Binding recommendation on continuation of studies (BSA)

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

Important dates

Before 1 February: If you deregister before 1 February, you don’t receive a BSA.

21 June, 2024 before 9:00 AM: Deadline for submitting BSA deferment request by using this form (only for Faculty of Science students). Requests submitted before 1 June 2024 will not be processed. Please submit your request between 1 and 21 June 2024.

1 August, 2024: Proposed final BSA decision is sent.

8 August, 2024 before 9:00 AM: Deadline for objecting to a proposed negative decision. You register for the hearing.

19 or 20 August, 2024: Hearing.

22 August, 2024: The final Binding recommendations on continuation of studies is sent.

Postponement of BSA  

At the Faculty of Science (Bèta), the BSA standard of 2023–2024 is 42 EC for students who started in September 2023. Only first-year courses are counted in the calculation of the number of credits.  

Students who started in 2022-2023, and who received a postponement of BSA, need to obtain 42 EC. Only first-year courses are counted in the calculation of the number of credits.

Students who started in 2021-2022 or in 2020-2021, and who received a postponement of BSA, need to obtain 36 EC. Only first-year courses are counted in the calculation of the number of credits.  

The deadline for submitting a request for a postponement of BSA to the BSA committee is June 21^st by using this form (only for Faculty of Science students). Please read the instructions in the form carefully!

Note: the form alone is not sufficient, adding the requested attachments is very important. Without proof of circumstances, your request has little chance of success. 

If you want to request a postponement, make sure you are familiar with the procedure, because incomplete requests will not be processed:

Phase 1 (June, July) – deadline for BSA postponement request June 21st and committee meeting in July

The first meeting of the BSA Committee - which will discuss whether to grant a deferral to students - will take place in the first week of July 2024. In order for your request to be discussed at this meeting, you must submit your request (including the requested attachments!) at latest June 21st. As a student you will not be present at this meeting. 

What do you need to send for this request?

1. The completed form to request BSA deferment. Please fill in the form as completely and specific as possible. (If uploading is not possible, you may email the form + the proof of circumstances to bsa.beta@vu.nl. In that case please mention the Ticket number of your BSA deferment request, your study programme and your student number)

2. Evidence of your personal circumstances* (consider a doctor's statement, correspondence, obituary, medication prescriptions, referral letters, an overview of your medical file/history etc.).

If there are personal circumstances*, you must report this to the academic advisor no later than June 1st.

* Circumstances that may be grounds for postponement of the BSA standard are: illness, pregnancy, special family circumstances, disability/job restriction, and board activities.

If your request is discussed in this meeting, you will receive the decision of the BSA committee on your VU email address in the second week of July.

Follow-up procedure 

Phase 2 (August) – (intended) final BSA decision and hearing

For all students (with the exception of those who received a postponement of BSA in the BSA committee meeting in July) the following applies: On August 1st you will receive the intended final BSA decision. If you wish to object to a proposed negative decision, you must do so at latest August 8, 2024 before 09.00 AM by using this form.

Please note that the form alone is not sufficient. Adding the attachments below, including proof of circumstances, is very important! Without proof of circumstances, your application has little chance of success.

If you want to object to a proposed negative decision, you must send the following:

1. The completed form to request BSA deferment. Please fill in the form as completely and specific as possible. (If uploading is not possible, you may email the form + the proof of circumstances to bsa.beta@vu.nl. In that case please mention the Ticket number of your BSA deferment request, your study programme and your student number)

2. Evidence of your personal circumstances* (consider a doctor's statement, correspondence, obituary, medication prescriptions, referral letters, an overview of your medical file/history etc.).

If there are personal circumstances*, you must report this to the student advisor no later than June 1

*Circumstances that may be grounds for postponement of the BSA standard are: illness, pregnancy, special family circumstances, disability/job restriction, and board activities.

If you object to the proposed negative decision, you will be invited to the hearing on August 19 or 20, 2023. You are expected to physically (at the VU) attend the hearing.

