Overview

With its world-class scholars and access to exceptional research collections, the Religious Studies programme at Leiden University offers the opportunity to explore a broad spectrum of religions and their manifestations from a comparative, multidisciplinary perspective.

Career prospects

Graduates have pursued successful careers in research and in the public, private and non-profit sectors as editors, journalists, policy advisors, counsellors, and teachers of religion or philosophy. The MA programme in Religious Studies offers excellent preparation for students seeking a profession that requires advanced analytical skills and specialised knowledge of religion and its cultural, geographic, and historic context.Examples of the diverse roles of our graduates include:

Teacher of religion and society at a secondary school

PhD candidate at an international university

Political party officer

Consultant at McKinsey & Company

Member of staff at the Dutch Ministry of Defence

Traineeship for the Municipality of The Hague

Policy officer in Diversity and Inclusion

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Programme Structure

Courses include:

Democratizing Histories

Society, Culture and Religion in Roman Asia Minor

Culture and Society in the Medieval Muslim World

Pilgrimage and Holy Places

Confucianism: Tradition and Modernity

Sound as Heritage in Asia

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Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 12 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2027-02-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-15 00:00:00 , EEA/EU
- Apply before 2026-10-15 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-08-31 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-05-15 00:00:00 , EEA/EU
- Apply before 2027-04-01 00:00:00 , International

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

OR

90

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

60 ECTS

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Leiden, Netherlands

Disciplines

Theology and Religious Studies View 26 other Masters in Theology and Religious Studies in Netherlands

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Academic requirements

We are not aware of any specific GRE, GMAT or GPA grading score requirements for this programme.

English requirements

TOEFL^® IBT

OR

90

Schedule TOEFL®

IELTS

6.5

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

A bachelor’s degree from a Dutch research university (in the specialisation): Bachelor programme Religious Studies; or

a bachelor’s degree from a Dutch or foreign research university, equivalent to the level of a Dutch academic bachelor’s degree, in the field of humanities or social sciences; and

completed at least 30 EC (or equivalent) of relevant courses, demonstrating the following knowledge, understanding and skills:

knowledge of topics, theories and methods relevant to the study of religion from an academic perspective; and

knowledge of the academic study of one or more religious traditions (e.g., Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, ancient religions, new religions).

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Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

22300 EUR / year

≈ 22300 EUR / year
EU/EEA Applies to you

Applies to you

EU/EEA Nationals

2694 EUR / year

≈ 2694 EUR / year

Additional Details

Second Dutch master’s programme: €16,600 per year

Living costs

Leiden

Netherlands

850 - 1250 EUR / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

Win a €10000 Scholarship! Deadline: 30 June 2020

Embark on your journey with the Studyportals Scholarship! We're giving away a total of 20,000 euros to help you achieve your dream of studying abroad.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Religious Studies.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

On this page

About

Overview

Career prospects

Get more details

Programme Structure

Check out the full curriculum

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

Explore more key information

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Make sure you meet all requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

EU/EEA Applies to you

Additional Details

Living costs

Leiden

Funding

Check for any work restrictions

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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