Overview

The overall goal is to fully understand the physical principles and performance of astronomical instruments and to contribute to the development of new instrumentation technologies.

The Astronomy and Instrumentation MSc programme at Leiden University goes beyond astronomy and space applications of instrumentation technology. This enables you to use your knowledge and skills in adjacent areas of science and engineering, including the development of instrumentation for environmental and medical applications.

Do you want to contribute to the hightech world of astronomical instrumentation engineering? Do you have a bachelor’s background in Astronomy, Physics or equivalent degrees? Then the master’s specialisation Astronomy and Instrumentation is the right choice for you.

Career Opportunities

Most graduates holding a MSc degree in Astronomy from Leiden University find work in many different capacities, including:

Research: universities, observatories, research institutes

Industry and consultancy: ICT, R&D, telecom, high technology, aerospace

Finance: banking, insurance, pension funds

Public sector: governments, policy makers, high schools

Science communication: journalism, popular writing, museums

Programme Structure

Courses include:

Astronomical Telescopes and Instruments
Detection of Light a + b
Astronomy
Space Instrumentation
Galaxies: structure, dynamics and evolution
Gravitational Lensing

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 24 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-05-15 00:00:00 , National
Starting 2027-02-03 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-11-15 00:00:00 , EEA/EU
- Apply before 2026-10-15 00:00:00 , International
Starting 2027-09-01 00:00:00
- Apply before 2027-04-01 00:00:00 , International

Language

English

TOEFL^® IBT

90

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IELTS

6.5

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Credits

120 ECTS

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Leiden, Netherlands

Disciplines

Physics Astronomy & Space Sciences Educational Research View 54 other Masters in Physics 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

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

If you have a bachelor’s degree in Astronomy or in an Astronomy-related programme from a foreign research university with a level similar to Dutch universities, you are eligible to apply under the condition that you have in-depth knowledge (comparable to undergraduate courses of the Leiden Astronomy curriculum) with:

a theoretical and mathematical emphasis, including quantum physics, electrodynamics, statistical physics, and complex analysis.
courses in the field of Astronomy.
and with proficiency in programming, preferably in the Python language.

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

21800 EUR / year

≈ 21800 EUR / year
EU/EEA Applies to you

Applies to you

EU/EEA Nationals

2601 EUR / year

≈ 2601 EUR / 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.

In order for us to give you accurate scholarship information, we ask that you please confirm a few details and create an account with us.

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Master's scholarship opportunities for Astronomy and Instrumentation.

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 Opportunities

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

EU/EEA Applies to you

Living costs

Leiden

Funding

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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