Study path exceptions

You can request an exception only for one of the reasons listed below. Select your reason in the left-hand menu for more details and instructions.

• Applying or enrolling in a programme after the deadline of September 23 (semester 1) or February 15 (semester 2) 
  (only possible for students with a Belgian diploma)
   
• Registering or deregistering from courses after the deadline of October 8 (1st semester and year courses) or February 28 (2nd semester) 
  (not applicable for 1st Bachelor year students)
   
• Exceeding the maximum amount of ECTS credits 
  => You want to take more than 72 ECTS credits
   
• Deviating from binding pre- and corequisites - deadline: October 8 or February 28 (for 2nd semester courses only) 
  (not applicable for advisory pre- and corequisites)
   
• Combining the basic program with (part of) the master program => combined enrollment 
  Only if you still have more than 30 ECTS credits to complete in your bachelor program
   
• Withdrawing from failed compulsory courses 
  From 2024-2025, you are automatically enrolled in mandatory courses you took last year but did not pass. If you are in exceptional circumstances and wish not to include these courses in your program this year, you can request an exception.
   
• Deviating from course load 1st Bachelor 
  Students enrolling for the first time in a new bachelor program are automatically registered for all courses in the model program (1st year). Deviations from this compulsory course load are only possible under specific conditions.

You can request an exception to apply and enrol for a programme after the deadline.

Check the application deadlines
If the deadline has not yet passed, there is no need to request an exception.

Belgian diploma

It is only possible to request this exception with a Belgian diploma. Students with a foreign diploma cannot request this exception.

Deadline

You must apply for the exception before 15 November (1st semester) or 15 March (2nd semester). After these dates, no exception is possible, even with the dean’s approval.

Attention

If approved, you will need to catch up on missed weeks. The later you start, the lower your chances of success. Consider alternatives such as starting in the second semester.

Requesting an exception

If you wish to deviate from the current VUB regulations, you must submit a motivated exception request. The dean of your faculty will review your request and decide whether or not to grant the deviation. Once a decision has been made, you will be informed by email.
Online application form

You can request an exception to register or deregister courses after the deadline.
 

Check the course registration deadline

If the deadline has not yet passed, you do not need to request an exception. You can manage your courses yourself (register or deregister) until the deadline.

Not applicable to 1st Bachelor

If you are starting a Bachelor’s programme, all first-year courses are registered for you automatically.

Something wrong with your automatic registration? 
Contact your faculty’s study path counsellor

Want to deviate from the compulsory first-year curriculum? More about deviating from the standard course load of the first bachelor year

Deadlines

You must submit your exception request before 15 December (for first-semester courses) or 20 May (for second-semester courses). After these dates, no exceptions are possible, even with the dean’s approval.

Attention

If your request is approved, you may need to catch up on several weeks of missed work. The later you start, the lower your chances of success.

Requesting an exception

If you wish to deviate from the current VUB regulations, you must submit a motivated exception request. The dean of your faculty will review your request and decide whether or not to grant the deviation. Once a decision has been made, you will be informed by email. Online application form

You can request an exception to exceed the maximum amount of ECTS credits.

Do you want to register for more than 72 ECTS?

Binding Conditions

If you have binding conditions 1 in your bachelor programme, you may not register for more than 60 ECTS. No exception is possible in this case.

Attention

A study load of more than 72 ECTS is very demanding. There is also an increased risk of overlaps in class and exam schedules.

Requesting an exception

If you wish to deviate from the current VUB regulations, you must submit a motivated exception request. The dean of your faculty will review your request and decide whether or not to grant the deviation. Once a decision has been made, you will be informed by email. 
Online application form

You can request an exception to deviate from the binding pre- and corequisites.

Advisory or binding requirements?

No exception request is needed for advisory requirements. While the programme strongly recommends following them, you are free to take courses without meeting advisory prerequisites—at your own risk.

Master’s thesis as a capstone

You may also use this request to ask for an exception to take your master’s thesis without it being the final component of your programme.

Deadline

You must submit your request by the course registration deadline: 8 October or 28 February (for second-semester courses only)

Requesting an exception

If you wish to deviate from the current VUB regulations, you must submit a motivated exception request. The dean of your faculty will review your request and decide whether or not to grant the deviation. Once a decision has been made, you will be informed by email.

Online application form

Requesting an exception to take master’s courses while still completing your basic program

Are you still completing your Bachelor’s or Preparatory program and want to start taking master’s courses?

Up to 30 credits remaining in your basic program

If you have a maximum of 30 credits left in your basic program, you do not need an exception to combine these with master’s courses.
Manage a combined enrollment yourself

More than 30 credits remaining in your basic program

• If you have 31–45 credits left in your basic program, you can request an exception to also take master’s courses. Carefully consider whether your study plan is feasible. Keep in mind that the study progress rules are applied separately for the basic and master’s programs.
• If you have more than 45 credits remaining, you cannot request an exception to combine with master’s courses.

