For all kinds of sports, you can head for the University Sports Centre (USC), where you can participate in individual recreational activities, or competitive sports with your fellow students. This completely renovated sports complex caters for more than 60 sports and offers a range of group lessons too. Whatever your sport is, you’ll find it here. Take out a subscription and you’ll get a great deal too!

There is a sports club in Leiden for almost every sport: from Thor for hockey to Njord or Asopos de Vliet for rowing and SKC for volleyball. What’s more, associations like these also organise parties, drinks evenings and many other social activities.

Alpinism: De Leidsche Studenten Alpenclub (L.S.A.C.)
The Leiden Student Alpinism Club (LSAC) has been active in the Alps, Ardennes and climbing walls of the Netherlands for nearly 100 years. The club focuses on climbing and bouldering, glacier tours and Alpine ascents. L.S.A.C. is a sub-association of Minerva, but open to all.

Badminton: B.S.C. Leiden
At this small student badminton association you can play competitively or join training and free-play sessions. Players of all levels are welcome to come by for a trial session. 

Basketball: L.U.S.V. Basketball
LUSV Basketball is a student-run sports association for both beginners and experienced players. As well as training sessions and games, LUSV organises (team) drinks and other social activities.

Dance: S.D.A. Leidance
This student dance association focuses on partner dancing (ballroom, salsa, kizomba, bachata and more). Its members form a diverse, international group. As well as dance classes, Leidance organises social dance evenings, parties, workshops, movie nights and many other activities.

Diving: Leidse Studenten Duikvereniging (L.S.D.)
At the Leiden Student Diving Association you can (learn to) dive in an affordable way. The association also organises various social activities such as diving weekends, trips, drinks and dinners.

Hockey: L.S.H. Thor
Thor is the only independent student hockey club in Leiden. The club offers training sessions and KNHB competitions, as well as corporate, indoor and spring hockey. Members also meet up throughout the year for get-togethers, parties, tournaments and other activities.

Canoeing: A.L.S.K.V. Levitas
At Levitas you can do many types of canoeing, from quiet trips to canoe polo or sea canoeing. Levitas also organises social activities such as movie nights, table football tournaments, climbing and survival trips, and nights out.

Football:

• L.V.V. Football Factory
  Leiden's biggest student football association has something for everyone: students who just want to train and students who also want to play matches. Some members come primarily for fun and friendships, whilst others are looking for a more serious challenge.
• LSVV ’70
  This Leiden Student Football Association is open to students and alumni. The club has both an outdoor branch and indoor branch. For more than 50 years, LSVV'70 has been a club on the move, where social activities and great football go hand in hand. You can play at all levels and the social aspect paramount.

Lacrosse: L.L.V. Leicrosse
This lacrosse association offers social activities such as game nights, dinners and team weekends in addition to training sessions and competitions.

Rowing:

• A.L.S.R.V. Asopos De Vliet
  With more than 800 members, Asopos is one of the largest associations in Leiden. At Asopos you can learn to row at all level as well as joining in the active association life.
• K.S.R.V. Njord
  The oldest student rowing association in the Netherlands and one of the largest associations in Leiden. Njord is affiliated with Minerva but open to everyone. As well as rowing, members also meet up regularly for drinks.

Rugby: Leidsch Studenten Rugby Gezelschap (L.R.S.G.)
L.R.S.G. is always on the lookout for new players. Experience isn’t necessary. As well as offering sport, LRSG is also a social society in which players form close friendships and see each other regularly off the pitch.

Running: L.U.H.V. Currimus
At Leiden University running club Currimus, you can get together with students and alumni of the university and other local higher education institutions for weekly training sessions and other fun activities, such as dinners, parties and running weekends.

Surfing: S.W.V. Plankenkoorts
The aim of this windsurfing association is to provide access to wind and wave surfing as affordably as possible. To facilitate this, Plankenkoorts has three buses, a storage shed and a windsurfing centre at its disposal.

Tennis: S.T.V. Qravel
One of the largest student tennis associations in Leiden, here you can train and compete at any level. Qravel organises many sport and social activities, including a members' weekend, ski trips and parties.

Ultimate Frisbee: Panic
Panic is an active community made up of different teams (open, women's and mixed). Here you can develop your skills as a player and as a team, and join in social activities such as get-togethers, dinners and parties.

Volleyball: SKC Studentenvolleybal
At SKC you can train and play matches at all levels. The association has various active committees that organise a host of sports and social activities, such as a beach competitions, tournaments, barbecues, clinics and parties.

Water polo & swimming: E.L.S.Z.W.V. Aquamania
At this student swimming and water polo association you can train at all levels and take part in both swimming and water polo competitions. Aquamania also organises social activities such as bowling, dinners, drinks and parties.

Sailing: A.L.S.Z.V. De Blauwe Schuit
This student sailing association offers recreational and competitive sailing at all levels. On top of that, De Blauwe Schuit organises social activities such as drinks, parties and sailing camps.

If you play sport at an international level and you’d like to combine it with your master’s, at Leiden University we can give you personal guidance to develop your sporting talents. We have a dedicated sports counsellor for our top-level sportsmen and sportswomen and we also offer additional studying facilities.

With no fewer than 13 fantastic museums, there is plenty of culture to enjoy in Leiden outside its student associations. From marvelling at Rembrandt's masterpieces in De Lakenhal to making an exploration of the human body in CORPUS, you’ll find a surprising offering of nature, art and culture. And if you’d prefer to take in a film, or an evening of drama or cabaret, Leiden offers several cinemas and theatres, along with a very lively cultural calendar.

As you’d expect, Leiden also boasts several student associations in the area of culture. Many students and student associations run their own drama groups, for example. But you can also join an independent student drama group called Cuculum. If you’d prefer to sing in a student choir or play in a student orchestra, there are student music associations such as Collegium Musicum and Sempre Crescendo. Finally, if invigorating discussions about culture are more your thing, try the cultural student association A.S.V. Prometheus.

• Cuculum student drama association
• Collegium Musicum student music association
• Sempre Crescendo
• A.S.V. Prometheus

In addition to all the cultural opportunities open to you and covered by various associations, the Leiden Academic Art Centre (LAK) offers several creative courses. LAK, which is part of Leiden University, offers courses in the following categories:

• Drama and presentation
• Dancing
• Fine arts
• Music
• Photography
• Writing

Leiden has more than its fair share of cultural events. Like thousands of others, you can enjoy its Night of Art and Knowledge, an art and science festival with over 100 acts that include artists, actors, dancers, musicians and scientists. Or you could take a boat ride through the city’s beautiful canals and experience some amazing performances during a festival known as Schemerstad (the twilight city). But however much the city has to offer culturally, as a student you should try to catch the great performances given in student rooms as part of the ‘Stukafest’.