Leiden University Fund and the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation · Application cycle 2027/2028

Leiden University Fund - Lutfia Rabbani Foundation Scholarship for Master's 2027/2028

Not open yet Partially funded?

About this scholarship

A scholarship for a master's student from an Arab country at Leiden University in the Netherlands, for one academic year. One scholarship is given each year, and you need admission to Leiden.

Funding type

Covers: the Leiden tuition fee and the housing fee (not the rent itself). The amount is up to EUR 30,000 for one academic year, and what is left after the fees is paid to you in instalments. Does not cover: travel, rent and the other living costs in the Netherlands, or the cost of the English test needed for admission. You must show enough funds for your visa or residence permit. The amount does not apply to the LLM Advanced Studies programmes, which have higher fees. It is for one academic year only. You can apply again, but winning once does not guarantee another award. The Foundation's intro calls it a full scholarship, but both the Foundation and Leiden pages also say it is not a full scholarship.

Tuition fees: Covered
Living costs: Partially covered
Travel: Not covered
Insurance: Not specified

Eligibility requirements

Nationalities: Listed nationalities only — Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Yemen
Residence condition: Residence not mentioned

A national of one of these countries: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, or Yemen An official admission letter for a one year master's at Leiden, or being in the second year of a two year master's there Academic excellence and strong motivation to promote Euro-Arab dialogue Academic excellence is one criterion, and motivation, financial need and personal development are given equal importance. There is no minimum grade

Minimum grade: Not stated
Work experience asked for: Not stated
Return condition: Return condition not stated
How to apply: Straight to the provider

Language requirements and exemptions

Language test not mentioned

The Foundation does not ask for its own language test. Leiden admission asks for a level of English set by the programme, and you pay for the test.

University admission details

Required before applying?

First apply for a master's at Leiden and get your admission letter. Then send the scholarship application to the Foundation with the letter. The scholarship opens on 1 January and closes on 31 March at 23:59 Central European Time every year. The Foundation and Leiden pages give the dates as a yearly schedule without naming the year, so we used 1 January 2027 to 31 March 2027. The Foundation says the 31 March date is fixed. It announces the decision by early May at the latest. The Foundation advises applying to Leiden by 1 February for the September intake, because Leiden takes 4 to 6 weeks to process applications. Leiden's own deadline differs by programme, so check your programme page.

Required documents

The official admission letter from Leiden Motivation letter Two signed references in English Course description as a PDF CV in English Copy of your passport Degrees or diplomas with transcripts and English translations Budget (template on the Foundation website) Signed and dated application form Proof of expected graduation and transcripts, if you have not finished your bachelor's

Application steps

Apply for a master's at Leiden through Studielink and get the admission letter. Prepare the motivation letter, the two references, the course description and the other documents. Send the scholarship application to the Lutfia Rabbani Foundation between 1 January and 31 March 2027. For questions write to [email protected].

Requirement checklist

Admission to a Leiden master's Required

An official admission letter from Leiden. A conditional letter is accepted, and you explain the condition in your motivation letter.

Motivation letter Required

Written in English, up to two pages according to the requirements page (the FAQ says there is no word limit). You explain why you want the scholarship, why you suit it and how it supports Euro-Arab dialogue.

Two signed references in English Required

Referees can send them straight to the Foundation if you tell the Foundation beforehand.

Course description Required

The online course brochure in PDF is enough.

Proof of expected graduation and transcripts Conditional?

If you have not finished your bachelor's: an official document saying you will graduate this academic year, with all transcripts.

Scholarship contacts

Eligibility and application questions: [email protected]

General enquiries: [email protected]

Universities and contacts