Leiden University
- Netherlands
- Founded 1575
Overview
Leiden University is a public research university in Leiden, Netherlands. Established in 1575 by William, Prince of Orange as a Protestant institution, it holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving university in the Netherlands.
Text from Wikipedia (opens in a new tab), licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (opens in a new tab).
Key facts
| Founded | 1575Source: Wikidata (opens in a new tab) |
|---|---|
| Main location | LeidenSource: Wikidata. Other campuses may not be listed. (opens in a new tab) |
| Students | 33,474 (2024)Source: Wikidata. Can be out of date. (opens in a new tab) |
| Staff | 7,860 (2024)Source: Wikidata. Can be out of date. (opens in a new tab) |
| Website | universiteitleiden.nl (opens in a new tab) |
| Official account (opens in a new tab) | |
| YouTube | Official channel (opens in a new tab) |
Data read on 12 November 2026. Check the university's own site for current details.
Scholarships for international students
Leiden University's own scholarships page (opens in a new tab) (checked 14 Nov 2026)
Check the official page before you apply. Search all scholarships
People who studied here
- René Descartes (opens in a new tab)French philosopher, mathematician, and scientist (1596–1650)
- Rembrandt (opens in a new tab)Dutch painter and printmaker (1606–1669)
- Benedictus de Spinoza (opens in a new tab)Dutch philosopher (1632–1677)
- Enrico Fermi (opens in a new tab)Italian-American physicist (1901–1954)
- John Quincy Adams (opens in a new tab)President of the United States from 1825 to 1829
- Christiaan Huygens (opens in a new tab)Dutch mathematician, physicist and astronomer (1629–1695)
From Wikidata, where "educated at" names this university. It is not a complete list.
Rankings
Ranking sites measure different things, so a university can look very different on each. We don't copy their numbers. See how this university appears on the ranking sites themselves.