General information

Academic year 2011 - 2012

Regulations on Education and Examinations

Education regulations of K.U.Leuven 2008-2009

as approved by the Academic Council on 13.05.2008 and as amended on 09.06.2008 and on 07.07.2008 and as changed on 09.09.2008

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preliminaries

TITEL I. CONCEPT DEFINITIONS

TITEL II. EDUCATION REGULATIONS

Preliminaries

These provisions are subject to the decree provisions governing higher education and the appurtenant executory provisions. The relevant texts may be accessed on www.kuleuven.be/admin/reglementen.htm.

Student queries regarding courses of study, course units, exemptions and course of study curtailment are to be submitted to the body designated by the faculty for a given course of study. Formal requests regarding exemptions, content and amendment of the student's study contract and programme of study must be made to the body designated by the faculty to the address mentioned in the course programme information documents.

For non-Belgian students who do not hold a degree delivered within the Flemish Community of Belgium or who do not hold a VWO-attestation from the Netherlands, the first port of call for any queries is the International Admissions and Mobility Unit. Further explications of definitions and consequences are to be found in the annex on international students. The instructions for applications are to be found online : www.kuleuven.be/applicationform/?js=1.

All references to people and positions within these regulations shall be to persons of both sexes.

In the case of the Kortrijk campus, the mention of 'the faculty' in these provisions means that the subfaculty is authorized to take the relevant decision.

Any departure from the present general education regulations may only be granted by the Academic Council, following a motivated request by a faculty governing body or by the Inter-Faculty Council of the Kortrijk Campus. The Academic Council shall determine the period during which the changes shall be in effect.

TITEL I.  CONCEPT DEFINITIONS

Preliminary remark : the translations of the definitions are arranged according to the (alphabetical) order in which they appear in the Dutch original.

For the purposes of applying the present education regulations and the examination regulations, the following terms shall mean the following, unless otherwise stated:

1° academic year: a period of one year which starts no earlier than 1 September and no later than 1 October, and ends on the day prior to the commencement of the next academic year. The period in question is divided into two semesters;

2° up-date programme: a programme that may be imposed on students who hold a credit certificate, another certificate of study or a certificate of aptitude that was acquired more than five calendar years previously and who wish it to count towards an as yet uncompleted course of study or another course of study;

3° graduating section: a differentiation in a programme of study that differs at least 30 study points from another differentiation in the course;

4° assessment committee: one or several central committees set up within K.U. Leuven with a view to:
- evaluating whether a student who has not obtained a secondary school certificate may nevertheless be admitted to a Bachelor's programme;
- evaluating a request to recognize previously acquired skills, in compliance with the guidelines provided by the recognition office of the K.U. Leuven association;
- evaluating a request to be admitted to a personalized study itinerary;
- evaluating the investigation into requests for a third enrolment for the same year in a programme of study or course unit (or a second enrolment for students from a country not belonging to the European Economic Area);
- evaluating whether a student who is the holder of a foreign degree but is unable, in keeping with Section 2.7 of the present provisions, to provide evidence to support it may be admitted to the university;

5° K.U.Leuven Association: assocation between K.U.Leuven and non-university higher-education establishments of the Flemish Community of Belgium. The composition of the association and a description of the bodies and areas of application involved can be found at associatie.kuleuven.be;

6° certificate of continuous education: attendance certificate proving that the holder took part in a continuous education activity without however subsequent assessment or examination;

7° aptitude inquiry: inquiry into an individual's skills with a view to delivering a certificate of aptitude;

8° deliberation: meeting of:
- either a select examination committee which ascertains the accuracy of the examination results at the end of the first examination period;
- or an examination committee which for a given year in a programme of study determines whether the student has passed, or which determines the final result for an entire course of study.
There can also be an ad hoc deliberation in the event of disputes in respect of a given examination result;

9° certificate of aptitude: proof that a student has, consequent to past experience, training or qualifications, acquired the skills corresponding to the level of Bachelor in higher vocational education or academic education, to Master's level, or to a well-defined course of study, course unit or cluster of course units. This certificate is delivered by a recognition body and consists of a paper document or data base record;

10° continuous education certificate: a document proving that someone has passed an assessment exercise or examination on a continuous education activity;

11° credit certificate: recognition of the fact that a student at K.U.Leuven or another higher education institution has acquired the competencies appurtenant to a course unit on the grounds of an examination. This recognition shall be set forth in a paper document or data base record. The study points acquired in respect of the relevant course unit shall be referred to as 'credits';

12° credit contract: an accession convention entered into between and among K.U.Leuven and the student enrolling with a view to obtaining a credit certificate for one or several coçurse units;

13° differentiation between courses of study: distinction between courses of study in the form of:

a) separate graduating sections, mentioned on the degree;

b) options or major-minor combinations, which may be mentioned on the degree supplement;

14° degree: the document which is delivered to the student who has passed the entire course of study at the end of a Bachelor's or Master's programme and in which the main identification data of the student and the course are included;

15° degree supplement: the document drawn up in compliance with European standards which contains the special features of the course of study and the study results that are not mentioned in the degree; this document, more particularly, contains the credit certificates obtained by the students who have passed;

16° degree contract: an accession convention, entered into between and among K.U.Leuven and the student who enrols with a view to obtaining a degree or course certificate;

17° doctoral programme: a specific itinerary which, in principle, is mandatory for all doctoral students;

18° European Economic Area: cooperation association between European countries, it is made up of the European Union (for the composition see europa.eu.int/abc/index_en.htm), Liechtenstein , Norway and Iceland ;

19° European Higher Education Area: cooperation between European and non-European countries with a view to establishing a transparent higher education system; for a list of participating countries, see www.bologna-bergen2005.no/;

20° assessment: any kind of evaluation over a period of time assessing whether the student has acquired the skills required for a course unit;

21° PAS: a "previously acquired skill", i.e. all the knowledge, insight, skills and aptitudes acquired by means of learning processes that have not resulted in a certificate of study;

22° PAQ: a "previously acquired qualification", i.e. any national or foreign study certificate indicating that a formal course of learning, whether within regular education or not, has been successfully completed, with the exception of credit certificates obtained within a KUL course for which the qualification is submitted;

23° examination: evaluation aimed at verifying whether following study the student has acquired the skills connected with a course unit. An examination may consist of an assessment at a particular moment in time, or may be spread over time such as is the case in internships or the various forms of continuous assessment;

24° examination contract: an accession convention contract, entered into between K.U. Leuven and the student registering to participate in an examination with a view to obtaining:

a) a course degree or certificate, or

b) a credit certificate for one or more course units;

25° examination period: a period at the end of a semester or in August-September specifically designated for organizing examinations;

26° personalized study itinerary: a programme deviating from the full time or part time model itinerary that may be granted to a student following a well-founded request;

27° degree: designation of Bachelor, Master, or Doctor granted at the end of a successfully completed course of study;

28° level of achievement: special mention granted at the end of a Bachelor's or Master's programme;

28° bis part of yearly programme : all the requisites that have to be fulfilled during one academic year by a student following a course with a reduction in study load and which has been split up in two (or more) parts;

29° qualification of the degree: part of a course name indicating the specific orientation of a course of study;

29° bis learning credit: credit granted by the Flemish government, expressed in credits, to achieve one or more study programmes;

30° Master's test: final project completing a Master's programme;

31° model itinerary: a typical study itinerary comprising a course programme compiled for a course of study in which compulsory and optional selections clarify how a student is able to obtain a given course degree within a specified duration. In particular, the model itinerary provides details regarding the division into programme of study years; there are full time and part time model itineraries (cf. 1.2.2. of the education regulations);

32° educational activity: subdivision of a course unit in terms of a specific coherent group of educational and learning activities, and the number of study points to be earned in each;

33° course or programme: education structure unit. If completed successfully, it culminates in a degree, diploma or certificate;

34° course features: elements serving to mark off a course profile, especially:
a) the qualification of the degree and the possible specification of the degree;
b) the graduating section or another form of differentiation;
c) study load;
d) the institution where the course of study is organized;

35° course unit: a delineated set of educational, learning and examination activities aimed at acquiring well-defined competencies in terms of knowledge, insight, skills and attitudes. A course unit shall comprise at least three whole study points and leads to one separate assessment mark at the deliberations of the examiners' meeting;

36° standing educational committee: the committee entrusted with developing and monitoring one or more course of study and made up of members of the academic staff and representatives from the student body, possibly added with alumni;

37° continuous education: (usually) limited programmes of study aimed at updating scientific knowledge and skills;

38° postgraduate course: continuous education course in which a coherent entity of at least 20 study points is offered;

39° postgraduate certificate: document proving that that holder has passed the examination of a postgraduate course;

40° programme director: the chairperson of a standing educational committee;

41° programme guide: the entire body of education regulations and examination regulations supplemented with specific course information. These data can be accessed in their entirety on www.kuleuven.be/onderwijs/aanbod/index.htm;

42° programme of study year: all the demands in terms of course units with which a student must comply in accordance with a model or personalized itinerary for each set of 54 to 66 study points;

43° Council of Europe: cooperation association between the countries of Europe and other specific partners with a view to protecting certain rights of their citizens. The composition can be found on www.coe.int/T/NL/Com/About_COE/Member_states/default.asp;

44° transitional programme: a programme imposed on a student wishing to enrol in a Master's programme on the basis of a Bachelor's degree delivered in vocational higher education. The programme is intended to provide general scientific competencies and scientific-disciplinary basic knowledge as referred to in Article 58, par. 2, subsection 2 of the Decree dated 4 April 2003 governing the restructuring of higher education in Flanders . The programme generally includes between 45 and 90 study points;

45° specification: the part of a course name consisting of the addition of "of Arts" or "of Science";

46° tuition fees: the amount payable by students in order to participate in educational and learning activities and/or examinations;

47° study load: the number of study points awarded to a course, course unit or educational and learning activities thereof;

48° study point: an international unit accepted within the Flemish-speaking Community of Belgium which corresponds to a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 30 hours of prescribed educational, learning and examination activities and in which the study load of each course or course unit is expressed. Only whole study points are awarded;

49° study itinerary: the way in which the study is arranged in a model itinerary or a personalized itinerary within a degree contract or an examination contract with a view to obtaining a degree.

50° syllabus: an ECTS-compliant concise description of the main elements in a course unit (objectives, examination, load, etc.);

51° accession convention: agreement between K.U.Leuven and individual students in which the rights and duties of both parties are determined. The agreement is entered into upon enrolment by the student in one of the following types: degree contract, credit contract or examination contract;

52° advance course units: course units taken from (part of) a higher programme of study year of the same course or a complementary course;

53° order of enrolment: the order in which students are allowed to enrol in course units depending on whether they have taken or either successfully completed one or more other course units.

54° model itinerary: type of model itinerary in which one specific itinerary is elaborated by way of example;

55° preparatory programme: a programme that may be imposed on students who do not hold an academic Bachelor's or Master's degree which allows direct access to the Master's programme in which they wish to enrol;

56° exemption: the removal of the obligation to sit an examination on a course unit or part thereof on the grounds of a credit certificate, another study certificate or a certificate of aptitude. For this course unit or part thereof, no examination mark is taken into account when determining whether the student in question has passed the programme of study year or an entire course of study, nor in order to grant a level of achievement.

TITEL II. EDUCATION REGULATIONS

Section 1. Accession Conventions

1.1. Degree Contract, Credit Contract and Examination Contract

1.1.1. Options

When enrolling, students register for one or more types of the contracts below:

1° a degree contract with a view to obtaining a degree;

2° a credit contract with a view to obtaining a credit certificate for one or more course units;

3° an examination contract on the conditions set forth in 1.1.4, exclusively with a view to sitting examinations to obtain a degree or a credit certificate for one or more course units.

The choice of a given type of agreement is made definitive by registration. It can only be altered at the times determined in section 1.3 and on the conditions set forth therein. The accession convention is fleshed out in accordance with the provisions set forth in the present education regulations.

1.1.2. Degree contract

In the case of a degree contract students register on the grounds of the following elements of the education regulations and the examination regulations:

1° the degree the student wishes to obtain and the objectives of the programme of study as set out in section 4.1.;

2° the study load of the course as set forth in section 4.3.;

3° the course units that may or must be included in the course itinerary, as well as the study load and order of enrolment of these course units as set forth in section 4.3.;

4° the period in time to which the enrolment applies (academic year, calendar year, semester, etc.) pursuant to section 3;

5° the conditions for obtaining a credit certificate for each course unit, as set forth in section 5.2.;

6° if applicable, the reduction in study load for the entire course or course units or components thereof as a result of exemptions;

7° the number of examinations for each course unit as set forth in the examination regulations;

8° the examination and deliberation regulations as set forth in the examination regulations;

9° the possible measures of study progress supervision as set forth in section 5.6.;

10° the binding conditions regarding study progress supervision as set forth in section 5.6.

Students also register for a degree contract if they can provide certificates of aptitude which in their view entitles them to exemptions for all course units within a given course of study. Students must submit an application for exemptions to the body designated by the faculty, and, following approval shall receive the corresponding degree. If their request is rejected, it shall be decided, in keeping with the first subsection of 1.1.2, which units they should take in order to obtain the degree.

