FAQ
Do you have a question concerning the Master Honours Challenges (MHC)? You can find the answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions below.
If your question does not appear in the FAQ list, you can contact us at maclasses@ha.leidenuniv.nl.
Who can apply?
1. I am a bachelor's student. Can I apply?
Only for some project-based challenges, advanced bachelor's students are allowed to apply. Check out the course descriptions in the prospectus to see if this applies. We also offer a variety of Bachelor Honours Classes for bachelor's students.
2. I am a pre-master's student. Can I apply for a MHC?
This depends. For some project-based challenges, advanced bachelor's students are allowed to apply as well. As a pre-master student, you may apply for these courses too. Check out the prospectus to see whether this applies to the specific course. You can also try applying for a Bachelor Honours Class.
Of course, you are also welcome to apply for a Master Honours Challenge once you have enrolled in a master's programme at Leiden University.
3. I am a master's student at another Dutch university and I would like to attend an MHC at Leiden University. Can I apply?
Yes, besides master's students at Leiden University, we also offer Master Honours Challenges to the master's students at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Delft University of Technology.
4. I participate in the Leiden Leadership Programme (LLP). Can I apply for an MHC?
No, LLP students cannot attend Master Honours Challenges. The courses are small-scale and the Honours Academy wishes to offer as many students as possible the opportunity of Honours education.
5. How many MHC’s can I attend?
The Honours Academy wishes to offer the opportunity to follow MHC's to as many students as possible, therefore master's students can follow only one Master Honours Challenge per year.
Application and admission
1. Do I need to ask the Board of Examiners for permission to attend an MHC?
No, Master Honours Challenges are extracurricular classes. As they are not part of your regular study programme, you do not need permission from the Board of Examiners.
2. When can I apply for an MHC?
During each academic year, you can apply at two different times. Application for the first semester is in September, and application for the second semester is in February. Check out the most recent information on application deadlines.
3. I have not yet received a confirmation email. What should I do?
It is possible for the confirmation email to end up in the spam folder. If you cannot find the confirmation email in the spam folder, please send an email to maclasses@ha.leidenuniv.nl.
4. In which language should I write my motivation letter?
You must write your motivation letter in the same language as the course description in the Prospectus.
5. What should the word count of my motivation letter be?
Due to the large number of applications we receive each year, it is not possible to process extensive motivation letters. Therefore, you are allowed to use a maximum of 1500 characters (including spacing).
We advise you to carefully consider the information you include in your letter. Remember that you should make clear why you wish to attend the course and what benefit the group will have from your participation, knowledge and/or experiences.
Following admission to a Master Honours Challenge
1. How can I register for the MHC in uSis?
The organisation of the Master Honours Challenges will take care of your registration in uSis, approximately a week before the start of the class. Therefore, you do not need to register in uSis yourself.
2. How do I get access to the course materials on Brightspace?
Once your enrollment in the class is completed in uSis, you will gain access to Brightspace. Note that we take care of both your registration in uSis and your access to Brightspace.
3. I will not be able to attend one or more sessions. What should I do?
We urge you to contact the coordinator of the Master Honours Challenge (for contact details see the Prospectus) as soon as possible and mention the date of and the reason(s) for your absence.
You are allowed to be absent from one session at most, as long as you inform the coordinator as soon as possible about the reason of your absence (for example, an overlap in your course schedule).
When you have to be absent from more than one session, the coordinator may decide that you are no longer allowed to attend the class.
4. I would like to disenroll. What should I do?
MHC's are highly sought after and timely disenrollment allows for another student on the waiting list to attend the class.
If you wish to disenroll, we urge you to contact the coordinator of the Master Honours Challenge (for contact details see the Prospectus) as soon as possible, and inform the central organisation by sending an email to maclasses@ha.leidenuniv.nl. Do not forget to mention the reason(s) for your disenrollment.
Upon successful completion of a Master Honours Challenge
1. Will I receive a certificate for successfully completing a MHC?
Upon successful completion of a Master Honours Challenge, your study result will appear on your diploma as an extracurricular activity. This will be done automatically for you. Upon request, you can get a certificate via usis-ha@leidenuniv.nl. Students from Erasmus University Rotterdam and TU Delft automatically receive a certificate and grade transcript.
2. Will my grade for a successfully completed MHC be added to my list of grades?
Honours Classes & Challenges are extracurricular courses, which means that these credits do not count as an elective in your regular study programme. However, the grade will appear as an extracurricular course on your transcript.