Student Affairs Front Office
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the start date of my studies or defer my admission?
If you have applied but not yet been admitted
Yes, you can change your requested start date as follows:
- Cancel your application in Studielink
- Reapply for your preferred start date in Studielink.
- You will then be instructed to create and submit a new application in Leiden University’s online application portal (uSis).
If you wish to defer the start of your studies, you must submit a new application for your preferred start date. Be aware that admission requirements can change. If this occurs, you are unfortunately not guaranteed admission for your new start date. Please follow the instructions below:
- Log into uSis, download your admission decision and save it on your computer.
- Cancel your current application for enrolment in Studielink.
- After 1 October: Go to Studielink and apply for your new start date.
- Log into uSis and follow the steps required to submit a new application.
- When you get to the step 'Previous education', upload any qualifications obtained since your last application.
- When you get to the step ‘Admission’, click on Uploads > Other documents > Previous decision, and upload your admission decision.
- Submit your application
Exceptions:
- If you wish to change your choice of study programme or specialisation, you must pay the application fee again.
- If you have been admitted to an LLM Advanced Studies programme, you may only request re-admission once free of charge. If you re-apply a second or subsequent time, you must pay the application fee again.
- Already applied for housing? You must notify the Housing Office of your deferral. This will not happen automatically! See the FAQ on Can I defer my housing request.
- Already applied for a scholarship? Upon deferral, your scholarship request will be automatically cancelled. You must re-apply for your scholarship when applying for re-admission.
- Already applied for a visa/residence permit? Upon deferral, your visa/residence permit application will be automatically cancelled. Once you are re-admitted, you will receive information on how to re-apply for your visa/residence permit. Note that after deferring your application, you must wait at least 2 days before submitting a new visa/residence permit application via uSis.
More information
How long does it take before a decision on my application is issued?
It generally takes about 4 to 6 weeks from the date on which you are informed that your application is complete until you receive a decision. If additional information is required during the application process it may take a little longer. Please make sure your application is complete and is submitted as early as possible.
Once a decision on your application has been made, you will receive a formal statement from the faculty by email.
More information
What is the selection procedure for programmes with limited places (numerus fixus)?
Because of their popularity, some bachelor’s programmes are oversubscribed. For these programmes, a limit has been set for the number of students that can be allocated a place. This is known as a 'numerus fixus'. This means that even if you are admitted to the programme, you are not guaranteed a place. You must also be allocated a place on the programme via a selection procedure.
Take careful note of the application deadlines for numerus fixus programmes as these are generally earlier than those for other types of study programme.
For further explanation see Admission requirements - Programmes with limited places.
How do I request a Statement of registration (enrolment)?
- Log into uSis using your student number.
- Click on the 'Communication' tile.
- If you do not see the message you are looking for, click on the little x in top-right corner of your screen.
- Click on ‘Your registration is final’ to download your Statement of registration.
More information
When and how must I submit digital and certified copies of my academic records to the university?
When applying
When you apply for admission to a degree programme, you only need to upload digital copies of your academic records in the online application portal (uSis). Certified copies are not yet required.
Upon admission
Upon admission you will be notified of the following via uSis:
- Which additional (certified or digital) academic records you must submit.
- The stipulated method of submission.
- The deadline for submission.
- Download your official decision statement (via uSis) and read it carefully. Take note of your admission conditions and the deadlines for meeting them.
- On the uSis 'decision' screen: upload digital copies of all items stated in your conditions using the ‘Upload your documents’ button.
- Check if there are additional submission instructions stated on your decision statement. These might be e.g. submitting certified copies by post or arranging online verification. Follow the instructions carefully! For documents by post, check who must issue them and how they must be sent.
- Only submit items via the method(s) specified in your decision statement. Items submitted via other methods cannot be accepted.
- There is no need to send items via multiple methods unless this is requested. For example, if you are instructed to arrange online verification only, you do not need to also send items by post.
Refer to the FAQ on After admission, what should I do if I am unable to submit certified copies via the specified method?
Questions?
If you are still unsure when and how to submit your academic records after admission, send a mail to the bachelor admission team: bacheloradmission@sea.leidenuniv.nl, or master admission team: masteradmission@sea.leidenuniv.nl.
Also see the following FAQs
I am a future bachelor’s student and cannot submit the requested academic records in time for the visa / residence permit deadline. What should I do?
The standard deadline for receiving all the required documents for your visa/residence permit request is 1 June.
Academic records expected later?
Will the academic records requested in your admission statement (e.g. your final diploma) only be available after 1 June? Follow the instructions below.
Expected no later than 6 July?
- Before 1 June: Submit all your other visa/residence permit documents and pay the visa/residence fee.
- Before 1 June: In the uSis visa portal, also upload a personal statement explaining which academic records are late, why, and when you can provide them.
- By 6 July: make sure we receive the missing academic records*.
*IB students: we will verify your results after they are released on (or shortly after) 6 July. This will be in time to meet this deadline.
If you need a visa AND residence permit:
Before 1 June:
- Submit all your other visa/residence permit documents and pay the visa/residence fee.
