Budget

Make an overview of anticipated expenses and sources of income, to make sure you have sufficient funds for your studies abroad. Consider the following:

• Tuition fees
• Travel expenses (to/from your destination and during your stay)
• Rent
• Other living expenses (food & drink, clothing, etc.)
• Visas and residence permits
• Vaccinations, medication, health certificates
• Insurances
• Telephone costs etc.
• Student finance
• Scholarships
• Language tests
• Study costs (books etc.)
• Sports/recreation

Take financial risks into consideration

Studying abroad is always at your own risk, also in financial terms*. You are responsible for any costs incurred for your stay abroad, even if your trip has to be cancelled or cut short due to safety reasons.

*Exceptions may be made for activities abroad that are a compulsory part of your study programme. 

Precautions

• Buy a flight ticket with a flexible departure date or purchase cancellation insurance, just in case you have to change your plans. 
• If your destination becomes unsafe whilst you are abroad, you may have to come back to The Netherlands. Any costs incurred are your own responsibility so make sure to take out a good insurance policy. Check with your insurer exactly what is covered depending on the colour code of your destination.
• Be aware that any scholarships you are awarded will be cancelled or stopped if your activity  abroad is cancelled or cut short due to health and safety reasons. This might mean you have to wholly or partially repay your scholarship. Check the rules with your scholarship provider.

Student finance

Under certain circumstances you may be eligible for Dutch student finance and travel subsidy during your stay abroad. You can submit an application via the DUO website (in Dutch).

Scholarships

There are a number of scholarships available for study, research and internships abroad. If you have completed your studies but want to do an additional programme abroad, for example a master’s, there are also scholarship options.

Points to remember

• Before applying for a scholarship, check carefully that you meet all the criteria.
• You can apply for multiple scholarships. One scholarship alone is generally not enough to finance your whole stay.
•  Some scholarships may only be requested once during your academic career. Keep this in mind if you want to go abroad during both your bachelor’s and master’s programmes.
• Apply on time: many scholarships have early deadlines!

Funding for students with a disability

If you will incur additional costs while studying abroad due to a disability, you can request additional funding. 

• Are you going to a European country? Request additional funding from the Erasmus+ programme.
• Are you going to a country outside Europe? Request additional funding via Fenestra Disability Centre.

No funding for non-approved activities

You are only eligible for funding if your activity abroad has been approved in advance by the university. In other words, you must meet all the following conditions:

• You have gained approval to undertake the activity in the context of your studies from your study programme or faculty. 
• Your activity is entered and approved in the study abroad portal;
• You are permitted to travel to the destination in question according to Leiden University’s travel policy.

You can find out how to gain approval from your study programme or faculty and how to use the study abroad portal on the pages about exchange, studying abroad independently and other activities abroad.

Do not go without permission

If you do not meet all the conditions for funding but you go abroad for study-related activities anyway, you will not receive a scholarship or any kind of funding via Leiden University. If you have already obtained a scholarship or funding via Leiden University, you will be obliged to pay it back. In the case of exchange programmes, you may also be obliged to pay tuition fees to your host institution.

International Discount Card

With an International Student Identity Card (ISIC card) you can get discount on a range of products and services in more than 130 countries, including flight tickets. Purchase your card from ISIC Netherlands.