When enrolling, the study contract you choose depends on what you want to achieve and how you wish to complete your studies. Do you want to get a degree or just take a few separate programme components? Do you want to attend classes or just sit the exams?

Diploma contract

You sign a diploma contract if you wish to get a degree in a certain programme. Signing a diploma contract means you attend courses and sit the exams.

You also need to sign a diploma contract if you wish to obtain a certificate (e.g. for a bridging or preparatory programme) or a PhD.

You will need to meet all of the programme's admission requirements in order to enrol using a diploma contract.

Credit contract

A credit contract lets you enrol on one or more programme components rather than the whole programme. Since you don't enrol on an entire programme, you will not be able to get a degree using a credit contract. The aim of the credit contract is to obtain credits, and this means you'll need to attend courses and sit exams for the programme components you choose.

If your programme components build on other components, then certain course prerequisites may apply. This means that you can only take certain programme components if you have already passed others. Enquire with the faculty for more information.

In order to enrol on programme components with a credit contract, you will need to meet the admission requirements (including previous education qualifications and language requirements) for the programme they belong to. For example: Would you like to take up a programme component from the Bachelor in Biology? Then you need to have completed secondary education.

The faculty's written authorisation is required for every enrolment made using a credit contract, and must include the following information:

  • Your name
  • The type of contract
  • The programme which the components belong to
  • The number of credits you need to use
  • The name of the contact person in the faculty

Please note, if you need to apply for a visa, it's not possible to enrol with a credit contract.

Exam contract

Signing an exam contract means that you have only enrolled to take exams. This means that you are not permitted to attend the courses. The university does not provide any support to students who enrol using an exam contract and these students are only given access to the electronic platforms.

The exams you sit under an exam contract are the same as those taken as part of the normal programme. To find out what course material you need to revise for each programme component we recommend you contact the professor concerned, preferably through the faculty's student secretariat.

There are two options for exam contracts:

  • an exam contract-diploma allows you to obtain a degree in a particular programme
  • an exam contract-credit allows you to obtain credits for individual programme components

You will need to meet the admission requirements (including previous education qualifications and language requirements) for the programme in question in order to enrol using a exam contract-diploma or exam contract-credit.

The faculty's written authorisation is also required for all enrolments made using exam contracts, and must include the following information:

  • Your name
  • The type of contract
  • The programme you have chosen (for exam contract-diploma) or the programme which the components belong to (for exam contract-credit)
  • The number of credits you need to use
  • The name of the contact person in the faculty

Certain programme components require that you attend particular lessons (such as practicals and seminars). As a result, it is not possible to enrol on these programme components using an exam contract. You will then need to make an additional enrolment using a credit contract.

Please note, if you need to apply for a visa, it's not possible to enroll with an exam contract.