Dear Students s1

Dear students,

Please take your time to read this email carefully, it contains valuable information and website links concerning studying at UGent.

 General:

Some of you already forwarded an application form or we received an email from your home coördinator that you have been selected to study at the faculty of Economics and Business Administration.

We will be glad to welcome you.

Most of you already received information from Carole from the Central International Relations Office UGent.

She collects all the application forms and sends you an information package and invitation letter when you are accepted to study at our faculty.

I’m Elke De Vidts, your contact person at the faculty of Economics and Business Administration.

You can contact me regarding questions dealing with academic issues if you can’t find an answer through the links below.

http://www.feb.ugent.be/en (click on exchange student!)

In this link you will find information about:

- The Faculty: general information, academic calendar, language courses, etc.

- Courses: English programme 2013-2014, course catalogue, etc.

- Online application: deadlines, documents, etc.

http://www.ugent.be/en/exchange/

On the central UGent website you can find information about:

- Language requirements - Accommodation

- Insurance

- Erasmus student network

- Life in Ghent

As courses start on Monday 23th of September, students should arrive latest on September 18th to fulfill the necessary administrative procedure and take part of the welcome days.

http://www.ugent.be/en/teaching/admission/exchangestudent/welcomedays.htm

Useful and necessary information on central and on faculty level is provided during these welcome days.

Our faculty provides ‘buddy’s’ for our incoming students. They will contact you by email and depending on the availability you will meet them during the welcome days.

 Courses:

Be aware of the fact that most courses at Ghent University are taught in Dutch (Nederlands).

So take only courses that appear on ‘English Programme’ and don't rely on the course catalogue only.

The course catalogue gives a translation of the Dutch courses, it doesn't mean all those courses are taught in English!.

The subsequent master (= master after master) courses mentioned in the course catalogue are not available to Erasmusstudents, unless they appear on the list of the English taught programme for exchange students.

http://www.studiegids.ugent.be/2012/NL/studiegids.html#

Our English Programme can be found at the website, the schedules are not available yet, they will be published on the website as soon as they are available. You can check the schedules of last year, we don't expect a lot of changes for next year. Most of the courses taught in English are on Master level. Bachelor students are allowed to take master courses but should read the prerequisites of the basic knowledge carefully. This information can be found in the course catalogue. If students don't meet the necessary basic level which is described on each course, they can be refused by the teacher. There are also a lot of courses taught in English available at University College (The University College will be implemented in 2014)

You can find this information on http://habe.hogent.be . These courses can only be confirmed upon arrival because the schedules don’t match completely.

We strongly advice to limit the number to 2 per semester.

Students coming in the frame of Erasmus Belgica can take Dutch courses or English courses (discuss this with your coordinator please), students coming from Germany can take courses in Dutch as well.

Students can also take courses taught at other faculties if this faculty agrees, in this case you better contact the responsible international officer by email. We can only approve these courses provisionally.

In one semester, students can take maximum 30 credits, in a year, 60-65 credits. We do not accept students with lower amount of credits per semester than 20.

The so called subsequent masters (master after master), postgraduate programmes are not open to Erasmus students because of their specific programme taught in modules, unless they are mentioned in the English Programme for exchange students.

 Application procedure:

Every student should complete the necessary administration before he/she can be accepted in this faculty and before an invitation letter will be send.

Your application will only be considered if your file is complete!

(application form by moveonline - transcript of records = previous marks, certificate of English, learning agreement, motivation)

A certificate of English knowledge is necessary! (see website)

Students who are not able to hand in a certificate, can exceptionally be accepted with a proof of sufficient basis of English if a certain amount of courses have been part of their previous programme in their home university.

Please add this proof but the form ‘language requirement’ still has to be signed and added.

Students with lower level than B2 will no longer be accepted, it is very important that your language skills are well enough to communicate, to discuss and take part of discussions in group works on master level. Our faculty does not accept students to study the English language itself! You can take courses in English to improve your level, but the minimum still remains the same.

WE NEED TO RECEIVE THE COMPLETE APPLICATION BEFORE 15th OF MAY, INCLUDING THE LANGUAGE CERTIFICATE !

 Learning Agreement:

If you want to change your original learning agreement upon arrival, contact your home coördinator during the first week of the semester.

The deadline for changes in the learning agreement is October 7th, after that date no changes will be possible!

We advice to include also the courses for the second semester in your learning agreement (changes of the second semester can be made with a deadline of 2 weeks after the second semester started).

Don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

I’m looking forward to meet you in September, kind regards, Elke

 Before arrival:

1. ACCEPTANCE as Exchange Student:

 Ask the International Office in your university to help you with the 5 necessary forms. Without these documents, you can not be allowed as Exchange Student at Ghent University.

 Once we have received these forms, they will be sent to the faculty responsible and UGent professor. If they agree with the proposed forms, they will sign them and send them back to me.

 I will return the forms to you and your university by e-mail. I will also send your original 'Letter of Invitation' to your postal address.

 This procedure usually takes a 4 - 6 weeks. During the holiday period, it might take a bit longer.

 Here you can find the link to the APPLICATION PROCEDURE.  If you have already sent these documents, it's not necessary to send them again.

 Attention: faculties have application deadlines! However, we advice you to send your forms minimum 2-3 months BEFORE your arrival date in Gent. If this is not possible, please inform us.

2. COURSES & CALENDAR

 Here you can find the Academic Calendar  More information about the courses can be found here. Be aware of the fact that most courses at Ghent University are taught in Dutch (Nederlands). Only a limited, but growing number of the courses are taught in English. Please contact the responsible for internationalisation in the faculty (FCI) to get more information about the courses, examinations, start & end of the courses, professors, results, transcripts, ... or any other information regarding academic matter.

 More information on language courses can be found here

3. ACCOMMODATION

 Most students coming to Ghent, book a room on the private market. Or maybe you prefer a room in the university residences?

 More information about accommodation can be found on this website.

4. WHAT TO DO UPON ARRIVAL IN GENT?

 Arrival date: we advice you to arrive in Ghent minimum 1 day before the Welcome Days.  How to travel to Belgium and Gent? Find it here  What to do first upon arrival in Gent? Find it here.  If you want somebody to wait for you in the bus or train station when you arrive in Gent, please contact the students of ESN (= Erasmus Student Network). They will also tell you more about the buddy system and the activities they organise for you during the year.  More information about the registration procedure for Exchange Students at UGent can be found here. You have to register upon arrival to receive your UGent Student Card.

 How to get your residence permit when you arrive in Ghent

5. SERVICES & GUIDES

 Welcome Guide International Students  Information about 'Going to Belgium' and VISA procedure  Health system in Belgium  BSH = service for disabled students.  More information about insurances

 Facilities and support services for students at Ghent University

6. MORE INFORMATION  Information on ESN (= Erasmus Student Network), the students organization for Exchange students.

 City of Ghent website for students.

 More information about the City of Gent  Everyday life in Ghent  Information for the young tourist can be found on the site of Use-It

Elke De Vidts

Ghent University

Faculty of Economy and Business Administration

International Relations Office

Tweekerkenstraat 2

B 9000 Gent