1.1.3. Credit Contract

A credit contract involves students' registering on the grounds of the following elements of the education regulations and the examination regulations:

1° the course unit(s) for which the student wishes to obtain a credit certificate;

2° the study load of the course unit(s) as set forth in section 4.3.;

3° the admission requirements for enrolling in the course unit(s) as set forth in section 2.5.;

4° the period to which the enrolment applies (academic year, calendar year, semester, etc.) in accordance with section 3;

5° the conditions to obtain a credit certificate in each course unit, as set forth in section 5.2.;

6° if applicable, the study load reduction of parts of course units as a result of exemptions;

7° the number of examinations to be sat for each course unit, as set forth in the examination regulations.

8° the K.U. Leuven examination regulations;

9° the possible measures of study progress supervision as set forth in section 5.6.;

10° the binding conditions in regard to study progress supervision as set forth in section 5.6.

In their additional regulations, faculties can make the possibility of enrolment in the form of a credit contract dependent on an order of enrolment.

1.1.4. Examination Contract

An examination contract is subject to the rules set out in 1.1.2. when a student registers with a view to obtaining a degree; however, if a student registers with a view to obtaining a credit certificate for one or more course units, the contract is governed by the rules mentioned in 1.1.3.

When taking this option, students are only entitled to sit examinations and cannot receive any support from the university. Students are excluded from using any other supporting facilities, and shall not be allowed to use Toledo unless he has paid for the right of use an amount of 50 Euro (lump sum for one academic year).

Students with an examination contract do not have student status, and thus do not enjoy the legal provisions normally concomitant with this status (child benefits, study grants, etc.). For more information, consult student services on www.kuleuven.be/sociale_dienst/.

In their education regulations the faculties shall set forth which course units are not available for an examination contract in view of the fact that they require intense supervision.

1.2. Model Itinerary and Personalized Itinerary

1.2.1. Types of study itinerary

A study itinerary determines the requirements for taking a programme of study within a degree contract or examination contract with a view to obtaining a degree. This in any case includes the course units, study load, examination and deliberation regulations and study progress supervision.

A study itinerary comes in the guise of:

- a model itinerary for an abstract group of students;

- a personalized itinerary for a particular student.

1.2.2. Model itinerary

A model itinerary is a prototype of a study itinerary in which a study programme for a course is defined taking into account corer courses and electives and the presumed time to obtain a degree.

A model itinerary can be full time or part time:
- in a full-time study itinerary, students take up at least 54 credits (exemptions and already obtained credits included) and no more than 66 study points in a given academic year; all Bachelor's and Master's programmes at K.U.Leuven are offered on both a full-time basis, with the exception of some post-Master's Master's programmes which are only run on a part-time basis;
- in a part-time study itinerary, students take up a reduced programme. All Bachelor’s and Master’s programmes at K.U. Leuven are offered in at least part time form. Some post-Mater’s Master’s programmes are only run on a part-time basis. at least 3 and no more than 53 study points in a given academic year. The faculties decide what will be the spreading of the part-time trajectories: more information is to be found in the programme guide. In any case a possible spread between 25 and 35 credits is organised.

1.2.3. Personalized itinerary

All students follow a full-time or part time model intinerary unless they have been granted the permission to take up a personalized itinerary.

A personalized itinerary may be granted by a central assessment committee to:

1° students who started out with a model itinerary but are considerably running behind and as a result decide to request a personalized itinerary;

2° students who may invoke exceptional personal circumstances. This applies to, among others, students with a serious disability, for serious medical grounds, recognized top athletes or artists;

3° students who, on the basis of PAS and PAQ have acquired a large number of exemptions;

4° students in full-time employment or those combining two full-time programmes of study;

5° students who on the grounds of exceptional ability can prove that they are able to go through their course of study in a shorter period than the normal student.
The personalized itinerary under 2° must be distinguished from the possibility of spreading examinations as described in Article 49 of the examination regulations.

Students wishing to follow a personalized itinerary must submit a well-founded request to the central assessment committee through the Educational Policy Unit, Krakenstraat 3, 3000 Leuven. This commission will then examine the grounds for a personalized itinerary and decide whether the student meets the formal requirements. The body designated by the faculty shall thereafter define the composition of the study programme, study duration and study progress supervision for the student.  

1.2.4. Right of Appeal

Students may submit a well-founded appeal, in writing, to the Vice-President for Student Affairs within five calendar days following written notification of the decision not to grant a personalized itinerary. The Vice-President for Student Affairs shall, no later than 15 days following the reception of the appeal, notify the student in writing of the final decision, which must be well-founded.

1.3 Amendment of the Study Contract

1.3.1. Amendments at the Student's Request

1.3.1.1. Amendment of the type of contract

At the end of the first semester, students may request that the type of study contract be altered as set forth in section 1.1. To this end, the student must submit a well-founded request to the body designated by the faculty. Changes shall only be allowed following approval by the body designated by the faculty. For changes in study contract, the enrolment and related mentions in accordance with section 1.1 shall be modified. Any tuition fees already paid shall be taken into account at the time the transfer is effected.

1.3.1.2. Amendment to the content of the contract

Taking into account the rules set forth for the composition of the programme of study for individual students as determined in 5.1.1. of these regulations, a student may only request a change in the content of a study contract until at the latest :
- 15 November with regard to the first semester;
- 28 February with regard to the second semester.
This requires a well-founded request to be submitted to body designated by the faculty. The change may be related to:
a) the transition between a personalized itinerary and a model itinerary;
b) the transition between a full-time and a part-time itinerary;
c) an adjustment of the time schedule of a personalized itinerary;
d) a change in the composition of the course unit package within a model itinerary, a personalized itinerary or a credit contract.

Amendment is possible following approval by the body designated by the faculty.

In order to establish the learning credit of a student a decision is taken at the latest on 1 December with regard to the first semester, at the latest 15 March with regard to the second semester.

After the deadline, changes will only exceptionally be granted following a well-founded request.

For changes in connection with d), see section 5.1.

1.3.1.3. Changing courses

Students wishing to change courses during the academic year may do so provided they receive permission from the body designated by the faculty of the new course of study in which they wish to enrol.

If the student wishes to change courses during the first semester and no examinations have been taken, the student administration will simply change his registration. The registration for course units from the old course programme will be annihilated.

If there are already examination results in the old course programme, the student will be transferred on a full-time basis to the new course programme without annihilation of the results and the costs for these course units. The registration for course units spread out over the year and the ones planned for the second semester will be annihilated. The calculus for the registration fee will be established on the joint course units.

The student can include in the programme of study of the new course and take exams of course units belonging to the second semester. He is also allowed to include course units belonging to the first semester or spread out over the whole academic year for which he already registered in the first course and which belong to the new course. Exams will be possible in the second and third examination period for course units spread out over the whole academic year and in the third examination period for course units belonging to the first semester.

The individual programme of study can only with formal agreement of the faculty be completed with :
- with the aim of taking up exams in the second examination period course units spread out over the whole academic year inasfar as no prior examinations have been organised;
- with the aim of taking up exams in the third examination period course units for which the student wants to take up exams at his own risk although not having been taking part in courses wholly or partially.

Students that change courses after the first semester and come from outside the university will be registered on a part-time basis.

1.3.1.4. Appeal

Students may submit a well-founded appeal, in writing, to the Vice-President for Student Affairs within five calendar days following written notification of decisions regarding changes in type or content of a study contract or changes in course of study. The Vice-President for Student Affairs shall, no later than 15 days following the reception of the appeal, notify the student in writing of the final decision, which must be well-founded.

1.3.2. Changes in Programmes Offered by the University

Changes in the programmes on offer by the university shall, except in cases of force majeure, not come into effect, as far as the existing accession conventions are concerned, before the start of the academic year that follows the one in which the change has been approved. The university shall make sure that appropriate transitional provisions are in place. However, these do not rule out immediate effect of a programme reform.

Section 2. Admission Conditions

2.1. Provisions Applicable to all Courses and Course Units

2.1.1. General Provisions

In order to be admitted to a course of study at K.U. Leuven the student must in any case meet the decree conditions and the additions provided below. These conditions must be complied with at the start of the academic year. In exceptional circumstances, a candidate student may be given until the start of the first examination period in order to meet the admission conditions. If by this time s/he is still unable to do so, their enrolment shall be scrapped.

The same deadlines shall apply for an examination contract.

The specific degree conditions for each course of study are mentioned in the programme guide.

In order to be admitted to a course of study the student must still have a sufficient learning credit. In accordance with the stipulations of chapter 5.6 (study progress measures) deviations may be granted. When a student acquires a Bachelor’s degree without having a sufficient learning credit to start a Master’s degree programme, admission is granted. In those cases where admission is granted without a sufficient or without a remaining learning credit, the admission fee will be increased to the maximum determined by the Flemish decree pro rata of the insufficiency. On the basis of a well founded individual request the Director of the Student administration may grant exemptions.

2.1.2 Language Conditions

For courses or course units in which Dutch is not the medium of instruction, the language demands are set forth in the education regulations of the course in question, as set forth in the programme guide.

2.2. Admission Conditions for a Bachelor's Programme

2.2.1. General Degree Conditions for a First Enrolment in a First Year of Bachelor

In order to gain admission to a Bachelor's programme students must hold the following:

a) a Belgian degree of secondary education;
b) a Belgian degree of short-course higher education;
c) a Belgian degree of higher education for social advancement, with the exception of the certificate of pedagogic aptitude;
d) a diploma or certificate which, pursuant to a law, Decree or European guideline or another international agreement is deemed equivalent to the certificates mentioned in the above categories.

2.2.2. Specific Admission Conditions

2.2.2.1. Candidate students who do not hold any of the above-mentioned qualifications may be admitted to a Bachelor's programme on condition that they have reached or will reach the age of 21 in the course of the academic year in which they have enrolled. In addition, a minimum of two years must have elapsed between the end of their last school year in secondary education and the start of the academic year in which they enrol. These conditions may be departed from if the candidate proves to have outstanding capabilities. Requests can be introduced before June 1st or September 1st of the academic year in which they want to enrol for the first time. The commission takes its decision at the latest for the beginning of the academic year concerned.

Belgian and Dutch candidates must submit a request to the Head of the Student Administration, Naamsestraat 22, 3000 Leuven in order to be admitted to the university with mention of the course to which they wish to be admitted. K.U.Leuven shall examine through its assessment commission whether the candidate possesses the average level of ability of the incoming students in the academic Bachelor's programme. The investigation is based on a portfolio to be compiled by the candidate.

Each institution of the K.U. Leuven association shall abide by the decision taken in the framework of the assessment procedure for admission to a similar course or programme.

2.2.2.2. Enrolment in a medicine or dentistry course is subject to an entrance examination organized by the Flemish-speaking Community of Belgium.

2.3. Conditions of Admission to a Master's Programme or a 'taught-out' advanced academic course of study

2.3.1. General Admission Conditions

The general admission condition for a Master's programme is the holding of :
a) an academic Bachelor's programme or a degree deemed to be equivalent to this on part of a second cycle in a 'taught-out' course of study (licentiate, civil engineering, etc.);
b) a Master's degree or a degree deemed equivalent to this of a second cycle of an old, 'taught-out' course of study (licentiate, civil engineering, medicine) for admission to a post-Master's Master's programmes.

The general condition of admission to a 'taught-out' advanced academic course of study is the fact of holding a degree of a 'taught-out' second-cycle course of study (licentiate, civil engineering, pharmacy, medicine, bio-engineering) that grants access to it, or a Master's degree that is deemed equivalent to it.

Furthermore, enrolment in post-Master's Master's programmes and 'taught-out' advanced academic courses of study may be subject to an aptitude investigation.

With the aim of a fluid transition between courses, the body designated by the faculty can decide that a student has to take up a modified Master’s programme instead of a preparatory programme. This modified Master’s programme can include course units from a programme that gives direct access to the Master’s programme for a total not surpassing the number of exemptions given and the maximum study load corresponding with it.

2.3.2. Additional Admission Possibilities on the Basis of a Transitional or Preparatory Programme

Holders of a Bachelor's degree from higher vocational education may be admitted to an academic Master's programme following the successful completion of a transitional programme, as set forth in 4.1.6.

Holders of an academic Bachelor's degree that does not grant direct access to a particular Master's programme, or holders of a Master's degree that does not grant direct access to a given post-Master's Master's programme may be admitted to the Master's programme following the successful completion of a specific preparatory programme, as described in 4.1.5.

The programme guide mentions the transitional and preparatory programmes that are organized for which programmes.

2.4. Specific Conditions for Admission to Other Courses of Study

2.4.1. Bachelor and Master Degree Programmes with reduced study load

Students who already hold a Bachelor' degree (vocational or academic) may be admitted to another Bachelor's programme, possibly with a reduced study load.

Students who already hold a degree of a taught Master's programme or a final degree under the old system (licentiate, civil engineering, etc.) may be admitted to a Bachelor's programme or a taught Master's programme, possibly with a reduced study load.

Students who already hold a post-Master's Master's degree or a final degree of an advanced academic course of study may be admitted to a Bachelor's programme or a taught Master's programme or a post-Master's Master's programme with a reduced study load.

If the programme guide for holders of certain degrees and certificates explicitly mentions a shortened itinerary, students may enrol for these with the student secretariat. In cases where students believe they are entitled to a shortened itinerary without this being explicitly set forth in the programme guide, they should submit a request for a shortened itinerary to the body designated by the faculty .

