NARIC guide on Higher Education Systems in the European Union

The first and second cycle include lectures, seminars (humanities) or laboratory work (sciences), practical training
and a
project paper.
The first year mainly provides formal lectures. During the
following years the role of individual work and teamwork
(seminars) increases.
(ii) Advanced academic training courses linked to the basic
academic courses:
supplementary courses
specialisation courses
doctorate training courses
teacher training at university level.
(iii) Post-academic training
Examinations
Hogescholen
The advanced and post-academic training include research work as preparation for a dissertation.
The examinations are subject to a number of administrative and organisational requirements. Among these requirements are
the following:
all institutions must hold two examination sessions per academic year;
no candidate may sit the same examination before a college
examination board more than four times over a maximum of two academic years;
candidates must sit their examinations at the first session, except when prevented from doing so by circumstances beyond
their
control;
candidates who obtain at least 50% of the marks awarded for each part of the examination pass the examination;
candidates who fail can be either afgewezen (refused), in which case they must repeat the entire year, or uitgesteld
(postponed), in which case they may resit the examination at the second session.
Where the specific course regulations require presentation of a paper or final study project and an oral examination, these
come at the end
of the first examination session. The subject of the paper or final study
project must be relevant to the goals of the department or the option concerned and must be approved by the head of the
institution.
The various parts of the examinations are written and/or oral. The oral examinations are public.
The first examination session is usually held between 15th June and 15th July, and the second session after 15th August of the
current academic year.
Universities