The research-oriented master’s specialisations consist of two components: courses and research. Depending on your specialisation, the programme consists of:

• Theory (min. 30 EC)
  • Specialisation Orientation Course (2 EC)
  • Advanced Statistics (4 EC)
  • Genomic Architecture (6 EC)
  • Compulsory courses (9 - 18 EC)
  • Elective courses
• Research project(s) (60 – 90)

Find out more about the research-oriented specialisations:

• Biodiversity and Sustainability
• Evolutionary Biology
• Molecular, Cellular and Organismal Biology
• Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology

Within the three practical-oriented specialisations you combine at least one year of the Biology research curriculum (60 EC) with training to prepare you for specific science-related careers (60 EC).  

Find out more about the practical-oriented specialisations:

• Biology and Education
• Biology and Business Studies
• Biology and Science Communication and Society

You are eligible to apply if you have

• a bachelor’s degree in Biology (Biologie) from any research university in the Netherlands
  OR
• a bachelor’s degree in a Biology-related programme from a research university in the Netherlands, under the condition that you have in depth knowledge and skills obtained through undergraduate courses of Biology including: 
  - molecular and cell biology, 
  - evolutionary biology and ecology,
  - developmental biology, 
  - biodiversity
  - mathematics and statistics. 
  
  Biology-related programmes include e.g. natural sciences, life science, biomedical sciences, bio-pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology and bioinformatics, environmental sciences, agricultural sciences, etc., all at the discretion of the Board of Admissions.
  
  The Board of Admissions will assess whether your degree and background are sufficiently related to the BSc degree in Biology. 
  
  If you have a bachelor’s degree that does not meet the requirements specified above, you may be eligible for an individual bridging programme tailored to your individual background. If you have successfully met the requirements of the imposed bridging programme, you will be admitted to the master’s programme.
  
  For more information, please contact the Biology study advisor.

If you have a degree in Dutch higher vocational education (hbo) in a Biology-related field of science, you are eligible to apply under the condition that you have

•  obtained the diploma within a maximum of five years and
•  an average final grade of at least 7.5 and with a research project grade of 8 or higher.

Biology-related programmes include e.g. natural sciences, life science, biomedical sciences, bio-pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology and bioinformatics, environmental sciences, agricultural sciences, etc..

The Board of Admissions will assess whether your degree and background are sufficiently related to the level and content of the Dutch BSc degree in Biology and whether you meet the additional requirements.

If you have a bachelor’s degree that does not meet the requirements specified above, you may be eligible for an individual bridging programme tailored to your individual background. If you have successfully met the requirements of the imposed bridging programme, you will be admitted to the master’s programme.

For more information, please contact the Biology study advisor.

You are eligible to apply, if you have a bachelor’s degree in Biology or in a Biology-related programme from a foreign research university, under the condition that you have in depth knowledge and skills obtained through undergraduate courses of Biology including: 
- molecular and cell biology, 
- evolutionary biology and ecology,
- developmental biology, 
- biodiversity
- mathematics and statistics. 

Biology-related programmes include e.g. natural sciences, life science, biomedical sciences, bio-pharmaceutical sciences, biotechnology and bioinformatics, environmental sciences, agricultural sciences, etc..

The Board of Admissions will assess whether your degree and background are sufficiently related to the level and content of the Dutch BSc degree in Biology.

If you have a bachelor’s degree that does not meet the requirements specified above, you may be eligible for an individual bridging programme tailored to your individual background. If you have successfully met the requirements of the imposed bridging programme, you will be admitted to the master’s programme.

For more information, please contact the Biology study advisor.

In order to successfully participate in this programme, you must be proficient in English. The following requirements apply*:

• IELTS: minimum 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 for each of the components Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking
• TOEFL: internet based 90, with a minimum of 20 for each of the components Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking

The test result may not be older than two years at the time of enrolment for the programme.