At the hearing, you will have the opportunity to explain to the BSA committee why you should be granted a deferral on the standard.

For this meeting the following applies:

- It is not possible to indicate a day or time preference.

- It is not possible to attend the meeting online. 

- You will receive the invitation to the hearing on your VU email address. You will receive the exact time you will be heard no later than Friday August 16^th.

Important dates

• Before 1 February: if you deregister before 1 February, you will not receive a BSA
• 31st of July 2025: deadline for submitting a request for deferment of the BSA by using this form
• Early August 2025: meeting BSA committee: definitive decision or an invitation to a hearing
• Mid-August 2025: hearings
• 22 August 2025: final date to receive the definitive BSA.

Faculty BSA norm

Psychology
For the bachelor Psychology, you need to obtain a minimum of 42 out of 60 EC. 

Only first-year courses count toward the required minimum of EC for a positive BSA.

Students who started in 2020-2021 or 2021-2022 and have been granted a deferment from the BSA need to obtain 36 EC.

BSA deferment

• In case of personal circumstances* that interfere with your ability to study, you can appeal the proposed negative study advice and possibly receive a deferral of the BSA. This means that you will be given an additional academic year to meet the BSA norm.
• In case of personal circumstances*, you need to report these circumstances to the academic advisor as soon as possible after the circumstances arise.
• You can submit a request for deferment of the BSA by using this form no later than the 31st of July. Read the instructions on the form carefully!
• The form alone is not sufficient, adding the requested attachments is very important. Without proof of circumstances (consider a doctor's statement, correspondence, obituary, medication prescriptions, referral letters, an overview of your medical file/history etc.), your request has little chance of success. 
• Requests that were submitted before the 31st of July will be discussed in the meeting of the BSA committee in the beginning of August. Requests that are submitted after July 31 will not be processed.
• After your request has been discussed during the meeting, you will receive the decision of the BSA committee via your VU email address in the beginning of August. If the BSA committee has any questions regarding your request, you will receive an invitation to the hearing in this email.
• A hearing lasts a maximum of 10 minutes and will take place in the week of 11 or 18 August 2025 at the VU Campus. The definitive dates will be posted on this website as soon as possible.
• It is not possible to attend the hearing online. It is not possible to indicate a day or time preference.

*Personal circumstances that can warrant a BSA deferment are: illness, pregnancy, special family circumstances, disability, and official work for a student body

Faculty BSA norm

In the first year you have to reach a minimum of 42 ECTS out of a total of 60. Achieving the qualitative requirement can be an additional compulsory condition.

When your score is less than 42 ECTS, you'll receive a letter in August with a binding negative recommendation. You are forced to quit your study and are not allowed to re-enter this study at VU Amsterdam for the following three years. The binding recommendation on continuation of studies only applies to full-time students.

In November, January, (April) and July, as in other years, you'll receive an advice about your study advancement. There is no change in this. Contact your academic advisor if you think you will not be able to meet the adjusted standard. You can also contact your study advisor if you have difficulties studying, have doubts about your choice of study or would like help with your study planning. Report any personal circumstances as soon as possible to your study advisor. If you deregister from the programme before 1 February, you will not receive binding study advice.

BSA Hearing

• If you submit a postponement request of the BSA standard, you will be expected at the hearing. Requests will not be considered until the end of July.
• If you object to the proposed negative study advice, you will be invited for a hearing as soon as possible.
• During the hearing, students have the opportunity to explain to the BSA committee why they should be granted BSA-norm postponement.
• Scheduled hearing dates:
  • For the Bachelor's of Theology: 19 August 2024 
  • For the Bachelor's of Theology and Religious Studies: 19 August 2024

Postponement of binding study advice

• Students who do not meet the BSA-norm receive their proposed negative study advice by mail. Students can expect this email at the end of July.
• You can request a BSA advice postponement within two weeks of the date of the proposed negative study advice. Apply for a BSA deferment (postponement) with this form.
• Explain why you should receive postponement.
• Provide evidence and proof that support your claim (e.g. doctors notice, correspondence, obituary notice etc.).
• If you are facing special circumstances* please report to your academic advisor no later than 1 June.
• If you are facing personal issues* that affect your academic performance, you can appeal against the final negative study advice and possibly receive a BSA postponement.

