Exemptions
Which courses count at VUB?
Have you already passed a number of courses at another institution and would you like to know whether you can obtain an exemption for these in your VUB programme? You can view all course outlines online. You will find more information on course content, course materials used, and the number of credits. When you have checked this, you can find all info on how to apply for an exemption below.
Please note! You will almost always lose a few credits when transferring, as there is rarely a 100 per cent match between two similar programmes at two different institutions. For example: it may be that, for the 60 credits you have earned elsewhere, you are only granted 51 or even fewer credits as exemptions at the VUB. The modules for which you are granted exemptions are also not necessarily in the same place as they were at your previous institution (e.g. you may be granted an exemption for a second-year Bachelor’s module on the basis of a first-year Bachelor’s module).
In summary: if you completed your first bachelor’s degree at another institution, this does not mean that you can simply start in the second year of that programme at the VUB.
From first to second bachelor’s
If you have completed all your courses of the first bachelor’s elsewhere, can you immediately start on your second bachelor’s at VUB?
Unfortunately, it’s not that simple. For each successful subject, we check to what extent the subject correlates with subjects from our programme. If there is sufficient correspondence, this may result in exemptions at various stages of the programme (e.g. some first-year Bachelor’s modules and some second-year Bachelor’s modules).
Are you starting a new Bachelor’s degree at the VUB and, because of exemptions from first-year courses, do you want to take second- and/or third-year courses? If so, these modules will also form part of your threshold. Check here for information for students starting a Bachelor’s degree.
Consequences of transferring
Be aware that transferring to VUB may have some implications on your study progress, threshold and individual study pathway.
Study progress
Is your previous programme within the same study field of study and did you make insufficient study progress there? Then this will also affect your study progress at the VUB. Binding conditions will immediately be imposed at the start of your new study programme at VUB. Does this apply to you? What do these binding conditions entail?
Check ground rule 5 of study progress
Want to know if your programme belongs to the same study field? Contact your study path counselor.
Threshold
Students starting in the first year of a bachelor's programme must pass all the courses they took when they first enrolled in that bachelor's programme within two academic years.
Did you previously follow a bachelor's degree at another university? If so, this may also affect your threshold. We discourage to change universities between the first and second threshold year. VUB expects you to pass for all VUB-courses of the first bachelor in the second threshold year.
Starting in the 2nd semester of your 2nd threshold year is therefore not possible. Because you cannot pass all your 1st semester courses if you only start in the 2nd semester.
Individual study path
Transferring to the VUB for the same course means you are in an individual study pathway anyway.
Compose your own study path
Still have questions? Check whether a session for transfer students is organised for your programme. If not? Contact the study path counselor of your new programme if you have any additional questions. You can find the different workshops and contact details on the webpage of your study path counselor.