Holders of degrees and certificates other than those mentioned which may be deemed equivalent to the degrees and certificates described above should in any case submit a request to the body designated by the faculty.

2.4.2. Specific Teacher Training Course

The teacher training course may be followed after having obtained a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree (or an equivalent second-cycle degree). Students may also be admitted to a specific teacher training course on the grounds of a degree of Candidate or professional Bachelor on condition that they are also enrolled in a transitional programme and/or a Master's programme.

A student can register directly for a graduating section of the teacher training course complimentary to the basic course of study (bachelor’s and master’s course taken together). As complimentary are considered :
the basic courses consisting of at least 40 credits related with the course didactics of the graduating section. This minimum consists of 60 credits for the teacher training programmes of Languages.
For non-complimentary teacher training courses the student can request permission with a well founded request to the programme director of the teacher training programme.

2.4.3. Postgraduate Courses and other Continuous Education Courses

In order to gain admittance to a postgraduate course, the student must in any case hold a Bachelor's or Master's degree or a degree deemed equivalent. For additional admission requirements the programme guide or specific course information must be consulted.

The conditions of admission for the continuous education courses are at the discretion of the organizers.

2.4.4. Doctorate and Doctoral Programmes

In order to be admitted to the doctorate or doctoral programme students must at least hold a Belgian Master's degree or an equivalent Belgian or foreign degree.

Additional rules are included in the specific regulations governing doctoral admissions set forth by each faculty

2.4.5. Transitional and Preparatory Programmes

The conditions for admission to transitional and preparatory programmes are described in 4.1.5 and 4.1.6.

2.5. Admission Conditions for Credit Contracts and Examination Contracts

The person responsible appointed by the body designated by the faculty can determine that certain course units may not be followed in the form of a credit contract because the order of enrolment determined in the additional faculty regulations has not been met.

The person responsible appointed by the body designated by the faculty shall decide which courses or course units may not be followed in the form of an examination contract because of the specific types of supervision and guidance they require.

Exceptionally the body disignated by the faculty can grant permission to register for a credit contract or examination contract with the purpose of obtaining credits to a student not fulfilling the requirements to register for a course to which the course unit pertains.

Section 3 : Enrolment Regulations and Tuition Fees

3.1. Enrolment Regulations

3.1.1. Enrolment involves entering into an agreement
By enrolling in K.U.Leuven, an agreement is entered into which involves rights and duties for both parties. Students may, subject to special provisions governing the examination contract, use the facilities offered by the university, both for their studies and ancillary services such as study counselling, accommodation, meals, social and medical services. The rights and duties are further discussed in section 6.1.

3.1.2. Term of the Agreement
Except for specific provisions relating to a specific course of study or contract, a student shall be deemed to enrol for the period of one academic year.

3.1.3. Time of Enrolment
A student shall preferably enrol prior to the beginning of the academic year and no later than 15 October for a degree contract or an examination contract with the purpose of obtaining a degree of a course of study in which the programme year coincides with an academic year, or not later than three weeks after the start of the course if it involves courses subject to another schedule.

Students shall preferably enrol prior to the beginning of the academic year and no later than 15 October for a credit contract or an examination contract with a view to obtaining a credit certificate for those course units that are organized in the first semester or throughout the entire academic year, and no later than 28 February for course units that are organized only in the second semester.

Except for students with an examination contract (cf. Section 6.1.6.1.), students enrolling prior to the start of the academic year shall have access to all facilities on time. Students failing to do so will only enjoy the facilities and services once they have officially enrolled.

In order to facilitate enrolment and avoid long waiting times, Belgian students who hold a Belgian degree may, for a first enrolment at K.U. Leuven, apply and enrol on the spot. The application takes place via Internet but does not grant the applicant any rights. Enrolment must be done in person in the 'Universiteitshal'.

All subsequent enrolments are done entirely via the Internet, with changes being made by the Student secretariat.

More information on the enrolment procedures may be found on the web site of the Student secretariat on: www.kuleuven.be/studentenadministratie/.

3.1.4. Specific required permission for admission
On behalf of the central assessment commission and through the services indicated hereafter a specific permission is required for:
a) students coming from the European Economic Area wishing to register for the third time for a programme year of the same level or who failed two academic years for the same course unit as stated in 5.6 of these regulations, through the head of the student administration;
b) students wishing to enrol after the deadline through the head of the student administration for students from the European Economic Area;
c) students wishing to enrol in a personalized programme, as stipulated in 1.2.3 of these regulations, through the Educational Policy Unit.

3.1.5. Special conditions for credit contracts and examination contracts with a view to obtaining individual credit certificates
Enrolments for a credit contract or an examination contract with a view to acquiring individual credit certificates can only be done following permission by the faculty organizing the course unit in question.

3.1.6. Information sessions
At the start of the academic year, the faculties organize information sessions for students enrolling for the first time in a Bachelor's programme.

3.2. Tuition Fees

3.2.1. General

The tuition fees also include examination fees and entry into the K.U. Leuven collective accident insurance scheme (except for students with an examination contract). Students are free to join the collective private-life civil liability insurance scheme. More information on this can be found on the following web page: www.kuleuven.be/sociale_dienst.

When students enrol at the beginning of the academic year they are deemed to enrol for a full-time study itinerary, unless they enrol for a part-time itinerary or individual credits, or unless they only enrol for a preparatory or transitional programme.

Students shall pay tuition fees as full-time students unless they enrolled as part-time students. In the course of the academic year the tuition fees are adjusted on the basis of the programme of study actually taken by the student. If this should give rise to a balance:
- to the advantage of the student, the moneys owed to him/her shall be paid into the bank account number given by them as soon as possible;
- to the advantage of K.U.Leuven, the student is advised to make an additional payment and shall retain his/her rights in any case until the time of expiry mentioned in the notice.
For part-time students, the tuition fees at the start of the academic year are fixed at 30 study points.
In the case of a credit contract, the tuition fees are calculated in accordance with the commitments entered into.

The various categories of tuition fees mentioned in the next sections are the fees fixed for the 2008-2009 academic year on the basis of the programme of study actually taken by the students.

Fees for 2008-2009 are to be found on www.kuleuven.be/inschrijvingen. According to the agreements in the association and between universities and observing the legal stipulations they can be adapted without having to adapt the complete regulations.

3.2.2. Tuition fees for degree contracts, examination contracts and credit contracts

3.2.2.1. Tuition fees for degree and credit contracts

Basic principles underlying the calculation of the tuition fees for the 2008-2009 academic year

1. Students may enrol in one or several courses of study and in one or several course units in one and the same academic year.
There are various possible combinations:
- enrolment in a Bachelor's programme and a Master's programme;
- enrolment in a preparatory programme and a Master's programme;
- enrolment in a transitional programme and a Master's programme;
- enrolment in two different Bachelor's and/or Master's programmes;
- enrolment in a course of study and in one or several course units;
- enrolment in a Master's programme and a specific teacher training course.

For the purposes of calculating the tuition fees, all enrolments of a student within a degree and/or credit contract in the same academic year within K.U.Leuven shall be regarded as one enrolment (for exceptions see par. 2 and 3). In other words, 'enrolment' is viewed here as an enrolment in one or more courses of study and/or in one or several course units within a degree and/or credit contract.

In all these cases, the tuition fees are composed of:
- a one-off lump sum of 58,8 Euros which is payable once;
- a variable part of 8,0 Euros for each credit taken up.

For the calculation of the variable part, all study points included by students in their various enrolments (with the exception of the cases described under 2. and 3. below) are added up.

Each time increased tuition fees are requested, students pay the fixed sum of 58,8 Euros. The remainder of the tuition fees determined subsequently is the variable part for a batch of 60 study points for each academic year. A student who takes up fewer of more study points, pays the variable tuition fees in the same proportion as the number of study points they take relates to 60, providing that the sum for a student taking at least 54 and no more than 66 study points is fixed on the basis of the amount that corresponds to an enrolment for 60 study points.

2. Enrolments in the following courses of study are always considered separate enrolments:
- enrolments in postgraduate (academic) courses;
- post-Master's Master's programmes;
- doctorates.

3. Enrolments of grant tariff students on a grant shall also be viewed as separate enrolments.
The provisions governing students on a grant tariff shall not apply to the post-Master's Master's programmes and the postgraduate (academic) courses. This implies that when students on a grant tariff enrol in a Bachelor's or Master's programme as well as in a post-Master's Master's programme, the tuition fees for the first programme pay are subject to the provisions relating to students on a grant tariff, whereas the tuition fees for the post-Master's Master's programme shall be subject to the provisions appurtenant to these programmes.

4. Partial exemptions for a course unit do not give rise to a reduction in tuition fees. The student must still enrol in course units subject to partial exemptions.

5. If the calculation method described below results in fractions, the amount shall be rounded off in accordance with the following principles: less than 0,05 Euro: 0,0 Euro; 0,05 Euro or more: 0,1 Euro).

3.2.2.2. Tuition fees in the case of examination contracts

Students may enrol in one or several courses and/or one or several course units in the same academic year.
There are various possible combinations:
- enrolment in a Bachelor's programme and a Master's programme;
- enrolment in a preparatory programme and a Master's programme;
- enrolment in a transitional programme and a Master's programme;
- enrolment in two different Bachelor's and/or Master's programmes;
- enrolment in a course of study and in one or several course units;
- enrolment in a Master's programme and a specific teacher training course.

An examination contract always results in a separate enrolment.
For the purpose of calculating the tuition fees all enrolments of a given student under examination contract in the same academic year within K.U. Leuven shall be regarded as one enrolment (for exceptions see par. 2 en 3). In other words, 'enrolment' is used here in the sense of an enrolment in one or several courses of study and/or in one or several course units under an examination contract.

In all these cases, the tuition fees are composed of:
- a fixed part of 53,5 Euros and
- a variable part amounting to 3,2 Euros for each study point.

3.2.2.3. The tuition fees in a combination of an enrolment under an examination contract and degree and/or credit contract

Students who simultaneously enrol under a degree and/or credit contract and under an examination contract have to pay
a) if the amount of credits is lower than 54:
- the fixed part for the degree or credit contract (58,8 Euro) and the fixed part for the examination contract (53,5 Euro);
- a variable part amounting to 8,0 Euro for each credit enrolled under a degree or credit contract and 3,2 Euro for each credit enrolled under an examination contract;
b) if the amount of credits is 54 or higher:
- a fixed tuition fee for the degree and/or credit contract of 540,0 Euros for students without a grant and 317,3 Euros for near grant students;
- a fixed sum of 53,5 Euros for the examination contract;
- a variable part amounting to 3,2 Euros for each credit for which the student has enrolled under an examination contract.

3.2.3. Tuition fees for advanced academic courses and post-Master's Master's programmes with higher tuition fees

The list of courses and programmes required to set higher tuition fees, pursuant to section 3.2.2.1, can be found on the following website: www.kuleuven.be/inschrijvingen/studiegelden/verhoogde.

Students enrolling in the same year of a programme of study for the second time must pay increased tuition fees for the course units they have to repeat.

3.2.4. Rules applicable to postgraduate courses and other continuous education itineraries

For postgraduate courses the tuition fees are determined for each course. This information can be found in the programme guide together with details on the relevant course.

For other continuous education itineraries that deliver a certificate students have to enrol centrally.

3.2.5. Non-payment, removal from the register and changing courses

Anyone who following a reminder is found not to pay the tuition fees prior to the deadline shall have his enrolment suspended and is therefore not entitled to participate in the remainder of the examinations. The student will only be re-enrolled after payment of the amounts due for the already completed period, and study certificates shall not be delivered until they have been paid in full in accordance with article 13 of the examination regulations.

The regulations pertaining to removal from the register, any repayment of tuition fees and switching courses can be found at www.kuleuven.be/inschrijvingen. Students who terminate their studies should in any case discuss the matter with Social Services of the Department of Student Affairs (www.kuleuven.be/sociale_dienst).

3.2.2.4. Tuition fees for students of secundary schools registering for a credit contract

Students following the last year of secondary education that wish to enroll for a credit contract up to maximum 10 study points, pay 50% of the tuition fee of a grant tariff student.

Section 4. Structure of the courses

4.1. Courses and Programmes: Availability and Structure

4.1.1.  Range of courses on offer at K.U.Leuven

K.U.Leuven offers Bachelor's and Master's programmes, preparatory and transitional programmes, specific teacher training courses, postgraduate courses, other continuous education courses and doctoral programmes.

At least one model itinerary, and sometimes at least one sample itinerary, have been drawn up for each course or programme.

4.1.2. Course and programme year

A course of study consists of a structured set of course units. The minimum study load of a course unit is 3 study points.

A programme year encompasses all the course requirements students have to meet.

- For each programme year, 54 to 66 study points are scheduled, with an average of 60 study points per programme year.
- In principle, no more than 10 course units are scheduled for each programme year. The number of assessment activities (examinations) should not be much higher than the number of course units.

4.1.3. Bachelor's and Master's programmes

- The study load of a Bachelor's programme amounts to 180 study points, spread over three programme years.
- The study load of a Master's programme amounts to 60 study points, or a multiple thereof. A Master's programme with a study load of more than 60 study points is spread over several programme years.

