Admission Requirements to the Bachelor's programmes

Admission is determined on the basis of three factors:
1. Your educational background / diploma's
2. Language skills
3. Programme specific requirements

1. Educational Background / Diploma's

Only the Dutch VWO diploma gives direct access to a Dutch university education (and of course a Dutch university or "hbo" degree). All (foreign) applicants who are not in possession of such a Dutch VWO diploma, should submit an  "Application for Admission"  with the Admissions Office (part of the International Office). 

The Equivalence Table of Foreign Diplomas (or download as pdf) gives you an idea of the value of your diploma. For further questions, please visit the Information desk. If you want to know precisely if you may be admitted with your diploma, we advise you to submit a full Application for Admission.

In principle you should have a diploma which is equivalent to the Dutch VWO diploma. The Admissions Office will evaluate your diplomas and formulate an advice on admissibility. If your diploma is not equivalent, you should generally expect to have to take one or more entrance exams.

If you are directly admissible on the grounds of your diploma(s), for example because it recognised as equivalent by international treaty, then please note that it must first be determined whether you have sufficiently good command of Dutch and English, and if you meet additional programme-specific requirements.

2. Programme-specific requirements

Additional programme-specific requirements for admission may apply. See Admission Requirements - Specific Requirements.

For admission to the programmes of the Faculty of Medicine and the Faculty of Science, all of the indicated courses are required. This means that even if you have a recognised diploma, you must have done the important courses at the highest level: for example, Israeli Bagrut: unit 5; German Abitur: Leistungskurs; IB diploma: higher levels; England: A-levels; etc.

The University will determine whether you fulfill these specific requirements.  

Binding Recommendation
Before you begin studying at Leiden University, it is perhaps good to know that Leiden University has a so-called binding study-advice policy. At the end of the first year of the BA/BSc, students are given a "binding advice" concerning the continuation of their study. This "advice" is based on the number of credits earned during the academic year. In order to receive a positive recommendation, the student is required to earn a minimum of 40 (out of 60) ECTS after the first year and to obtain the propaedeuse diploma within two years. A provisional recommendation is given after the first semester in January. Students who have not earned enough credits are not permitted to continue the BA/BSc programme they are enrolled in at Leiden University.

3. Language Requirement

Students are expected to be proficient in English and/or Dutch.

Dutch
The University offers intensive Dutch language courses for students with an international education who must first learn Dutch. You must have a good command of Dutch at a high level for admission to the bachelor's programmes and to some master's programmes. The language training takes an entire year in practice. At Leiden, we recognise Levels I, II and III (Level II is equivalent to the "Dutch NT2 Programme II" state exam); most departments require Level III.

Also see Entrance Examinations 

English
Good command of English is required for all departments; this is also true for the bachelor's taught in Dutch as not only much professional literature in English, but increasingly more of the courses that are part of the degree are taught in English.

Students need to demonstrate their proficiency in English, preferably by means of an IELTS test *.

Also acceptable are: TOEFL, Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English

Please note:

• Only Academic modules are accepted; we do not accept Institutional TOEFL scores. An exception is the ITP TOEFL test for Indonesian students, but under the 3 following conditions:
  
  1. The application for admission to our study programmes have been sent to us by NESO Jakarta and includes the statement of Neso Jakarta on the procedures of the ITP TOEFL test organised by Neso Jakarta, TOEFL and the Indonesian International Education Foundation.
  2. The minimum score for TOEFL is: 570 (paper-based) / 230 (computer-based) / 88-90 (Internet- based), the scores may vary per course.
  3. The ITP TOEFL score must be an equivalent of the official TOEFL scores as mentioned under condition 2.
  
  
• The certificates need to be recent: not older than 2 years.
  
  
• Minimum score: IELTS 6.0 or 213/550 (computer-based/paper-based) (scores may vary per course / programme )
  
  
• Chinese Students TOEFL iBT also accepted:
  From 1 September 2008, Chinese students will be eligible to apply to study in Holland using a TOEFL score, confirmed by Neso China.
  - This means that in addition to an IELTS score, the new TOEFL (TOEFL iBT) is now also acceptable as proof of English language skills for the application.
  With the acceptance of TOEFL iBT, the application procedure remains the same.
  - Chinese students need to apply for the Neso certificate, which is an obligatory document for the study visa. Students can apply for the certificate at the same time as applying to the university.
  - Students are suggested to submit their documents at least 4 months before the start of the semester.
  

*This requirement does not apply if you have completed your education in Canada, USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia or if you have obtained an International Baccalaureate or European Baccalaureate diploma. In most cases Dutch students with VWO level English are exempt from this requirement (please check programme description).

Also see Entrance Examinations