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Practical information & dates

Academic calendar of the Faculty of Spatial Sciences

2024/2025

The academic year consists of 2 semesters that are each divided into 2 teaching terms (semester 1a, 1b, 2a and 2b). The Faculty of Spatial Sciences will run a smarter academic year pilot as of 2024/2025. Each of the four 10 week teaching terms will have 7 or 8 teaching weeks and 1 or 2 examination weeks. Resits (re-examinations) for exams of courses in semesters 1a and 1b will be in the last week of the next teaching term; resits for semester 2a and 2b courses will be late June.

Semester 1 (Autumn 2024)

1a
Introduction exchange students
August 29 - August 30, 2024
1a
lectures
September 2 - October 18, 2024
1a
exams
October 21 - November 1, 2024
1a
no education
November 4 - November 8, 2024
1b
lectures
November 11 - December 13, 2024
1b
exams (midterms / course deadlines)
December 16 - December 20, 2024
1b
Christmas break
December 23, 2024 - January 3, 2025
1b
lectures
January 6 - January 17, 2025
1b
exams
January 20 - January 24, 2025
(1a)
resits 1a
January 27 - January 31, 2025
(1b)
resits 1b
April 7 - April 11, 2025

Semester 2 (Spring 2025)

2a
Introduction exchange students
January 30 - January 31, 2025
2a
lectures
February 3 - March 21, 2025
2a
exams
March 24 - April 4, 2025
2a
no education / resits 1b / career week
April 7 - April 11, 2025
2b
lectures
April 14 - June 6, 2025
2b
exams
June 9 - June 13, 2025
(2a + 2b)
resits 2a and 2b
June 16 - June 27, 2025

At other Faculties, the teaching terms may be scheduled in a different way.

Introduction for exchange students

All exchange students are invited to attend the University of Groningen Welcoming Ceremony for international students on the Thursday preceding the start of the semester and are required to attend the Spatial Sciences Acquaintance and Introduction session (compulsory) on the Friday preceding the start of the semester.

2024/2025
Semester 1
Thursday August 29, 2024
The University of Groningen's Welcoming Ceremony
Friday August 30, 2024
Spatial Sciences Acquaintance & Introduction session (compulsory)

Semester 2
Thursday January 30, 2025
The University of Groningen's Welcoming Ceremony
Friday January 31, 2025
Spatial Sciences Acquaintance & Introduction session (compulsory)

Housing

Student housing in Groningen

A lot of information on the student housing market in Groningen can be found on the website of 'At home in Groningen'. In general, the supply of student rooms and private housing in the City of Groningen is very limited, while at the same time the demand for housing from the tens of thousands of students studying at the University of Groningen and the University of Applied Sciences Groningen is very high. These two universities do not own student housing themselves, nor do they directly provide student housing to Dutch or international students. As a visiting exchange student, you need to actively find housing yourself.

Accepted exchange students have the possibility to apply for temporary, furnished housing in one of the International Student Houses of SSH (a company not affiliated with the University of Groningen) in the city of Groningen. Although some students are successful in arranging their own accommodation, most visiting exchange students register for housing in an international student house of SSH. We therefore recommend that you explore the housing options of the SSH.

SSH International Student Houses

The rooms in the SSH International Student Houses are all fully furnished, and with one or more student managers on site. The default rental agreement term with SSH is almost 6 months for a semester exchange (early August until the end of January for the first semester and early February to end of July for the second semester) and almost 1 year for an exchange for a full academic year. Please visit the SSH website for more information on housing options, prices, precise housing locations, housing conditions and application. SSH offers single rooms and shared (or double) rooms that are somewhat less expensive. We advise exchange students visiting the Faculty of Spatial Sciences, located on the Zernike University Campus, to apply for housing located in or near the city centre, or in the area between the city centre and the Zernike University Campus in the north-west outskirts of the city of Groningen.

Application for housing at SSH

Accepted exchange students are urgently advised to register (step 1) and book a room (step 2) as soon as the registration window and booking window open (in April or early May for first semester and full year exchanges and in October or early November for second semester exchanges). In the past, students that waited a few days or longer after the booking window opened have developed disappointments in finding housing in the city of Groningen. We will timely send you an email specifying the dates the registration and booking window open, including a step-by-step guidance for the application procedure.

The SSH has a non-refundable reservation fee. You will be asked to pay the reservation fee as well as the first month and the last period of your rental agreement and additional fees beforehand.


Costs of studying in Groningen

Compared to cities like London or New York, Groningen would be considered by many as an affordable place to stay. However, for many students coming from for example countries in Southern Europe or Central Europe, Groningen is probably perceived and experienced as an expensive city. A rough estimate of the costs of various aspects of student life in Groningen is provided on the website about living expenses.


Credits and grading system

The University of Groningen uses ECTS (European Credit Transfer System). Course workloads are expressed in ECs (European credits). One credit equals approximately 28 hours of study (class attendance, preparation, reading, paper production etc.). In one academic year, University of Groningen students collect 60 ECs.

Grade conversion table

ECTS grade

Dutch grade

% of successful students normally achieving the grade

definition

A

9 or 10

10%

EXCELLENT - outstanding performance with only minor errors

B

8 or 8.5

25%

VERY GOOD - above the average standard but with some errors

C

7 or 7.5

30%

GOOD - generally sound work with a number of notable errors

D

6 or 6.5

25%

SATISFACTORY - fair but with significant shortcomings

E

6- or 5.5

10%

SUFFICIENT - performance meets the minimum criteria

Fx

FAIL - some more work required before credit can be awarded

F

< 5.5

FAIL - considerable further work is required

FAIL

FAIL - considerable further work is required

'O' = 'Onvoldoende'

FAIL - At least 1 course requirement (paper, exam, assignment etc.) graded, but not all course requirements submitted

1 full academic year = 60 ECTS credit points = 42 full study weeks (of 40 hours each)

1 ECTS = 28 hours of study

Last modified:06 September 2024 09.26 a.m.