ReFlex
ReFlex stands for reasonable flexibility. It involves making necessary adjustments to the teaching and examination regulations, to assure an equal chance during evaluations. Tolerance for spelling mistakes, being able to choose your own seat in the exam room and tolerance for missing classes are just a few examples of accommodations that can be granted under a ReFlex status.
A ReFlex-status is there to give students equal opportunities in higher education by having preventive accomodations for education and exams with the aim of making education at VUB accessible and inclusive. Is there an unexpected situation that makes it impossible to participate in exams or educational activities? Then this is not ReFlex, but force majeure.
Only students with a valid ReFlex-status can request accomodations. Consideration is always given to the reasonableness of the requested accomodations within a specific status and your specific need as a student. Flexibility accommodations are considered « reasonable » if they meet the following 3 criteria : feasibility to the student in question, justifiable to fellow students and acceptability to the professor.
Students with ReFlex status are also eligible for a deviation from the standard study path in their first bachelor’s degree.
Inclusive education
VUB is committed to making higher education accessible to all. We find it important that every student can develop to their full potential according to their own talents. Therefore, starting from academic year 2023-2024, a new inclusive education policy will be launched, in which some of the most requested examination accommodations will be applied by default to every student, regardless of whether you have a ReFlex status or not.
- Sufficient time will be provided for every student during an exam
- Every student is allowed to use scrap paper during an exam
- Each student may use non-electronic earbuds during an exam
- Any student may make designations on the question sheet of an exam
- Any student may take (prescribed) medication during an exam
- Each exam will be provided in an inclusive format that enhances the readability and accessibility of an exam. That is, exams will be prepared in a suitably large, sans serif font.
These accommodations will therefore no longer be granted through the ReFlex status as of academic year 2023-2024, as they apply to every student at VUB. Other accommodations necessary for you, within your status, can of course still be discussed.
Who can request the ReFlex status?
Students with a disability
A disability can create specific challenges when attending classes, taking exams and studying. This group includes students with a chronic illness, a functional disability, an auditory impairment, a visual impairment, a learning disorder(dyslexia or dyscalculia), autism, an attention disorder, etc.
Student entrepreneurs
Make sure to register as a student entrepreneur via this form, and we will get in touch with you. After your registration is approved, you can apply for the ReFlex Status.
Working students
Working students are students who combine a full- or part-time job with a study programme (specifically for working students). Only students who are enrolled as working students are eligible for this Reflex status. Be sure to also contact your faculty to see what support they offer for working students.
Student representatives
This group includes students who hold a position as a student representative at VUB.
Other situations
Other students in exceptional situations, for example pregnant students, caregivers, etc. may also be eligible for the ReFlex status. If you have questions about your own exceptional situation and your eligibility for the ReFlex status, be sure to contact the ReFlex Team for more information.
No ReFlex: Student athletes
Are you combining your studies with elite sports? Then you need not follow the procedure below, but contact the Top Sports and Study department. Together you can make clear arrangements which will allow you to combine your education with your career as a top sports professional.
No ReFlex: Force majeure
A ReFlex status is there to give you equal opportunities as a student in higher education by pre-emptively requesting accommodations for education and exams. The ReFlex status is therefore not there for acute situations. Think of being ill during your exams, a death in your close circle preventing you from taking part in a practical, etc. These situations fall under the procedure of force majeure and you can contact your faculty secretariat for this.
Difference between status and accommodations
To apply for accommodations for exams and classes, you must first have a valid ReFlex status. Only when this is complete you can apply for the accommodations assigned to your status.
A ReFlex status is granted on the basis of your personal situation. Being recognised as a student with a ReFlex status is the first step in the process. Only once this is complete, accommodations will be linked to your specific status. Depending on your status and needs, these accommodations will vary from student to student, always according to the criteria of feasibility to the student in question, justifiable to fellow students, and acceptability to the professor.
Some statutes are valid during your entire career as a VUB student, others are temporary and need to be renewed after a certain period of time. You can only apply for accommodations when your status is valid and active.
Is your status valid and active? Then you can request the accommodations allocated to you for your courses. This is possible for education (e.g. practicals and lessons) as well as for exams. You can only request the accommodations allocated to your status.
Applying for a ReFlex status
Requesting the ReFlex status and specific accommodations is only possible after you've been enrolled, and within the set period (below). It is therefore important that you apply for your status on time and within the set period. This is the only way to ensure that your application can be processed on time and your status is ready when the lessons and exams start.
Application period
- 1st semester: 1 September - 30 October
- 2nd semester: 1 February - 30 March
- 2nd session: 15 June - 30 June
These are the deadlines for applying for your ReFlex status. After you apply for a status, separate deadlines are set for applying for specific accommodations for a subject.
Exceptions to the deadline(s)
Only in exceptional circumstances, or in circumstances that take place after the deadline, a ReFlex status can still be granted after the deadline. Please contact the ReFlex team via reflex@vub.be. They will decide according to the criteria of feasibility, defensibility and acceptability which applications can still be admitted.
You can only access this form within the application period. You must be logged in to MS Office 365 via your VUB account. Your request will be processed by our ReFlex team, and checked on validity. We will inform you of the further steps in the process via your VUB e-mail, so make sure to follow up on your mailbox.
Necessary documents
Overview necessary documents
Here you can find an overview of attestations and documents you need to apply for a ReFlex status, and a list of requirements. Students with a disability can use the attestation bundle provided.