4.1.4. Courses of study with reduction in study load

Some courses of study offer alternatively structured Bachelor's and Master's programmes with a reduction in study load to students who already hold another degree. More detailed information about these courses and the way in which they are spread over time can be found in the programme guide if it involves a course that is frequently taken.

De faculteit kan beslissen dat een opleiding van meer dan 66 studiepunten gesplitst wordt in twee (of meer) jaardelen. In dat geval kan de faculteit beslissen dat na elk jaardeel beraadslaagd wordt over dat deel.

Students may obtain a Bachelor's or Master's degree which they already hold on condition that take up a programme which differs from the first course by at least 30 study points.

4.1.5. Transitional programmes

In the case of some taught Master's programmes, a transitional programme is organized for graduates of certain vocational Bachelor's programmes. This transitional programme may be taken prior to, or simultaneous with, the first programme year of the relevant Master's programme. The programme guide includes details on the courses for which transitional programmes are organized.

The faculty can decide that a course consisting of more than 66 credits can be divided into two (or more) yearly programmes. In that case the faculty can decide that a deliberation takes place on the basis of each yearly programme separately.

Students may be admitted to a transitional programme if they hold a vocational Bachelor's degree or if they need to complete only a limited part of the course in order to obtain the said degree.

In principle, the study load of a transitional programme amounts to at least 45 and no more than 90 study points.

Prior to enrolment in a transitional programme, the body designated by the faculty may require an aptitude inquiry with a view to ascertaining whether the student in question possesses the general scientific skills and basic knowledge required for the academic Bachelor's programme which allows direct access. Based on the aptitude inquiry the study load of the transitional programme may be differentiated and the minimal study load of the transitional programme exceptionally reduced to 30 study points.

If the aptitude inquiry also relates to PAS other than those of the vocational Bachelor's course, the body designated by the faculty may further reduce the minimal study load of the transitional programme to less than 30 study points, and exceptionally exempt the student from following the transitional programme.

For frequently occurring transitions the study guide provides, if applicable, details on the study load and composition of the transitional programmes in terms of prior training in the information about the respective courses.

Students who pass a transitional programme will receive a certificate.

4.1.6. Preparatory programmes

Students who hold an academic Bachelor's or Master's degree that does not grant direct admission to a Master's programme are sometimes offered transitional programmes. A transitional programme may be attended prior to, or simultaneous with, the first programme year of the relevant Master's programme.

Students may be admitted to a preparatory programme if they:
- (if it involves a preparatory programme with a view to going on to a taught Master's) hold an academic Bachelor's degree, or only need to complete a limited part of the requirements in order to obtain this degree;
- (if it involves a preparatory programme with a view to going on to a post-Master's Master's programme) hold a Master's degree, or only need to complete a limited part of the requirements in order to obtain this degree.

The study load of a preparatory programme depends on the student's prior training. The programme guide contains details on the study load and composition of the preparatory programmes for the most frequently encountered transitions in the programmes involved.

Students who pass a preparatory programme will receive a certificate.

4.1.7. Undergraduate (academic) teacher training courses

For students who started the academic teacher training at the latest in 2006-2007 and who obtained at least 12 credits at the end of 2006-2007, a minimum of 270 hours of teaching or other study activities for the teacher training course are offered as part of the (taught-out) second cycle of old courses. Graduates who did not take this course unit during their regular programmes must take it afterwards. In addition, between 600 and 750 hours of teaching or other study activities are provided for the academic teacher training course, of which at least one third must involve supervised teaching practice. These hours are run partly or entirely in conjunction with, or subsequent to, the second cycle.

For other students from 2007-2008 onwards a specific academic teacher programme is offered, consisting of 30 credits of theory and 30 credits of practice. The 30 credits of theory can in some of the Master’s programmes be integrated.

Further details on the exact composition can be found in the programme guide.

4.1.8. Postgraduate courses and other continuous education courses

A postgraduate course amounts to at least 20 study points. Further details on the study load and composition can be found in the programme guide. Following a favourable assessment, a postgraduate certificate is awarded.

The study load of other continuous education courses is not fixed and does not, therefore, need to be expressed in study points. There is indeed a wide variety of courses, ranging from study days to organized series of classes. At the same time, an attendance certificate or certificate, the latter being contingent upon some form of assessment of student performance, may be awarded.

Further details regarding the study load and composition can be found in the programme guide as well as in ad hoc notices.

4.1.9. Doctoral programmes

A doctoral programme is a formalized itinerary with a view to preparing a student for a doctorate. The research training of the student is supervised.

More details on the general regulations regarding the doctoral programme can be found on www.kuleuven.be/admin/rd/niv3p/tb-i15a.htm.

4.1.10.  Appeal

Students may submit a well-founded appeal, in writing, to the Vice-President for Student Affairs within five calendar days following written notification of a decision regarding the study load and/or content of preparatory programmes, transitional programmes and study-load reduced programmes. The Vice-President for Student Affairs shall, no later than 15 days following the receipt of the appeal, notify the student in writing of the final decision, which must be well-founded.

4.2. Details on Courses in the Programme Guide

4.2.1. Details for each course

For each course, the programme guide will at least state:

1° the degree delivered upon completion of the course, as well as its qualification and possibly specification;

2° the content and objectives of the course, programme and division into course units;

3° the graduating sections, if applicable;

4° the medium of instruction of the course;

5° the study load expressed in study points;

6° the order of enrolment of the various constituent course units;

7° the prior courses granting access to the course, as well as any complementary courses;

8° the organization of the course in the form of full-time or part-time education;

9° the organization of the course in the form of model itineraries and/or personalized itineraries;

10° the initial and final skills.

4.2.2. Details listed for each course unit

For each course unit the outlines in the programme guide shall at least indicate:

1° the number and title of the course unit;
2° the medium of instruction and the admission conditions in terms of the required knowledge of the medium of instruction in the event that the course unit is offered in a language other than Dutch;
3° the study load expressed in study points and the number of contact hours;
4° the programme schedule across the semesters;
5° the incumbent or coordinator and other education providers;
6° the place of the course unit within the course of study (compulsory subject, elective, etc.) and the primary and sub-target groups;
7° the initial and final skills, and the objectives of the course unit;
8° specific initial skills and possible order of enrolment conditions in relation to other course units;
9° the content of the course unit;
10° the learning, teaching and supervision activities;
11° the examinations and number of examination sessions for each course unit;
12° study materials;
13° the conditions to be fulfilled in order to obtain a credit certificate in the event that these depend on a pass/no-pass decision;
14° whether the course unit can be incorporated into a credit contract or an examination contract;
15°the specific rules applying to a student with an examination contract.

4.3. Study Time and Study Points; Semestral Examination System

4.3.1.  Study time

The 'study time' refers to the total amount of time investment expected of a student in relation to a separate course unit or to the programme of study in its entirety. In fact, 'study time' tends to be an abstract concept, measured against the so-called 'norm student'. The norm student is the student who has the prior knowledge, ability, motivation and study attitude of the target group at which the course is aimed.
The study time comprises two components. The first component is the number of hours of attendance that is expected in principle from each student for a particular course unit (the so-called 'contact hours'), and the number of hours of assessment. The second component is the 'processing time', i.e. the time invested in the preparation of a lecture class or practica, the completion of assignments, any internships, examination preparation, etc.
When the study time is expressed in quantitative terms, one always departs from the above-mentioned abstract norm student. Hence, this expected (or forecast) study time is only an indication of the actual study time spent, which, of course, always depends on the individual student.

4.3.2. Study points

A 'study point' is the unit in which the study time is expressed. It has been determined by law that one study point equals a study time between a minimum of 25 hours and a maximum of 30 hours.

Through the faculties the university regularly assesses the black spots regarding study time and study points. As a result, it is possible that at any given time the study points for each course unit are redistributed on the grounds of more accurate calculations. This does not result in the mention of the new study points on the final degree supplement for those students who took the course unit prior to the relevant amendment.

A study point only provides an indication of the study load of the course unit. It does not automatically entitle students who change courses or universities to an exemption in the new context, even if the amount of study time is identical to, or even higher than the study time associated with a seemingly similar course unit. The relation between study points and exemptions is further determined in section 5.2.3.4 ff.

4.3.3. Distribution of the study points across the course of study

The structure decree sets forth that every Bachelor's and Master's programme must have a study load of 60 study points, or a multiple thereof, and, consequently an anticipated study time ranging between 1500 and 1800 hours, or a multiple thereof. Separate course units must, by law, have a study load of at least 3 whole study points. Within each course unit, the lecturer, under the supervision of the body designated by the faculty, determines the way in which the study time available is divided in contact hours and assimilation activities.

An exception to the 60 study point rule are the transitional and preparatory programmes and the programmes of study with a reduced study load for students who have already had preliminary training. Another exception to the rule involves the postgraduate courses and other continuous education courses, as well as the specific teacher training course and the doctoral programme.

The range of course units on offer is organized for each academic year in such a way that the study points are more or less equally divided between the two semesters (30/30), although a deviation of 10% (24/36) is allowed.

The above-mentioned provisions only apply to the scheduling of the course of study. Specific options by students from the general range of programmes on offer may for individual students give rise to another spread across the semesters, albeit in compliance with Article 16 of the examination regulations.

4.3.4. Semestral examination system

K.U.Leuven organizes its courses along a semestral examination system. In each semester there are examinations on the course units that are completed in that semester. Assessment of the performance over the entire year is only determined after the examination diet in the second semester and/or that of September. A limited number of courses and /or years of study are subject to a permanent deviation from the system (examinations only after both semesters).
In the academic calendar, the first semester of 2008-2009 comprises 13 weeks of teaching and study activities (22 September until 20 December). These are followed by two weeks of Christmas vacation, which is, in turn, followed by a week of cramming and three weeks of examinations. Subsequently, there is a week's holiday. The second semester also includes 13 weeks of teaching and study activities (9 February until 23 May), interrupted by two weeks of Easter vacation. After the 13 weeks, there are two weeks of cramming, three weeks of examinations and one week of examiners' meeting deliberations. The third examination diet takes place after a summer recess of 6 (or 5) weeks and contains three (or four) weeks of examinations and one week of examiners' meeting deliberations. Following a one-week break, the next academic year 2009-2010 commences.

In the scheduling of the semesters, an attempt is made to ensure, as much as possible, that there are two equal, fully fledged semesters in each year of study. First and foremost, this principle implies that structure of the programmes of study is organized coherently and that course units are scheduled, in principle, in such a way that they can be entirely completed within one semester, unless there are educational grounds on which a spread is warranted. Second, this principle also implies that each semester comprises more or less half of the entire annual programme, expressed in terms of the number of course units, while taking into account that there should be a balance in terms of study points, with approximately 30 study points in each semester (corresponding to a study time of between 750 and 900 hours).

In keeping with this, examinations are sat in each semester on the course units that have been completed. Examinations on course units that cover more than one semester are taken at the end of the second semester. Occasionally, a partial examination is organized at the end of the first semester on as yet uncompleted course units.

4.4. Code of Conduct on Language Use

4.4.1 General provision regarding the language of education and administration

Dutch is the medium of instruction of K.U.Leuven. For specific reasons, subject to legal and decree provisions, other languages may be used. When this is the case, this shall be explicitly mentioned. Course units taught in Dutch are also assessed in Dutch.

The administrative language of K.U.Leuven is Dutch. With a view to facilitating communication with students, academics, services or institutions, an international link language may also be used.

4.4.2 Course units that are in any case taught in another language

The following course units shall in any case be organized, either entirely or partly, in an international language:
- course units that involve the study of a foreign living language;
- course units taught by non-Dutch-speaking guest professors;
- course units which, in mutual consultation between students and the faculty responsible for the course units involved, are taught at a non-Dutch-speaking university in Belgium or a foreign university.
These course units shall be assessed in the language in which they are taught.

4.4.3 Other course units taught in another language

Fully aware of the need to prepare its students for an international context, K.U. Leuven provides students within its Dutch-language courses with the possibility of attending course units, other than those mentioned in 4.4.2., which are partly taught in a language other than Dutch. This possibility is justified on the grounds of the added value this added language offers to the student and the practicality of the use of a foreign language in the course unit in question. The course units of which parts are taught in a language other than Dutch are clearly mentioned in the programme guide and course outlines.

In keeping with decree provisions the number of possibilities within a Bachelor's programme is limited to a maximum of 10% (expressed in study points) of the entire Bachelor's programme.
In a taught Master's programme the number depends on the practicality of the use of the foreign language within the course. In a post-Master's Master's programme, the faculty is free to determine the number of course units taught in a foreign language.

Except in the case of the post-Master's Master's programmes the student is entitled to take the examinations on the course units referred to above in Dutch. To this end, students must submit a request to the chairperson of the examination committee of the programme year in which the course unit is taught, no later than three weeks prior to the beginning of the relevant examination session.

4.4.4 Course units entirely taught in foreign language

For the purpose of the international student community at K.U. Leuven, the university offers a number of courses taught entirely in a foreign language in both its Bachelor's programmes, taught Master's programmes and post-Master's Master's programmes. For Bachelor's programmes and taught Master's programmes, provisions are made to ensure an equivalent Dutch-taught programme, to which the provisions set forth in 4.4.2. and 4.4.3 apply. This is not the case of some courses and programmes that have been specifically set up for foreign students and are recognized as International Course Programmes within the framework of the Flemish Inter-University Council's development cooperation programme. This exception also applies to courses and programmes recognized within Erasmus Mundus.

