Practically, this more ‘lenient’ arrangement does not constitute an amendment to the existing rules. The university has always given students who failed their binding study advice (bsa) due to exceptional circumstances more time to obtain the required credits. The university regards the coronavirus outbreak as an exceptional circumstance.
If you are granted more time to obtain the required credits, you will be required in Year 2 to obtain the credits outstanding from Year 1 in order to be allowed to continue. In addition, you will have to draw up a coursework plan to prevent yourself from getting stuck in Year 2. If you were already granted more time last year to obtain a positive bsa, you are requested to contact your study adviser.
Nothing will change for students who were already in a position where it would be impossible for them to obtain the required number of credits before the coronavirus pandemic. They will be issued with a negative enrolment decision.
Stringent requirements
Erasmus University has a strict ‘nominal=normal’ policy, meaning that students are required to obtain the full 60 credits in order to be admitted to Year 2, although high marks in certain subjects do cancel out fail marks in certain other subjects. The requirements are slightly less stringent for medical students, who must obtain 45 credits in Year 1 in order to be admitted to Year 2.
Last Thursday the rectors of the Dutch universities and representatives of two Dutch student unions, LSVb and ISO, agreed to relax the requirements for first-year students because of the coronavirus pandemic. The universities were then allowed to draw up their own arrangements in line with that agreement. EUR’s arrangements are largely in accordance with the agreements arrived at during last week’s meeting.
