Graduating in January
Applications possible from 18 September 2023
From 18 September 2023, you can submit your application to graduate in January 2024 via the Student SelfService. There you will also be able to see when and if the faculty approves or rejects your application.
Attention: Graduating in the first semester is usually possible in most faculties, if you only have classes and/or exams left to take in the first semester, or still need to finish your internship and/or your bachelor’s or master’s thesis. For the alternative regulations and different deadlines, check the deadlines lower on this page. If you have not passed during the first term (January), you may only resubmit during the second term (August).
To submit your application for graduation in January, follow the steps below in Student SelfService.
Important:
- You must first register all your remaining courses to be able to submit your application.
- Do not submit your application immediately after registering your courses. This will show an error message.
- The administrative system needs some time to process the registration of your courses.
Request early graduation
Step 1: Request early graduation
Log on to the Student SelfService and click 'Graduation in January' followed by 'Apply for graduation'.
Step 2: Graduation term
Select the term (academic year) in which you wish to graduate and click ‘continue’.
Step 3: Submit
Click on 'submit application' if all information is correct.
If not all information is correct, you can change it with the buttons 'select different program' or 'select different term'.
Step 4: Confirmation
If the application was successful, you will receive a confirmation.
Accepted or rejected?
In the Student SelfService you can check whether your application for early graduation has been accepted or rejected.
Log in to the Student SelfService, and click 'Apply for Graduation' in the main menu, followed by 'View Graduation Status'.
As long as your application has not been processed by the faculty, the status remains "request". When your application has been approved, it will change to 'Accepted'. When your request has not been accepted, you'll see 'Rejected' as your status.
Deadlines per faculty
The deadline for submitting your application is available here for each faculty. Also make sure to check the extra information or instructions from your faculty.
Social Sciences & Solvay Business School
Deadline application in the Student Self Service
At latest 1 November
Applications cannot be withdrawn after November 1st, unless in exceptional circumstances. The previous decision is final and irrevocable.
Remarks
Deliberation at the end of the first examination period of the first examination session can be organised for students in a graduation year who:
1) Only need to take examinations of first semester courses;
2) Only need to finish their internship; and/or
3) Only need to finish their bachelor’s and/or master’s thesis and were already registered for this in a previous academic year or have the approval of their supervisor
Any questions? Contact studypath.es@vub.be.
Medicine and Pharmacy
Deadline application in the Student Self Service
At latest 1 November
Remarks
In the programme Master Management en Beleid van de Gezondheidszorg first semester graduation it is only possible when students only need to take examinations of first semester courses and/or finish the master’s thesis. In case the internships have not been completed it is NOT possible to graduate in January.
Students in the Master Geneeskunde can graduate early when they still have to take the final exam.
Engineering
Deadline application in the Student Self Service
At latest 1 November
Remarks
1 The following conditions apply to students in a Master's programme who can graduate:
a) The student who wants to graduate at the end of the first examination period of the first session, applies for this in the SelfService no later than on 1 November of the current academic year. The dean makes a decision based on the motivated advice (by e-mail) of the education council concerned. If the application is approved by the dean, the student will be registered by the faculty administration for deliberation after the first semester no later than 1 December. Applications that are submitted too late via the Self Service are not taken into account for graduation at the end of the first examination period of the first session.
b) The remaining part of the student's examinations includes only courses from the first semester and / or the master's thesis and / or the internship / professionalization and innovation project.
c) The completion of the remaining part effectively leads to a diploma.
2. The following conditions apply to students with a combined registration bachelor-master degree in industrial sciences:
a) The student who wants to graduate at the end of the first examination period of the first session, applies for this in the SelfService no later than on 1 November of the current academic year. The dean makes a decision based on the motivated advice (by e-mail) of the education council concerned. If the application is approved by the dean, the student will be registered by the faculty administration for deliberation after the first semester no later than 1 December. Applications that are submitted too late via the Self Service are not taken into account for graduation at the end of the first examination period of the first session.
b) The remaining part of the bachelor's degree programme for which the student still has to take examinations only includes courses from the first semester.
c) The remaining part of the Master's degree programme for which the student still has to take examinations includes only courses from the first semester and / or the Master's thesis and / or the internship / professionalization and innovation project.
d) The completion of the remaining part effectively leads to a diploma in each of the two programmes.
e) The student can not renounce his application for deliberation after the first semester once the approval of the dean has been registered in the SelfService. If the student has not passed certain course units as mentioned under 'b', they can be resumed at the earliest in the second session of the current academic year.
f) A student can not be declared ‘passed’ for the whole of the Master's programme, as long as he has not been declared ‘passed’ for the entire Bachelor's programmes.
More information can be found in the teaching and examination regulations with additions from the faculty IR, article 133.
Languages and Humanities
Deadline application in the Student Self Service
At latest 1 November
Remarks
A student in their graduation year may request a deliberation at the end of the first exam period of the first session on condition that he only sits an exam on course units from the first semester and/or completes his internship in the first semester and/or finalises his Bachelor paper or Master's thesis in the first semester.
The student must request this via the Student SelfService by 1 November.
Physical Education and Physiotherapy
Deadline application in the Student Self Service
At latest 1 November
Remarks
Graduating in the first semester is only possible if you only have classes and/or exams left to take in the first semester, or still need to finish your internship and/or your master’s thesis and/or the GWP wintersport.
This applies to all programmes (bachelor, master, preparatory programme, bridging programme, advanced master, postgraduate programmes).
Psychology and Educational Sciences
Deadline application in the Student Self Service
At latest 1 November
Remarks
no additions
Law and Criminology
Deadline application in the Student Self Service
At latest 1 November
Remarks
Students in a master programme in law can graduate on the condition that they only need to finalise the Master's thesis in the first semester.
Students in a master programme in criminological sciences can graduate on the condition that they only sit an exam on course units from the first semester and/or they only need to finalise the Master's thesis in the first semester.
Students in an advanced master programme or the postgraduate programme fiscaal recht, on condition that they only sit an exam on course units from the first semester and/or completes the traineeship in the first semester and/or finalise the Master's thesis in the first semester.
For students in a bachelor programme (except for criminological sciences), bridging programme and preparatory programme and the postgraduate programme fiscaal recht module “Algemene vakken” it is NOT possible to graduate in January.
Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences
Deadline application in the Student Self Service
At latest 1 December
Remarks
A student who wishes to be proclaimed at the end of the first examination period of the first session needs to submit a request, approved by the Examination Board, to the faculty secretariat at the latest on December 1st (Teaching and Examination Regulations VUB - article 133, additional Faculty WE). This form can be downloaded here. In case of questions please contact studypath.we@vub.be.
Educational Master
Not available in English.