In principle no Dutch-language variant is provided for post-Master's Master's programmes and postgraduate courses. These courses can be attended by both foreign and Dutch-speaking students. All students, including Dutch-speakers, who attend these courses are expected to take the examination in the language of the course or course unit in the event that this should differ from the language used in the entire course or programme.

4.4.5. Quality control

When appointing staff, K.U.Leuven ensures that the prospective member of staff has sufficient knowledge of the international standard language required for teaching. This aspect is particularly heeded during the internal quality control of the courses and programmes of study.

Section 5. Elements for Determining the Programme of Study of Individual Students

5.1. Composition of the Programme of Study of Individual Students

5.1.1. General information 

Depending on the student's study contract and study itinerary, the student puts together his/her programme of study in keeping with the general regulations described in the present education regulations and examination regulations, and in conformity with the specific rules that apply to the course and/or course units selected, as described in the programme guide.

Students must fix their programmes of study in conformity with the rules that apply to the relevant programmes before 15 October and cannot make further amendments on his own initiative after this date. The body designated by the faculty shall approve this proposal no later than 15 November; alternatively, it will fix another programme in consultation with the student. As from 15 November, the selection made shall be deemed definitive. In the case of course units that are only taught during the second semester, the student may, in consultation with the body designated by the faculty, effect changes to the choices made until no later than 28 February.

Any students receiving permission to enrol after the 15 October deadline must fix their programmes of study no later than three weeks following the permission to enrol. The body designated by the faculty shall approve the programme of study as soon as possible, or, if this proves to be necessary, decide on another programme in consultation with the student.

If a student after a faculty claim still has not fixed his programme on his own initiative, the body designated by the faculty can impose a programme. Changes of the choices made are not allowed anymore after the dates of 15 November or 28 February, unless a well founded request is launched and the motives are accepted by the body designated by the faculty.

Exemptions for course units taught in the first semester or throughout the entire academic year must be requested no later than 15 October, in compliance with the procedure determined in section 5.2. After this date students can no longer invoke previously obtained credit certificates, other study certificates and certificates of aptitude in order to adjust their programmes. Exemptions from course units taught only in the second semester must be requested no later than 28 February. For courses or course units subject to another calendar than the academic year, requests must be made no later than the third week following the commencement of said courses or course units.

Students who have been granted permission to enrol after 15 October shall request any exemptions no later than three weeks following the permission to enrol.

Students wishing to depart from the general regulations must submit a well-founded request to the body designated by the faculty. The body designated by the faculty shall decide on the deviation(b) requested.

Students may submit a written and well-founded appeal against decisions made regarding programmes of study with the Vice-President for Student Affairs within five calendar days of receiving written notification of the decision. The Vice-President for Student Affairs shall, no later than 15 days following the receipt of the appeal, notify the student in writing of the final decision, which must be well-founded.

5.1.2. Full-time and half-time Bachelor's and Master's itineraries

Full-time students annually take up a programme ranging between 54 and 66 study points, in conformity with the provisions contained in the programme guide. Part-time students annually take up a programme between 3 and 53 study points in accordance with the facilities organised by the faculty.

These limits do not apply if a student is exempt from certain course units or retakes course units in the academic year and/or course units of a higher programme year, or part thereof, in advance.

In any given programme year no more than 66 study points can be taken up. In consultation with the body designated by the faculty the student may exceptionally decide to take up more than the determined number of study points in a programme. As a result, these course units will from then on also form part of the student's programme year and course of study.

In cases where students have options in the composition of their programmes, they should strive for a balanced division of the study points between the semesters; there may, however, be a deviation of 10% in the total number of study points taken up.

With a view to flexibility in the composition of the programmes of study, the body designated by the faculty may, following a well-founded request by the student, grant a slightly larger spread.

5.1.3. Personalized itineraries, preparatory programmes, transitional programmes, teacher training courses, postgraduate courses, other continuous education courses and doctoral programmes

Students shall compile their programme of study in accordance with the relevant regulations, as set forth in the programme guide and, if necessary, in keeping with the individual arrangements made between them and the body designated by the faculty, following examination of a well-founded request submitted to the body designated by the faculty.

5.1.4. Programme of study of students with exemptions

Exemptions are granted on the basis of the provisions contained in section 5.2.

In principle, students with exemptions divide their programme of study across the entire study period, in keeping with the regulations that apply to students without exemptions; however, they may, in each programme year (or part of the programme year, if they are part-time students or students with a personalized itinerary) take up less than 54 to 66 study points.

The conditions on which students who have enough exemptions are allowed to take course units of a higher programme year are set forth in section 5.4. of the present regulations.

Students who obtained a large number of exemptions and as a result deem they are able to complete the entire course of study in less than the normal time should submit a well-founded request to this effect to the central assessment commission as defined in 1.2.3 of these regulations.

5.2. Exemptions, Credit Certificates and Certificates of Aptitude

5.2.1. Exemption

An exemption is the removal of the obligation to take an examination on a course unit or part thereof. The exemption may be total or partial. This is decided on the basis of an equivalence assessment by the body designated by the faculty, in consultation with the lecturers involved, as set forth in 5.2.3.

The body designated by the faculty shall grant an exemption on the grounds of:
a) a credit certificate obtained at its institution or another one;
b) a certificate of aptitude delivered by an authenticating body;
c) a PAS which has not been ratified through a credit certificate but through another qualification.

In principle, the scope of the exemption from a given course unit equals the study load of the original course unit, unless decided otherwise by the body designated by the faculty on the grounds of an equivalence assessment. The scope of an exemption is expressed in whole study points.

When students are able to choose between course units, they cannot invoke the fact that they have already taken a course unit from the list in order to obtain an exemption. In this case, the student must make a choice from among the remaining course units. A faculty may decide not to apply this rule. When a student changes between between a degree contract and examination contract with a view to obtaining a degree, the already acquired credits for elective subjects remain valid.

5.2.2. Credit certificate

5.2.2.1. Definition and recording

A credit certificate constitutes recognition of the fact that following an examination a student has acquired the objectives and final skills related to a course unit. The study points acquired in respect of the course unit are expressed as credits.

This recognition is recorded in a K.U.Leuven database. The credit certificates for students having completed a course of study are mentioned on the degree supplement. Credit certificates for students wanting to leave the university without having completed an entire course of study or without valorisation of any particular credit in the context of a degree, can apply for a credit certificate at the Student administration, Naamsestraat 22. The credit certificate is delivered only if the student has paid the required tuition fees.

In the event that an irregularity has been established, the examination committee may, pursuant to Article 42 of the examination regulations, decide that the student shall not be provided with a credit certificate.

5.2.2.2. Acquiring a credit certificate

Student shall acquire a credit certificate for each course unit they have passed, in compliance with Article 34 of the examination regulations, if:
- (in case it involves the first examination period of the academic year), it has been ascertained administratively that the results have been accurately communicated and
- (in case it involves the second and/or third examination periods of the academic year), the examination committee has definitively fixed all results. This also applies to the first examination period for students who at that time already sat all examinations and about whom the examiners' meeting deliberates after that examination period.

5.2.2.3. Conditions for students from taught-out courses

The conditions on which students who started under the previous study year system are deemed to have obtained a credit certificate are set forth in Article 79 of the examination regulations.

5.2.2.4. Scope of the credit certificate

If a student has been exempt from part of a course unit, a credit certificate will be awarded for the entire unit if the student has obtained at least 10 out of 20 for the remaining part, or has received a pass in accordance with the relevant non-numerical assessment criteria.

5.2.3. Procedure to obtain an exemption on the basis of a credit certificate or a certificate of aptitude

5.2.3.1. Provisions to be determined by the faculties
Each faculty determines the conditions on which:
a) credit certificates or other study certificates obtained in another course of study at K.U.Leuven or another institution may give rise to an exemption from those course units the faculty recognizes as being equivalent;
b) credit certificates or other study certificates obtained in another course of study at K.U.Leuven or another institution may give rise to a partial exemption from those course units that the faculty recognizes as being partially equivalent;
c) certificates of aptitude give rise to a full or partial exemption.

5.2.3.2. Exemption based on a credit certificate or study certificate
Students who feel that they are entitled to being exempt from a given course unit or a part thereof on the grounds of a credit certificate or other study certificate, should, taking into account the data set forth in 5.1.1., submit a request to the body designated by the faculty. The request must indicate the course unit or part thereof for which the exemption is requested and must be accompanied by a supporting dossier including the previously obtained credit certificates or other study certificates.

5.2.3.3. Exemption on the grounds of previously acquired skills that are not supported by a credit certificate or study certificate

Students who feel they are entitled to an exemption from a course unit or part thereof on the grounds of a PAS should first submit a request for recognition of the skills to the Educational Policy Unit of the K.U. Leuven, who in conformity with the regulations of the authentication body of the K.U.Leuven Association is authorised to organise an assessment. Prior to the start of the procedure, assistance can be obtained by the Study Advisory Unit. The procedure takes into account the following elements:

a) admissibility conditions

Only types of knowledge, insight, skills and attitudes that at least meet the following conditions can be recognized:
- authentic: they represent the candidate's own performance;
- current: they reflect the candidate's present level of competence;
- relevant: they are sufficiently able to cover relevant elements of a course of study;
- quantitity: they refer to a sufficiently long period of activities;
- variation in contexts: they reflect sufficient variation in activity and training contexts.

b) financial contribution

Before an application is examined, the applicant must pay an initial cost of 55 Euros.
After the intake interview the applicant must pay the following additional costs to the institution to which s/he has applied, prior to the further processing of the application:
For a whole course:
a) 590 Euros if the applicant requests a general examination of the skills relating to a Bachelor's programme or an examination of the specific skills relating to a well-defined Bachelor's programme;
b) 770 Euros if s/he requests an examination in general terms of the skills at Master's level or the specific skills of a well-defined Master's programme, in the event that the candidate does not hold a Bachelor's degree;
c) 230 Euros if he in general terms requests an examination of the skills at Master's level or the specific skills of a well-defined Master's programme, in the event that the candidate holds a Bachelor's degree;
For assessment of specific competences relating to a course unit or cluster of course units:
Additional costs of at most 590 Euro, diffentiated according to the complexity of the assessement. A distinction is made between:
- simple tests (in large groups, standardised) for which 50 Euro per test will be counted;
- more complicated tests (individually, specific setting) for which 150 Euro per test will be counted.
If a combination of assessment methodologies has to be used, the amounts will be added up without ever surpassing the absolute the ceilings fixed for a whole course.

The above-mentioned amounts apply to the 2007-2008 academic year and they may be adjusted to the health index as from 1 September 2007, and thenceforth annually.

A student enrolling afterwards for a follow-up course on the basis of the PAS assessment shall receive a 20% refund of the above-mentioned amounts in the form of a discount on the tuition fees for the course.

c) form of the application

Students who feel that they have certain skills that cannot be supported by a credit certificate or another type of study certificate proving that their performance has been assessed, should submit a request for recognition of their skills to the assessment committee appointed by K.U.Leuven, c/o Dienst Onderwijsbeleid, Krakenstraat 3, 3000 Leuven. If K.U.Leuven is not able to examine certain skills, it will communicate this to the applicant and refer the latter to another institution within the association. In all other cases, the application shall be examined in accordance with the provisions set forth below.

Students must document their applications with a portfolio. This should be compiled in keeping with the guidelines put forward by the assessment committee. K.U.Leuven will assist the student with the compilation of the portfolio.

d) Assessment

K.U. Leuven shall apply the procedures and quality criteria jointly agreed upon within the K.U. Leuven Association in order to effect a formal assessment investigation with a view to ascertaining the skills held by the applicant. The investigation commences with an intake interview during which it is assessed whether there is sufficiently broad and relevant experience warranting a further investigation into aptitude. The assessment committee examines the skills and requests the education providers of relevant course units for advice.

e) certification

It is in name of the K.U. Leuven Association that K.U. Leuven delivers a certificate of aptitude for the skills of which it has been established that the applicant has actually acquired them.

Students may, based on the certificate of aptitude (or a certificate from another authenticating body) delivered in accordance with the above-mentioned procedure, submit a request for exemption to the body designated by the faculty. In the request, the student must specify the course unit, or part thereof, from which s/he wishes to be exempt, added with a supporting dossier including the certificate of aptitude that has been obtained.

f) appeal

(Candidate) students who think their PAS has not been valuated enough may submit a written and well-founded appeal to the Vice-President for Student Affairs within five calenderdays of receiving written notification.

5.2.3.4. Assessment of equivalence
When necessary, the body designated by the faculty shall request advice from the incumbent(s) of the course unit for which a total or partial exemption has been sought. As a result, the name and scope of the credit certificates obtained is only indicative.

The incumbent of the course unit shall base his/her recommendation on the dossier submitted, and ascertains the extent to which the course unit for which an exemption is requested corresponded to the course unit previously taken, the study certificate or the certificate of aptitude. If there are sufficient similarities, the incumbent submits a favourable recommendation with a view to granting an exemption for the entire course unit. In principle, the study load of the exemption granted equals the number of study points related to that course unit.

In the event of a partial correspondence, the incumbent may recommend the candidate be exempt from part of the course unit involved. The scope of a partial exemption is expressed in whole study points. The incumbent specifies for which part of the course unit the exemption may be granted.

