Binding Study Advice (BSA)

The University of Groningen applies a Binding Study Advice (BSA). This means that in your first year, you must obtain 45 out of 60 ECTS from your bachelor’s degree programme to be allowed to continue.

Important

• Immediately report any personal circumstances that affect your studies to your study adviser. Failure to do so may have negative consequences for your BSA.
• If your BSA was postponed last year, you must still obtain 45 ECTS in your second year of registration.

• If you do not achieve this, you will be blocked from registration for any programme at the Faculty of Law for two years.

Exception

• If you deregister before 1 March, you will not receive a BSA for that academic year. This only applies in your first year of registration.

Note

DUO uses a 1 February deadline (see the BSA Handbook).

In Section 5 of the Teaching and Examination Regulations (TER), you will find details about:

• How the Faculty informs you about your study progress and what support is available.
• When, how, and by whom the BSA is issued.
• Which personal circumstances may influence the advice (report these to your study adviser as soon as possible).
• You will have the opportunity to be heard before the BSA is finalised.

Intention of negative advice

16 July 2027: first-year students with fewer than 45 ECTS (without valid personal circumstances) will receive an intention of negative advice via email.

Hearing

19 July & 20 July 2027 (21 July in case of over-enrolment): opportunity to be heard by the BSA Committee.

• Enrolment for the hearing: from 12 July 2027 onward, via Progress.

• You are allowed to bring someone with you to the hearing. This person cannot be a study adviser.

Final advice

23 July 2027: the final BSA will be sent via email by the Faculty Board.An appeal is possible against this decision. The procedure is stated in the decision.

The committee may advise to postpone the advice in case of exceptional circumstances.

According to the Higher Education and Research Act (WHW), you will only receive a negative advice if, taking personal circumstances into account, you are deemed unsuitable for the programme. The BSA Committee assesses this based on:

1. Study results and progress

• Number of ECTS obtained and study progress, in relation to:
  - Severity of personal circumstances (e.g., illness, mental health issues, pregnancy, exceptional family circumstances, or elite sports).
  - Impact of these circumstances on your results.
  - Correlation of these circumstances to the timing of your results.
• Prospect of successfully completing the bachelor's degree programme within a reasonable time frame.
  

2. Personal responsibility

• Did you seek help from study advisers in a timely manner?
• Did you actively work on resolving study progress issues?

Postponement of advice

If personal circumstances prevent a fair assessment, the advice may be postponed until a later moment, usually one year later.

Do you have questions about the BSA? Read the general UG information about the BSA, consult the BSA Handbook and the Teaching and Examination Regulations (TER), or contact your study adviser via LLB rug.nl.