During your student days there might be times when you could use a little extra support or interaction. Talking to other students can help, whether it’s about study-related matters or more personal topics. The university offers peer support in the form of support groups and buddy programmes.

Student buddy programmes

Are you looking for someone to study with, or would you like to come into contact with other students for support or social activities? Sign up for one of the student buddy programmes.

University-wide

The following buddy programmes are open to students of all faculties.

• Buddy Talk
  Get together to learn another language whilst learning more about each other’s culture.
• Barrier-free studying
  For students with a disability.
• Uni-Life
  Uni-Life is Leiden University’s student community app. You can also use Uni-Life to find a buddy.  

Via your faculty

Some faculties offer buddy programmes for their new students. You will be matched with a more experienced student who will show you the way within the university, in local student life, and in the cities of Leiden or The Hague.

• Humanities 
  For international master’s students
• Social Science
  For first-year students

Support Groups

Student Support Groups offer a safe and confidential environment in which you can come into contact with fellow students, share your experiences and find support. There are support groups for a variety of target groups and topics.  View the student support groups currently on offer and sign up!

Via the Uni-Life app (for Leiden and The Hague) and Studar app (for The Hague) you can stay up to date on all the latest social activities for students of Leiden University. Uni-Life also offers the option to get to know new people via online communities. 

Would you like to talk to someone about issues related to race and ethnicity? Space to Talk about Race is an intersectional community that organises a range of activities related to this topic as well as safe(r) space meetings. The Afro Student Association (ASA) and Middle East and North Africa student association (MENA) also organise events and offer a community. Or contact the Diversity and Inclusion Expertise Office if you have questions related to diversity and inclusion as well as safety on campus, either by mailing diversiteit@leidenuniv.nl or using the contact form.

As well as being fun, associations can offer you a social network and a range of worthwhile activities. Many students find that association membership enriches their student days and contributes to their enjoyment of their studies. A study association is a good way to combine study-related activities with having fun. There are also many student associations in which students from various disciplines and with various interests come together for fun, sports and cultural activities.

Looking for a cozy place to relax or get creative? Come to the Living Room on the ground floor of Plexus Student Centre. Here you can also find a Well-being Desk with a welcoming host who can answer your questions, provide information on well-being services, offer a listening ear, and assist in organising activities with you or for you.

Would you like to volunteer as a host at the Well-Being Desk? Send a mail to: studentwellbeing@sea.leidenuniv.nl with ‘host in the title.

Leiden University wants to emphasise the importance of having a good chat. Whether you want to get things off your chest, validate your feelings, or talk about ways to work on your well-being. Via Frisse Gedachtes (which translates as Fresh Thoughts), you can chat anonymously with a buddy. If your buddy is not online when you send a message, they will get back to you as soon as possible. You can also plan a day and time for your chat in advance. Or arrange to get together with other students for fun activities via their Connects tool. Create an account for free via the Frisse Gedachtes website and start a conversation.