FAQ Studying @ Wittenborg

All Academic year calendars are accessible via the link https://www.wittenborg.eu/downloads.htm. You will find it under the section ‘WUAS Year Planning’

You can also access it in the section 'Student Resources - General Information for all Students' on Wittenborg-online 

One of the fundamental purposes of the Graduation Assignment/Final Project is to ensure students carry out original applied research in a field that is related to their specialisation. This is done with the guidance of an academic supervisor, who is appointed in the final phase of a bachelor's degree programme, or from the first semester of the master's degree programme. Academic supervisors are always members of the academic staff at WUAS, appointed by the Graduation and Examination Board (GEB).

Academic supervisors will be allocated according to various criteria including their familiarity with the proposed topic, their knowledge of the relevant methodologies, their experience in conducting and supervising applied research projects and their workloads.

You can request an Academic Supervisor when you meet the following pre-requisites:

•         For bachelor’s students: you have obtained 180 ECs (credits);
•         For master’s students: you have received approval on your Research Topic in Semester 1;

To request an Academic Supervisor, please complete the Online Academic Supervisor Request Form via the links below. You will receive a confirmation email approximately between 3-7 working days after submitting the form completely. Once an Academic Supervisor is assigned to you, please make contact with your Academic Supervisor by making an appointment using the Microsoft Office Calendar.

Bachelor Students: Academic Supervisor Request Form (Rene Rijnders, the Head of Academic Supervisor, Bachelor Programme)

Master students: Academic Supervisor Request Form (Dadi Chen, the Head of Academic Supervisor, Master Programme)

Please note that we have activated Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) on all Wittenborg accounts. You have to login via text on your phone or Authenticator app. Please refer to the attached document on how to activate your MFA. 

There are other possible reasons why you cannot access your account, besides the MFA activation. The 3 most common reasons are as follows:

• Entering the wrong password: A password may have been changed recently or the student may have simply entered the wrong password. Passwords are case sensitive.
• Inactivity for a long period of time: If a student does not access his/her student account for a few months, the account will be blocked. The account has to be re-setted. Please contact Wittenborg Helpdesk to help reset the account. Helpdesk or Front Desk will send to the student’s alternative email information to have the account reset.
• Outstanding invoice tuition fee: If a student has not yet paid the tuition fees, the student’s account will be blocked. The account will be reactivated once the outstanding tuition fees have been paid.

Sometimes there are technical issues with your account. Please contact ict@wittenborg.eu or Helpdesk to assist you further. 

If any question remains, students can contact the front desk for support. This can be done either via an email to frontdesk@wittenborg.eu or by phone: (088) 6672688.

Source: A Password is not enough...we are starting to implement multi-factor authentication (sharepoint.com)

You can register for modules other than your own specialisation, by following the same procedures as when you enrol for your own module; i.e. you need the enrolment key and to go to the respective areas. If you have trouble enrolling, please send a request to Helpdesk in order to get things sorted.

Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences has its main campus in Apeldoorn, which consists of two separate buildings within walking distance from one another. Both locations share a central telephone number +31 (0)88 6672 688. Both Wittenborg campuses are conveniently accessible by public transport and are just 3-4 minutes walking distance from the Apeldoorn train and bus station.

• Brinklaan building: Brinklaan 268, 7311 JD Apeldoorn.

• Spoorstraat building: Spoorstraat 23, 7311 PE Apeldoorn.

The Brinklaan building

The Brinklaan building is just across the road from the Amaliapark and is accessible via foot, car, bike and public transport. The building is only a 15-minute stroll from Apeldoorn Central Train Station. It is recognisable by the large blue "Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences" sign on the front of the building.

The Spoorstraat building

The Spoorstraat building is located on the north side of the Apeldoorn Central Train Station and is about 3 minutes' walking distance. It can be recognised by the Wittenborg flags and the Wittenborg logo at the top of the building.

You can find some practical information guide from the link here.

The deadlines to upload assignments are clearly shown in the Module Guide, the Online Module course area and in the Turnitin submission page. The upload area is visible to everyone who is enrolled at the online module area of the course. Please take note that the responsibility of checking the assignment submission deadline lies on the student. So always check the Module Online Area.

You also need to consider the difference in the time zone that you are located in (for those who are not physically present in the Netherlands). Rules and regulations regarding deadlines to upload assignments at Turnitin are clearly indicated in the EEG guide of Wittenborg (Part 5 - General Assessment Policy).

