Binding study advice (BSA) and exceptional circumstances
Have you fallen behind in your studies due to exceptional circumstances and, as a result, do you risk being issued with negative binding study advice? Find out how you can prevent this leading to you having to stop your studies.
What are exceptional circumstances?
Your academic progress can be hindered by, for example, chronic illness, a disability, exceptional family circumstances or student board membership. Read more about situations that can be classified as ‘exceptional circumstances’.
Request a statement of hindrance
The university must take your exceptional circumstances into consideration when issuing binding study advice. To facilitate this, you must request a so-called statement of hindrance from the BSA committee.
Ask your doctor, psychologist or another expert to issue a statement. In the case of family circumstances, you can also ask a student counsellor to issue a statement.
- Are you unable to obtain a statement from your doctor?
Instead, ask your doctor to provide a printout of your medical dossier - which you are always entitled to.
- Have you already submitted an expert statement to Fenestra or a student counsellor?
In that case, you are generally not required to submit an expert statement with your request. If it later transpires that another expert statement is required, you will be notified as soon as possible by email.
The statement of hindrance request form (study year 2022-2023), available from 31 May 10:15 hours.
Privacy
The university handles all information concerning exceptional circumstances in accordance with the privacy regulations (GDPR). Your data will only be seen by members of the BSA committee and its secretariat.
Submit your request on time
Your request must be received by 15 July at the latest. Be aware that obtaining an expert statement can sometimes be time consuming.
What happens next?
- The BSA committee will evaluate how and when your study performance was affected by exceptional circumstances.
- The BSA committee will submit the statement of hindrance to the board of examiners. You will receive a copy by email.
- The board of examiners will decide whether you can be permitted to continue studying. The board will take your exceptional circumstances into account, but may still conclude that you should have performed better despite the circumstances. Therefore, there is still a possibility that you may have to stop your studies.
- In exceptional cases, the board of examiners may decide to postpone the issuance of binding study advice because they are not able to sufficiently assess your performance at present.
- You will receive the board of examiner’s decision by email by 15 August at the latest.
Talk to your study adviser
Is your study adviser unaware of your circumstances? Make sure to discuss them with him/her as soon as possible.
Questions
- If you have any questions about these procedures, contact the BSA committee via commissieBSA@sea.leidenuniv.nl.
- Do you want to speak to a student counsellor? Make an appointment.
- For other questions, please contact your study adviser.