If the exemption application is based on a study certificate other than a credit certificate, the body designated by the faculty may, possibly following recommendation by the incumbent(s), also seek the advice of the authenticating body of the K.U. Leuven Association.

5.2.3.5. Scope and notification of an exemption
After receiving the advice of the incumbent as to whether a partial or total exemption can be granted, as well as the number of study points related thereto, the body designated by the faculty notifies the student of the decision, and the grounds on which it has been made.

The body designated by the faculty shall also communicate the decision to the faculty student administration. The number of study points for which an exemption is to be granted shall subsequently also be included in the student dossier, which is part of the study contract.

5.2.3.6. Record of decisions
The body designated by the faculty keeps a record of the decisions made and the recommendations connected therewith.

5.2.3.7. Appeal
Students may submit a written and well-founded appeal against decisions made regarding the granting of exemptions to the Vice-President for Student Affairs within five calendar days of receiving written notification of the decision. The Vice-President for Student Affairs shall, no later than 15 days following the receipt of the appeal, notify the student in writing of the final decision and the grounds on which it has been made.

5.2.4. Validity of credit certificates, other study certificates and certificates of aptitude

5.2.4.1. Period
In principle, all credit certificates, other study certificates and certificates of aptitude remain valid indefinitely.

The faculty management may decide that the credit certificates, other study certificates or certificates of aptitude mentioned in the first paragraph are subject to an update programme for students who have not yet successfully completed a course of study in the sixth calendar year following the obtainment of the certificate. This period starts from the first day of October following the month in which the certificate was obtained. The faculty managements decide which course units are subject to this provision as well as the form of the update programme and the way in which it will be assessed.

5.2.4.2. Possible update programme

In the event that an update programme is deemed necessary, the grounds on which this has been decided will be formally communicated to the student. Students may submit a written and well-founded appeal against the decision regarding the compulsory update programme to the Vice-President for Student Affairs within five calendar days of receiving written notification of the decision. The Vice-President for Student Affairs shall, no later than 15 days following the receipt of the appeal, notify the student in writing of the final decision and the grounds on which it has been made.

Students who have passed the update programme examination will receive a credit certificate for the entire course unit.

5.2.5. Obtaining a degree after being granted exemptions

When a student who is eligible for an exemption enrols in a course, the number of study points shall be determined in keeping with the procedure described in 5.2.3. According to the provisions contained in section 5.4 there may be advance examinations for course units of a higher programme year or even complementary course of study. Once the student is exempt from all course units of a course of study, s/he is granted the course degree in accordance with section 1.1.2.

Students who enrol for a second time in a Bachelor's or Master's course for which they have previously obtained a degree with a view to acquiring the same degree but in another graduating section, must successfully complete examinations on course units for at least 30 study points.

5.3. Enrolling in course units and taking examinations

5.3.1. General principle

Irrespective of the study contract, the order in which students are allowed to enrol in course units is determined by the structure of the programme of study. Within a given programme year, the semester order is a determining factor, whereas between programme years it is the order of the programme years, except in those cases in which the body designated by the faculty allows another arrangement.

Students on a full-time study itinerary are not, in principle, allowed to pre-take course units from a higher programme year, except from the next one up in the same or a complementary course of study. In the case of students with a part-time itinerary or a personalized itinerary it involves a higher than the next part of a higher programme year.

5.3.2. Course units taken in advance

5.3.2.1. Students on a full-time study itinerary
When a student with a full-time study itinerary has acquired credit certificates and/or exemptions for a programme year in a course of study for a total ranging between 20-47 study points, they may take up course units of the next programme year or of (the first) programme year of a complementary course of study (including preparatory programmes connected therewith). This is valid for each of the programme years within a course or between courses that are considered complimentary. However, the total programme of study for that academic year may not amount to more than 66 study points, whereas the student in question is not allowed to take up course units, the passing of which is contingent upon passing one or several other course units from the preceding programme year in which s/he has not succeeded.

When students with a full-time study itinerary have acquired credit certificates and/or exemptions for a programme year for a total of 48 study points or more, they may take up all course units of the higher programme year or of the (first) programme year of a complementary course of study (including preparatory programmes), except if it involves course units, the passing of which is contingent upon passing course units of the preceding programme year in which they have not succeeded. This is valid for each of the programme years within a course or between courses that are considered complimentary.

5.3.2.2. Students with a part-time study itinerary
The provisions described in 5.3.2.1. apply to students with a study itinerary between 25 and 35 credits, but the number of study points is between 10 and 23, respectively, and as from 24. In their case, taking up course units applies to the next half-time part of the same or a higher programme year.

Students with a part-time study itinerary with a spread larger than 25 untill 35 credits and those with a personalized itinerary may decide, themselves, the number of course units from a higher programme year they wish to take, except if it involves course units, the passing of which requires passing other course units from the preceding programme year and for which they have not yet passed.

5.3.2.3. Students with a transitional or preparatory programme
Students may take a separate enrolment for a transitional or preparatory programme; alternatively, they may, in keeping with the provisions contained in 4.1.5.and 4.1.6, choose to simultaneously pre-take course units from the complementary Master's programme, or even an entire programme year of the complementary Master's programme. In doing so, they must take into account the conditions appurtenant to the order of enrolment and cannot, therefore, take up Master's programme course units that require a pass in one or several course units of the transitional or preparatory programme if they have not yet passed those specific course units. If this type of enrolment order conditions exist, students are precluded from taking an entire programme year of a complementary Master's programme. The number of possible advance examinations is set forth in the following paragraphs.

Students enrolled in a preparatory or transitional programme wherein the remaining study load (after deduction of exemptions and already obtained credits) :
- remains more than 48 credits are not allowed the right to take up course units of the complimentary Master’s programme;
- remains between at least 20 and at most 47 credits can complement their individual programme of study with course units of the complimentary Master’s programme until the total study lead reaches at most 66 credits;
- remains less than 20 credits, can take up a complete programme year of the complimentary Master’s programme.

5.3.2.4
In exceptional cases, the body designated by the faculty may on specific grounds allow deviations from the above regulations. To this end, students must submit a well-founded written request to the body designated by the faculty.

5.3.2.5. Advance course units in other Flemish universities
For advance course units in another Flemish university, see 5.4.2.2.

5.3.2.6. Advance course units as an additional examination opportunity
Students registered for a degree contract or an examination contract with a view to obtaining a degree may take course units from a higher programme year and receive a general permission to resit these course units for a third time if they failed them during the year in which they pre-took them as well as in the first year in which this course unit was part of their programme year.

5.4. Taking course units and examinations in another course of study or at other institutions

5.4.1. The programme of study as a starting point

Taking into account existing legislation and inter-university agreements, each programme of study determines the extent to which students are able to take the course units in another course or at another higher-education institution, both at home and abroad. More details can be found in the programme guide.

5.4.2. Inter-university agreements

5.4.2.1. Elective course units at another Flemish university

Pursuant to an agreement entered into between and among Flemish universities, students may take a course unit that is taught at another Flemish university as an elective for their programme. However, this requires the students being enrolled in their own university with a degree contract or an examination contract with the purpose of obtaining a degree, whereas the course unit involved must not be taught as an obligatory course unit in the course of study at their university and permission must be granted from the body designated by the faculty of the course of study and the officer responsible for the course unit at the other university involved. The students shall consult with the body designated by the faculty of the course of study in order to arrange matters with the other Flemish university.

The elective course unit for which the required permission has been granted, is subject to additional enrolment fees, payable by the student. K.U.Leuven takes out accident insurance on behalf of the student. The other Flemish university, for its part, commits itself to granting admission to the course unit, the examinations connected therewith and the necessary university infrastructure. The other Flemish university shall also notify K.U.Leuven of the result of the examinations assessing the student's performance.

5.4.2.2. Taking course units in advance at another Flemish university

Students who still have to complete a limited part of a given programme year and wish to continue their studies at another institution, can already take course units from the other institution in advance.

In order to establish whether one is entitled to taking course units in advance, the regulations of the university at which one has been enrolled for the course of study in question shall apply. Anyone taking course units in advance at K.U.Leuven is considered a fully fledged student as regards the use of all facilities (e.g. use of computer and library facilities). These students have to pay tuition fees for the corresponding number of study points associated with the course units taken in advance.

5.4.2.3. Doctoral programme

There is also an agreement among Flemish universities for the doctoral programme. If a course unit is organized at K.U. Leuven, students may, provided the faculty doctoral committee approves the inclusion in the course of study agreed upon, take course units at another Flemish university. The relevant procedure is described in 5.4.2.1

5.4.2.4. Other general arrangements on mobility

Within the framework of student mobility, the faculty management may also enter into other agreements with other higher-education institutions, both at home and abroad. These arrangements will then be part of the education regulations and examination regulations governing the course of study.

5.4.2.5. Special procedure on individual request

To the extent that this is not covered by the above-mentioned arrangements contained in 5.4.2.1. up until, and including 5.4.2.4., students may submit a well-founded request to the body designated by the faculty with a view to having course units in a given course of study replaced by other course units that are provided in other courses of K.U.Leuven or other national or international higher-education institutions.

The body designated by the faculty shall examine the student's request, paying particular heed to the following criteria:
a) the complementary nature of the objectives of the course unit requested with those of the course of study;
b) the level of the course unit;
c) de study load of the course unit.

In the event that there is a favourable recommendation, the student is allowed to take the course units in question elsewhere and sit the examinations there. In this case, the body designated by the faculty will also specify the way in which the examination results for the course units will be incorporated in the degree requirements. Unless the body designated by the faculty well-founded decides otherwise, the number of study points of the foreign institution will be validated completely in the individual study programme of the student.

In the event that the proposal involves another institution of higher education at home or abroad, the student is bound by the specific instructions provided by the body designated by the faculty and the faculty student administrations.

5.5. Combining contracts

5.5.1. Combination possibilities
Students may enrol simultaneously or consecutively in the form of:
- several degree contracts; several examination contracts; several credit contracts;
- a degree contract with an examination contract or a credit contract;
- an examination contract with a credit contract.

Students may not in the course of a single academic year simultaneously combine a degree contract, examination contract or credit contract:
- in respect of the same course of study;
- in respect of a course of study and a complimentary programme as determined in the study guide;
- in respect of course units of the same course of study or a complimentary programme as determined in the study guide. In accordance with article 48 of the examination regulations it remains possible to register for a credit contract or examination contract with the aim of obtaining a credit if one has succeeded for a programme year without having obtained a certain credit.
A student that has succeeded for a programme year and has obtained at least 54 credits, may combine in the following academic year a degree contract with credit contracts for individual course units pertaining to the same course or a complimentary course.
The body designated by the faculty can grant exceptions on the basis of a well-founded request by the student.

In the case of a parallel enrolment in the same academic year, the tuition fees shall, in conformity with the decree provisions, be calculated on the basis of the total number of study points to which the student commits himself/herself for the academic year in question.

When transferring from one contract type to another, the regulations of the new type shall apply.

5.5.2. Implications in respect of common course units
If within a combination of enrolments there are course units which qualify for several contracts, the following provisions shall apply:

a) the enrolment applies to the same examination period: the student only takes the examination once. The mark obtained shall count as the first examination mark parallel to the various contracts;

b) the enrolment applies to several examination periods of the same academic year; the student takes the examination only once. The mark obtained in the context of one contract is transferred to the other contract in the next examination period, unless the student wishes to avail himself/herself of the right, in accordance with Articles 15 and 18 of the examination regulations, to resit the same course unit;

c) the enrolment applies to examination periods of successive academic years:
- if the student obtained a credit certificate in the context of the first contract, s/he is automatically exempt from compulsory subjects that are part of the second contract; in addition, the faculty may also grant permission for exemptions in respect of the elective subjects in the second contract;
- when in the context of a degree contract or an examination contract with a view to obtaining a degree, the student passes for a programme year and then transfers to another contract linked to the same degree, they are not obliged to resit the course units for which they did not acquire a credit certificate in that programme year.

5.5.3. Combination does not give rise to additional examination opportunities
Examinations of course units taken by a student as part of a degree contract or an examination contract with a view to obtaining a degree shall be taken into account when applying section 5.6.3.1 of the present regulations as a used opportunity, even if the student changes contracts. The student cannot acquire more examination opportunities by changing contracts within an academic year or over several academic years.

Students who have used up the maximum number of opportunities for a course unit as part of a degree contract or examination contract with a view to obtaining a degree, cannot be given additional opportunities for the course unit in question through a credit contract or examination contract with a view to obtaining a credit certificate.

5.6. Study Progress Measures

5.6.1. Study Advice to All Students

Students are entitled to study advice on the part of the faculty and/or centralized study advice services. This does not apply to students enrolled in the form of an examination contract.

5.6.2. Non-Binding Study Advice following a First Enrolment in a Bachelor's Programme

Full-time students enrolled for the first time in a Bachelor's programme who failed, shall receive a written invitation after the third examination period for a non-binding interview with the faculty and/or centralized study advice services.

Students on a part-time or personalized study itinerary who are enrolled for the first time in a Bachelor's programme, shall receive a written invitation after the third examination period for a non-binding interview with the faculty and/or centralized study advice services.

