Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I request a Statement of registration (enrolment)?
- Log into uSis using your student number.
- Click on the 'Communication' tile.
- If you do not see the message you are looking for, click on the little x in top-right corner of your screen.
- Click on ‘Your registration is final’ to download your Statement of registration.
More information
How long does it take before a decision on my application is issued?
It generally takes about 4 to 6 weeks from the date on which you are informed that your application is complete until you receive a decision. If additional information is required during the application process it may take a little longer. Please make sure your application is complete and is submitted as early as possible.
Once a decision on your application has been made, you will receive a formal statement from the faculty by email.
More information
When and how must I submit digital or certified copies of my academic records to the university?
When applying
When you apply for admission to a degree programme, you only need to upload digital copies of your academic records in the online application portal (uSis). Certified copies are not yet required.
Upon admission
Upon admission you will be notified of the following via uSis:
- When you must submit digital or certified copies
- Which items are required
- The method of submission you must use
- Upload digital copies of all items/information stated in your conditions using the ‘Upload your documents’ button on the decision screen.
- Check if there are additional submission instructions for the document(s) stated in your conditions. If you must send certified copies by post, carefully check the criteria for the documents, who must issue them and how they must be sent.
Questions?
If you are still unsure when and how to submit certified copies, send a mail to the bachelor admission team: bacheloradmission@sea.leidenuniv.nl, or master admission team: masteradmission@sea.leidenuniv.nl.
For further information, see the FAQ on What is a certified copy?
I am not able to log in with my student account. What should I do?
There are several reasons why you may not be able to log in:
- You haven’t yet received a user name and/or password. Request an account.
- You have forgotten your user name and/or password. Request them again.
- Your account has not yet been activated. Activate your account.
- Your password has expired. Reset your password.
- Your ULCN account is no longer active. You can only access uSis and Brightspace using your ULCN account up to 60 days after your student registration has been cancelled.
If you know your user name and password, keep the following points in mind:
- You must log in with your user name, not your uMail address.
- Use lower case letters to enter your user name, not capital letters (e.g. s1234567).
- Make sure you haven’t accidentally put CAPS LOCK on.
If you still can’t log in, do the following:
- Change the language on the log-in page, from Dutch to English or vice versa, and try again.
- If you can log into one application but not another, the issue concerns the application and not your account. Contact the ISSC Helpdesk.
- If none of the above-mentioned tips work contact the ISSC helpdesk.
How can I pay tuition fees?
There are a number of ways to pay your tuition fees.The methods available to you are determined by your situation and your study programme.
- Digital direct debit authorisation (via Studielink). This is only possible if you have a bank account in a SEPA country with a corresponding IBAN account number. You can choose instalments or a lump sum payment..
- Transfer of tuition fees in one lump sum before the start of the academic year.
- Payment in one lump sum by debit card (PIN/Maestro) or credit card (Visa/Maestro) at the Student Affairs Front Office before the start of the academic year. Please be aware that credit card payments incur a 5% administrative fee for each payment.
- Non-EU nationals only: payment in instalments by bank transfer on the basis of a tuition fee invoice.
- Submitting a ‘Proof of Tuition Fee Payment’ (or BBC in Dutch)
For further information and tuition fee instalment due dates, see the Methods of payment website.
What is the selection procedure for programmes with limited places (numerus fixus)?
Because of their popularity, some bachelor’s programmes are oversubscribed. For these programmes, a limit has been set for the number of students that can be allocated a place. This is known as a 'numerus fixus'. This means that even if you are admitted to the programme, you are not guaranteed a place. You must also be allocated a place on the programme via a selection procedure.
Take careful note of the application deadlines for numerus fixus programmes as these are generally earlier than those for other types of study programme.
For further explanation see Admission requirements - Programmes with limited places.
What are the application deadlines?
Application deadlines vary depending on your programme type, visa and housing requirements, and whether you are applying for a programme with an additional selection procedure or numerus fixus (limited number of places).
Always refer to the individual programme description for details of the exact application deadline!
Early application is advised for the following reasons:
- If you do not have a Dutch diploma that grants automatic admission, you must complete a two-part application procedure, that consists of registration in Studielink followed by online application to Leiden University. You are required to complete both parts before the deadline!
- You may be asked to submit additional documents or take certain tests to gain admission.
- By applying late, you risk being too late to apply for a visa or housing.
General deadline information can be found via:
How do I request a LU card?
The first step in requesting your LU card is uploading a passport photo in Account Self Service. Make sure your photo meets standard passport photo requirements.
Within ten days of uploading your photo, you will receive your LU card at the address you provided in Studielink or on your student registration form. To request a LU card you must have a Dutch address. If you are arriving in the Netherlands soon, enter your Dutch correspondence address in Studielink as soon as possible, then request a LU card by following the steps above.
Students with a non-Dutch address can collect their LU card from the Student Affairs Front Office one week after uploading their photo. You'll receive an email notifying you when your LU card is ready. By replying to this email you can request that your LU card be sent to the Wijnhaven Servicedesk (The Hague) for collection is required.
HOVO students (university of the third age) can request a LU card at the LU card helpdesk in the central university library.
Once you receive your LU card is still needs to be activated. This can be arranged online through the use of the ‘ReadID Ready’ smartphone app. Please consult our website for more information.
I am an international student and have requested housing via uSis. When will I hear more?
Two weeks after the housing application deadline, you will receive an email letting you know whether:
- you applied in time and will soon be given access to the housing reservation portal, OR
- too many students applied before you, so you can choose to request a refund of the housing fee, or be put on a waiting list in case any other students withdraw.
For students who applied in time, Leiden University will soon after begin sending emails with log-in details for the housing reservation portal. Here you can log-in and reserve one of the rooms or apartment set aside for international students.
More information
Can I change the start date of my studies or defer my admission?
If you have applied but not yet been admitted
Yes, you can change your requested start date as follows:
- Cancel your application in Studielink
- Reapply for your preferred start date in Studielink.
- You will then be instructed to create and submit a new application in Leiden University’s online application portal (uSis).
If you wish to defer the start of your studies, you must submit a new application for your preferred start date. Be aware that admission requirements can change. If this occurs, you are unfortunately not guaranteed admission for your new start date. The re-application procedure is not the same as the initial application procedure. Please follow the instructions below:
- Log into uSis, download your admission decision and save it on your computer.
- Cancel your current application for enrolment in Studielink.
- After the 1 October: Go to Studielink and apply for your new start date.
- Log into uSis and follow the steps required to submit a new application.
- When you get to the step ‘Admission’, click on Uploads > Other documents > Previous decision and upload your admission decision.
- Submit your application
Exceptions:
- If you wish to change your choice of study programme or specialisation, you must submit a complete new application and pay the application fee again.
- If you have been admitted to an LLM Advanced Studies programme, you may only request re-admission once free of charge. If you re-apply a second or subsequent time, you must pay the application fee again and submit all your application documents once again, including an updated CV and copies of any recently obtained diplomas.