Molecular, Cellular and Organismal Biology (MSc)
Student life
Your time at Leiden is about more than just studying. Some of your best experiences will stem from being a part of our lively and diverse student community, as well as from life in the beautiful city of Leiden.
Life in Leiden
Quaint, picturesque and the perfect size, Leiden is an idyllic place to spend your university days. You will soon become familiar with the dozens of cafes, shops and bars that line the leafy canals, as well as its year-round line-up of cultural events. For visits further afield, the major cities of The Hague and Amsterdam are a short train ride away, along with Schiphol Airport, which is just half an hour away by train.
Within the university’s student community, our study and student associations organise a huge variety of social, cultural, and study events to keep you busy all year round. You can also join the University Sports Centre, which offers scheduled group sports and fitness classes amongst other activities.
Welcome and orientation programme
In August and February each year, Leiden University hosts the English-language Orientation Week Leiden (OWL), which welcomes both international and Dutch students. The OWL is an excellent way to get to know Leiden University, the city and to meet other students.
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New to the city and the university? Take part in the best introduction to the city, the university and your faculty: The OWL! Enjoy this week of fun, music, culture, sports, games and making new friends. It will be an unforgettable start of your studies! -
Our Hortus botanicus is a place where science is conducted, but it is equally popular for studying or relaxing. Come visit it! -
Leiden is a lively, compact and safe city which is appreciated by national and international students alike. Everything is in reach within a 15 minutes bicycle ride. -
The city is located centrally between Netherland's biggest cities like Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht and Rotterdam, all easily reached by public transport. -
Enjoy strolling through the narrow cobbled streets and become familiar with the dozens of cafes, shops and bars that line the leafy canals.
Leiden Biologists Club (LBC)
College is more than just studying. That is why the LBC organizes lots of activities each year, where you can have fun and get to know your fellow students. Not only do we organize symposia and excursions, but also drinks (“borrels”), parties and barbecues. LBC makes an effort to encourage contact between students, but also between students and lecturers and other employees at the biology institute. On top of that members also get a discount on textbooks!
Science Buddy Programme
The Science master’s Buddy Programme has been set up by the Faculty of Science to help all international students who are new to the university to integrate quickly and easily into university life. Through the programme you will learn everything you need to know about the university, the student community, and the practical side of life in Leiden. Your buddy is your first connection in the Netherlands and can help you to find your way around. A few weeks before the start of your studies, you will get an invitation for the programme. After signing up, you will be matched to a student preferably from your own study programme.