Illness/disability
You may be suffering from a pre-existing disability (a physical restriction, dyslexia, autism, etc.) or chronic illness, or you could fall ill during your time at university. (The term 'illness' as used here includes psychiatric complaints). If so, it is possible that you will experience difficulty in preparing for examinations, or are unable to sit the examinations at the set time.
You may fall behind with your coursework. If you take longer to graduate than is officially permitted, you may no longer be eligible for a student grant or loan. In such cases, it is possible to apply for additional financial support under the FOS Grants arrangements. This will enable you to stay at university a little longer. If you are not sure whether you qualify for this additional financial support, you should contact a Student Counsellor.
Applying for a FOS grant
You should inform your Study Advisor that it is possible that you will be unable to complete the course within the allotted period due to illness or disability. (At this stage you need not actually have fallen behind.) You may then be referred to a Student Counsellor who will apply for the FOS grant on your behalf.
Conditions
To qualify for a FOS grant, you must be in receipt of a performance grant (with or without a supplementary grant). You must also have notified the Student Counsellor of the exceptional circumstances leading to the disruption of your coursework within two months.
Personal problems
Everyone experiences personal problems from time to time, and students are no exception. Such problems might include fear of failure, stress, lack of motivation, extreme examination nerves, lack of self-confidence, grief following a bereavement, loneliness, depression, difficulty in making friends or a general feeling of dissatisfaction with your life. Any one of these problems can place your study progress at risk. Help is at hand in the form of the Student Psychologists. You can ask to make an introductory appointment, during which the psychologist will work with you in identifying exactly where the problems lie and how they can be resolved. To request an appointment, call Fieke Bouterse (secretary to the Student Psychologists) on +31 20 598 5010.
