You should never give out your BSN number to any non-governmental organisations. Leiden International Centre will never ask you for yours. Because your BSN number is unique to you, you need this number to set up a Dutch bank account, sign up for Dutch health insurance, file taxes, and much more. This is why it is important to keep your BSN private.
People sometimes receive emails or phone calls requesting information such as your BSN number and bank card information. You should not trust these phone calls or emails, as you will usually never be asked to provide this kind of information via email or phone. Learn more about these scam calls and what to do if you receive one in our "Be Aware of Phishing" article.