Leiden University Study System

At Leiden University, we employ a study system designed to help you choose the right programme and provide additional support during your studies. Results show that, with this system, Leiden University students not only study quicker, but also with greater success.

BSc: Binding Study Advice (BSA)

As a student of Leiden University you are entitled to good education and academic guidance. In return you are expected to meet certain academic requirements: the so-called BSA requirements. A full-time student is required to have completed a minimum of 45 study credits (out of 60) by the end of his or her first year of enrolment. This means that at the end of the first year of BSc study, you receive an advice as to whether you should continue your studies. In the course of the first year, students will be given regular feedback on progress by your study advisers. In formulating the BSA, any relevant circumstances, such as illness or other personal factors will, of course, be taken into account. Should you receive a negative BSA, you will not be allowed to enrol for the same study programme at Leiden University for a period of four years, you will be able to apply for another study programma at Leiden University.

Support

During your first year you will have weekly workgroups. During these workgroups you will practice academic skills that are essential to social scientific study and research: These skills will form the foundation of your study throughout the bachelor in Political Science: International Relations and Organisations (IRO). The instructor of the Academic Skills workgroup will help you to acquire important academic skills (from searching for and correctly referring to literature, to writing an academic essay).

The study advisers are there to help you with other study related questions (study planning, study delay, study challenges and techniques, rules & regulations or personal circumstances). The study advisers will keep track of your study results during the first academic year because of the Binding Study Advice.

Communication

All students will receive an uMail university email (ULCN) account.

Note that your uMail is your university email box to which all official emails will be sent. Once your programme has started, we will only send messages to your uMail address, not to any other account. Frequently check your uMail account, and/or activate the automatic forwarding service to forward your uMail messages to your private email address. Missing an umail email is never an excuse.

 ULCN email forward manual

Leiden University app

Download the Leiden University app. In this app, you can find all your personal study information in one place. Log in once and access your timetable, grades, PC availability and the latest news, anytime and anywhere.

 Leiden University iOS app

 Leiden Uiversity Android app uSis

As a student you will get access to uSis, the online administration system. Students have to register themselves for lectures, workgroups / tutorials and exams. USis also shows your personal information and grades. Please note: You will be enrolled by the administration for the tutorials and lectures for the first semester of the first year, but you will need to enroll yourself for mid-terms and exams. Course and exam registration will take place via MyStudymap.

 MyStudymap

 FAQs

Brightspace

Brightspace is the digital learning environment of Leiden University. The courses at the faculty are supported by Brightspace, a web-based tool used by our lecturers to support the lectures and tutorials. For enrolment Brightspace you will first need to enroll for the courses through MyStudymap. Please check the link below for more information.

 Brightspace

Schedules

Study programmes publish their schedules on Brightspace, MyTimetable, uSis, the prospectus or via this page of the students’ website:

 Year calendar 2023-2024

Examination

In the first year, the examinations are given in a multiple choice format. If you are not used to taking such examinations, please contact your study adviser for some tips. The timetable and location for the exams are available online in uSis. Students are not allowed to enter the room where the exam is taken if they arrive more than 45 minutes after the start of the exam. The first 45 minutes of the exam students are not allowed to leave or use the bathroom. According to Dutch legislation the university is not allowed to return exams or papers. If you wish to inspect your exam script, this must take place within 30 days of the announcement of the results.

Examination re-sits

If you did not pass an examination it is possible to re-sit that examination. The resit period for block 1 and 2 is in January and the resit period for block 3 and 4 is in June. You need to register for the resits. Students are allowed to take a re-sit for a partial grade only if the grade received is lower than a 5.5. It is not possible to improve passing grades by taking a re-sit.

Registration

Students themselves are responsible for registering for exams. You can register via MyStudymap from 100 up to (and including) 11 days before the exam date. After this deadline, registration is no longer possible. Please note that you need to confirm you exam participation after the registration.

 More information

Questions about course and exam registration can be addressed to the Student Services Centre (SSC): ssc@leiden.edu.

ID during exams

All students must present a valid ID and their Leiden University student card (LU-Card) at any examination. Examination papers that do not contain the student’s ID card number are invalid and will not be graded.

Duration

The duration of a written examination is normally two or three hours. An oral exam will in general take a minimum of thirty minutes.

