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Study Progress Monitoring

You need to obtain enough credits to keep your residence permit.

Students during an exam in an exam hall

Study progress influences your residence permit

To keep their residence permit based on a study for the duration of their programme, students must obtain at least 50% of the required credits for each academic year. Is the study progress not sufficient? Then the UvA must report this to the IND. Students may lose their right to a residence permit in that case.

To whom does the study progress monitoring not apply?

  • To all enrolled students for a preparatory period (a pre-master, for example). You must complete this programme within 12 months. An extension is not possible
  • Students who deregistered during the academic year
  • Exchange students
  • Students who graduate within the academic year

How does it work?

The UvA informs you twice a year about whether you have obtained enough credits to keep your residence permit. If you do not have enough credits, the UvA will inform the IND by the end of November, at the latest. An academic year always ends on 31 August. Find more information on the IND Study Progress Monitoring page.

What if the minimum amount of credits for the year has not been reached?

The UvA then has to determine whether there is a valid reason for not reaching the minimum amount of credits. To start this process, please get in touch with one of our Student counsellors. This is called an 'excusable reason' and must be in the order of severe personal circumstances like illness, family circumstances or psychological issues to be accepted.

Two students sit down talking while looking at a laptop
What if you don't have a valid reason, and therefore have insufficient credits?

The UvA Immigration team will then proceed to deregister you at the IND, who will inform you about the revocation of your permit. After this, you will receive a letter from the IND to which you can respond. If your residence permit is indeed going to be withdrawn, but you wish to remain in the Netherlands, you will have to apply for another (type of) residence permit.

What may be a valid reason?

A valid reason means an excusable reason. These are listed in the Higher Education and Research Act. These include reasons such as illness, exceptional family circumstances, pregnancy, physical or sensory impairment or other functional disorders and the inability to study.

If you have obtained insufficient credits and have a valid reason for this, nothing has to be reported to the IND. The university will include in its records that you have a valid reason. You only have to have contacted one of our student counsellors about the matter before 31 August.

A switch in your study programme is not considered a valid ground for exemption. Students who make insufficient progress with their studies are not allowed to stay at the same institution. They may, however, switch to another educational institution to continue their studies.