Leiden University’s BSc programmes in Political Science usually receive more applications than they can accommodate. Therefore, a selection and placement procedure has been established in order to maintain a maximum number of students and to ensure our students the best quality of education. This numerus fixus—a total for all the Political Science BSc programmes combined—is set at 600 students. If we receive more than 600 applications, a selection procedure will determine which students match our programme best and will be offered a place.

Criteria

This selection procedure takes into account three criteria:

• the average grades of your previous education/GPA (40% of the ranking score),
• a motivation letter (40% of the ranking score), and
• your score in an online assessment (20% of the ranking score).

Studielink: what is it?

Studielink is the online portal for arranging enrolment at institutions of higher education in the Netherlands.

Studielink: getting started

› www.studielink.nl

• Choose your language in the upper right corner of the screen.
• Login.

While setting up your Studielink account, please make sure to use an e-mail account that you regularly access and check.

Dutch applicants need a DigiD for their Studielink account. Keep in mind that it takes at least five work days to process a DigiD application.

Studielink: setting the search parameters

In step 2, Choose a study programme, make sure to select the following options:

• Educational institution: Leiden University
• Type of study programme: WO Bachelor
• Academic load: Full-time

Then, in the search bar (Fill in study programme or location), type

• political science and
• enter

Studielink: selecting IRO

From the Results that appear to the right of the search bar, make sure to select this option:

• Political Science, Full-time, numerus fixus programme
• WO Bachelor, Leiden University
• Location: 's-GRAVENHAGE' ('s-Gravenhage is the formal Dutch name for The Hague)

Studielink: confirming your selection

The following screen shows that you are registering for the IRO programme:

• Verify the start date, type of enrolment and start as fields.
• Click Next › and answer the remaining questions.

A ranking number higher than 600 may also give you access to the programme

Last 15 April, all participants in the selection and placement procedure have received a ranking number. The 600 available places in the bachelor programmes Politicologie, and the specialisations Internationale Politiek and International Relations and Organisations have subsequently been offered to, initially, the participants with the lowest ranking numbers.

Each place that is not accepted within two weeks, is automatically offered to the participant with the next lowest ranking number. Also, when participants withdraw from the selection and placement procedure, the free spot is directly offered to the next candidate on the ranking list. Places are offered (and have to be accepted) via Studielink. The ‘transfer’ of places continues until very shortly before the actual start of the programme.

In practice, this means that

• ranking numbers higher than 600 may very well give access to the programme;
• it is difficult to predict how many places will be ‘transferred’ from one applicant to another;
• you will have to assess yourself whether and how long you would like to wait for a place offer, if you haven’t received one yet
• you may have to apply for visa and residence permit before having been offered a place.

Below you can see which ranking number has been received an offer for placement. This information is updated bi-weekly. Please note: Because some applicants on the waiting list do renounce a place in the programme (even if they have not been offered one yet), these figures present a somewhat distorted picture.