Get Political at Leiden University College the Hague (LUC)

Leiden University College, or LUC, is a 25-minute car trip from its parent institution in Leiden. It’s located in the Hague, where international politicos find the perfect environment to learn about justice, sustainability, and global governance.

LUC (The Honors College of Leiden University) Basics

Associated with: University of Leiden

Degrees: BA, BSc (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science)

Concentrations: Human Diversity: Culture, History, Society; International Justice; World Politics; Earth, Energy, and Sustainability; Global Public Health; and Governance, Economics, and Development.

Location: The Hague

English: Yes

Cost for out-of-EU: €10,800

On-campus housing cost: €570/mo (single) / €370 double

FAFSA funds: No

Abroad from abroad: Yes! One semester, typically the 5th semester. Leiden University has extensive partnerships on six continents, from South Africa to Morocco, Israel, Delhi, Hong Kong, and many more.

Student body: 600 students total, about 25% admitted depending on year (150 out of roughly 600 applicants)

Five adjectives: political, worldly, close-knit, passionate, livable 

Leiden University College Academic Ranking

Leiden University, LUC’s parent institution, ranks extremely highly globally. The Times puts it in the top 100 at #77 overall. And that number is on the rise since 2022. You wouoldn’t expect less from a university that’s the Netherlands’ oldest and most prestigious. It educated the prime minister, Mark Rutte. Einstein was once a visiting professor.

U.S. News ranks it even higher at #74 globally. The subjects that rank in the top 100 overall are Arts and Humanities, Biology and Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology and Genetics.

What is the Leiden University College Acceptance Rate?

LUC is a fairly selective university college, with about a quarter of applicants offered a spot. Of roughly 600 applicants, LUC gives 150 students good news each year for its fall intake.

Is Leiden University College Good?

Yes. It’s often challenging to compare university college without simply comparing their parent institutions. University colleges sometimes have completely different application processes, faculties, and curricula, after all.

And Leiden University is one of the best in the world.

But like many Dutch institutions, it’s easier to get into than it is to stay in. Once there, the education at both Leiden and its university college is called “difficult” and “rigorous.” The upside is that it’s also called “reputable” and “respected.”

The Immediate Campus Area Near LUC

LUC sports a residential program with some convenient perks: the University College building holds both classes and residences, and it’s located next to Hague Central Train Station and the Royal Library.

A huge load off: Students here don’t need to worry about accommodation. They’re also in the center of both their studies and the greater city.

Fortunately, they’re also able to get away from it all and relax, too. The campus is also close to the Haagse Bos (Forest of the Hague), with trails and a pond for winter skating and summer duck feeding.

The proximity to nature makes the neighborhood around the school feel more spacious and idyllic than its central location suggests.

Walk in the other direction, and you’ll find Japanese sushi, Italian espresso, and raw herring on sample near Het Plein, the large central square where William of Orange will watch you as you watch the rest of the Netherlands stroll by in this pedestrian-only area.

There’s plenty of international shopping here, as well as stunning views of the government buildings of the Hague. When shopping fatigue sets in, grab some Piet Patat and learn to enjoy those fries with mayo.

“We have a lot of very opinionated and activist people here, but all have interesting and amazing perspectives to share!”

One Building, Classes Downstairs: Living the Good Life on Campus

Classes are housed in the Anna van Buerenplein building, with student services, study rooms, café, an auditorium, and common spaces all on-site. Students are required to live on campus for their first two years.

They’ll live in single studios with private kitchen and bathroom facilities a mere 60-second elevator ride from class. There are common rooms on each floor so you can commune with classmates and a rooftop terrace to watch trains pull into the Hague’s central station.

Third-year students are free to live off-campus, but their commute will definitely suffer as they can’t just roll down the stairs to class anymore. 

Living Off-Campus in a Studentenhuis

The best part of this arrangement is that LUC students can make a studentenhuis, or student house, together, with the benefit of already forming friendships with housemates.

The building’s one-stop-shopping makes University College Leiden feel like a mod city apartment pod with all your friends. “It makes it easy to party,” said one alumna. “I did find great friends! People help each other so much, and it feels homey…you never feel alone and can share study sessions, for example, too.”

This student did feel that her floor ended up mostly Dutch, which made it harder to fit in at first as an international student. She said that international students mix with other international students, while Dutch students are likelier to hang out with other Dutch students.

Hanging in the Hague, Netherlands

The Hague has a reputation dating back centuries as a site of international government and justice. But this portside city isn’t all business.

It’s also a vibrant city along the North Sea with a close relationship to nearby beaches and a laid-back, resort atmosphere in the summer. Scheveningen Beach is a 20-minute bike ride away, beckoning with a pier and Ferris wheel, beach bars, and even surf lessons.

Hit the beachside bars like Bora Bora for drinks around the fire pit after hours.

International foodies will quickly figure out that the diverse residents of the Hague have brought along plenty of culinary temptations.