*The following circumstances may be reasons for requesting BSA deferment: illness, pregnancy, special family circumstances, disability or if you work for an official student body.

Faculty standard BSA (Binding Recommendation on Continuation of Studies)

In your first year of registration, you must obtain at least 42 of the 60 credits in first-year courses of the bachelor's degree for which you are registered.

In November, January, April and July you will receive advice about the progress of your studies. Please contact the academic advisor if you are unsure whether you can meet the standard. You can also contact your academic advisor if you have difficulty studying, have doubts about your study choice or want help with your study planning. Also report any personal circumstances to the academic advisor as soon as possible.

Important dates

• Before 1 February: If you deregister before 1 February, you will not receive your BSA
• No later than 22 July 2025: Positive BSA and proposed negative BSA decision will be sent
• 4 August 2025 at 12:00: Deadline for submitting objections to the proposed negative decision. You thereby register for the hearing.
• 15 August 2025: Hearing (online)
• No later than 22 August 2025: Final Binding Study Advice is sent out

Postponement of binding study advice and BSA hearing

• If you do not meet the BSR standard on 22 July 2025, you will receive a proposed negative BSR by e-mail.
• From the time you receive the intended negative BSA until no later than 12:00 on August 4, 2025, you can object to this decision by submitting a request for postponement to the BSA Committee. You do so by completing this form and submitting it as an attachment to the official request (top right of this page).
• Substantiate why you think you should be granted a postponement.
• Enclose supporting documents in the form (e.g. doctor's note, correspondence, obituary, etc.).
• Count on an invitation to the hearing on 15 August 2025. On 14 August, you will be told what time you are expected.
• If the special circumstances are such that it is evident that postponement of the BSA can be granted, and you reported the circumstances to the study advisor in time, the BSA committee may decide to grant postponement without hearing you at the hearing. 
• Hearings are short (online) sessions in which the BSA committee can ask you questions to clarify any ambiguities. The aim is not to discuss your circumstances in detail, which should be well documented in the request you submitted earlier. A hearing will last 10 minutes or less.

NB. If there are special circumstances*, you must report this to the study advisor by 1 June at the latest. 

*Circumstances that may be cause for postponement of the BSA standard are: illness, pregnancy, special family circumstances, disability/ job limitation and board work.

Faculty standard BSA (Binding Recommendation on Continuation of Studies)

In your first year of registration, you must obtain at least 42 of the 60 credits in first-year courses of the bachelor's degree for which you are registered. The course Academic Skills is a mandatory part of these 42 credits. The credits for Academic Skills are only awarded when the Language Proficiency Test has been passed. If you do not meet the norm, you will receive a negative binding recommendation in August. You must then discontinue the programme and you may not re-register for this programme at VU Amsterdam for three years. The binding recommendation on continuation of studies only applies to full-time students.

Exceptions to this rule are the ACASA programmes, Philosophy and PPE. These apply the following standards:

• Archaeology, Greek and Latin Language and Culture and Ancient Sciences - 48 credits
• Philosophy, Politics and Economics - 54 credits
• In the Bachelor's degree in Philosophy, 42 credits ánd the Language Proficiency Test must be passed to receive a positive BSA.

For the above-mentioned programmes, the Academic Skills course is not a mandatory part of the BSA standard.

In November, January, (April) and July you will receive advice about the progress of your studies. Please contact the academic advisor if you are unsure whether you can meet the standard. You can also contact your academic advisor if you have difficulty studying, have doubts about your study choice or want help with your study planning. Also report any personal circumstances to the academic advisor as soon as possible.

Quitting before February 1 as a first-year student (or before March 1 as a first-year ACASA student)
If you deregister from the programme before February 1, you will not receive a BSA for the current year. This means that you can re-register for the same programme via Studielink for the next academic year.

