Universiteit Leiden

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Binding study advice (BSA)

As a bachelor’s student at Leiden University, you will be issued with binding study advice (BSA). This means you must obtain sufficient study credits in the first year of your bachelor’s programme to be permitted to continue studying. Some programmes also have additional requirements.

Requirements

To be issued with positive study advice, you must obtain sufficient study credits in the first year of your Bachelor’s programme.

  • Full time students: 45 EC
  • Part time students: 30 EC

Some programmes have additional requirements, for example passing a specific course. Look in your programme’s Course and Examination regulations to find out if any additional requirements are in place.

How does it work?

Study advice is issued by your study programme’s board of examiners. Your study advice will be sent to your uMail address and can also be found under the email tab in uSis Student Self Service.

First advice (non-binding) Second advice (non-binding) Binding study advice Postponement

Negative binding study advice

If you receive negative binding study advice, you must stop your studies and may not register on the same programme at Leiden University for the coming four years.

Lodging an appeal

Exceptional circumstances

Will you obtain too few study credits as the result of exceptional or personal circumstances, such as illness, a disability, or combining your studies with other responsibilities? If so, the board of examiners must take this into consideration when issuing study advise. However, you must first report your circumstances on time to your study adviser and request a statement of hindrance.

Have you not yet informed your study adviser about your circumstances? Do this right away!

Request a statement of hindrance

You can request a statement of hindrance from the BSA committee by following the steps below:

Step 1. Expert statement Step 2. Request form

Be on time

Your request for a statement of hindrance must be submitted no later than 15 July. Keep in mind that it can take some time to arrange an expert statement.

Do you have an appointment scheduled with a student counsellor after 15 July? You must still request your statement of hindrance by 15 July. Be assured that your conversation with the student counsellor will still be taken into consideration during the BSA committee's evaluation. 

What happens next?

  • The BSA committee will evaluate how and when your study performance was affected by exceptional circumstances.
  • The BSA committee will submit the statement of hindrance to the board of examiners. You will receive a copy by email.
  • The board of examiners will decide whether you can be permitted to continue studying. The board will take your exceptional circumstances into account, but may still conclude that you should have performed better despite the circumstances. Therefore, there is still a possibility that you may have to stop your studies.
  • In exceptional cases, the board of examiners may decide to postpone the issuance of binding study advice because they are not able to sufficiently assess your performance at present.  
  • You will receive the board of examiner’s decision by email by 15 August at the latest.

Questions

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