FAQ
Do you have a question concerning the Bachelor Honours Classes (BHC’s)? You can find the answers to the most Frequently Asked Questions below.
If your question does not appear in the FAQ list, you can contact us at baclasses@ha.leidenuniv.nl.
Who can apply?
1. I am a bachelor's student and I am not enrolled in any Honours track. Can I apply for a BHC?
Yes, you can apply for a Bachelor Honours Class if you are a motivated third-year bachelor’s studentr. First-year and second-year bachelor's students are not eligible to attend Bachelor Honours Classes.
Please note that for students who are following an Honours College track, completing one Bachelor Honours Class is a requirement. As an Honours College student you can follow a Bachelor Honours Class in your second or third year.
2. Can I apply for a BHC if I am not a student at Leiden University?
Students at TU Delft and Erasmus University Rotterdam are welcome to apply for a Bachelor Honours Class. You do not have to be an Honours student at your own university. In case you are admitted, we will request a guest account for you.
If you are a student at a Dutch university other than TU Delft or Erasmus University and you wish to follow a Bachelor Honours Class, you can contact us at baclasses@ha.leidenuniv.nl.
3. Can master students attend a BHC?
No, the Bachelor Honours Classes are meant for bachelor's students. We offer a variety of Master Honours Challenges for master's students.
4. How many BHC’s can I attend per semester?
You can attend a maximum of two Bachelor Honours Classes per academic year. If you are admitted to two classes, you can attend both classes during a single semester or one class each semester. In order to maximise your chances to get selected, we advise you to apply for up to four classes in each application round.
Application and admission
1. When can I apply for a BHC?
There is a specific moment in each semester when students can submit their applications for the Bachelor Honours Classes: for the 1st semester classes the registration period is in August, for the 2nd semester classes the registration period is in November. You will find the most up-to-date information about the registration dates on the student website.
2. Do I need permission from the Board of Examiners to follow a BHC?
No, Bachelor Honours Classes are extracurricular classes that students attend alongside their regular study programme. Therefore, you do not need permission from the Board of Examiners to attend a Bachelor Honours Class.
3. I have not received a confirmation email. What should I do?
It is possible for the confirmation email to end up in the spam folder. If you cannot find the confirmation email in the spam folder, please send an email to baclasses@ha.leidenuniv.nl.
4. In which language should I write my motivation letter?
You must write your motivation letter in the same language as the course description in the prospectus.
5. What should the word count of my motivation letter be?
Due to the large number of applications we receive each year, it is not possible to process sizeable motivation letters. Therefore, you are allowed to use a maximum of 1000 characters (including spacing).
We advise you to carefully consider the information you include in your letter. Remember that you should make clear why you wish to attend an Honours Class and what benefit the group will have from your participation, knowledge and/or experiences.
Please note that submitting the application works best if you type your letter of motivation directly into the application. Copy/paste from a Word document doesn’t work very well.
Following admission to a Bachelor Honours Class
1. How can I register for the BHC in uSis?
The organisation of the Bachelor Honours Classes will take care of your registration for the class in uSis. Therefore, you do not need to register in uSis yourself.
2. How do I get access to the course materials for the BHC on Brightspace?
Once your enrollment in the Bachelor Honours Class is finalised in uSis, you will automatically gain access to Brightspace. Note that we take care of both your registration in uSis and your access to Brightspace.
3. I will not be able to attend one or more sessions. What should I do?
We urge you to contact the coordinator of Bachelor Honours Class (for contact details see the prospectus) as soon as possible and mention the date of and the reason(s) for your absence.
You are allowed to be absent from one session at most as long as you inform the coordinator as soon as possible about the reason of your absence (for example, an overlap in your course schedule).
When you have to be absent from more than one session, the coordinator may decide that you are no longer allowed to attend the Bachelor Honours Class.
4. I would like to disenroll. What should I do?
Bachelor Honours Classes are highly sought after and timely disenrollment allows for another student on the waiting list to be admitted.
If you wish to disenroll, you should contact the coordinator of the Bachelor Honours Class (for contact details see the Prospectus), as soon as possible. You must also inform the central organisation by sending an email to baclasses@ha.leidenuniv.nl. Do not forget to state the reason for your disenrollment.
Upon successful completion of a Bachelor Honours Class
1. Will my grade be added to my grade transcript after I successfully complete a BHC?
Honours Classes are extracurricular courses, which means that the credits cannot be used for the elective space of your regular study programme*. However, the study results of the completed Bachelor Honours Class(es) will be added to your list of grades as an extracurricular course.
* Exception: if you are an LUC student, you are allowed to submit the credits of a single Bachelor Honours Class in your elective space, subject to prior approval by the Board of Examiners of the LUC.
2. What should I do if my grade does not appear in uSis among my HC track results?
Once you have successfully completed a Bachelor Honours Class, contact your Honours College coordinator about your grade. They will know how to add your grade to your Honours College track study results.
3. Will I receive a certificate for successfully completing a BHC?
If you have successfully completed a Bachelor Honours Class (5 EC) and you are not following an Honours College track at Leiden University, your study result will automatically appear on your diploma supplement as an extracurricular activity. Upon request, you can get a Honours Class certificate via usis-ha@ha.leidenuniv.nl.
If you are following an Honours College track at Leiden University, you will not receive a certificate for the separate Bachelor Honours Class. Instead you will receive an Honours College certificate when you complete your Honours College track (30 EC).
4. I am a student at TU Delft or Erasmus University Rotterdam and I have successfully completed a BHC at Leiden University. How will my grade appear in my records at my university?
Upon successful completion of a Bachelor Honours Class, you will receive a certificate and a certified grade transcript that you can submit at the student administration of your university. With these documents, they can process your grade.