Requesting an exception

If you wish to deviate from the current VUB regulations, you must submit a motivated exception request. The dean of your faculty will review your request and decide whether or not to grant the deviation. Once a decision has been made, you will be informed by email.

Online application form

Requesting an exception to withdraw from failed compulsory courses

You are automatically enrolled in mandatory courses you took last year but did not pass. You cannot withdraw from these courses yourself.

Exceptional circumstances

Only if you are in exceptional circumstances that have affected (or are affecting) your study progress, can you request not to include these failed compulsory courses in your course load.

Deadline

You must submit the exception request before December 15 (1st semester), March 15 (year courses) or May 20 (2nd semester). After these dates, an exception is no longer possible, even with the dean’s approval.

Requesting an exception 

If you wish to deviate from the current VUB regulations, you must submit a motivated exception request. The dean of your faculty will review your request and decide whether or not to grant the deviation. Once a decision has been made, you will be informed by email.

Online application form

You wish to deviate from the required study load of the 1st year Bachelor’s program.

Students enrolling for the first time in a new bachelor’s program are automatically registered for all courses in the standard 1st-year curriculum. Deviating from this compulsory course load is only possible under certain conditions. Select your reason in the left-hand menu to see more details:

• You are in a exceptional situation
• You have already obtained a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree
• You have a specific status

Our study path counselors have also prepared some alternative course distribution proposals for students granted an exception.

Threshold

Automatic registration for all first-year courses is part of the threshold system. Therefore, this exception is only available to students who fall under this threshold system. All information about the threshold system

Only for 1st Bachelor

If you are not starting a Bachelor’s program, you can determine your study load yourself, and the threshold does not apply to you.

Deviating from the required course load in the context of a special situation or exceptional circumstances?

By ‘exceptional circumstances’ we mean particular personal situations that affect your study progress.

Requesting an exception

If you wish to deviate from the current VUB regulations, you must submit a motivated exception request. The dean of your faculty will review your request and decide whether or not to grant the deviation. Once a decision has been made, you will be informed by email. 
Online application form

Deviating from the compulsory course load because you already hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree

If you have already obtained a BA or MA, you may request to deviate from the compulsory course load.

Before the course registration deadline

Until October 8, you can adjust your course load yourself in the Student SelfService (Cali):

• Go to Student SelfService and log in with your VUB account. Normally, you cannot register or drop courses via the "Manage Courses" tile. First, select the tile ‘Adjustment course load year 1’.
• IMPORTANT: Do not request an exception until your automatic course registration is completed. This happens within 24 hours after signing your study contract. Wait until the courses appear in SelfService before submitting your exception request.
• Select that you have already obtained a Bachelor’s/Master’s degree (you can select only one status) and confirm your selection via an honor statement. This request cannot be withdrawn later.
• Once confirmed, you will be able to register or deregister courses via the “Manage Courses” tile. Your declared status will be verified by our staff.

After the course registration deadline

After October 8, you can no longer manage your courses yourself. If you still wish to deviate from the applicable VUB rules, you must submit a motivated exception request. The Dean of your faculty will evaluate your request and decide whether the deviation is granted. You will be informed of the decision by email.

Online request form

Deviating from the required course load due to a special status

Certain statuses qualify you to deviate from the required first-year courses:

• Working students: combining their studies with employment of at least 80h/month
• Reflex status: Students with a disability, a learning disorder and refugees
• Student athletes
• Student-entrepreneurs
• Scholarship beneficiaries combining studies with employment of at least 16h/week
• Reorientation: students changing study programs (within or outside VUB) during the same academic year

Before the course registration deadline

Until October 8, you can adjust your course load yourself in Student SelfService (Cali):

• Go to Student SelfService and log in with your VUB account. Normally, you cannot register or drop courses via the "Manage Courses" tile. First, select the tile ‘Adjustment course load year 1’.
• IMPORTANT: Do not request an exception until your automatic course registration is completed. This happens within 24 hours after signing your study contract. Wait until the courses appear in SelfService before submitting your exception request.
• Select that you have already obtained a Bachelor’s/Master’s degree (you can select only one status) and confirm your selection via an honor statement. This request cannot be withdrawn later.
• Once confirmed, you will be able to register or deregister courses via the “Manage Courses” tile. Your declared status will be verified by our staff.

After the course registration deadline

After October 8, you can no longer manage your courses yourself. If you still wish to deviate from the applicable VUB rules, you must submit a motivated exception request. The Dean of your faculty will evaluate your request and decide whether the deviation is granted. You will be informed of the decision by email.

Online request form

Spreading proposals from our study path counselors

New Bachelor students who wish to deviate form the compulsory course load can check out these spreading proposals for each faculty and programme. These are just proposals, and if you want to discuss a tailored trajectory you can contact you faculty's study path counselors.

Faculty of Social Sciences and Solvay Business School

Business Economics 
Social Sciences

Faculty of Languages and Humanities

Bachelor  Linguistics and Literary Studies

Dutch programmes

Check the spreading proposals for Dutch programmes