Internships, research, fieldwork, summer schools and more
There are many other types of activity you can do abroad to enrich your studies and gain international experience. Find out about the options available to you.
Options related to your study programme
Depending on your study programme, there might be a range of international activities available to you. Some may be compulsory or optional parts of your programme. Others are extra-curricular activities that you can choose to follow to complement your studies. Activities might include:
- Internships
- Research and fieldwork
- Fieldtrips and excursions
- Subject-specific summer or winter schools
- Mandatory study abroad activities
- Clinical clerkships (co-schappen)
- Moot courts
- Study association trips
Approval and registration
Is your activity abroad part of, or associated with your Leiden University studies? In other words, do you want to receive study credits or funding via the university, or have the activity included on your transcript? If so, you must first gain approval from your study programme. After gaining approval, you must also register your activity in Leiden University’s study abroad portal. This will enable the university to contact you in case of emergencies.
Refer to your faculty or study programme tab
For information on the activities available to you and how to arrange approval and registration in the study abroad portal, click on your faculty or study programme tab.
Options for students of all faculties
There are also a number of international activities that are available to students of all faculties. These include:
Summer and winter schools are offered all over the world. Please note: Summer and Winter schools are part of our regular exchange agreements and therefore students will have to pay the summer/winter school fees themselves. Please check the respective partner website for more information about the costs.
Safe destination
You may not go abroad for study-related activities to a country for which negative travel advice has been issued. Visit the Health and safety page and read Leiden University Regulations on Studying Abroad for more information.
As a student of the Faculty of Humanities, there are a range of other activities you can do abroad as part of, or alongside your studies.
Types of activity
An internship or research project abroad is not only a fun and educational experience, it's also a great asset to your CV. As job markets are becoming increasingly international, employers tend to view international experience as a big advantage. For more information about how to arrange an internship please go to Finding and arranging [an internship].
Internal supervisor: Please first contact the Humanities Career Service.
How to request permission: you need to arrange an internship plan with signatures from different parties, including the the Board of Examiners.
Required uploads: None.
Contact person: Humanities International office (careerservice@hum.leidenuniv.nl).
Fieldwork is a good way to practice your research skills. If you want to carry out fieldwork abroad, you need to arrange it yourself. Fieldwork or research abroad in the framework of your thesis is discussed under “Thesis”.
Internal supervisor: Please first contact your coordinator of studies.
How to request permission: through the Board of Examiners.
Required uploads: Approval Board of Examiners.
Contact person: Humanities International office (studyabroad@hum.leidenuniv.nl).
You can do research in the framework of their thesis. In that case your results will be used to write your thesis or to complement the work for your thesis. In case this kind of field work is a mandatory part of your master’s programme, it is mentioned separately in the e-prospectus.
Internal supervisor: Please contact your thesis supervisor.
How to request permission: Fieldwork or research abroad in the framework of your thesis should be (at least) approved by your thesis supervisor. In some cases it needs to be approved by the Board of Examiners as well.
Required uploads: Approval thesis supervisor.
Contact person: Humanities International office (studyabroad@hum.leidenuniv.nl).
The Faculty of Humanities has many study programmes in which study at a host university is a mandatory part of the programme. In that case students do not need to contact the Board of Examiners of their study programme to request approval for the credits.
Internal supervisor: Varies. When in doubt, please contact your study coordinator.
How to request permission: This is not necessary. You will be nominated by your study abroad programme when you meet the requirements.
Required uploads: none. Your names will be shared with the Humanities International Office.
Contact person: Humanities International office (studyabroad@hum.leidenuniv.nl).
A research project abroad for which you need credits needs to be approved by the Board of Examiners. Such a research project is not part of your thesis.
Internal supervisor: Please first contact your coordinator of studies.
How to request permission: Through the Board of Examiners.
Required uploads: Approval from the Board of Examiners.
Contact person: Humanities International office (studyabroad@hum.leidenuniv.nl).
It can be a very good experience to join a conference or present a paper at a conference.
Internal supervisor: please discuss your plans with a tutor or staff member.
How to request permission: This is not necessary since you do not get credits for presenting a paper or joining a conference. In case you request a scholarship, please check the requirements of the scholarship programme.
Required uploads: None.
Students can join an organized field trip or excursion in the framework of a course or through their student association.
Internal supervisor: Faculty assessor or fieldtrip coordinator.
How to request permission: You will be selected or nominated by the faculty assessor or fieldtrip coordinator.
Required uploads: None. Your names will be shared with the Humanities International Office.
Contact person: Humanities International office (studyabroad@hum.leidenuniv.nl).
Subject-specific summer schools
You can search through the summer and winter schools in the field of Humanities in the overview of summer and winter schools.
If you want to receive credits for your summer/winter school, you need to contact the Board of Examiners of your study programme to request approval for the credits. This applies for summer and winter schools for extracurricular credits of for credits as part of your study programme.
Required uploads: Approval from the Board of Examiners.
Contact person: Humanities International office (studyabroad@hum.leidenuniv.nl).
Approval and registration
If you want to receive university credits or recognition on your transcript for your activity abroad, you must first request approval from the Board of Examiners or be selected by your study programme. This is not necessary for all types of activity. You can find information about this on your activity type above. In all cases it is mandatory that you register your activity.
Why
By registering in the Study Abroad portal, you enable Leiden University to make sure you have selected a safe destination and to contact you in case of an emergency abroad. If you will receive study credits, university funding or recognition on your transcript for your activity abroad, registration in the study abroad portal is obligatory.
When
Register in the Study Abroad portal as soon as you have gained permission from your study programme for your activity abroad - and at least 2 weeks before departure. If you will go abroad within 2 weeks, get in touch with your faculty contact person for instructions.
How
- Log into uSis > click on the Study Abroad tile > select ‘Register another type of study-related activity abroad’.
- Enter the requested data, upload any required documents then click on submit.
- If you have the necessary approval and your destination is safe, the university will approve your registration. You may then depart for your activity abroad. Remember to check the travel advice before departure in case the safety situation changes.
- As soon as possible, enter your contact details abroad in the Study Abroad portal - in the ‘During your stay’ section. Remember to keep your contact details updated whilst abroad so we can reach you in case of emergencies!