Freshmen site: Study counselling

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To whom can I turn to in case I have (study) problems?

• To the Student Desk
• To the academic advisor
• I studied very hard and still I didn't pass the exams! Do I use the right study method?
• I wonder if I made the right choice of program
• I don't feel well

What must I do in case I fall behind my studies?

• I have glandular fever, it might take a while until I get better. I face serious study delay..
• I cannot attend any lectures because I am ill, do I need to report this?
• I am dyslexic, therefore studying will cost me a lot of time. At secondary school they took this into account. How does it work here?
• My mother is seriously ill. I can hardly concentrate. And soon the examinations begin. I face serious study delay.
• Because I take part in top sports I cannot always follow lectures.

Student Desk
You can make an appointment with a student counselor, student psychologist, study and career counselors or a topsports coordinator from the Student Advisory office at the Student Desk.
Do not let a little problem get out of hand. Do not hesitate to get in touch with one of these people... they are here to help you!
You can also come to the SSC to sign up for courses and workshops on going abroad, preparation for the job market, academic development, cultural and language courses.

Study Counselors or academic advisors
In contrast to student counsellors, who work for all students irrespective of their study program, the study advisors or academic advisors are linked to a specific school. Usually they even specialize in specific programs. They will answer your questions about the organization and contents of the program. For questions of a less personal nature or for general information about your schedule etc., the Educational Offices will usually be able to help you. If not, you can make an appointment right there with one of the Academic Advisors.

Reporting ill
If you are ill and cannot attend lectures, you should contact your fellow students to take lecture notes for you. Many lecturers put their lectures and assignments on Blackboard. If you miss a compulsory lecture, you must sign out. The exact rules differs from course to course. Inquire at the Education Office of your school. If you are ill during an examination, then you will need to wait until the next resit.
If you are very ill then you should contact your study advisor as soon as possible. He/she will decide if your reasons for not taking the exam are sufficient to let you do a resit earlier, or to allow you to take an oral examination. For this you must present medical evidence of your illness. You will generally have to wait until the next resit.
If you are ill quite often or miss exams (or classes) regularly, you must report study delay within six months to a student counselor.

Study Method
Studying at university is completely different from studying at secondary school, where you might have been able to breeze through effortlessly. Here you don't have to study only three chapters for your test. Instead, you need to study three books all at once. You can easily lose track of what you are doing and be at a loss for how to solve the problem. Study advisors and student psychologists to give you advice or counseling.

Study Delay
In case of study delay, whether expected or not, you should immediately contact a student counselor. If you run into so much delay that you might not get past the BSA threshold, you definitely need to contact a student counselor. The student counsellor can recommend that the Examination Board to postpone their decision by a year.

Program choice
Despite all preparations and good intentions, your program might turn out to be quite disappointment. What next? Do you want to stop, do you want to switch programs or do you want to work for a while and look around? You can make an appointment with your study and career counselor.

If you are sure you want to stop, then as a first year student you can cancel your registration at Tilburg University without having to provide a reason for it. Your tuition fee will be reimbursed from the second month following your deregistration, but you will need to terminate your student grant (if you have one) and return your OV (public transport) chipcard. If you do this before February 1st, then the BSA is waived and you don't even need to pay back your student grant over the first months (maximum 5).

I do not feel well
This is not so uncommon. Your first year can be a dramatic life event at university. Consult a student psychologist.

I am dyslexic
If you are able to provide proof that you suffer from dyslexia, by means of an official report or medical declaration, then you are entitled to longer examination time, among other things. Consult the academic advisor about the rules.
If your condition is so serious that it causes structural delays in your studies, then you must report this to a student counselor. This applies also to other chronic diseases or a physical disabilities.

Study and sports
Special facilities are available for students who combine their studies with high-performance sports.