Step 5. Request approval from the exam committee

For your Study Abroad minor (SAM) you choose a number of courses that together total 30 EC. The SAM and the courses have to be approved by the departmental examination board (DEX). Below you find the steps you have to take to request this approval from the DEX. Also read the information in the Minor Guide.

Step 1: Make a list of courses

Make a list of courses that you'd like to follow at the partner institution. Following is important:

• Before you start: read the information in article 3.5.6 Minor electives section of the Course and Examination Regulations (bachelor, full time), item 3, 4, 5 and 6. The information is leading for the request for the SAM.
  
  
• Make a list of courses of your 1st choice totaling 30 ECs. Include:
  - The course title
  - The course descriptions: add a course description for each course. It's important that you mention the source where you found the course descriptions. For instance, you can refer to the HZ-website with the information about the HZ-partner institutions if you found the information there.
  - The number of credits: within the EU (+ Iceland, Liechtenstein, Macedonia, Norway and Türkiye) the number of credits is expressed in ECs, same as at HZ. Outside Europe this is different. For instance, in Korea, you take 15 Korean credits. On the website with the Study Abroad possibilities (item 'Course load') you can look up how many credits you have to pass to obtain 30 ECs per destination.
• Add a maximum of 6 extra courses as a ‘back-up’. Ask approval for all these courses from the DEX. This because it often happens that after arrival at the partner institution, you find out that it’s not possible to follow one or more courses that you intended to take. It is handy to have alternative courses available that have already been approved by the DEX. Of course, in the end you take no more than 30 EC.
• Don't choose courses that are part of your curriculum at HZ.

Step 2: Make an appointment with your study coach

Make an appointment with your study coach to get advice on your course selection. Bring the list of courses, the course descriptions and the number of credits.

Step 3: File a request with the examination board

After a positive advice from your study coach, you file a request with the DEX. You have to submit the following documents:

1. The HZ Learning Agreement (LA). On the LA you fill out the titles and codes of the courses that have to be approved by the HZ examination board + the number of credits. Please note: you have to sign the LA as well.
2. A description of the courses, including the source where you found that information.
3. The form: "Checklist request external minor to departmental examination board". You find this on MyHZ under Follow minor. You can complete question 1 and 2. Your study coach (SCC) has to fill out the rest.

You will not have approval for the courses and to start the minor until the DEX has notified you and the LA has been signed by the president of the DEX.

Level of the courses for a 'fix' exchange programme - always 3rd year level
Not all institutions offer 4-year bachelor degrees entirely taught in English allowing students to choose courses from several levels. They develop special designed English semester programs so that they can welcome exchange students. In such case the programme is always at 3rd year level. This because as a general rule students everywhere in the world go on an exchange in their 3rd year.

Who submits the request to the DEX?
Ask your SCC whether you or your SCC should submit the request to the DEX.

When do you have to submit your request to have it processed in the next meeting?
Your request will be processed at the next meeting of the DEX if they received it no later than 5 working days before the meeting. If your request is received later, the processing will be postponed to the next meeting.

When does your DEX meet?
Send an e-mail to your DEX, and the dates will be listed in the automatic reply.

Step 4: Get new courses approved (if necessary)

If , when (online) registering for your courses, or after your arrival at the partner institution you have to choose new courses that have not yet been approved by the DEX, you have to take steps 1 to 3 again. Get in touch with your study coach as soon as possible. Send your study coach an e-mail with the information on the new courses you'd like to follow: title + course description including the source + the number of credits. After receiving the advice of your study coach, you have to file an official request to the DEX. Fill in the new course(s) in the LA's part "Changes during mobility" section, attach the necessary documents and send your file to the DEX.

Océane from France (IBMS) about her study at Chung Ang University South Korea: "I decided to study in Seoul because I wanted to enjoy the opportunity to just go to the other side of the world and discover, all by myself, a really different culture I didn't know much about. Since the very first start of my semester everything was great. It was my first time to live in one of the biggest cities in the world and study at such a huge university. During the last months of my studies, I had the opportunity to go hiking on the highest mountain in Korea, try all kind of Korean food, live with monks for a weekend, go to festivals and see the North Korean border. Living here is having the possibility to go for a new adventure every day! So, if you get the opportunity to go abroad for one semester as an exchange student, I would say go for it! It is one great opportunity for you that HZ offers. To finish convincing you, take a look at some pictures from my trips in Korea that you find above."