5.6.3. Number of Examination Opportunities, Binding Conditions and Enrolment Refusal due to Insufficient Study Progress

5.6.3.1. Number of Examination Opportunities, Binding Conditions and Right to Re-enrolment

Pursuant to Article 14 of the present examination regulations, students are in principle entitled to two examination opportunities within each academic year, except in those cases when for a given course unit there is only one examination opportunity.

Students from the European Economic Area with a degree contract are entitled to a second enrolment in the same course of study as the one they were enrolled in the preceding year and in which they failed a programme year or the course (provided the latter did not exceed 60 study points or was not organized into programme years). Students with a part-time enrolment or those with a personalized itinerary may already avail themselves of this right after each academic year in which they already sat examinations on part of the programme year. They may re-enrol in the next academic year for the course units for which they have not yet obtained credit certificates.

When after one academic year, students to whom the second paragraph applies have not acquired at least 50% of the study points for which they were enrolled, the binding provision attendant upon a second enrolment shall be that a third enrolment will be refused.

Students from the European Economic Area with a credit contract are entitled to a second enrolment for the same course units for which they were not enrolled in the previous academic year and for which no credit certificates were obtained.

Within the limits set out below, students who have made insufficient study progress will not be allowed to enrol.

5.6.3.2. Refusal of Enrolment in A Course of Study

Enrolment shall be refused if the student:

a) within a degree contract is enrolled for a full-time itinerary and:
after two academic years a student from the European Economie Area still has not passed a programme year or course of study if the latter amounts to less than 60 study points;

b) within a degree contract is enrolled for a part-time itinerary or a personalized itinerary and:
a student from the European Economic Area has not succeeded after two academic years in acquiring 50% of the study points for the part of the programme year or of a course of study (if the latter does not exceed 60 study points) for which s/he was already enrolled in the first academic year;

c) is enrolled in a transitional programme, a preparatory programme or a postgraduate course and:

after two academic years a student from the European Economic Area has not succeeded in passing a transitional or preparatory programme or postgraduate course of a maximum of 60 study points, or has not after two academic years passed that part of that programme or course that is scheduled in one academic year.

In the case of students from the European Economic Area who meanwhile transferred from full time to part time, the central assessment committee shall determine the period within which they, respectively, should have passed each programme year or (parts of) their programme of study before the above-mentioned provisions can be applied.

Following a well-founded request by the student through the Student administration for a student from the European Economic Area, the central assessment committee may grant permission for a new enrolment, after possibly seeking advice from the body designated by the faculty and the Office for Study Advice.

The permission may be made contingent upon the provision that failing another time shall automatically result in a refusal to enrol. Except for very serious reasons, students who have not obtained at least half of the marks to be obtained in the period under consideration will not be granted permission to re-enrol.

5.6.3.3. Refusal affecting a specific course unit

A student who over a period of two academic years fails a course unit in which s/he was enrolled through a credit contract will not be allowed to enrol for the course unit for a third time. Following a well-founded request, the central assessment committee may, after possibly seeking advice from the body designated by the faculty and the Office for Student Advice, grant permission for enrolment. However, this permission may be made contingent upon the provision that if the student fails the course unit again, they will not be given permission to enrol.

5.6.3.4. Refusal on the grounds of an insufficient learning credit

A student not possessing a sufficient learning credit to start or finish a course :
- will only be granted authorisation to register for a course or course units on the ground of a well founded request and after evaluation of the already accomplished study trajectory and the chances of succeeding for the course (units);
- will have to pay the maximum tuition fee determined by law pro rata of the insufficiency. On the basis of a well founded request the head of the student administration may grant exceptions.

A student not possessing a sufficient learning credit to start a Master’s course after completion of a Bachelor’s course, will be granted authorisation to register anyway. He will have to pay the maximum tuition fee determined by law pro rata of the insufficiency. On the basis of a well-founded request the head of the student administration may grant exceptions.

5.6.4. Appeal

Students may submit a written and well-founded appeal against decisions made regarding study progress supervision to the Vice-President for Student Affairs within five calendar days of receiving written notification of the decision. The Vice-President for Student Affairs shall, no later than 15 days following the receipt of the appeal, notify the student in writing of the final decision and the grounds on which it has been made.

Section 6. Rights and Duties, Legal Protection and Disciplinary Regulations

6.1. Student Rights and Duties

6.1.1. Equal Treatment
K.U.Leuven students are entitled to equal treatment. Differentiated treatment must ensue from objective grounds, while the difference in treatment must be in proportion to the legitimate aim.

The university takes general measures in order to ensure equal opportunities and guaranteeing material and immaterial accessibility to the university for students with a disability, chronic illness or students from minority groups.

6.1.2. Public Nature of Management
- Pursuant to the provisions of the participation decree, the student representatives shall, at their request, be granted access to the reports of the management bodies.
- In execution of articles 77 and 78 of the Decree concerning the restructuring of the higher education in Flanders the transparency of decisions is guaranteed as follows.
Each student can ask insight in documents having attributed to decisions taken with regard to himself, without having the right of insight in documents related to other students. He may ask insight at the latest one month after the start of the following academic year with the faculty to which his course pertains of with the head of the office that has taken decisions related to him.
According to the regulations of the faculty or the office insight will be granted within a reasonable amount of time.
Copies of documents will only be delivered with leaving out of information not concerning to the student himself. K.U.Leuven will ask a reasonable financial compensation for each page copied. The examination regulations determine in its article 46 the right of insight concerning examinations and deliberation documents.
- Once a year, each student may, in accordance with the relevant legislation on the protection of personal data, have access to the personal data kept on him/her by the university in electronic format and, if necessary, request they be changed. Requests to exercise this right must be submitted to the Vice-President for Student Affairs.

6.1.3. Impartiality
The university shall treat each student without prejudice or bias.
Members of the university community, including students, who have a personal interest in a decision in respect of a certain student, are precluded from taking part in the advice or decision-making procedure of the management body involved.

6.1.4. Right to Defence
All students are entitled to use an ombudsservice as set forth in 6.2.1.1. Specific forms of protection of the right of defence have been included in the examination regulations and the disciplinary regulations.

6.1.5. Justification Duty
Unilateral decisions taken by the university in respect of individual students or groups of students which are intended to have legal consequences, must be adequately justified by the competent body. The notice shall contain the legal and factual grounds on which the decision is based.

6.1.6. Specific Rights and Duties

6.1.6.1. In particular, students are also entitled to:
a) support from the university student provision services:
- access to the general studysupport services such as study advice and universal student provisions, such as  the social services, job sesrvices, student restaurants, etc.;
- support regarding selecitive social provisions such as study financing by the social services, student accommodation, medical and psychotherapeutic support etc., in accordance with the criteria determined by the relevant services;
b) the use of the library, in accordance with library regulations: see www.bib.kuleuven.be/pdf/bibliotheekreglement.pdf;
c) the use of the compuer infrastructure, in accordance with relevant regultions: see www.kuleuven.be/student/ictgedragslijn.htm;
d) educational support through TOLEDO: see toledo.kuleuven.be/.

Students with an examination contract are not entitled to any of these support facilities, unless they have paid at the time of their registration an amount of 50 Euro for the use of Toledo services.

6.1.6.2. It is incumbent upon students to use the university's immovable and movable property with due care and attention and to act in conformity with the regulations in force within the universities.

6.1.7. Privacy policy
Students have the right of privacy taking into account the policy determined by K.U.Leuven.

6.2. Legal Protection and Processing of Complaints

6.2.1. Ombudsservices

6.2.1.1. In Relation to the Teaching Provisions

The faculty shall appoint a member of the academic staff or another staff member with relevant expertise in education as education ombudsperson. The latter acts as a mediator, with whom students can talk about aspects of the provision of education which, in view of their personal nature, cannot be adequately addressed by the body designated by the faculty. The education ombudsperson mediates between the student(s) involved, the lecturers and the management bodies.

6.2.1.2. In Relation to Examinations

During examination periods the examination ombudsperson shall act as confidant who mediates between examiners and students. The examination regulations set forth the duties, appointment and brief of the examination ombudsperson.

6.2.2 Procedure for the Treatment of Formal Complaints

6.2.2.1. In Relation to the Teaching Provisions

Complaints with regard to the teaching dispensed by a lecturer are to be submitted to the body designated by the faculty of a course of study, or to the oldest member of the body designated by the faculty if the body designated by the faculty is, itself, involved in the complaint.
The body designated by the faculty (or, if applicable, the oldest member of the body designated by the faculty) shall hand down a well-founded decision within 30 days of receiving the complaint.
The decision consists of a recommendation to the Dean regarding the foundations of the complaint and may include recommendations with regard to the revision of teaching duties and programmes.

6.2.2.2. In Relation to Decisions on Individual Students

The possibilities of appeal are described in:

1° as regards decisions pertaining to admission to a personalized itinerary: section 1.2.4.;
2° as regards decisions pertaining to changes in courses of study and on the type of content of a study contract: section 1.3.1.4.;
3° as regards decisions pertaining to admission on the grounds of an assessment committee: section 2.2.2.1.;
4° as regards decisions pertaining to the scope and content of transitional and preparatory programmes: section 4.1.10.;
5° as regards decisions pertaining to students' individual programmes of study: section 5.1.1.;
6° as regards decisions pertaining to the valorisation of a PAS; section 5.2.3.3.;
7° as regards decisions pertaining to exemptions: section 5.2.3.7.;
8° as regards decisions pertaining to the imposition of an update programme: section 5.2.4.2.;
9° as regards decisions pertaining to a third enrolment in a course of study or course unit: section 5.6.4.;
10° as regards decisions pertaining to disputes on the running of the examinations, examination results or decisions made by an examination committee: Articles 58-61 of the examination regulations.

6.3. Disciplinary Regulations

6.3.1. Students enrolling at K.U.Leuven are expected to behave both within and outside the university community, in a way that shows respect for others, to not commit acts that are incompatible with the elevated mission of the university in general and the principles that lie at the basis of this university, in particular.

6.3.2. Maintaining discipline at university is entrusted to: the Academic Council, and, on its behalf, the Joint Bureau, the Vice-President for Student Affairs and the disciplinary board set up in accordance with the provisions contained in 6.3.5.

6.3.3. The academic sanctions are as follows:
a) reprimand;
b) suspension of the right to be present at official teaching contact moments;
c) rustication;
d) being refused, as a disciplinary measure, permission to enrol;
e) definitive exclusion or consilium abeundi.
Each sanction is motivated in writing and communicated to the student.

6.3.4. The student against whom a disciplinary measure is considered, is entitled to:
a) know the nature of the measure that is considered and the grounds on which it is based.
b) access to the entire dossier;
c) a reasonable period in which to prepare and bring forward an oral and written defence.
Students may be assisted by a person of their choosing.

6.3.5. The disciplinary committee consists of: the Vice-President for Student Affairs who acts as chairperson; the Dean of the faculty (or his/her representative) to which the student belongs according to the latter's primary enrolment; a professor of the same faculty, appointed by the Dean; the president or coordinator of the student association of the faculty involved; the students' representative for the programme year of the student involved.
This committee shall be convened at the request of the student.

6.3.6. The reprimand is handed down by the Vice-President for Student Affairs. The suspension of the right to be present at official teaching contact moments and rustication are handed down by the Vice-President for Student Affairs after seeking the advice of the disciplinary committee, provided, that is, if the student has requested it. The sanctions involving 'refusal to enrol' and 'definitive exclusion' are pronounced by the Academic Council, after taking cognizance of the report drawn up by the Vice-President for Student Affairs, who must have heard the disciplinary committee, if the student involved has requested this.

6.3.7. Within eight calendar days following the written notification of a sanction, the student may submit a well-founded appeal in writing:
a) to the Joint Bureau, if it involves a sanction mentioned in 6.3.3. a-c);
b) to the Board of Directors, if it involves a sanction mentioned in 6.3.3 d) and e).
The guarantees provided in 6.3.4. also apply in the appeals procedure.

Section 7. Relation Between Old and New Degrees

Degrees delivered in accordance with the provisions of the structure decree dated 4 April 2003 and the flexibility decree dated 30 April 2004 do not require any formal equivalence assessment. Their status as Bachelor, Master, postgraduate or doctorate automatically ensues from the legal provisions.

In particular, this means that students who started a Bachelor's programme or a post-Master's Master's programme in 2004-2005 and/or 2005-2006 will graduate with a fully fledged Bachelor's or Master's degree in accordance with the above-mentioned decrees.

The legal consequences of the Bachelor's programme are particularly important in terms of the move to a Master's course. The exact transfer possibilities are determined in the educational regulations for each course of study. The legal consequences of a Master's programme are important in terms of the job market, as well as to the possible move to a post-Master's Master's programme. A post-Master's Master's programme may have consequences on the exercise of certain (qualified) professions. All types of courses may sometimes lead to a reduction in study duration in other courses. The possibilities for going on to other levels and for reduced study duration shall be set forth in the education regulations of the courses of study.

Flemish universities may only award the first Bachelor's degrees as from 2006-2007, when the first full Bachelor's itineraries of 180 study points (starting in 2004-2005) have been completed. Previous graduates of a first-cycle course of study will only obtain the degree of Candidate. These degrees shall not be equated with Bachelor.