Should you face any technical issues, you need to contact Helpdesk at least 30 minutes before the deadline with the assignment and screenshot(s) of the exact technical issue. Requests put after the deadline will not be attended to.

If you miss the deadline to upload an assignment on Turnitin, you will have to wait for the next retake opportunity.

Note:

You are highly advised not to upload your assignment in the last minute.

Source: EEG Part 5 - General Assessment Policy

Turnitin at Wittenborg allows you to resubmit your assignment multiple times by overwriting the previous submissions, until the due date. This means that if you have submitted a wrong document, you can resubmit again by uploading the correct document. The newly uploaded document will overwrite the previous one. You can resubmit multiple times until the deadline. This feature of overwriting previous submissions ensures that your module teacher will only receive the latest submission for checking.

If you check that you submitted the wrong paper after the deadline has passed, the helpdesk cannot make any changes and you will not be eligible for a retake block.

There is no extension of deadline for submitting assignments online. It is the student's responsibility to submit the assignment on time. Many problems can surface at the last minute, such as technical glitches, failed internet connection, system or software failure etc.

It is better to upload your assignment one or two days before the deadline, so that in case you encounter technical problems, you have sufficient time to find alternative ways to submit your assignment. If the internet connection in your area is weak or unstable, it is best to find a library or a computer shop as an alternative. 

If you are still not able to solve your technical issue, please contact Helpdesk at least 30 minutes before the deadline, with the name of the module assignment and screenshot(s) of the exact technical issue. Request put after the deadline will not be attended to.

From academic year 2022-2023 (starting Monday, 29 August 2022), there is 75% obligatory class attendance for all modules for all programmes. Students will NOT be allowed to take the exams if they do not obtain 75% class attendance.

You can refer to the EEG Part 5: General Assessment Policy for more information.

Before you go to open your bank account, you need to choose which bank suits your needs or principles. You should also take into account that most banks charge a yearly fee for having an account with them. Most banks have packages specifically for students or young people. You can ask about this while setting up your account.

Biggest banks in the Netherlands

• ABN AMRO
• Rabobank
• ING
• SNS Bank
• ASN Bank
• Triodos

To open a private bank account in the Netherlands you will need to either make an appointment online, or simply walk into your nearest branch with all of your details.

To open a bank account in the Netherlands you will need the following:

• Your BSN number (Burgerservicenummer)
• A valid form of ID (passport or identity card - often a drivers licence is not acceptable)
• Proof of address (i.e. a rental contract)
• Residency permit if you come from outside of the EU

IBAN stands for International Bank Account Number and is a number attached to all accounts in the EU countries. It is made up of a unique code that identifies the country in which the account is opened, the account holder's bank and the account number. The IBAN helps to make the process of cross-border payments easier and faster. The bank assigns an IBAN to your account. You need to use the IBAN when sending interbank transfers or wiring money from one bank account to another, especially across international borders.

The structure of the IBAN is as follows: The country code NL / 2-digit control number / 4 letters that identify the bank / 10 digits, which consist of the current account number supplemented with zeros.

Example of a Dutch IBAN:  NL73 INGB 123 456 78 00

Documents

Students should bring the following documents in hand luggage:

• Valid passport (with a valid visa for non-EU/EEA students)
• Medical records and vaccination reports (if relevant)
• Wittenborg Admission Letter
• Original birth certificate in English or with a certified legalised English translation
• Passport-type photos

 Clothes

The Netherlands is a country with a pleasant, temperate maritime climate. Daytime temperatures vary from 3°C-37°F in the winter and 19°C-66°F in the summer. As a result, you will need to pack an assortment of clothes, such as:

• Winter coat and winter accessories, like gloves, scarf, warm headgear
• Summer clothes
• Waterproof jacket and shoes (+ umbrella)
• Business attire for formal occasions, company meetings, presentations, and events

Money

Please bring enough money in cash to cover the first weeks’ expenses, since it may take a few weeks to open a bank account. Foreign currency can be changed to Euro at Grenswisselkantoren. For information and locations, visit https://www.gwktravelex.nl/en.