*Please note: You do not have to submit proof of proficiency if you have

• An International Baccalaureate diploma from a programme taught in English (or an IB diploma with “English A”);
• A diploma of secondary or higher education completed in Australia, Canada (with the exception of French-language programmes in Canada), Ireland, Malta, New Zealand, Singapore, the United Kingdom, the United States or South Africa; 
• A diploma of an English-taught university degree programme completed at a Dutch research university; 
• A Dutch pre-university education (vwo) diploma. 

For detailed information about which English qualifications are accepted, as well as the relevant exemption criteria, refer to English language proficiency.

The education component of this master's programme is taught in Dutch. All applicants that have not achieved a Secondary Education qualification in the Netherlands, have to demonstrate their Dutch communication skills. The level of Dutch is assessed through an advanced Dutch language exam. For more information about the exam: Admission Exam TUL Advanced. 

A Dutch as a Second Language Certificate (Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal) at Educatief Startbekwaam or Educatief Professioneel level is also sufficient to meet the language requirement.

Mind: after completion of the Education specialisation you obtain a qualifications to be a teacher in the Netherlands.

We expect students to bring a regular laptop running Windows (or running Linux for certain study programmes – check your course information). MacOS may in most cases also suffice (with Parallels for Windows installed), but not all specialized applications may be supported, and less support may be available. 
•    Windows 11 compatible – 64-bits (or Linux for some study programmes) 
•    Processor/CPU – modern, medium range 
•    Memory/RAM – 8 GB, if possible 16 GB 
•    Storage – 512 GB, if possible 1 TB 

• If you need a visa or residence permit, you must apply for admission before 1 April. The same deadline applies to students who already have a Dutch residence permit for study purposes and need to extend it.
• If you do not need a visa or residence permit, you must apply for admission before 15 May.

• If you need a visa or residence permit, you must apply for admission before 15 October.
• If you do not need a visa or residence permit, you must apply for admission before 15 November.

Leiden University reserves a limited number of rooms each year for international students. However, as the number of housing requests always greatly exceeds the number of rooms available, we strongly recommend that you also look into other housing options at the same time. Read more about how and when to arrange housing. If you want to request accommodation via Leiden University, submit both your application for admission and your housing request well before the deadlines! Accommodation is offered on a first-come first-served basis and is not guaranteed. You don’t have to await admission before requesting housing.

If you want to apply for a scholarship, grant or loan, please bear in mind that different deadlines apply, and these deadlines can often be earlier. Deadlines vary per scholarship. Visit the scholarship website for more details.

Please upload a copy of the page(s) in your passport containing your personal details and photograph. If you are from the EU/EEA, you can submit a copy of your identity card instead. Please upload copies of both sides.

If you are a non-EU/EEA national already living in the Netherlands, upload copies of both sides of your Dutch residence permit.

Your CV (curriculum vitae) must be written in English and should contain your basic personal data, as well as a clear overview of your educational and professional history to date.

You can apply for admission before receiving the results of your English language test. However, a sufficient result will then be a condition of your eventual admission. Of course, if you already have your English language test results, you can upload them directly.

• Digital copies of diplomas and transcripts are initially required. Once you have been admitted, we will inform you how to submit certified copies.
• The documents must be in the original language. If they are not in English, Dutch, German or French, they must be accompanied by official translations into one of these languages.
• If you have not yet completed your current programme, state your expected graduation date and submit copies of all transcripts obtained to date plus a list of subjects still to be completed.

In this letter you are asked to explain in writing that you possess the same level of knowledge, understanding and skills as applicants who are holding a Bachelor’s degree in Biology or a Biology-related programme from a research university in the Netherlands.

1. Go to Studielink and enter your details according to the instructions provided. For this step you will need:

• a copy of your valid passport or European ID card, or
• if you are a Dutch resident, your DigiD

Be aware! If you wish to apply for a specialisation of a master's programme: first select the master’s programme in Studielink, then select the specialisation for which you wish to apply in Step 4 (Institutional Questions) in Studielink.

2. Within two days you will receive:

• an email with information on the next steps you'll need to take;
• your university ULCN student account details (unless, of course, you already have a ULCN account)
• the link to Leiden University’s online application portal (uSis)

After receiving your ULCN student account details, log into Leiden University’s online application portal (uSis), using the link provided. Here you can view the status of your application, which will be one of two possibilities.