Only for the ACASA programmes (Archaeology, Greek and Latin Language and Culture and Ancient Sciences): if students deregister before March 1, they will not receive a BSA.

Read below what steps you need to take and what the consequences are.

Unsubscribe
If you want to deregister before February 1, please submit a request for deregistration via Studielink no later than January 31. If you want to deregister before March 1 (ACASA bachelors), please submit a request for deregistration no later than February 28. More information about unsubscribing can be found on vu.nl.

Financial Consequences
You are responsible for terminating your student financing and student public transport card upon deregistration; this doesn't happen automatically! If you stop your studies before February 1, your student travel product and grant can become a gift from DUO under certain conditions (first year  scheme). You must repay any loan.

This date also applies to first-year ACASA students! If you deregister as an ACASA student after February 1 and before March 1, you cannot use the first year scheme.

For more information, visit the DUO website. Also note the possible consequences for your (student) insurance and student housing if you interrupt or stop your studies.

Procedure for postponement of binding study advice (excluding B PPE)

If your studies are delayed due to personal circumstances*, you can request a postponement of the BSA from the BSA committee. This means that you request an extension of the period within which you must obtain the required minimum number of credits from the first year of your programme.

Important data:

• June 1 - June 30 opportunity to request a postponement of the BSA on the basis of written documents
• July 15: date on which the decision of the assessed written documents is communicated
• July 22: the intended BSA is issued
• July 22 – August 6: if you did not use the opportunity in June, you can still submit a request for postponement and make an appointment for a hearing in the online agenda
• August 22: the final BSA is issued

To submit a request, use the BSA postponement request form. Read the instructions on the form carefully!

Please note the following:

• Substantiate in your application why you think you should be granted a postponement.
• Send supporting documents with the form (such as a doctor's note, obituary or other documentation that substantiates your request). Without proof of circumstances, your application has little chance of success.
• If there are personal circumstances* you must make an appointment with the academic advisor as soon as possible to discuss this.

Assessment of written documents

• If there are clearly demonstrable personal circumstances at an early stage that lead to study delays, you can submit a request for a BSA postponement from June 1 to June 30. Even if not all results are known yet, you can submit a request. Please note that if your request cannot be dealt with in writing because there is not sufficient evidence, your request will be rejected. In that case you may still register for the hearings.
• You will receive the decision from the BSA committee in mid-July.
• Requests for postponement of the BSA that are received after June 30 will not be processed in writing. If you subsequently receive a “proposed negative binding recommendation” at the end of July, you can still make use of the hearings. See below for more information.

Hearings

• Students who receive a "proposed negative binding recommendation" in July have the option to participate in one of the hearings organized by the BSA committee.
• If you wish to object to the "proposed negative binding recommendation", you must submit a request for postponement to the BSA committee within two weeks of the date of the proposed negative BSA.
• If there are special circumstances*, you must report this to the academic advisor no later than June 1.
• During the hearing you will have the opportunity to explain to the BSA committee why you should be granted an extension of the period within which the standard must be achieved.
• The hearings will be held on August 19 or 20, 2024
• Requests for hearings will only be processed from the end of July.
• An appointment can be made from July 22 via the online agenda. 

Deviating procedure PPE:

If you object to the intended negative recommendation, your request will initially be assessed on the basis of the written documents. To submit a request, use the BSA postponement request form. Read the instructions on the form carefully!

Please note the following:

• You must submit your request to the BSA committee within two weeks of the date of the intended negative BSA.
• Substantiate in your application why you think you should be granted a postponement. Send supporting documents with the form (such as a doctor's note, death notice or other documentation that substantiates your request). Without proof of circumstances, your application has little chance of success.
• If there are personal circumstances*, you must make an appointment with the academic advisor as soon as possible to discuss this.
• If necessary, you will receive an invitation to the hearing.
• During the hearing you will have the opportunity to explain to the BSA committee why you should be granted an extension of the period within which the standard must be achieved.
• The hearings will be held in somewhere in the week of 19 August.