- Send an email to: bacheloradmission@sea.leidenuniv.nl to request instructions concerning your academic records.
- Before 1 June: submit all your other visa/residence permit documents and pay the visa/residence fee.
- Before 1 August: make sure we receive the missing academic records.
- If your academic records will only be available after 1 August*, send an email to bacheloradmission@sea.leidenuniv.nl to request instructions.
*Exception: UK A-level results can be submitted later in August, as soon as they are released.
We urgently request that you take the above-mentioned steps in time. If we do not receive the required documents and information on time, we will not be able to process your visa/residence permit request. This will result in you being unable to join your study programme.
I am not able to log in with my student account. What should I do?
There are several reasons why you may not be able to log in:
- You haven’t yet received a user name and/or password. Request an account.
- You have forgotten your user name and/or password. Request them again.
- Your account has not yet been activated. Activate your account.
- Your password has expired. Reset your password.
- Your ULCN account is no longer active. You can only access uSis and Brightspace using your ULCN account up to 60 days after your student registration has been cancelled.
If you know your user name and password, keep the following points in mind:
- You must log in with your user name, not your uMail address.
- Use lower case letters to enter your user name, not capital letters (e.g. s1234567).
- Make sure you haven’t accidentally put CAPS LOCK on.
If you still can’t log in, do the following:
- Change the language on the log-in page, from Dutch to English or vice versa, and try again.
- If you can log into one application but not another, the issue concerns the application and not your account. Contact the ISSC Helpdesk.
- If none of the above-mentioned tips work contact the ISSC helpdesk.
Who should I contact with questions about IT facilities, e.g. ULCN, Brightspace, uMail?
Take a look on the IT facilties page on the student website.
Can't find the solution there? Ask your question in the Helpdesk Portal.
How does the student website work and why must I select my study programme?
When you first enter the website, you will be asked to either select your study programme or exchange faculty, or visit the website as a guest.
- By selecting your study programme or exchange faculty, you can access information that is specific to your particular programme and faculty.
- By visiting the site as a guest, you can only access general, university-wide information.
The website will remember your selection for subsequent log-ins from the same device.
There are two ways of searching for information:
- Via the search box at the top of the page
- Via the expanding menu on the left of the page
I want to study abroad. Where can I find information?
On the Study Abroad website you can find all the information you need about options available to you, financial considerations and practical matters.
You can also make an appointment with the international exchange coordinator at your faculty of department. They can provide you with study-related information about matters such as the Erasmus Programme.
Please refer to the exchange webpage to see whether there are walk in-hours in the near future.
More information
Contact form
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change the start date of my studies or defer my admission?
If you have applied but not yet been admitted
Yes, you can change your requested start date as follows:
- Cancel your application in Studielink
- Reapply for your preferred start date in Studielink.
- You will then be instructed to create and submit a new application in Leiden University’s online application portal (uSis).
If you wish to defer the start of your studies, you must submit a new application for your preferred start date. Be aware that admission requirements can change. If this occurs, you are unfortunately not guaranteed admission for your new start date. Please follow the instructions below:
- Log into uSis, download your admission decision and save it on your computer.
- Cancel your current application for enrolment in Studielink.
- After 1 October: Go to Studielink and apply for your new start date.
- Log into uSis and follow the steps required to submit a new application.
- When you get to the step 'Previous education', upload any qualifications obtained since your last application.
- When you get to the step ‘Admission’, click on Uploads > Other documents > Previous decision, and upload your admission decision.
- Submit your application
Exceptions:
- If you wish to change your choice of study programme or specialisation, you must pay the application fee again.
- If you have been admitted to an LLM Advanced Studies programme, you may only request re-admission once free of charge. If you re-apply a second or subsequent time, you must pay the application fee again.
- Already applied for housing? You must notify the Housing Office of your deferral. This will not happen automatically! See the FAQ on Can I defer my housing request.
- Already applied for a scholarship? Upon deferral, your scholarship request will be automatically cancelled. You must re-apply for your scholarship when applying for re-admission.
- Already applied for a visa/residence permit? Upon deferral, your visa/residence permit application will be automatically cancelled. Once you are re-admitted, you will receive information on how to re-apply for your visa/residence permit. Note that after deferring your application, you must wait at least 2 days before submitting a new visa/residence permit application via uSis.
More information
How long does it take before a decision on my application is issued?
It generally takes about 4 to 6 weeks from the date on which you are informed that your application is complete until you receive a decision. If additional information is required during the application process it may take a little longer. Please make sure your application is complete and is submitted as early as possible.
Once a decision on your application has been made, you will receive a formal statement from the faculty by email.
More information
What is the selection procedure for programmes with limited places (numerus fixus)?
Because of their popularity, some bachelor’s programmes are oversubscribed. For these programmes, a limit has been set for the number of students that can be allocated a place. This is known as a 'numerus fixus'. This means that even if you are admitted to the programme, you are not guaranteed a place. You must also be allocated a place on the programme via a selection procedure.
Take careful note of the application deadlines for numerus fixus programmes as these are generally earlier than those for other types of study programme.
