Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges (BA/BSc)

Application and selection

The application procedure

The application for LUC's programme consists of several steps: 

1. Apply for Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges in Studielink. To create a Studielink account and for additional instructions, please view these step-by-step plans.
2. Activate your account for the Leiden University application portal.
3. Submit your application in the Leiden University application portal.

To understand what you need to do and submit in the application portal, please view this manual or watch this video. You can find the required documents under the 'Required documents' section.

The selection procedure

All applicants go through a selection procedure that consists of three phases:

Phase 1: Assessment
In the first phase of the selection process, the Admissions Committee reviews your application to assess whether you have a diploma that is considered sufficient for admission and how likely it is that you meet the diploma and English language requirement. The Admissions Committee also looks for students who are self-motivated and are enthusiastic about what is on offer at LUC, in particular the theme of Global Challenges.

Your application is holistically evaluated on the following items as shown in the picture, taking into account all components and not focusing on one in particular. If you do not meet the minimum diploma requirements or you are not considered to be a good fit, you will be informed by the Admissions Committee.

Phase 2: LUC Experience and reflection
Because studying at LUC is a unique experience with small classes, high student participation and a thematic focus on global challenges, the second phase of the selection focuses on experiencing what it would be like to be a student at LUC and reflecting on this experience.

Aligned with the Liberal Arts and Sciences ethos, as an applicant you choose how you wish to experience LUC. On the LUC form, one of the required documents, you indicate how you intend to do this by selecting your preferred option. The following options are available:

After your experience you are requested to provide a 150 word reflection on either the attended LUC class or the online talk, which will be added to your application and then reviewed by the Admissions Committee. You submit your reflection through an online form which will be provided to you by the Admissions Office after the experience.

Please note that you need to have either attended a sample class at an LUC Experience day, been a student for a day or had your one on one talk, and need to have submitted your online reflection, before your application can go through to the third and final phase: ‘Selection’.

Phase 3: Selection
After the first and second phase are completed, the selection phase starts. The Dean of LUC The Hague makes a decision regarding admission to LUC’s programme together with the Admissions Committee. Because there are 200 places in our programme, with the guarantee of housing on the LUC campus, not everyone who applies can be admitted. In a few situations Early Bird applications can be re-considered for admission in the second round. Decisions are communicated on a rolling basis from January 2025 onwards.

Please note that it is not possible to defer the start date of your studies if you receive an offer. Should you wish to start the following academic year, you will have to re-apply.  

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