Students with a Bachelor in History or Ancient Near Eastern Studies (track The Ancient Near Eastern World) from Leiden University are directly eligible for admission. Students can apply in Studielink. There is no need to submit an application for admission using the online application portal.

If you can demonstrate a level of knowledge, understanding and skills equal to that of holders of a degree specified above, you may be eligible.

All applicants must meet the following requirements:

• a bachelor’s degree from a research university, equivalent to the level of a Dutch academic Bachelor’s degree, or demonstrate to meet the requirements for such a degree, and
• have completed historical courses on relevant topics for the chosen specialisation and of sufficient level, to an equivalent of approximately 45 EC;
• be able to conduct independent empirical research;
• be able to read academic literature and reflect critically on it;
• have knowledge of general history and be able to present their findings (based on a critical reading of the literature or based on empirical research) in a systematic and analytical manner;
• be able to write a thesis with proper references to the literature.

You are required to submit a writing sample, such as a BA Thesis, capstone project or final paper, that shows your knowledge, understanding and skills.

Applicants who have completed the following degrees including the coursework specified below are considered to have fulfilled the admission requirements:

• a bachelor’s degree from a Dutch research university in Languages and Cultures of South and Southeast Asia, including the combined programme in History worth 60 credits;
• a bachelor’s degree from a Dutch research university in International Studies, including
  • BA Thesis on a historical subject,
  • the following optional courses which are part of the bachelor’s programme History:
    • BA-Werkcollege (BA History, second year) or Elective on historical subject (BA International Studies, second year) (10 EC)
    • Completed a BA-Seminar (BA History, third year) in the BA History (either as an extra pre-master-course or as an extra Elective in the BA International Studies) (10 EC)
• a bachelor’s degree from a Dutch research university in Liberal Arts and Sciences: Global Challenges, with a major in Human Diversity: track Global and Contemporary History or a major in World Politics: track Global History

The Board of Admissions will assess whether your degree and background are sufficiently related to the level and content of a bachelor’s degree in History or Ancient Near Eastern Studies from Leiden University on the basis of the requirements specified above.

If you have a bachelor’s degree that does not meet the requirements specified above, you may be eligible for a pre-master programme tailored to your individual background (taught in Dutch). After submitting your application in Studielink, the Board of Admissions will decide whether you can be directly admitted to the master’s programme or whether you will first need to complete a pre-master’s programme. It is not possible to apply for a pre-master’s programme directly. Once you have completed the imposed pre-master programme, you will be admitted to the Master’s programme. Read more here.

The following requirements apply*: 

• IELTS Academic modules only, on paper or on computer: 6.5 overall, with at least 6.0 for each separate component score.
  • We do not accept IELTS Academic online.
  • We do not accept IELTS General Training, IELTS Indicator, or IELTS One Skill Retake
• TOEFL internet based: 90 overall, with at least 20 for each separate component.
  • We are not able to accept The TOEFL IBT Home Edition™, except in the following situation only:
    You are unable to take an in-person test on location because test centres are inaccessible or closed due to unsafe conditions in a country.
  • We do not accept the following types of test: TOEFL My Best™ scores (multiple test scores combined), TOEFL Essentials™  or institutional tests such as ITP.

• Cambridge English Exam C2 Proficiency, or C1 Advanced (180), with a minimum score of 169 for each separate component.

Note that English test results may not be more than two years old and must be obtained in one single test.

*You do not have to submit an English proficiency test if you have completed your education in the USA, UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada (except French-taught programmes in Canada) Singapore, South-Africa or Malta; or if you have obtained an English-taught International Baccalaureate™; or if you have completed a Dutch VWO diploma or an English-taught bachelor at a Dutch research university or (for September intake) a diploma of an English-taught higher professional education (hbo) programme completed at a Dutch university of applied sciences.

For detailed information, including exemption criteria and methods of submission, refer to English language proficiency.