For further explanation see Admission requirements - Programmes with limited places.
How do I request a Statement of registration (enrolment)?
- Log into uSis using your student number.
- Click on the 'Communication' tile.
- If you do not see the message you are looking for, click on the little x in top-right corner of your screen.
- Click on ‘Your registration is final’ to download your Statement of registration.
More information
When and how must I submit digital and certified copies of my academic records to the university?
When applying
When you apply for admission to a degree programme, you only need to upload digital copies of your academic records in the online application portal (uSis). Certified copies are not yet required.
Upon admission
Upon admission you will be notified of the following via uSis:
- Which additional (certified or digital) academic records you must submit.
- The stipulated method of submission.
- The deadline for submission.
- Download your official decision statement (via uSis) and read it carefully. Take note of your admission conditions and the deadlines for meeting them.
- On the uSis 'decision' screen: upload digital copies of all items stated in your conditions using the ‘Upload your documents’ button.
- Check if there are additional submission instructions stated on your decision statement. These might be e.g. submitting certified copies by post or arranging online verification. Follow the instructions carefully! For documents by post, check who must issue them and how they must be sent.
- Only submit items via the method(s) specified in your decision statement. Items submitted via other methods cannot be accepted.
- There is no need to send items via multiple methods unless this is requested. For example, if you are instructed to arrange online verification only, you do not need to also send items by post.
Refer to the FAQ on After admission, what should I do if I am unable to submit certified copies via the specified method?
Questions?
If you are still unsure when and how to submit your academic records after admission, send a mail to the bachelor admission team: bacheloradmission@sea.leidenuniv.nl, or master admission team: masteradmission@sea.leidenuniv.nl.
Also see the following FAQs
I am a future bachelor’s student and cannot submit the requested academic records in time for the visa / residence permit deadline. What should I do?
The standard deadline for receiving all the required documents for your visa/residence permit request is 1 June.
Academic records expected later?
Will the academic records requested in your admission statement (e.g. your final diploma) only be available after 1 June? Follow the instructions below.
Expected no later than 6 July?
- Before 1 June: Submit all your other visa/residence permit documents and pay the visa/residence fee.
- Before 1 June: In the uSis visa portal, also upload a personal statement explaining which academic records are late, why, and when you can provide them.
- By 6 July: make sure we receive the missing academic records*.
*IB students: we will verify your results after they are released on (or shortly after) 6 July. This will be in time to meet this deadline.
If you need a visa AND residence permit:
Before 1 June:
- Submit all your other visa/residence permit documents and pay the visa/residence fee.
- Send an email to: bacheloradmission@sea.leidenuniv.nl to request instructions concerning your academic records.
- Before 1 June: submit all your other visa/residence permit documents and pay the visa/residence fee.
- Before 1 August: make sure we receive the missing academic records.
- If your academic records will only be available after 1 August*, send an email to bacheloradmission@sea.leidenuniv.nl to request instructions.
*Exception: UK A-level results can be submitted later in August, as soon as they are released.
We urgently request that you take the above-mentioned steps in time. If we do not receive the required documents and information on time, we will not be able to process your visa/residence permit request. This will result in you being unable to join your study programme.
I am not able to log in with my student account. What should I do?
There are several reasons why you may not be able to log in:
- You haven’t yet received a user name and/or password. Request an account.
- You have forgotten your user name and/or password. Request them again.
- Your account has not yet been activated. Activate your account.
- Your password has expired. Reset your password.
- Your ULCN account is no longer active. You can only access uSis and Brightspace using your ULCN account up to 60 days after your student registration has been cancelled.
If you know your user name and password, keep the following points in mind:
- You must log in with your user name, not your uMail address.
- Use lower case letters to enter your user name, not capital letters (e.g. s1234567).
- Make sure you haven’t accidentally put CAPS LOCK on.
If you still can’t log in, do the following:
- Change the language on the log-in page, from Dutch to English or vice versa, and try again.
- If you can log into one application but not another, the issue concerns the application and not your account. Contact the ISSC Helpdesk.
- If none of the above-mentioned tips work contact the ISSC helpdesk.
Who should I contact with questions about IT facilities, e.g. ULCN, Brightspace, uMail?
Take a look on the IT facilties page on the student website.
Can't find the solution there? Ask your question in the Helpdesk Portal.
How does the student website work and why must I select my study programme?
When you first enter the website, you will be asked to either select your study programme or exchange faculty, or visit the website as a guest.
- By selecting your study programme or exchange faculty, you can access information that is specific to your particular programme and faculty.
- By visiting the site as a guest, you can only access general, university-wide information.
The website will remember your selection for subsequent log-ins from the same device.
There are two ways of searching for information:
- Via the search box at the top of the page
- Via the expanding menu on the left of the page
I want to study abroad. Where can I find information?
On the Study Abroad website you can find all the information you need about options available to you, financial considerations and practical matters.
You can also make an appointment with the international exchange coordinator at your faculty of department. They can provide you with study-related information about matters such as the Erasmus Programme.
Please refer to the exchange webpage to see whether there are walk in-hours in the near future.
More information