Exemption for a course

Students of the Faculty of Dentistry (ACTA) can find more information on ACTA.nl [in Dutch].

Students of Amsterdam University College (AUC) can find more information on AUC.nl.

Exemptions

• The maximum amount of EC that can be exempted differs per study programme. The maximum amount of EC that can be exempted within your study programme can be found in the Teaching and Examination Regulations of the different study programmes. You can view each TER per study programme in the study guide.
• A subject can only be admitted once as grounds for an exemption.
• Exemption possibilities based on first year educational components from another institution, can only be considered if the student has successfully completed all components of the first year programme (60 EC) at the other institution.

Exemptions for theses and internships

The Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis and internships are excluded from this exemption possibility.

Request an exemption for a course already passed during another study program

Students who passed a course from the curriculum of their study program when they were not yet enrolled in this study program can apply for an exemption for that course via the form at the bottom of this page.

Example 1: In academic year 2010-2011, Student A was enrolled in the Pedagogical Sciences program and passed the courses Methodology 1, Measurement and Diagnostics 1 and Personality Studies and Research. In the 2011-2012 academic year, student A will transfer to the Psychology program. Said courses do not have to be taken again; Exemption is requested for each course via a special form.

Example 2: In academic year 2010-2011, Student B was registered for the Biomedical Sciences program and took the course Work and Organization as a minor. Student B will switch to the Psychology program in 2011-2012. The course Work and Organization does not have to be taken again; student applies for an exemption via form.

Applications for such exemptions must be made in September or October of the academic year concerned.

Exemptions

When applying for an exemption on the basis of a course completed at a university other than the Vrije Universiteit, you must submit your official certified transcript as PDF file. We cannot process your application on the basis of print screens or photographs.  
A course can be grounds for an exemption only once.
For the Master’s programmes a maximum of 12 EC can be exempted.

Exemptions for the first bachelor year

If you transfer to a (different) Bachelor’s programme of the faculty, it is only possible to request exemptions for components of the Bachelor if you can demonstrate that you meet the faculty criteria for a positive BSA (successfully completed 42 EC in first year courses in one academic year). Students who transfer from a Dutch Bachelor’s programme must enclose the formal BSA advice received with the exemption request.

If you de-registered from your previous Bachelor’s programme before 1 February, you can submit a request for an exemption without meeting the BSA criteria.

No exemptions are granted solely on the basis of an HBO propaedeutic diploma.

Completed HBO degree | Academic degree

Do you have a completed HBO Law degree (Dutch law variant) or HBO SJD degree or an academic degree? Then you can apply for a number of standard exemptions. Overview of exemptions

Thesis exemption

It is not possible to obtain an exemption for the thesis.

Based on a combination of two degrees within the faculty 

Exemption for courses that overlap must be requested from the Examination Board. Do this as soon as you have passed the course, especially for courses from the first year in connection with the binding recommendation on continuation of studies (BSA).

• Do you follow a different combination of studies and do you think you can still be exempted from a certain course? Then contact the Examination Board.
• You are only eligible for the exemption when you have passed the corresponding course and the grade is visible on your grade list.
• Your grade will be registered under the degree program under which you register for the course on your VU Dashboard, the exemption will be registered under the other degree program.

More information about exemptions

The so-called binding study advice (BSA) applies in the first year of the bachelor's programs. You can only continue your studies after the first year if you have obtained a minimum number of credits (ec): the BSA standard.

If you have been granted an exemption for one or more courses on the basis of a previously followed study program from the SBE Examination Board, the following applies:

1. the number of credits that can be exempted is a maximum of 12 or 18 ec, depending on the study program you are following;

2. the exemptions will only apply after you have met the BSA standard exclusively for the exemptions. If you have not met the BSA standard, you will in principle not be able to continue your studies and the exemptions will lapse.

In an overview it looks like this:

Program: BK/IBA

BSA-norm: 48 ec 

Maximum Exemptions: 12 ec

Program EBE

BSA-norm: 42 ec (incl. QRM I*)

Maximum Exemptions: 18 ec

Program EOR

BSA-norm: 42 ec

Maximum Exemptions: 18 ec

*Quantitative Research Methods I