Graduates from a Master's programme following a Bachelor's programme shall receive a Master's degree. These degrees will be awarded for the first time in 2007-2008 (Master's programme of 60 study points) or in 2008-2009 (Master's programmes of 120 study points). In a number of cases, graduates may have an additional professional title (e.g. engineer).

Graduates from a university course leading to the degree of Licentiate, engineer, dentist, MD or pharmacist and who graduated in 2003-2004, or before, retain the old degree, but are allowed to use the title Master as from 1 July 2005. According to the decree, they are entitled to 'add the word Master to their old title'. However, they shall not receive a new or additional degree. The same also applies to anyone who graduated in 2003-2004 or before from a postgraduate academic course.

Graduates from a university course leading to the degree of Licentiate, engineer, dentist, MD or pharmacist and who graduate as from 2004-2005 after a course of study that has not fully converted to the new Bachelor/Master model will have the term 'Master' added to their degree certificate.

Graduates from a university Master's programme that follows a Master's programme will also receive a Master's degree. The same also applies to graduates of a course of study that has not fully converted to the Master system as from 2004-2005. The latter will also, in case it is not already part of the name of the course, have the word 'Master' added to the degree certificate.

Section 8. Degree Equivalence

8.1. Academic and Professional Equivalence

The equivalence of degrees and study certificates may be requested with a view to continued studies (academic equivalence) or to gaining access to professions (professional equivalence).

Academic equivalence for studies in Flanders are determined by the Flemish Community of Belgium and, to a large extent, by the educational regulations of each institution. Professional equivalence falls within the remit of the federal government, except for professions that fall within the jurisdiction of the Communities (e.g. Education), in which case the Communities are also competent. All governments must take into account relevant European legislation. The practical recognition procedure during which the equivalence is assessed, first goes through a procedure before the Flemish Community, which is supplemented in the case of certain professions (e.g. medical) by a specific ad hoc procedure determined by the federal government.

8.2. Levels and Evaluation of Equivalence

Equivalence can be evaluated at various levels.

a) Is a course unit from another course of study and, consequently, the credit certificate awarded for this, equivalent in terms of content with the course unit for which an equivalence is requested?

b) Is a degree awarded in the Flemish Community equivalent to a degree awarded by another institution in the Flemish Community?

c) Is a degree awarded outside the Flemish Community (French-speaking Community, federal government, foreign degree) equivalent to a degree regulated within the Flemish Community?

d) Conversely, is a degree awarded in the Flemish Community recognized abroad as being equivalent with degrees awarded in the country concerned?

8.3. Equivalence of Course Units and Credit Certificates from another Course of Study

This assessment of equivalence, which is a purely academic matter, is discussed in section 5.2 of the present regulations.

8.4. Equivalence of Degrees Delivered within the Flemish Community

This equivalence is guaranteed to a large extent by the legislation governing higher education within the Flemish Community as regards access to the first and second cycles of old, taught-out courses and the new Bachelor's and Master's courses. In addition, it also largely covers the academic and professional equivalence. For the third cycle or the post-Master's Master's programmes, the evaluation of the content by the receiving institution plays an important role in the evaluation of academic equivalence. More details on the equivalence with a view to continued education can be found in the programme guide of the course of study to which admission is requested on the grounds of a previously obtained degree.

8.5. Equivalence of Degrees from outside the Flemish Community

8.5.1. Degrees awarded in the French-speaking Community or on the grounds of federal legislation

Pursuant to the constitution, degrees awarded by the French-speaking Community at every level are deemed to be equivalent to those of the Flemish Community. Education reform is proceeding more or less parallel to the way it is in Flanders .

For the holders of degrees from the French-speaking Community or institutions which award degrees in accordance with federal legislation, such as the Royal Military School , certain types of admission and reduction in study duration are mentioned in the education regulations of the courses of study involved. If certain degrees are not mentioned, prospective students may, with a view to being granted permission and a reduction in study duration, submit a request to the programme director of the course to which one wishes to gain admission.

8.5.2. Foreign Degrees

This subject matter is governed by important specific international Treaties. In areas where these treaties do not provide answers, applicants may appeal to an official procedure for the recognition of foreign degrees (see below).

The education regulations very rarely contain specific admission provisions for holders of foreign degrees. Prospective students must address themselves to the International Admissions and Mobility unit which will, in consultation with the programme director of the course to which one wishes to gain admission, examine whether previously obtained degrees are sufficiently equivalent.

Professional equivalence is subject to a formal recognition of the equivalence of the degree. For regulated professions, which are subject to a specific degree, holders of a degree awarded in the European Economic area may in principle assume that they may obtain equivalence for these if in their country of origin they are able to gain admission to a similar profession on the basis of their degree. For holders of degrees awarded outside the European Economic Area this is subject to an ad hoc assessment, which involves the Flemish Community seeking advice from the higher-education institutions which organize a similar course of study in Flanders. Based on these recommendations, the administration decides whether or not to grant equivalence. If holders of degrees from both inside and outside the European Economic Area receive a negative recommendation, they may enrol in an educational institution in Flanders , which can then decide which reduction in study duration may be granted in order to allow the individual in question to obtain the Flemish degree. Holders of degrees from outside the European Economic Area who obtain a Flemish degree through this procedure are not governed by the European guidelines on degree equivalence as the entire course was not followed within the European Economic Area. As a result, when they move to another country in the European Economic Area they will have to be subject to a new ad hoc assessment in that country.

More information on the recognition procedure for foreign degrees can be found on the following website: www.ond.vlaanderen.be/infolijn/faq/gelijkwaardigheid/hogeronderwijs.htm. With a view to an appointment at K.U.Leuven individuals may appeal to the university personnel department for assistance in this procedure.

8.6. Recognition of Flemish Degrees outside the Flemish Community of Belgium

8.6.1. Recognition in the French-speaking Community

Pursuant to the constitution, degrees awarded by the Flemish Community at every level are deemed to be equivalent to those of the French-speaking Community. Education reform is proceeding more or less parallel to that in Flanders .

As regards admission possibilities, holders of degrees awarded in the Flemish Community are able to go by similar degrees awarded in the French-speaking Community. On these grounds, they may submit a formal request for admission or a reduction in study duration to an institution of the French-speaking Community of Belgium.

8.6.2. Recognition abroad

Within the European Economic Area, a K.U. Leuven graduate has the right in principle to exercise those professions which are regulated in a certain country and which he would be entitled to exercise in Belgium on the basis of his/her degree. Students who only did part of their education in the European Economic Area because they enjoyed a reduction in study duration at K.U.Leuven, do not fall under the European guidelines on degree equivalence and will, therefore, be subject to an ad hoc equivalence assessment when they move to another country within the European Economic Area.

Outside the European Economic Area there are no agreements between Belgium or Flanders with other countries. As a result, each degree will have to be assessed in accordance with the procedure in force in the country concerned. K.U. Leuven graduates wishing to study or, especially, work in Asia or Latin America should bear in mind that many of these countries apply the so-called 'Apostil of The Hague', which is a procedure under international law embedded in the Treaty of the Hague aimed at ensuring the authenticity of a degree. They should first get a stamp from the Ministry of Education of the Flemish Community which ensures the authenticity of the degree. Afterwards, they should go to the embassy of the country involved to get a stamp to authenticate the Ministry stamp. Finally, the Belgian Foreign Ministry must place a stamp authenticating the stamp of the embassy involved. This procedure may be extremely time-consuming and some embassies charge a fee. Furthermore, this procedure still does not guarantee recognition of equivalence of the content.

The Flemish Community provides assistance with foreign equivalence and recognition procedures, details of which can be found on the following website: www.ond.vlaanderen.be/hogeronderwijs/interna/Naric/default.htm.

8.6.3. Support by K.U. Leuven

K.U. Leuven cannot help students who want to have their degrees recognized abroad. However, it may make available true and certified copies of degrees if these are required. More information on this can be obtained from the Student secretariat.

For other information regarding the course of study, the degree supplements will suffice. More detailed information on the programme that was completed may be found on the historic K.U. Leuven website where information regarding all courses for previous academic years is stored: www.kuleuven.be/oo/otheraj.html. For any ad hoc support the secretariat of the faculty where the student obtained a degree may, at its own initiative, make additional arrangements.

Annex with amendments and exceptions for students who do not possess a degree from the Flemish Community

Preliminaries : For non-Belgian students who do not hold a degree delivered within the Flemish Community of Belgium or a Dutch VWO-certificate, the first port of call for any queries is the International Admissions and Mobility Unit.

1. Definitions

1.1. An international student is a student with another nationality than the Belgian one and who temporarily stays in Belgium for his studies.
1.2. Seeker of asylum (or candidate-refugee) is a non-Belgian who has introduced an asylum procedure in Belgium; he has a temporarily permission to stay in Belgium as long as the Commissary-General for Refugees has not taken a final decision regarding his request. In the meantime he receives a document for a temporary stay.
1.3. A resident is a person with a non-Belgian nationality having been granted unlimited stay in Belgium.

2. The element that play a role in admission to studies at the K.U. Leuven for candidates who do not possess a degree from the Flemish Community are the following :
- the place where a degree is delivered, namely in- or outside the Council of Europe;
- the nationality of a person;
- status of residentship: the place where a person has been granted permanent residence;
- language knowledge.

3. Specific amendment with regard to the general education regulations

Section 1. Accession Conventions

1.1.1. 3° Pursuant to immigration legislation, students from outside the European Economic Area with temporary residence in Belgium may not register for a credit contract or an examination contract.
1.3.1. students who are nationals from countries outside the European Economic Area must request any change in contract or course of study through the International Admissions and Mobility Unit.
1.3.1.2. students who are nationals from countries outside the European Economic Area must request any reorientation through the International Admissions and Mobility Unit.

Section 2. Admission Conditions

2.1.2 Language Conditions
The decision whether the conditions have been met is made by the International Admissions and Mobility Unit, if necessary in consultation with ILT and the faculty.
A candidate student with a degree from outside the Flemish-speaking Community of Belgium shall only be admitted to a course in which the medium of instruction is Dutch if s/he meets at least one of the following conditions:
a) to provide proof that at least one year of study in secondary or higher education has been successfully completed in Dutch;
b) to have passed a Dutch examination which, according to the 'Nederlandse Taalunie' is of a sufficiently high level to allow access to higher education. The institution may require a higher level in the case of some courses;
c) to have passed level 5 of the Dutch examination organized by the 'Instituut voor Levende Talen' (ILT) of K.U.Leuven;
d) to submit a certificate of a Dutch language course which is deemed equivalent by the university with the above, or be able to show in some other way that one possesses the necessary language skills.
With regard to the admission of a Master’s course less strict rules can apply taking into account proven proficiency and the profile of the course.

2.2.1d). This implies that :
a) a student who holds a qualification obtained in a country that is part of the Council of Europe and which grants access in that country to a similar course of study, shall be admitted;
b) a student who holds a qualification obtained in a country that is not part of the Council of Europe which grants access to higher education in general in the country where it was delivered, may be admitted. In this case, permission shall be contingent upon additional checks of the skills required for the course of study in question.

2.2.2.1. Students from within the European Economic Area not possessing the Belgian or Dutch nationality must submit their request through the International Admissions and Mobility Unit.
Students from outside the European Economic area having a temporary residency in Belgium and who do not hold a secondary education diploma or certificate, or one that is deemed equivalent, may not be admitted to a Bachelor's programme on the grounds of an assessment.

2.2.2.2. With a view to verifying the degree conditions, all students who hold a diploma or certificate obtained abroad – with the exception of holders of a VWO certificate from the Netherlands – must submit their request for admission through the International Admissions and Mobility Unit. The specific procedure with which these students must comply can be found on www.kuleuven.be/english/.

2.4.1. Non-Belgian candidate students must first submit a request to the International Admissions and Mobility Unit.

2.6. Burden of Proof

A candidate student who has obtained degrees abroad which may possibly be deemed equivalent but whose special situation (refugee, asylum seeker; see scheme of the International Admissions and Mobility Unit) precludes him/her from submitting the degrees obtained, may use all means under the law to prove that s/he holds the required degree. If K.U.Leuven is able with a sufficient degree of certainty to ascertain the veracity of the claim the candidate shall be allowed to enrol. If it proves impossible to provide conclusive evidence, K.U.Leuven may as yet decide to enrol the candidate on the basis of additional tests. These tests shall include a language examination, and, once the candidate has passed it, a specific test related to the course to which the student wishes to gain admission. Candidate students who find themselves in this category must submit their dossier to the International Admissions and Mobility Unit, which will then start the assessment procedure.

Section 3. Enrolment Regulations and Tuition Fees

3.1.4. Students coming from outside the European Economic Area wishing to register for the second time for a programme year of the same level have to ask permission through the head of the International Admissions and Mobility Unit;
Students wishing to enrol after the deadline have to ask permission through the head of the International Admissions and Mobility Unit for non-Belgians.

3.2.1. Admission to the private-life civil liability policy is an additional obligation imposed on students from outside the European Economic Area. More information on the tuition fees payable by non-Belgian passport holders can be found on www.kuleuven.be/english.

3.2.2.1. 5. 5. For the purpose of the establishment of tuition fees, foreign nationals with unlimited right of residence in the European Economic Area shall be treated the same as Belgian students.

3.2.3. Students from developing countries recognized by the university may submit a well-founded request for reduced tuition fees. This request should be submitted to the International Admissions and Mobility Unit.