Basic information
Students enrolled in a bachelor or associate degree program will receive a study recommendation by the end of their first year.
If you have obtained the required amount of credits (for example 48, 52 or 60 credits) and perhaps additional qualitative demands, you will receive a positive recommendation. If you are unable to meet the required norm, you will receive a negative recommendation.
You can find the set norm that applies to you in the Student Handbook (set to English).
Study requirements per academic year
There have been various formats for the study recommendation over the past few academic years. What applied or applies to you depends on your study program and the first year of enrollment.
Due to COVID-19, if you received a negative study recommendation because you had been unable to meet the required norm, you were still allowed to continue.
There was a binding study recommendation, but you had two academic years to obtain the necessary amount of credits. By the end of academic year 2021-2022 you would have to have met the norm for a positive study recommendation.
Please note: For many programs the norm was 48 credits, but it could have also been 52 or 60, depending on your study program. It is also possible your program had an additional qualitative requirement, such as passing a certain course.
If your study recommendation was postponed an additional year based on personal circumstances, you were allowed to obtain the required credits to meet the norm in academic year 2022-2023. The (new) required norm was determined by your study program.
There was a binding study recommendation, but you had two academic years to obtain the necessary amount of credits. By the end of academic year 2022-2023 you would have to have met the norm for a positive study recommendation.
Please note: For many programs the norm was 48 credits, but it could have also been 52 or 60, depending on your study program. It is also possible your program had an additional qualitative requirement, such as passing a certain course.
If your study recommendation is postponed an additional year based on personal circumstances, you are allowed to obtain the required credits to meet the norm recommendation in academic year 2023-2024. The (new) required norm is determined by your study program.
At the end of academic year 2022-2023 you have received an urgent (non-binding) study recommendation.
If you met the required norm, you have received a positive study recommendation.
You received a negative study recommendation if you had been unable to meet the required norm and your program would be in touch to discuss your study progress and ask you to reflect upon the previous year, with the advice to leave the program. If you are unable to meet the required norm in the first year of enrollment, there is an increased likelihood of you not being able to obtain your diploma for this program. The advice is urgent but not compulsory: you are free not to follow this advice.
At the end of academic year 2023-2024 you will receive an urgent (non-binding) study recommendation.
If you meet the required norm, you will receive a positive study recommendation.
You will receive a negative study recommendation if you are unable to meet the required norm. Your program will be in touch to discuss your study progress and ask you to reflect, with the advice to leave the program. If you are unable to meet the required norm in the first year of enrollment, there is an increased likelihood of you not being able to obtain your diploma for this program. The advice will be urgent but not compulsory: you are free not to follow this advice.
Special circumstances?
Are there special circumstances that (could) negatively influence your study results? Let a student counsellor know as soon as possible. A student counselor can best advise you and the program if you take care to provide timely and sufficient information for them to determine the causal effect of your circumstances on your study progress.
Together with your student counselor, you can determine how to follow your study program to the best of your ability while these circumstances impact you and your life, and the student counselor can advise the program to take your circumstances into consideration during the academic year (potentially with supportive amenities) and when the study recommendation is issued.
Want to know more?
The complete regulation about the Binding Study Recommendation is part of the Student Handbook in the attachment regulation: Study Advice and Rejection.
