Psychology (research) (MSc)

Master

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Specialisations
  • Clinical and Health Psychology (research) (MSc)
  • Cognitive Neuroscience (research) (MSc)
  • Developmental Psychology (research) (MSc)
  • Social and Economic Psychology (research) (MSc)

The MSc in Psychology (research) is a two-year programme that is focused on acquiring research skills in a particular field of psychology.

Profile of the research master's programme in Psychology

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This programme provides students with a rigorous training in the methodological and practical skills necessary to carry out scientific research on human behaviour. Students gain hands-on experience with how psychological theory can contribute to the analysis and solution of practical problems and how the application of existing theory guides further theoretical development. Students can specialise in the psychological subdiscipline of their choice, but are also trained in a broad multidiscipinary research approach.

Students who wish to expand their expertise in the domain of Brain and Cognition can choose from a wide range of elective courses offered within and outside the Institute of Psychology.

Admission and Application

Are you interested in studying the research master's programme in Psychology at Leiden University? Find out how to apply by following the step-by step guide in this admission and application section.

The guide will give you the necessary help and guidance in submitting your application.

  1. Check the admission requirements.
  2. Check the application deadlines.
  3. Collect the required documents.
  4. Start your application.
  5. Pay your tuition fees.
  6. Prepare your arrival.

Admission requirements

To be eligible for the Research Master's programme in Psychology at Leiden University, you must meet the following requirements.

Diploma requirements

The MSc in Psychology (Research) is a selective master. Please read the admission requirements.

Prospective students should:

The entry requirements for current Psychology Bachelor students from Leiden University who would like to continue a master's in Leiden can be found on the student website.

Language requirements

The following requirements apply: 

  • IELTS Academic modules only, on paper or on computer: 6.5 overall, with at least 6.0 for each separate component score.
    • We do not accept IELTS Academic online.
    • We do not accept IELTS General Training or IELTS Indicator.
       
  • TOEFL internet based: 90 overall, with at least 20 for each separate component.
    • We are not able to accept The TOEFL IBT Home Edition™, except in the following situations only:
      You took the test before 1 Sept 2022 (and it is not more than 2 years old), or you are unable to take an in-person test on location because test centres are inaccessible or closed due to unsafe conditions in a country.
    • 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.
  • Cambridge English Exam C2 Proficiency, or C1 Advanced (180), with a minimum score of 169 for each separate component.

Note that English test results may not be more than two years old.

You do not have to submit an English proficiency test if you have completed your education in the USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada (except French-taught programmes in Canada) Singapore, South-Africa or Malta; or if you have obtained an English-taught International Baccalaureate™; or if you have completed a Dutch VWO diploma or an English-taught bachelor at a Dutch research university.

For detailed information, including exemption criteria and methods of submission, refer to 
English language proficiency
.

Go to the next step: Check the application deadlines

Application deadlines

Application deadlines

  • If you need a visa or residence permit, you must apply for admission before 1 April.
  • 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.

Apply early!

It is always advised to apply as early as possible since you’ll have to complete a two-part application procedure:

You must submit your application via Leiden University’s application system (uSis), before the deadlines mentioned above. So don’t delay; if you haven’t registered in Studielink and activated your uSis account in time to apply by the deadline, you’ll miss out!

Other deadlines

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.

Go to the next step: Collect the required documents

Required documents

Go to the next step: Start your application

Required application documents

You’ll need to submit the following documents:

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.

A personal statement must be submitted explaining why you want to follow the programme, why you have chosen to do so at Leiden University, and what makes you think you are a good candidate. The statement should be between 700 and 1,500 words.

Application procedures

Part 1. Application in Studielink

All students applying for a degree programme at Leiden University must start the application process in Studielink, the national online registration system for students wishing to follow a degree programme at a Dutch university. Studielink is open for applications from 1 October in the year preceding the academic year in which you wish to start.

  1. Go to Studielink and enter your details according to the instructions provided.
  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)

Part 2. Admission to Leiden University

If you cannot be directly admitted, you must apply for admission via Leiden University’s online application portal (uSis). Please follow all steps below. 

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.

Part 3. Student registration

If you’ve been (conditionally) admitted, follow these steps to register as a student at Leiden University:

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.

Go to the next step: Pay your tuition fees

Tuition fees

The amount of tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors. These are your nationality, your study programme and whether you have already obtained a Dutch higher education diploma.

The tuition fees for the academic year 2024-2025 are:

The tuition fees for the academic year 2023-2024 are:

More information about tuition fees

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

The tuition fee for this programme is €2,314 for the academic year 2023-2024 (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:

Austria

Latvia

Belgium

Liechtenstein

Bulgaria

Lithuania

Croatia

Luxembourg

Cyprus

Malta

Czech Republic

Norway

Denmark

Poland

Estonia

Portugal

Finland

Romania

France

Slovakia

Germany

Slovenia

Greece

Spain

Hungary

Suriname

Iceland

Sweden

Ireland

Switzerland

Italy

 


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

The tuition fee for this programme is €19,300 for the academic year 2023-2024 (institutional tuition fee). 
The tuition fee for this programme is €20,900 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.

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.​​​​​

If, after completing a bachelor’s programme, you are going to follow a pre-master's or conversion programme, you will have to pay the statutory tuition fee. The fee for a Psychology Premaster is €1,084,-

Scholarships, grants and loans

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.

Methods of payment

Check here how you can pay.