A cheap way to sample some is at the gigantic Hague market, a student paradise with affordable, fresh produce. This market is international, so be sure to sample something you’ve never heard of before. You can even bring home antiques to decorate your room.

Grote Markt and the surrounding Pop District is where to find music and nightlife.

“The location of LUC is amazing because it’s very close to the city center so there are always loads of fun things to do.”

Majors and Courses in the Leiden University College Program

LUC uses its location near about 160 international organizations, 113 embassies, and five international courts, assembling a program that focuses on global studies, including peace, justice, diversity, and sustainability.

It also opens up the university college field with a wild six total majors available at the bachelor’s level, which lean heavily toward the social sciences: (1) Human Diversity: Culture, History, Society; (2) International Justice; (3) World Politics; (4) Earth, Energy, and Sustainability; (5) Global Public Health; and (5) Governance, Economics, and Development.

Put that all together, and you get a political science program you won’t see in any other university college.

And LUC offers some academic perks that other university colleges do not.

Firstly, its emphasis on international affairs and politics is palpable in the heart of the international community.

Unique Programs at LUC

Second, special programs with the Academy of Performing and Creative Arts and Leiden Law School broaden the liberal arts focus students can follow. In partnership with the Academy for Performing and Creative Arts program, students can amass a full coursework minor. The Royal Conservatoire and Royal Academy of Creative Arts, within earshot of the LUC campus, require a portfolio and audition for the full minor program, but some classes are available for non-minor students in English. These include music and fine arts theory, which is a rare find in liberal arts and sciences programs.

These external courses require special permission but are nevertheless an option for students looking to put together a unique liberal arts experience.

For international studies majors, a double degree with Leiden Law School may be appealing. It lets students pursue both a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a major in International Studies alongside an LL.B. in law. The goal of the joint program is to allow bachelor’s level students the LL.B. credential necessary to pursue further study in international law or pursue a legal job at international organizations like the UN or EU.

However, this major is taught in Dutch.

“It’s a great fit if you’re curious about the world and want to learn a lot of everything…but slacking off and not studying won’t get you through!”

Classes and Studying at Leiden

In general, first-year students will start with a general academic advisor and switch to an advisor within their field in their second year. They’ll take five classes per semester and will be assigned to core classes, some of which will include the entire first-year class. “Tutorials,” or discussion-based breakout sessions, will be much smaller.

The classes in the first semester are mainly selected by the university, which will set not only classes but schedules for all students. After that, students sign up for classes they’ll need for their major with more room to differentiate from their classmates.

Semesters run 15 weeks, which includes midterm week, finals week, and a study interim before finals. Midterm and final grades comprise 70% of semester grades. The rest of your grade comes from an essay or presentation and from overall participation in tutorials.

There are slightly different norms for different classes, but overall, students reported more concentrated, high-stakes assignments compared to the other university colleges.

The semester schedule adds to the pressure — it means studying is more condensed than the universities with lengthier semesters. LUC advises students that they should be working a 52-hour week between classes, assignments, and studying.

Classes average 20 students in this mid-sized university college (most UCs fall within a narrow range of around 600 students and 150-200 courses). There are ~150 classes from which to choose.

You can also choose to take the honor’s college route (for an honors degree) and do a minor instead of an exchange or internship, which means you’ll likely take some classes in Leiden, a 15-minute train ride and home to the parent University of Leiden’s ~27,000 students.

Leiden University College Admission Requirements

LUC has similar admissions requirements to the other university colleges. For your application, you’ll need an IB diploma, a 3.5 GPA, and either three AP exams with scores of 4 or 5, or three AP exams with a score of 3, 4, or 5.

Your application form includes a letter of motivation and a reference letter to apply. Meeting the minimum requirements is not a guarantee of admission in the school’s selective process. If you don’t have the AP scores or exams are not offered at your school, LUC encourages you to upload SAT scores over 1300 or ACT scores over 28. An AA degree with a 3.5 GPA could substitute for high school credentials.

There’s a mathematics requirement that can be met with AP Calculus AB or BC or an SAT score of 650 (ACT 28).

If your heart is set on the Hague and you don’t meet that bar, you can apply and take a diagnostic test, and possibly a remedial math course first semester in order to gain the background to pass the first year math requirement.

Some students are invited to an interview for final consideration.

One student said the interview process was informal, with questions about their passions, their reasons for applying to LUC, and their expectations about the courses.

This is a chance to ask questions and get to know whether the program is right for you. Roughly 200 students are admitted each year during one admissions cycle (deadlines are December 1 for early admission and April 1 for regular admission).

Explore Other University Colleges

every university college has a different programme, with different tuition, fees, faculty, and scholarships. Join the discussion on more innovative and cutting edge liberal arts programmes like the ones at University College Tilburg, Amsterdam University College, or the University of Utrecht. You can also dive deep into how to go to college in the Netherlands for more tips to get you started.

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