For who

For outstanding students who will soon graduate from Central European University (CEU) and wish to apply for one of the following 1-year study programmes at Leiden University:

Master of Arts programmes

• International Relations

Master of Science programmes

• Public Administration
• Political Science

LLM programmes

• European Law

LLM Advanced Studies programmes

• European and International Human Rights Law
• International Children’s Rights
• International Dispute Settlement and Arbitration
• Public International Law

Eligibility requirements

• At the time of application you must be registered as a student at CEU.
• You must obtain your degree from CEU in the academic year prior to the start of your master’s programme at Leiden University.
• You must be a passport holder of one of the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia or Ukraine. 

Obligations

• Scholarship recipients must agree to the Terms and Conditions of the CEU Praesidium Libertatis Scholarship.

Exclusions

• It is not possible to combine the CEU Praesidium Libertatis Scholarship with another full scholarship financed by Leiden University or any other party.

Scholarship amount

For a maximum period of one academic year (12 months), the scholarship consists of:

• Waiver of the tuition fee
• Monthly stipend of € 1,500
• Insurance coverage for health, travel and stay (AON international student insurance)
• Reimbursement of the student residence permit fee

Application process

Complete all the following steps by Monday 1 February 2027 at the latest: 

1. Apply online for admission to one of the eligible master’s programmes at Leiden University and pay the application fee if applicable.
   Note: it can take up to 3 working days to create/submit an application for admission, so start your application well before the CEU Praesidium Libertatis scholarship deadline.
2. After submitting your application for admission, return to the Apply screen in your online application and click on Scholarships. If you are eligible to apply for the CEU Praesidium Libertatis scholarship, it will now be visible in the scholarships section.
   Note: if you cannot see the CEU Praesidium Liberatis scholarship in your scholarships section, you have either not yet submitted your application for admission, you have missed the deadline or you are not eligible for this scholarship.
3. Indicate that you want to apply for a CEU Praesidium Libertatis scholarship.
4. Upload the following four documents (in PDF file) in your online application:
    
   • Scholarship motivation letter (approx. 500-750 words / max. two A4 pages)
     Please answer the following questions in your scholarship motivation letter:
     • What is the added value of following the specific master's programme at Leiden University?
     • Why is this master's programme the right fit for your academic and professional goals? 
     • What are your plans for the future?
     • How do you envision contributing to the protection and promotion of democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the European Union and its neighbouring countries?
     • If you are not awarded the CEU Praesidium Libertatis scholarship, what alternative plans do you have?
     • Have you applied for any other scholarships or funding opportunities? If yes, please specify which ones and provide a website link (if available).
       
       Note: the scholarship motivation letter cannot be the same letter as the motivation letter for the master's programme you are applying for.
        
   • CEU transcript of records
     You can download the unofficial transcript of records via the SITS e:Vision Portal.
      
   • Reference letter
     This must be written by a CEU (assistant) professor, preferably your supervisor.
      
   • Curriculum Vitae (CV)
     Provide a detailed overview of your educational career and (voluntary) work experience.
      
5. Submit your scholarship application before the CEU Praesidium Liberatis scholarship deadline. Note that after submitting your scholarship application, you cannot make changes to it either online of by sending additional items by email.

Selection process

From the applications submitted, Leiden University's selection committee for this scholarship will select a maximum of 5 applicants who will be invited for an online interview. The online interviews will take place at the end of February 2027 (exact date to be confirmed). Note that participating in the online interview is mandatory if you wish to be considered for the scholarship. The selection result will be announced in the scholarships section of the student portal (uSis) by the end of March 2027 at the latest.

Finding housing

Be aware that finding housing in Leiden, The Hague and the surrounding area can be challenging due to the limited availability of affordable student accommodation. We therefore strongly advise you to take action as early as possible. See the information on Requesting housing via Leiden University and Finding housing yourself. 

Background

The CEU Praesidium Libertatis Scholarship is one of the most longstanding scholarship programmes offered by Leiden University. The first recipients of the scholarship arrived in 2002, almost 25 years ago. Since then we have welcomed more than 60 scholarship recipients at Leiden University.

The scholarship was initiated to enable recent graduates from CEU to follow an additional master's programme at Leiden University in the field of international relations, political sciences, public administration and law. 

The scholarship aims to support the academic and professional development of the awardees, so they can protect and promote democracy, human rights and the rule of law in the European Union and its neighbouring countries (as reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Council of Europe's Principles of Democracy).

The CEU Praesidium Libertatis Scholarship is financed by the Leporis Fund.

Disclaimer

The student is responsible for submitting a complete application both for the scholarship and for admission to Leiden University before the deadline mentioned above. Leiden University cannot be held responsible for late and/or incomplete applications.