Electrical equipment

• Computer/laptop/tablet + charger
• Mobile phone + charger
• Power adapter if needed. The Netherlands uses Type C&F Euro electricity outlets with 230 V with 50 HZ frequency. Some appliances do not need a converter. If the label states 'INPUT: 100-240V, 50/60 Hz' the appliance can be used in all countries in the world and is standard for chargers of tablets/laptops and phones

If you wish to speak to any of the Wittenborg staff, please invite them for an appointment using the Outlook Calendar. You can find the email addresses of all staff in your Outlook address book.

If you want to make an appointment with your process tutor, you need to fill in the form provided to you in your process tutor area.

In the attached document you will find a detailed guide.

Please note that the meetings with your process tutor are only online and will be held on MS Teams. 

Source: Course: Student Resources - General Information for all Students |STU001| (wittenborg-online.com)

The “Burgerservicenummer” (BSN) is a unique personal number that enables reliable and efficient data exchange between residents, the government and various other organizations. In the Netherlands, you need the BSN for opening a bank account, visiting a doctor, getting health insurance, receiving your salary (if you are working part-time while studying), applying for tax benefits and many other administrative processes.

The requirements and process:

Whether you are a Dutch citizen or an international, everyone living in the Netherlands is required to be registered at their home address. You need to register (inschrijven) at the town hall in the municipality (gemeente) where you are living. 

To register your address and get a BSN from the gemeente, you need to make an appointment. 

If you live in Apeldoorn: the University Front Desk will make the appointment with the Gemeente (City Hall) on your behalf. For the appointment, students should bring the following documents:

• Residence permit
• Passport (original copy)
• Birth Certificate (with legalised translation in Dutch or English) (if applicable)
• Accommodation contract

The process of registration will take between 20 to 30 minutes. Once you are registered at the municipality, you will receive a document which states your particulars and your BSN. An official welcome letter will be mailed to you at your home address.

Take note that you cannot open a bank account unless you have your BSN. So ensure that you have sufficient cash with you when you arrive.

Step 1: Go to OSIRIS

Log in to the OSIRIS portal using your credentials.

Step 2: Select "Progress"

On the tabs above, select the "Progress" tab.

Under that section, go to "Study Progress Overview"

Step 3: Filter Results:

Select the option "Only print test results that count".

Step 4: Download the File

Download the file containing your grades and course information.

Step 5: Sum the Grades

Add all the grades together for the modules that you have passed (grades above 5.5).

Ensure you only include each module once, removing any duplicates.

Step 6: Count the Modules

Determine how many unique modules you have completed and cleared (passed with a grade above 5.5).

Divide the total sum of the grades by the number of unique modules.

 Example Calculation

Let's assume you have the following grades for your modules:

• BL11: 7.0
• BL12: 8.0
• FIN11: 6.5
• FIN22: 7.5
• Duplicate of BL11 (should be removed)
• Sum the Grades:
• 7.0 (BL11) + 8.0 (BL12) + 6.5 (FIN11) + 7.5 (FIN22) = 29.0
• Count the Modules:
• 4 unique modules (BL11, BL12, FIN11, FIN22)
• Calculate the GPA:
• GPA = 29.0 / 4 = 7.25

The GPA would be 7.25.

By following these steps, you can accurately calculate your GPA using the grades retrieved from OSIRIS.

Students who are enrolled in a programme with a given specialisation, will earn ONLY one degree with ONE specialisation.

Students, who would like to attend and complete additional modules from other specialisations would do it at their own discretion. Students can take as many additional modules as they wish. However, the diploma will only mention one specialisation.

All additional modules that the student has completed and passed will be added and will be visible on the transcript only. Students will be able to promote these additional modules to their future employers via the transcript of records.

Yes, if you stay at your family/friend's home in the Netherlands, you can register at the same city hall. For this,  you must have a written declaration of consent from the person who is living at said address.

No lessons are facilitated online from academic year 2022-2023. 

Wittenborg is an experiential institute, thus, students need to physically interact with each other. The teachers will conduct all lessons in the classrooms and the study materials will be available for students via the online course areas on Wittenborg-Online, as usual. Note that no lessons will be streamed live.

At Wittenborg, students signed up for a programme that is planned and offered with lessons, projects, and other educational activities delivered in-campus on full-time basis. Therefore, all students are expected to effectively participate in the classes and fulfil all study requirements.

If you have travelled outside the Netherlands for mitigating reasons (e.g medical) please note that you are eligible to request for Leave of absence/study freeze. You can find more information on this in the FAQs. https://www.wittenborg-online.com/mod/glossary/showentry.php?eid=848