*Circumstances that may lead to postponement of the BSA standard are: illness, pregnancy, special family circumstances, disability/functional limitation and board work.

Faculty BSA norm  

The Bachelor programmes Law in Society, Law, Notarial Law and Criminology are subject to a binding recommendation on continuation of studies (BSA). This means the following:

In your first year of enrolment, you must obtain at least 42 credits out of 60 for first year courses (see article 14.1 of the Teaching and Examination Regulations).

If you do not meet the BSA-norm, you receive a negative BSA for your study programme. This means you won’t be able to re-enrol into this particular VU programme for the next 3 years. 

Students receive advice on their study progress in November, January and May. If your studies are not going well or if you have doubts on your study choice and you want to avoid receiving a negative BSA you can deregister before 1 February. 

Deregistration before February 1

Below you can see which steps you have to take if you decide to deregister before February 1 and what the consequences are.

BSA
If you deregister before February 1 and this is your first year at VU, you will not receive a binding recommendation of continuation of studies (BSA). This means that you can re-register for the same programme for next academic year via Studielink.

Students of Criminology and Law in Society will not have to take part in the selection procedure again. Students of Law and Notarial Law do not have to do another study choice check.

Deregistration
You must deregister via Studielink on January 31 at the latest. If you submit your request at the end of January you will be deregistered on February 1. In that case you will not receive a BSA. More information on deregistration can be found on vu.nl.

Tuition fees
If you pay the statutory tuition fees you do not have to pay tuition fees for the months in which you are no longer enrolled. Did you pay already? Any surplus will be refunded.

Student finance, travel product, insurance
If you decide to deregister, it is your own responsibility to stop your student finance and travel product; this does not happen automatically! You can find more information about this on the DUO website.

Please also pay attention to the possible consequences for your (student) insurance if you interrupt or quit your studies.

Passed courses
If you have passed courses before February 1 and you continue with the same programme next academic year, the courses you have passed will be retained. Even if you still have exams at the end of January (P3) and pass them, these courses will remain in your portfolio.

The grade for a paper that is not graded until February will not remain, because that grade is dated in February.

PPI coach and mentor
Inform your PPI coach and mentor that you are quitting your studies.

Other study programme
Are you quitting the programme because it does not suit you and do you want to participate in another study programme at the VU? This is only possible per September 1. The Study choice action plan can help you with your orientation on a new study.

Deferment of BSA

• If you fall behind with your studies due to personal circumstances, you can submit a request for deferment of BSA. By doing so, you apply for an extension to the period in which you need to obtain the required minimum number of credits for your programme.
• You can submit a request for BSA deferment between May 1 and June 30, 2024 via the registration form BSA deferment.
• Explain in the registration form why you should receive deferment. 
• Provide evidence and proof that support your claim (e.g. doctors notice, correspondence, obituary notice, etc.).
• If you are facing special circumstances* you should make an appointment with the Academic Advisors as soon as possible.
• Mid-July you will receive a response from the BSA committee. 
• Requests for deferment of BSA that are received after June 30, 2024 will not be processed. If you receive an 'intended negative BSA' mid-July, you can still make use of the hearings. For more information, see below. 

*The following circumstances may be reasons for requesting deferment of the BSA: illness, pregnancy, special family circumstances, disability or if you work for an official student body.

BSA hearings 

Students who receive an “intended negative BSA” in July have the opportunity to explain their situation in a hearing organized by the BSA Committee. These hearings are primarily meant for students who believe that their circumstances were not sufficiently taken into account while considering deferment.

• If you want to object to the “intended negative BSA”, you must register yourself for a hearing. Registration was possible from mid-July to 4 August 2024.
• By registering for a hearing you give permission to the BSA committee to look into your file. If you object to this, you need to indicate this upon registration.
• The BSA hearings take place on 19 and 20 August 2024.
• During the hearing you have the opportunity to explain to the BSA committee why you should be granted deferment of BSA.
• The following people will be present: the chairman or secretary of the BSA committee and a minutes secretary.
• The hearings will take place at the VU Campus (Initium building). When you register, you sign up for a specific time. Please make sure to be on time!

