide proof of proficiency by means of one of the following tests. You must arrange the test yourself.

Note that English test results may not be more than two years old and must be obtained in one single test. The following types of English test are accepted*: 

• IELTS: Academic modules only, on paper or on computer.
• We do not accept IELTS Academic online
• We do notaccept IELTS General Training, IELTS Indicator, or IELTS One Skill Retake
• TOEFL: internet based
• We do not accept the TOEFL IBT Home Edition™, except in the following situation only:
  • You are unable to take an in-person test on location because test centres are inaccessible or closed due to unsafe conditions in a country.
• We do not accept the following types of test: TOEFL My Best™ scores (multiple test scores combined), TOEFL Essentials™  or institutional tests such as ITP.
• Cambridge C2 Proficiency in English or Cambridge C1 Advanced English

* New TOEFL grading scale 2026\ In January 2026, TOEFL introduced a new grading scale. Test certificates issued in 2026 and 2027 will show overall scores in both the old grading scale (0-120) and the new grading scale (1-6). Component or band scores will only be shown in the new grading scale.\ Leiden University’s 2026-2027 overall score requirements will continue to be based on the old grading scale. If you took your test on or after 21 January 2026, you must meet the overall score requirement shown on our website in the old grading scale (0-120), and the component score requirements shown on our website in the new grading scale (1-6).\ \ For information on which Dutch tests are accepted, if required, as well as detailed information on language test requirements, exemption criteria and methods of submission, refer toLanguage Requirements Bachelor's Programmes.

Programme-specific requirements

The specific academic entry requirements for each bachelor’s programme are listed under the relevant programme description.\ \ Please also take note of these specific diploma requirements for science programmes.

Programmes with limited places - Numerus fixus

Because of their popularity, some bachelor’s programmes are oversubscribed. For these programmes a quota has been set for the number of students who can be allocated a place. This is known as a 'numerus fixus'. At Leiden University there are currently the following bachelor’s programmes with a numerus fixus:

• Biomedical Sciences (in Dutch)
• Clinical Technology (in Dutch)
• Criminology (in Dutch)
• International Relations and Organisations (in English)
• Medicine (in Dutch)
• Psychology (in English and in Dutch)

A selection and placement procedure is in place for these programmes. This means that even if you are admitted, you are not guaranteed a place on the programme. You must also be allocated a place via the procedure below.

Application restrictions

• In most cases, you may apply for a maximum of two numerus fixus programmes per academic year. These may be at the same educational institution or at two different institutions.
• For certain programmes you may apply for only one programme at one institution. These are Medicine, Dentistry, Physiotherapy and Oral health care.
• You must be proficient in Dutch to participate in the selection procedure for Dutch-taught numerus fixus programmes.

Application procedure for numerus fixus programmes

Note that if you miss any of the deadlines mentioned below, you will unfortunately not be included in the selection process.

Cancelling your application

Have you decided you no longer wish to join the study programme? Or have you found out that you will not meet the programme’s admission requirements, for example, you have not passed your final exams?

You can cancel your application, or cancel an accepted place in Studielink until 31 August. However, as there are restrictions on the number of selection attempts you can make, be aware that:

• If you cancel in Studielink by 15 January, your 'selection attempt' will also be cancelled, i.e. it will not be counted.
• If you cancel in Studielink after 15 January, your 'selection attempt' will still be counted, except in the following circumstances:
• If you find out after 15 January that you have not met the programme’s admission requirements, you can request that your selection attempt be cancelled (i.e. that your number of selection attempts be corrected). To do so, submit this online form before 1 September, making sure to include evidence that you have not met the admission requirements.

Further information\ See the Studielink Q&A. \

Admission via colloquium doctum

Colloquium doctum is a special admission procedures for prospective students who:

• do not have a diploma that grants university admission, and
• are aged 21 or older on the day their proposed study programme will commence.

Not easy\ This is a challenging admission procedure Candidates will have to take a number of national exams at Dutch pre-university (VWO) level. These exams are all in Dutch. Even if you pass the required exams, bear in mind that you may still have gaps in your knowledge compared to students who have completed their VWO diploma. For this reason, recent school leavers are advised to consider completing a VWO diploma rather than taking the colloquium doctum route.

Limited admission, unlimited validity\ If you successfully complete a colloquium doctum at Leiden University, you will receive an admission decision statement. This statement only gives admission to  the Leiden University programme for which it was intended – not to other programmes or other institutions. The validity period of colloquium doctum admission is unlimited.

Exams \ Decisions on admission via the colloquium doctum procedure are taken on a case-by-case basis. The number of exams you will be required to take depends on your previous education, relevant (work)experience and the study programme you want to join. Most programmes require 3 to 4 national VWO state exams, which you can do via an ROC, VAVO or via state examinations. For some programmes, we also accept exams in the subjects Biology, Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry taken with specified external providers at pre-university level. We will inform you about which exams you need to take after you have submitted your colloquium doctum application.

Letter of motivation and CV\ As part of the application procedure, you must submit a CV and write a letter of motivation. Please mention clearly that you want to apply through the colloquium doctum procedure. You can use Europass tool  for your CV.

Application deadline\ Be aware that the application deadline for colloquium doctum is 1 November.

However, if you want to find out early which exams you will need to take to start studying in the year after the upcoming academic year, you can instead apply for admission between 1 November and 1 May. Clearly indicate in your motivation letter that you do not want to start your studies in the upcoming academic year but instead, want to start the year after. This will allow you an entire academic year to prepare for your exams by way of preparatory courses or education for adults.

>> Go to the next step: Check the application deadlines.