Disability
Students with a learning disorder (dyslexia/dyscalculia), motor function impairment, auditory function impairment, visual function impairment, chronic illness, autism, AD(H)D, tic disorder, coordination development disorder, developmental stuttering, developmental dysphasia, psychiatric function impairment or any other function impairment shall submit an attestation that meets one of the following criteria:
- OR completed and signed VLOR Attestation Bundle
- OR signed motivated examination report (only for learning disability, ASD, AD(H)D, tic disorder, coordination development disorder, developmental stuttering)
- OR Proof of registration with the VAPH (Flemish Agency for Persons with Disabilities)
- OR Certificate of recognition of disability from the DG for Persons with a Disability (Directorate-General for Persons with a Disability)
Working students
- To provide: A certificate from your employer (provided by your employer)
- Condition: Be enrolled as a working student.
Student representatives
- To provide: Proof of authorisation as respresentative at the VUB
Student entrepreneurs
- Make sure to register as a student entrepreneur. Afterwards you can request a ReFlex status.
Other situations
- To provide: Independent proof of your personal and exceptional situation (e.g. pregnancy gynaecologist's certificate, caregivers declaration, etc.).
Necessary documents
As an adult, where can I get tested for a developmental disorder?
Diagnostic options for adults are more limited than for children. Discuss your question with your GP (general practitioner) and ask for a referral in your area. Keep in mind that there are long waiting lists almost everywhere.
I do not yet have a certificate/result of my testing, can I still apply for my status?
A valid attestation is required in order to be granted the status. Do you not yet have your final result, but do you already have an attestation indicating the suspicion of the diagnosis while waiting for your final result? Then, in some exceptional circumstances, this can lead to a temporary status. You can also submit this attestation via the application form.
Applying for specific accommodations
Once your ReFlex status is in order, you have the right to apply for the accommodations granted to you for educational activities and examinations. So there is a difference between being granted your status, and applying for and obtaining accommodations. We want it to be clear to both students and faculty which accommodations need to be provided, and how they can be practically organised. Therefore, every ReFlex student must request their accommodations by the deadline and do so using the appropriate online form. Please note that you can only apply for education and examination accommodations once your ReFlex status is in order.
Request it every semester
The staff of Study Guidance will always discuss your requests with your professors. The ReFlex Team takes on a mediating role between students and the teaching staff, but the final decision on the feasibility of the requested accommodations remains with the teaching staff. You will always be informed of the status of your applications through your VUB e-mail, so make sure to follow up on these, as arranging your accommodations is your own responsibility.
Which accommodations can I request?
Don't know which education accommodations you can apply for? Then please check your ReFlex status. All the accommodations for which you are eligible are listed there. We cannot process any accommodations that are not mentioned.
Deadlines
Students who submit an application after this deadline cannot use their flexible accommodations anymore. Only in very exceptional circumstances and with proof of these circumstances (e.g. Hospitalization in the days before the deadline), the deadline can be reviewed. Please contact the ReFlex team for this at reflex@vub.be. When requesting an exception to the deadline, they will also always decide according to the criteria of feasibility, justifiability and acceptability what is possible.
Education accommodations
Would you like to use your educational accommodations in your classes, group work, papers, labs and labs, field trips, undergraduate and graduate thesis?
Fill out this online form
- 1st semester: from start semester til 1 December
- 2nd semester: from start semester til 1 May
Your request may take 10 business days to process. Please take this processing time into account when submitting your application.
Accommodations for evaluations and tests outside the examination period
For evaluations or tests outside of the exam period (January , June and 2nd session), you can also request your assigned exam accommodations.
Fill out this online form
Deadline
for these exam accommodations is at the latest 10 working days before the exam moment of your midterm evaluation.
Students taking subjects from the Management and Business Administration programme who have an exam session in April apply for accommodations for this session between 1 March and 15 March using this form
Application after this deadline? Then you cannot use your flexible accommodations.
Accommodations for every examination period
For each exam period (January, June and 2nd session), you can request your exam accommodations.
Fill out this online form
Deadlines
- January exam period applications: 1 November- 1 December
- June exam period applications: 1 April - 1 May
- Second session applications: end of deliberations - 15 July
- All evaluations or tests that fall outside the January, June or second session exam periods: apply at least 2 weeks before the exam via this form.
- April exam period - Business administration: 1 March - 15 March (use this online form).
Students who submit an application after this deadline cannot use their flexible accommodations anymore.
Confidentiality
Your Reflex file will be followed up by a student psychologist and will be treated strictly confidential. When requesting your student facilities, we will never share the reason for your request with the concerned teacher. Information will only be shared with others with your permission.
Applying for a ReFlex status on an inter-university programme?
If you're on an inter-university programme, acknowledgement and/or the granting of facilities in the framework of a disability proceeds as follows:
- Registration and attestation of your disability is done at your main institution. This is the institution where you have your main enrollment. You do not have to go through the recognition procedure again at the other partner institutions.
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The accommodations and arrangements might vary between the different institutions. Therefore, after your recognition at the main institution, contact the other institutions you are enrolled at to arrange your facilities. You should do this at the latest by October 30 in the first semester and by March 30 in the second semester. Also keep in mind the specific deadlines of each partner institution.
- When contacting the partner institution, it is best to also immediately send the information about your disability and the accommodations granted to the main institution (e.g. your certificate of educational and examination facilities and the certificates about your disability). This way, the contact person at the partner institution can help you more quickly. They will inform you of the next steps at this institution.
The contact details of each institution are:
- At UGent: Contacts at Ghent University
- At VUB: reflex@vub.be
- At UHasselt: faciliteiten@uhasselt.be
- At KULeuven: functiebeperking@kuleuven.be functiebeperking@kuleuven.be
- At UAntwerp: BijzondereFaciliteiten@uantwerpen.be
Contact
Questions about the ReFlex status or your options to request specific accommodations?
Are you a soon-to-be student at VUB? Then be sure to come to one of the open days! There, someone will be present who can explain more about how we work and our procedure.