BSA Hearing

• Suppose you receive negative study advice from your Student counsellor in June.  You can report your circumstances to the BSA Committee if you feel these affected your study progress negatively. 
• During the hearing, students have the opportunity to explain their situation.
• If you want to attend a hearing, you must send the following registration form personal circumstances report. Please refer to the form [in Dutch] for the registration deadline and hearing dates. 

BSA committee members

• Mw. dr. J.H. Kleinveld (Chairman)
• Mw. M.A. Westerhof-Sinke
• Mw. mr. drs. L. Boogerman

If you would like to contact the BSA committee, you can send an e-mail: BSA-commissie@vumc.nl

Faculty BSA Requirements 2023-2024

1. Business Administration (Bedrijfskunde): You need to obtain at least 48 of the 60 EC.
2. Economics and Business Economics: You need to obtain at least 42 of the 60 EC, including the course Quantitative Research Methods I. 
3. Econometrics and Operations Research: You need to obtain at least 42 of the 60 EC.
4. International Business Administration: You need to obtain at least 48 of the 60 EC.Faculty BSA Requirements 2022-2023

Faculty BSA Requirements 2021-2022 and earlier

Business Administration

• Students who started in 2021-2022 are allowed to meet the reduced standard of 42 ec.
• Students who started in 2020-2021 and have received an extended BSA are allowed to meet the 42 EC standard.
• Students who started the programme in 2019-2020 (or earlier) can choose between the previous norm (at least 42 of the 60 EC, including the course Business Mathematics) or the new norm (at least 48 of 60).

Economics and Business Economics

• Students who started in 2021-2022 may meet the reduced standard of 36 ec if they finished the Quantitative Research Methods I course.
• Students who started in 2020-2021 and received an extended BSA are allowed to meet the standard of 36 ECTS, including the course Quantitative Research Methods I.

Econometrics and Operations Research

• Students who started in 2021-2022 are allowed to meet the reduced standard of 36 ec.
• Students who started in 2020-2021 and have received an extended BSA are allowed to meet the standard of 36 ECTS.

International Business Administration

• Students who started in 2021-2022 are allowed to meet the reduced standard of 42 ec.
• Students who started in 2020-2021 and have received an extended BSA are allowed to meet the 42 EC standard.
• Students who started the programme in 2019-2020 (or earlier) can choose between the previous norm (at least 42 of the 60 EC, including the course Business Mathematics) or the new norm (at least 48 of 60).

Hearing

If you submit a request for deferment (postponement), you will be invited to a hearing. 

Hearings are short sessions of 10 minutes. It allows the BSA committee to ask the student questions for clarification purposes. Hearings are not meant to discuss your situation in detail. Your evidence and proof supporting your claim should have all the provided details.

The BSA committee may decide to grant a postponement without hearing if:

• The special circumstances are such that it is obvious  a postponement of the BSA is granted.

and

• The student informed the academic advisor in time. 

In this case, you will receive an e-mail and/or a letter within 14 days of your request.

The hearings will take place during the week of 12 till 16 August 2024 (online).
Scheduled dates and times for hearings cannot be changed. You are expected to be present on the proposed date and time, this cannot be deviated from.

Postponement of binding study advice

• If there are personal circumstances,* please report to your academic advisor within three months of the events arising.
• Students who do not meet the BSA-norm receive proposed negative study advice by mail. 
• If you are facing personal issues* that affect your academic performance, you can appeal against the final negative study advice and possibly receive a BSA postponement. 
• You can request a BSA advice postponement within two weeks of the date of the proposed negative study advice.

Apply for a BSA deferment with this form.  

• Explain why you should receive postponement. 
• Provide evidence and proof that support your claim (e.g. doctors notice, correspondence, obituary notice etc.).

*The following circumstances may be reasons for requesting BSA deferment: illness, pregnancy, special family circumstances, disability or work for an official student body.