Binding Study Advice (BSA) procedure 2023-2024

All students who are in their first year at AUC in the academic year 2023-2024 need to carefully read the regulations in AUC’s Academic Standards and Procedures on academic progress and the Binding Study Advice (articles 3.6 and 3.7), and also the Guidelines BSA Procedure 2023-2024. This includes not only students who started at AUC in September 2023, but also any students who started at AUC in February 2023 (as they will complete their first year during the academic year 2023-2024), and any students who will start at AUC in February 2024. 

The expectation is that, with very few exceptions, all students admitted to AUC will re-enrol after their first year, that they will achieve 30 credits per semester and 60 credits per year, and they will graduate in three years (six semesters). If a student fails a course and completes less than 30 credits per semester, they are offered extra support and an academic progress plan is agreed upon with them (AS&P article 3.6). The first year of study, in which students are expected to complete the first 60 credits of the programme, is considered representative of the study programme as a whole. Students who have not fulfilled a credit load of at least 54 credits in their first year at AUC are considered unlikely to succeed, and AUC’s BSA standard reflects this (AS&P article 3.7). 

If you started at AUC in 2023-2024, you therefore need to earn at least 54 credits in your first year in order to be eligible for a positive BSA and to continue with your studies at AUC in your second year. If you achieve fewer than 54 credits, you will receive a negative BSA and will have to leave AUC unless there are personal or extraordinary extenuating circumstances that warrant dispensation or postponement of the BSA. Please note that you will not be eligible for dispensation or postponement of the BSA unless you report (in a timely fashion and in accordance with the 4) these personal or extenuating circumstances to your tutor and document them appropriately. 

• See section 4 of the Guidelines BSA Procedure for personal circumstances that are taken into consideration, and how and when to report and document them. 
• See section 5 of the Guidelines BSA Procedure for reporting extraordinary extenuating circumstances.

BSA planned timeline 2023-2024

In 2023-2024, the planned timeline for the BSA is as follows (see section 3 of the Guidelines BSA Procedure for more information): 

• First indication of study progress: before 1 February 2024 
• Second indication of study progress: before 1 July 2024  
• BSA decision: before 1 August 2024 
• Hearings are planned to be held in July 2024, where students can appeal an intention to give a negative BSA and present additional information before a final decision is made. 

Resources