Results

Examination results are published via uSis. It is not possible to deviate from the set schedule for examinations and/or re-sits. Students should take the examination dates (including the resits) into account when planning their journey back home. Note that examinations can be held even on the last day before a holiday.

Grading system

Within the Dutch grading system, courses are graded on a scale from 1 to 10. The formal designation of the grades is as follows:

E 10: Excellent (flawless; 100%)

E 9: Very good

E 8: Good

E 7: Satisfactory

E 6: Pass

E 5 (or lower): Fail

The lowest pass grade is 6, while grades 9 and 10 are rarely given. It is good to know that in the Dutch system teachers never give grades on the basis of a normative curve and competition plays little or no role.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is strictly forbidden at Leiden University and is understood as presenting, intentionally or otherwise, someone else’s words, thoughts, analyses, argumentations, pictures, techniques, computer programmes, etc., as your own work. Re-submitting your own work, for which you have already received credits, is also considered plagiarism.

If plagiarism is proven, the relevant Board of Examiners will impose penalties. Their severity will depend on the seriousness of the offence, and may be influenced by previous infringements. The heaviest penalty that may be imposed is exclusion from all examinations for one full year. That might mean that you would have to wait for a year for your thesis to be marked; as a consequence, you cannot graduate during that year.

Course and Examination Regulations (OER)

The Course and Examination Regulations describes the content of your programme and the specialisations within the programme. They also define the achievement levels of your programme. Furthermore, they contain regulations on examinations and the order in which courses should be taken. You can also derive certain rights from these regulations. You can find the regulations here:

 Course and Examination Regulations (OER)

Code of Conduct

The Code of Conduct is applied by Leiden University in the context of providing a safe and non-discriminatory work and study environment. The Code of Conduct applies to all contact between lecturers and students of Leiden university, both the contact which takes place in context of professional activities or study activities, and that which takes place outside these contexts.

It is key, for lecturers and students alike, to demonstrate proper behaviour and treat one another in a respectful manner at all times. Be respectful of differences relating to ethnic or national origins, religious convictions, gender, sexual preferences and handicaps. Lecturers and students will also refrain from any undesirable behaviour, in particular (sexual) harassment, aggression, violence and discrimination. Inappropriate behaviour will be disciplined accordingly.

If you are experiencing undesirable behaviour, such as the above mentioned, you can turn to Ramon Kuipers and Portia van Dorp.

 Confidential advisers

Or call the general number of Winston & Partners: 071-513 2493, and ask for Leiden University’s confidential adviser.

Ombuds officer for students

The ombuds officer is a confidential and independent officer of Leiden University who deals with complaints from students. Most complaints relate to the service provided by staff of faculties or central services. Generally this concerns a matter of inadequate information, communication or unsatisfactory treatment in the relation between students and employees of the Leiden University.

Eugène van der Heijden – Ombuds Officer

 ombudsfunctionaris@leidenuniv.nl

Phone: 071-527 3657/8026

European Credit Transfer System (ECTS)

ECTS, the European Credit Transfer System, was developed by the European Commission in order to guarantee academic recognition of studies abroad. European credits are a value allocated to course units to describe the workload required to complete a course. They reflect the quantity of work each course requires in relation to the total quantity of work required to complete a full year of academic study: lectures, practical work, seminars, individual study time and examinations or other assessment activities.

The workload of one year of study is 60 credits; 1 credit reflects 28 hours of study. Credits are awarded only when the course and all required examinations have been completed successfully.

Modes of instruction

There are two important ways in which course material is presented: via lectures, and via seminars or tutorials. Particularly in tutorials and seminars, active participation is expected from all students. In addition to the ‘contact hours’, you are expected to spend time on self-study (reading books and articles; writing papers and preparing oral presentations). You are expected to spend 40 hours per week on your study (contact hours + self-study)

Course Level Indication

Courses at Leiden University have been categorised in such a way that each category indicates the level of the course. For each subsequent year of a particular programme, course levels are increased to ensure students achieve the progress they need in order to reach the academic standards required for graduation. The course levels are indicated in the e-prospectus.

Descriptions of course levels

E Level 100 First year bachelor’s course: general introduction

E Level 200 First or second year bachelor’s course with an introductory character

E Level 300 Second or third year bachelor’s course: intended for advanced students

E Level 400 Third year bachelor’s or first year master’s course: specialised course

E Level 500 Master level: theoretically oriented course

E Level 600 Master level: very advanced academic/theoretical course