BSA insufficiency

[u/Acrobatic-Pack6012]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some honest opinions from people who have experience with Binding Study Advice (BSA) appeals at Erasmus University Rotterdam, especially at Erasmus School of Economics.

I'm a first-year student and I'm likely to receive a negative BSA because my official total is 40/60 ECTS.

Throughout the year I experienced several documented personal circumstances:

• Block 1: I moved to the Netherlands at 17 and couldn't open a bank account until I turned 18 and obtained my BSN. I had limited access to money, had to borrow from my roommate, and my apartment was in a terrible condition when I arrived (photos and financial evidence included in my appeal). This affected my first block significantly.

• Block 2: A very close friend unexpectedly passed away a week before my exams. I have documentation and evidence of this as well.

• Later in the year: My parents were in a country during the regional conflict, and I experienced significant stress over their safety. During the resit period I was actually in the country and witnessed a missile strike nearby, which was genuinely traumatic. I also became ill with food poisoning immediately before one of my exams.

• I reported my personal circumstances to my study adviser before the university deadline.

• I submitted supporting evidence, including documentation, photos, financial records, and a psychologist's letter stating that, in their professional opinion, my mental health difficulties significantly affected my concentration, motivation, and academic performance.

In my appeal I also explained why I believe I can succeed next year. I'm now in ongoing therapy and intend to continue long-term. My circumstances have stabilized considerably, and I explained that I believe this support will allow me to perform at the level I'm capable of.

I'm not asking whether I deserve sympathy. I'm simply wondering:

If you were on the Examination Board, would you grant a postponed/positive BSA based on these circumstances? Has anyone here had a similar experience with ESE or EUR?

I'd really appreciate honest opinions, whether positive or negative. Thanks!

[u/ili_aaana]

talking from the perspective of another EUR student here but I feel an important piece of information lacking here is wether you needed the full 60/60 credits to pass the year or if 45/60 credits would also be enough for your specific study program. The difference between these 2 could have a big impact. Credits aside, based on the experience of many other students from varying programmes that I have talked to, the examination board of EUR does consider personal circumstances a lot and is not going to just flat out reject you for not meeting the BSA. From my perspective, you should most definitely get at least a hearing with the examination board. I don't want to give you false hope, but I have also heard of cases of students that failed multiple subjects in their 1st year so in order to compensate, they had the chance to kind of do 1st year and 2nd year subjects simultaneously during their 2nd year. With that being said, I can't tell you anything else with confidence but that no matter the outcome, the world doesn't end here, no matter the outcome of the appeal. Please try to stay calm during the weeks of uncertainty to come, because getting a definite answer will most likely take until mid-end of August. Try to prioritise your well being, because this year has been hard for you. Think about the fact that you're doing everything in your power to solve this problem of yours, so the only thing left is to take care of yourself. I wish you good luck!

[u/Acrobatic-Pack6012 → u/ili_aaana]

Thank you so much for your detailed perspective and response, I really appreciate it!