1. You can be directly admitted
If your (Dutch) diploma grants you direct admission, Leiden University's online application portal (uSis) will let you know. The portal provides an overview of what you have to do to complete your application, for example arranging housing, scholarships, applying for a visa/residence permit and insurances. Please follow the instructions carefully and proceed to step 3 Student registration.

2. You cannot be directly admitted: additional action is required
If you do not have a (Dutch) diploma that grants you direct admission, we will require additional documents to allow us to decide about your application. The online application portal (uSis) will tell you this and explain how to do so. See also Part 2: Admission to Leiden University.

In our online application portal (uSis) you can finalise your application by uploading the necessary documents and answering a few questions. This portal provides an overview of what you need to do to complete your admission application. Please follow the instructions carefully and make sure to include all the items that are asked for. We strongly recommend that you complete your application well in advance of the application deadline.

All applicants with an international degree must pay a non-refundable €100 application fee, which entitles you to apply for up to three programmes/specialisations in the same academic year. We cannot start processing your application until we receive this application fee, so please pay it as soon as possible. The online application system explains how you can pay it.

Can I be exempted from paying the application fee?
You do not have to pay the application fee if:

• You are following, or have completed, a bachelor’s degree at a Dutch university (of applied sciences). 
• You have previously registered as an exchange, bachelor’s, master’s or pre-master’s student at Leiden University.
• You have previously been admitted to the same degree programme at Leiden University, but you decided to postpone your studies. This does not apply if you are applying for a different study programme or specialisation.
• You have refugee status in the Netherlands (with a residence permit for asylum).

Exemptions cannot be granted for any other reasons.

After you have submitted your application, the online application portal (uSis) will, if applicable, ask you if you want to apply for student housing, a visa/residence permit or a scholarship. Be sure to make a careful note of the relevant deadlines for these options.  

After receiving your application fee payment (if applicable), the Admissions Office will check whether all the necessary documents have been uploaded and they will inform you by email whether any further items are required. The Board of Admissions of the faculty will then:

• decide whether you meet the admission requirements for the programme; 
• strive to issue a decision on your completed application within four to six weeks of the University receiving it.

Once a decision has been reached you will be informed by email. You can view your admission status in the online application portal (uSis).

There are three possible outcomes:

1. You are admitted
   You have met all conditions for admission.
2. You are conditionally admitted
   You will be admitted, provided that you meet certain conditions. These conditions will be specified in the online application portal (uSis).
3. You are not admitted

The reason(s) for non-admission will be clearly stated in the online application portal (uSis). If you are informed that you have been (conditionally) admitted, you will have to take a number of additional steps.

If you are (conditionally) admitted, the Admissions Office will ask you to confirm whether you will join the study programme. You can do so in the online application portal (uSis).

1.    Go to ‘Application study programme’ in the online application portal (uSis).
2.    Open the ‘Confirm’ screen. Here you will see three options:

• Yes, I want to study at Leiden University.
• No, I no longer wish to study at Leiden University and hereby withdraw my application.
• Maybe later; I do not wish to start this semester/academic year. I would like to receive further instructions by email.

The sooner the better
Confirm attendance as soon as possible, to avoid missing other important deadlines and information about your study programme.

Changing your mind
You can still change your mind if necessary, either in uSis or by contacting the Admissions Office master team.  

Deadline final decision 
Do you need a student visa or residence permit? You can only request one after confirming attendance. So make sure to confirm attendance before the visa/residence permit deadline. 

If you don’t need a visa or residence permit, the latest deadline for confirming attendance is before the start date of your study programme.

Check in the online application portal (uSis) whether you need to submit any documents to meet the conditions of your admission. Instructions on how to do so will be provided in uSis.

Arrange the payment of your tuition fee before the official start date of your programme. You will receive instructions and information on the available payment methods by email.

If you are an international student, go to the Prepare your stay page of our website for information about the practical matters you should take care of before and upon arrival. These include, for example, arranging housing, scholarships, applying for a visa/residence permit and insurances.

