Required Qualifications

You are eligible for direct enrolment in the Master Public Administration if you have obtained:

1. a Bachelor’s diploma of a recognized Public Administration program from a research university (WO), or

2.  a Bachelor’s diploma from a research university (WO) provided that the person has earned at least 50 EC for components related to the field of Public Administration and can demonstrate competence in the methodology of social science research as evidenced by prior course work, or

3. a Bachelor’s diploma from a research university (WO) provided that the person has completed the minor Public Administration : Multi-Level Governance or the minor Bestuurskunde: Openbaar Bestuur, Beleid en Management at Leiden University and can demonstrate competence in the methodology of social science research as evidenced by prior course work.

If you are not eligible for direct admission to the master’s programme, you may apply for admission to the pre-master’s programme. Please visit the pre-master’s webpage for more information about the possibilities and admission requirements of the pre-master’s programme.

You must be proficient in English if you want to be admitted to the MSc. Public Administration.  You can find the exact language requirements for the MSc. Public Administration below. Please note that the language requirements differ for the cohorts start in academic year 2022 - 2023 and 2023 - 2024.

English Proficiency for cohort 2023 - 2024

• IELTS: Where each separate constituent score must be at least 6.0
• TOEFL: Where each separate constituent score must be at least 20.

Exemptions

You do not have to provide proof of English proficiency if you have:

• an International Baccalaureate diploma (or other with English A);
• a diploma of secondary or higher education completed in the US, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia or Canada (with the exception of French-taught education in Canada);
• a pre-university education (VWO) diploma;
• a diploma of a Bachelor program completed at a Dutch research university or a Dutch university of applied sciences.

Please check out English language proficiency page for detailed information on the English qualifications and other exam criteria, as well as the procedure on how to submit your exam results.