Credit Accumulation System

As of the 2010-2011 academic year, all programs of Group T-Leuven Engineering College enter the so-called credit accumulation system.

So far, your studies progressed along a so-called year model: you studied year by year and were assessed at the end of every year (pass/fail). In the credit accumulation system this becomes a so-called program model: you enroll for an entire program (for example the Bachelor Program in Industrial Sciences) and are assessed only at the very end of that program.

Instead of an annual deliberation, there will only be one deliberation and this at the end of your entire program. You will, however, receive an overview and explanation of your exam results at the end of every exam period. Also, you will receive a clear state of affairs at the end of every academic year, so that you know what lies ahead.

The program is structured in such a way that you can follow a study track in the most ideal and shortest way possible: the standard track. This track consists of several program stages. A bachelor program of 180 credits, for example, consists of 3 program stages of 60 credits.

Are you enrolling into higher education for the first time, then you follow this standard track by default. Did you already enroll before, then you can study more flexibly, i.e. you can—within certain limits—choose yourself how many credits you take on per academic year.

You pass your program and obtain your degree if you get a credit certificate (minimally 10/20) or an exemption for all course units. But also if that is not the case, you can obtain your degree with the tolerance credit. The conditions:

• The tolerance credit only counts towards small shortages (8/20 or 9/20)
• You have to reach a study-efficiency of at least 50%. Study-efficiency is the relation between the number of credits you obtain and the number of credits for which you registered. For example, if you registered for 60 credits, then you have to have passed (minimally 10/20) at least 30 of them.
• You can only receive a tolerance for 10% of the number of credits of the program you are following. So, for example, for a bachelor program of 180 credits you can accumulate only 18 tolerances; for a 60-credit master program only 6.
• If you did not yet obtain 60 credits throughout your bachelor program, you can only take up 12 credits. As a result, this applies to all students of the 1st bachelor year.
• For a number of course units, using tolerances is not allowed (e.g. internships, the master's thesis). These are determined by the Departmental Negotiation Committee.

To further your study progress and limit the length of your studies, there are 2 extra measures:

• If you did not obtain a credit certificate and did not use a tolerance for course units during the past academic year, then you have to re-do these course units in the following academic year.
• If after the 1st year you did not reach a 50% study-efficiency, you can reregister. However, you will receive binding study advice that will count towards the end of your next academic year. This means that you will have to reach a study-efficiency of at least 50% during your 2nd academic year. If you do not meet this condition, you may not be allowed to register a 3rd time.

Complicated? Don't worry: you will have the opportunity to discuss your results, study progress, and the decisions you have to make concerning your program with study track counselors. (If you did not reach 50% study-efficiency, you will in any case be invited for a counseling session.) Aside from these individual talks, we will organize regular info sessions in groups.