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. If you have a Dutch VWO diploma or a final diploma from a Dutch university or hogeschool (university of applied sciences) you can be automatically admitted after you have applied in Studielink. All other students need to submit an application for admission after their registration in Studielink.

Generally speaking, you have to submit an application for admission if:

• You are an international student (you have a non-Dutch diploma).
• You are a Dutch student without the Dutch VWO diploma or a final diploma from a Dutch university or hogeschool (university of applied sciences)
• You are a holder of a propedeuse diploma from a university of applied sciences (HBO) of a Dutch taught programme.

Propedeuse from a university of applied sciences (HBO)

The holder of a propedeuse diploma from a university of applied sciences of a Dutch taught programme must demonstrate that he or she possesses a good level of proficiency in written and spoken English. You must meet the minimum requirement of English proficiency before the start of the programme. You can demonstrate your proficiency by handing in a valid English test result. See the Language Requirements below for more information. In case you are a holder of a propaedeuse diploma from a university of applied sciences (HBO) of an English taught programme, you do not have to demonstrate your proficiency by handing in a valid English test result.

It is essential that at the start of your Security Studies programme you have a good level of proficiency in written and spoken English, as the programme is taught in English, and you will have to do all your studying and writing in English. You do not need to provide proof of your level of proficiency if you:

• Have successfully completed the Dutch VWO;
• Are a holder of a propaedeuse diploma from a university of applied sciences of an English taught programme.

Accepted exams and required level

• IELTS Academic: 6.0
  • We do not accept IELTS General Training or IELTS Indicator
• TOEFL internet based: 80
  • 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.
  • We can accept the TOEFL IBT Special Home Edition™  and the TOEFL IBT Paper Edition for admission to the academic year 2022-2023.
• Cambridge English Exam C2 Proficiency or C1 Advanced: 180

Other exam criteria

• Exam results may not be more than two years old.
• Chinese students who need a Nuffic certificate should take either an IELTS or a TOEFL IBT exam.

Exemptions

You can be exempted from submitting one of the above-mentioned English exam results if:

• You have an (English-taught) International Baccalaureate diploma, or a European Baccalaureate with English as language 1.
• You completed your schooling in the USA, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Malta, Singapore, South-Africa  or Canada (except French-taught programmes in Canada).

Exemptions may be granted on the basis of other specific educational diplomas. Check our diploma requirements list to find out whether your diploma might entitle you to an exemption. In exceptional cases, students who otherwise qualify for an exemption but whose application documents cast doubt on their English proficiency may be asked to sit an English exam.

For more information on language test requirements and methods of submission, refer to Language Requirements Bachelor's Programmes. 

BSc Security Studies is a bachelor’s programme with a compulsory matching module.  As part of the application process you will be invited to participate in a ‘matching activity’. This is to make sure that BSc Security Studies is the right programme for you. Matching is a compulsory part of your admission and application procedure.

Once you have finished the required matching procedure, you will have:

• a good idea of the interdisciplinary scope of the Security Studies programme;
• become familiar with a number of basic concepts of the security domain;
• insight into the programme’s international perspective;
• a better idea of the potential career options available to you after completion of your degree.