The tuition fee for this programme is €2,314 for the academic year 2023-2024 (statutory fee).
The tuition fee for this programme is €2,530 for the academic year 2024-2025 (statutory fee).

This tuition fee applies if this is your first master’s programme and you are a national of one of the following countries:

The fee applies for both full-time and part-time study.

The tuition fee for this programme is €19,600 for the academic year 2023-2024 (institutional tuition fee). 
The tuition fee for this programme is €21,200 for the academic year 2024-2025 (institutional tuition fee).

If you are not a national of an EEA country, Suriname or Switzerland, generally speaking you will have to pay an institutional tuition fee. This fee applies for both full-time and part-time study. 

However, if, on the basis of your Dutch residence permit, you are eligible for student finance from the Dutch education agency (DUO) you are entitled to pay the statutory tuition fee. Information on qualifying residence permits can be found in the DUO nationality chart.

Please note! If you will be studying at Leiden University via a cooperation agreement, the fees quoted in the agreement will apply.

Only applicable to EU/EEA, Swiss and Surinamese nationals.

The tuition fee for this programme is €15,400 for the academic year 2023-2024 (institutional tuition fee). 
The tuition fee for this programme is €16,300 for the academic year 2024-2025 (institutional tuition fee).

If you are following a second Dutch master’s programme you will generally have to pay an institutional tuition fee that is higher than the statutory tuition fee. Some exceptions apply.

Consult the tuition fee flowchart for second master’s programmes to find out how much tuition fee you will have to pay.​​​​​

Less than 45 EC

If you are going to follow a pre-master's or conversion programme after completing a bachelor’s programme, and if the programme is less than 60 ECs, you will have to pay €42 per study credit (EC).

45 EC or more

For programmes of more than 45 ECs you will have to pay the statutory tuition fee. If the pre-master's or conversion programme is more than 60 ECs – and therefore longer than one year - or if you are going to follow courses that are not part of your conversion programme, you will have to pay the institutional tuition fee for the programme in question (see second study programme). These fees apply to students of all nationalities. 

Leiden University offers a wide range of scholarships for students from specific regions of the world, or for specific programmes. Leiden University also offers the Leiden University Excellence Scholarship (LExS), a programme specifically designed for non-EU/EEA students enrolling in a master’s programme. Find out more about scholarships, grants, loans and deadlines

If you are an EU/EEA or Swiss national and under 30, you may be eligible for a loan from the Dutch government to cover your tuition fees.

• The ‘student website’ page on Leiden University’s student website contains information about practical aspects, introduction weeks and student associations. It’s also a handy source of study-related information and advice.
• For detailed information about courses, schedules and reading materials, check out the Prospectus. 

Sign up for the introduction week in Leiden (OWL) or The Hague (HOP)! It’s the best way to get acquainted with student life and the student cities of Leiden and The Hague. 

Your student card is your proof of registration as a student of Leiden University. You can find your digital student card in the Leiden University app three days after your student registration is finalised. Read more about your student card here. 

As soon as you receive notification that your student registration has been finalised you should apply for a Leiden University ID card, or LU-Card. It also serves as your library card, print & copy card and access pass. Read more about applying for an LU-card here.  

Master's Online Open Days Autumn 2024

The annual Master's Online Open Days in autumn are your opportunity to learn everything you need to know about our master’s programmes and how they can help you reach your goals. Attend talkshows or student presentations, meet our lecturers, learn about the careers of our graduates and hear first-hand the experiences of students and graduates on life at Leiden University. 

Sign up for the next Master's Online Open Days here! 

On Campus Master's Open Day Spring 2025

The On Campus Master's Open Day is your opportunity to learn everything you need to know about our master’s programmes and how they can help you reach your goals. Attend talkshows or student presentations, meet our lecturers, learn about the careers of our graduates and hear first-hand the experiences of current students and graduates on life at Leiden University. Experience the atmosphere of our campus and ask all your questions at our information market! Some programmes also offer additional tours.

Sign up for the next Master's Open Day here!