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Tolerance system

A new tolerance system

A student obtains the degree that he/she is enrolled for in the event that he/she has obtained a passing result (10/20 or above) or an exemption for every course in the curriculum. However, tolerances are possible. Students decide themselves which tolerances they apply and which they do not, within the boundaries of the following tolerance conditions:  

• Tolerance will only be granted up to a maximum of 10% of the number of study points in the programme that the student must complete to obtain the degree (i.e. the tolerance credit). For example, in the case of a master’s programme for which a student must accumulate 120 study points to obtain the degree, 12 of those study points may be taken up by courses for which the student obtained 8/20 or 9/20. 
• The student obtains a cumulative study efficiency of at least 50%.
• In the case of students who still have to obtain more than 120 study points to graduate in the Bachelor’s programme, the tolerance credit is limited to 12 study points.
• The student may only make use of the tolerance credit for minor deficits (8/20 or 9/20). A result of 7/20 will thus no longer be tolerated.
• The courses are not listed amongst the courses for which tolerance is not granted, as stipulated by the faculty at the suggestion of the competent standing educational committee.
• The spreading of the courses for which tolerance is granted complies with the criteria stipulated by the faculty at the suggestion of the competent standing educational committee;

As from this academic year, the K.U.Leuven will introduce zero tolerance for every Master’s programme or teacher training. This means that you can only graduate from a Master’s programme, an Advanced Master’s programme or a teacher training when you have passed every course unit within your programme (= 10/20 or more). As from 2010-2011 you will no longer be able to apply tolerances within these programmes.

To assist students in the choice of tolerances, a number of recommendations are communicated to them:

• Tolerable results obtained in January or June: Students are advised to re-sit the relevant exams during the September examination period to obtain passing results.
  To encourage them to this end, it is guaranteed  that in cases in which 8/20 or 9/20 has already been obtained, these results are secure within the same academic year. In this respect, the highest result obtained within the same academic year will be considered the final quota for that academic year. In this way, the student can remove deficits and increase their learning account without running the added risk of worse results. Moreover, if a passing result is obtained in September, tolerance credit will not have to be used unnecessarily.  
• Tolerable results obtained in September: Students are advised to make use of the available tolerance credit (a maximum of 10% of the study points) to the extent that this will allow the student to remain on the standard itinerary. Self-evidently, the student is free to choose not to use tolerance credit. In doing so, the student loses the guarantee of the secured tolerable result. Moreover, when the student retakes the course, the study points are subtracted from the learning account again.

Tolerances for graduating students:

If you are graduating this academic year, you have to choose whether you want to graduate with or without tolerances on the rest of your programme. If you choose to graduate with tolerances, this means you give the examination board permission to assign a tolerance for unsatisfactory marks – according to the tolerance regulation – in order to make it possible for you to graduate. If you choose to graduate without tolerances on the rest of your programme, this means you need to obtain 10/20 or more for every course in order to be able to graduate.

You need to make this choice in your study progress file.

• If you are graduating in January, you have to make this choice before the first of December.
• If you are graduating in June, you have to make this choice before the first of May.

• If you are graduating in September, you have to make this choice before the first of August.

If you make no choice, you give the examination board permission to assign tolerances for you.