When do you contact a student counsellor?
Always visit the student counsellor when you are concerned about a possible study delay due to personal circumstances. It can be any number of things: dealing with long-term illness, a death in the family, in case of disabilities such as ADHD, or when you are in debt. If you are a top athlete and you need an adjusted schedule, it is a good idea to discuss this with a student counsellor.
You can also get advice from a student counsellor about student finance, the complaints procedure or financial facilities.
When do you not contact a student counsellor?
When you have a specific question about your study programme, such as about assessments, exemption (s), grades, teachers, a tricky course... : in these cases your Study Coach (SLC in Dutch) is your first contact person. If necessary, your coach can still refer you to a student counsellor.
Why should I meet with a student counsellor?
For a start, it can be a relief to talk to someone about a personal situation. The student counsellor will listen to you and treat the information confidentially. What you share with the student counsellor is not shared with your study programme, unless it is in your interest, and you have given him/her permission to share the information.
The student counsellor can consider different options and will suggest solutions, and if needed, will give you advice about facilities at your study programme. Some examples are extra exam time when you have a disability, temporary flexible deadlines or an adjusted schedule. When a problem arises, it is therefore important to make an appointment as soon as possible. It is only after you have met with a counsellor that, the study programme can take your situation into account.