UMD Exchange: Leiden University (Netherlands)

All students accepted to an Exchange program are automatically considered for an award of $1,000! See Cost tab for more information.

Leiden University is an ideal location for students interested in international law and international justice. Leiden University is a global university and a melting pot for different cultures, languages, and beliefs.

Host Institution
Leiden University is one of Europe’s leading international research-intensive universities.  Leiden has approximately 23,000 students and offers a broad range of undergraduate programs and majors. The University prides itself on a strong international orientation and students will find that their courses approach academic topics and subject matter with an international perspective.

Leiden is particularly well known for its’ programs in natural sciences, life sciences, medicine, social sciences, international law, astronomy, and non-Western languages.

In the Spotlight: Leiden very proud of their Orientation week program, revamped several years ago and listed by students as an extremely important and effective start to their time in Leiden. You can find more information here:http://orientationweek.org/.

Host City
The city of Leiden is a medium-sized Dutch city with approximately 116,000 inhabitants. Leiden is near the North Sea coast with easy access to other major Dutch cities including The Hague, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Utrecht. The presence of the university has impacted the cultural and economic diversity of the city; Leiden is a true university city with its campus integrated into the city. As a student Leiden university, you will have the exciting opportunity to explore the city and take advantage of the many museums, cafes, and public spaces close to the university.

Many students live in the Hague while studying at Leiden. The Hague is 15 minutes by train from Leiden. Leiden University College as well as the International Studies and Public Policy programs are located in the Hague. The Hague has a population of 515,880 people and is the second largest city in the Netherlands. The Hague is home to the Dutch government as well as the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

Study in Holland

Explore Leiden!

Exchange programs are highly competitive and space in each program is limited. You must meet the following eligibility requirements in order to apply to this program:

• 3.2 GPA
• Completion of 2 semesters at UMD

Exchange programs are a good fit for students looking for immersion, personal growth, and the opportunity to strengthen qualities such as independence and adaptability.

Student Visa Information
A student visa is required for participation on this exchange. For more information, please visit our study abroad visa guide to view instructions for the country you will be visiting. Please note that visa information is subject to change and you are responsible for checking the embassy website for updates.

1. Click "Apply Now" at the top of this page. You will log in with your UMD directory ID and password.
2. Submit all application materials by the deadline listed below. This includes meeting with your EA advisor (listed at the top of this page), and may include requesting a faculty letter of recommendation, and submitting an official transcript. If a letter of recommendation and/or official transcript are required, it will be listed in MyEA once you start an application for this program. 
3. After the application deadline, we will review all completed applications and nominate students for available spots in each exchange program.
4. If you are nominated to participate in this exchange, you will work with your EA advisor (listed above) to apply directly to the host university, who will formally admit you to the exchange program. Nominated students must complete the host university application in accordance with the host university’s stated deadlines and instructions.
5. Nominated students will then work with their EA advisor (listed above) and our partner universities to coordinate all aspects of the stay at the host university such as course registration, visas and arrival.

Leiden University offers a variety of course options in English in various disciplines, such as Archeology, Art History, Anthropology, Chinese Studies, Dutch Studies, English, History, Japanese Studies, Law, Linguistics & Literature, Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Philosophy, Political Science, Psychology, Public Administration, Religious Studies, and Science. 

Leiden University offers more than forty bachelor’s programmes. Leiden University offers six bachelor programmes taught (and examined) in English:

• Archaeology
• Dutch Studies
• International Studies
• Leiden University College The Hague
• Psychology
• South and Southeast Asian Studies

To view courses visit the Leiden website: https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/education/other-modes-of-study/exchange/study-options/taught-courses

International Leiden Leadership Programme : Studying is about more than understanding science. Leiden University offers a select group of international students the chance to discover their personal leadership style in the International Leiden Leadership Programme (ILLP), an honours programme for master’s students (including those in Leiden on exchange) at Leiden University and Delft University of Technology. Through in-depth training sessions, assessments, seminars and coaching, the ILLP will allow students to gain insights into their own personal leadership style and will help them reach their leadership goals.  Find out more about the ILLP on the ILLP website.

Credit

All credit you earn on this program will count as transfer credit towards your UMD degree.  Most courses at Leiden University  will be converted as follows:

The credit conversion listed above was approved by the UMD Study Abroad Transfer Credit Committee on June 4, 2014. 

You can view how courses at this institution have previously been evaluated for UMD equivalents through the Transfer Credit Services Equivalency Database (TCEQ). If you are interested in taking a course not listed on TCEQ, you may have it evaluated for acceptability by following the UMD Registrar’s evaluation request guidelines.

 
Grading

Undergraduates must receive a C- equivalent or better in order to be eligible for the transfer of credit.
 

There is limited housing available through Leiden University and it is not guaranteed. Most exchange students find private accommodation.  For the best chance of securing housing through the university, students should apply and submit the application fee by the deadline. There will be a refundable housing deposit due as part of the housing application. The housing deposit is only refundable if you are not placed in university housing. If you are offered university housing, you must submit payment in full for the term you will be at Leiden.

Please read carefully the Leiden policies related to timelines, payments, and rental contracts.

Spring semester students: Please note that spring semester students are required to sign a seven-month university housing contract, January-August. Students may apply for early termination of their lease, but this must be done early. More information can be found on the Leiden website.

For students who choose not to apply for university housing, Leiden provides an extensive list of private housing agents which can be found on their website.

You can learn more about housing options on the Leiden University website: http://www.studenthousing.leiden.edu/. University housing is located in Leiden and the Hague (15 minutes by train from Leiden). Leiden accommodation is in very high demand, so many students assigned housing are placed in the Hague. Students looking for private accommodation may also have better luck by concentrating thier search in the Hague.

All students accepted to an Exchange program are considered for an automatic award of $1,000!

To be considered for this scholarship, you must:

• Be a current degree seeking undergraduate UMD student (graduate students are not eligible for this award)
• Not currently receive full tuition scholarship/benefits (i.e. Banneker Key, tuition remission, TAES, etc.)
• If you have a completed FAFSA on file and wish to be considered for need based aid in addition to the automatic award, complete the EA fund form by the deadline. 

UMD students participating in an Exchange have the benefit of paying UMD tuition rates to attend an institution abroad. For specific information on the cost of attending this Exchange, please see the UMD Exchange Cost Sheet

Tuition and fees for exchange programs are charged directly to your UMD account, which means you can apply UMD scholarships, state and federal financial aid, and alternative loans towards the cost of an exchange. Housing costs are paid directly to the host institution or on-site housing agency.

You can use the cost of attendance comparison worksheet to view how study abroad programs compare to each other and the amount you pay on campus at UMD. As always, your EA advisor (listed above) is available help you complete this worksheet and find affordable programs that fit your study abroad goals.

Please refer to the following resources for more information on funding study abroad:

• Financial Aid
• Scholarships
• Financial Policies