The terms application date, diploma date and graduation can be a bit confusing. Some definitions:

Application date: the date on which you’ve finished all the requirements for your Master and you fulfill your application with the study advisors.
Diploma date: your diploma date is the last weekday of the month in which you complete the last requirement for the master, provided that you applied for your diploma in that month.
Graduation ceremony: There are 3 ceremonies per year. The date of the ceremony does not affect the date on your diploma.

When can you apply for your diploma?

You can apply for your master’s diploma the moment you completed all the requirements for the master and all your results are in. It is not possible to apply for your diploma before then. This does not mean that you cannot do any pre-work for your application. 

• Check your transcript well before you want to apply for your diploma. Have all courses been administered? Are the grades correct? Do the passed credits add up to at least 120 EC – the amount of credits that you must have obtained for your master? Did you pass all the mandatory courses and are your electives approved by the Board of Examiners? You can get a transcript from the secretary’s office of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies (room C2.116 Science Park) or check your grades via SIS.
• Approval research project. Your research projects need to be approved by the Board of Examiners. This is something you do before you start with the project. If you do not have an approval of the Board of Examiners for your research projects you cannot graduate. More information concerning finishing the research project can be found on www.csca.nl

You have to be registered for the Master Brain and Cognitive Science in order to apply for your diploma!

How can I apply for my diploma?

You can apply for your diploma with the study advisors, by making an appointment with Denise van Wees or Mieke de Roo through studieadviseur-iis@uva.nl.

Before the appointment:

- Upload your Research Projects via the submit wizard below.  

Bring to the appointment the following:

- copy passport or birth certificate or European ID card (no driving license!)
- a hard copy of your research thesis (RP1 and 2)
- printed transcript (you can get this at the secretary’s office or from study advisors)
- diploma supplement application form  (you can find this form below)

Carefully read the print of your transcript. Check whether the transcript is correct, and mark whether the transcript is correct or incorrect on the diploma supplement application form. The transcript is incorrect when courses are missing but also when courses, not applicable for the master, are on it. In case there are courses missing you need to submit, with the rest of your application, the exam notes of the specific courses lacking on the transcript.

When can I terminate my registration with the UvA?

The diploma date is the last weekday of the month in which you finish your final requirements for your master’s program. You need to apply before the 10th of the month in order to be able to terminate your registration as a student as of the next month. This means all grades also need to be in by the 10th. After that, you do not have the status of student anymore, which holds implications for i.e. your public transport card of the DUO, your insurances; health and otherwise, etc.

On the application form you can decide on your diploma date, if by any chance you want a different date than the last weekday of the month (as long as it is after finishing your final requirement) you can submit that there.

For example: If your last result is registered on April 24, your diploma date will be the last workday of April. You must apply for your diploma before May 10th and terminate your registration per June 1.

What happens next?

The study advisor and the IIS secretariat are responsible for the further process of the application. When the application is complete, you will get a confirmation that you have met all the requirements. If by any chance something is not in order with your application we will get in contact with you as well.

Deadlines graduation ceremonies

You can graduate every month for the master Brain and Cognitive Sciences. However, a graduation ceremony takes place only in the months January, May and October. This has no effect on the date on your diploma. If, for instance, you finish the end of June, your ceremony will be in October. However, your diploma date will be the last working day of June.  

The dates for the graduation ceremonies in the year 2011/2012  and 2012/2013 are:

• May 25, 2012, (submit no later than April 10, 2012
• October 5, 2012 (submit no later than August 10 2012)
• Februari 1, 2013 (submit no later than December 10, 2012)
• May 31, 2013 (submit no later than April 10, 2013)

If you cannot be present at one of the ceremonies you can choose to collect your diploma with the study advisor. You need to make an appointment beforehand.

Degree Classification “Cum Laude” – With Distinction

A degree classification does not need to be applied for separately. However, it could be useful to check beforehand if you meet the requirements for the cum laude degree. This information can be found at www.csca.nl under Education, Current Students and then Graduation.

The status of "cum laude", with distinction degree, will only be recognized to the examinee who is able to comply with the following list of requirements,  

• The weighted average of the for all course components must be 8.0 or higher.
• In the determination of the weighted average, each mark for a component is given a weighting factor, which is proportional to the study load expressed in credits of the component in question. Results which are not honored with a grade will not be included in this calculation of results.
• For each individual component the minimum required grade is 7.0
• On completion of the course curriculum there may only be up to 1/3 exemption study points awarded.
• The final grade awarded for the two master research projects have to be at least an 8.0
• The Master’s programme has to be completed within three years.
• The Board of Examiners may decide not to grant the designation cum laude if the student has made use of more than one examination opportunity for minimum two final examination components
• The Board of Examiners can, in exceptional circumstances, deviate from the terms and conditions mentioned above
• The title "cum laude", "with distinction" will be stated on the final exam certificate.

If it is the case that more study units have been obtained than stated as necessary, only the exams which are part of the recognized Board of Examiners study programme & mentioned in the diploma appendix may be of influence for the final rating.

These Cum Laude Rules replace all previous Cum Laude Rules. Students, who believe that they are entitled to rely on expectations given to them under the regulations of the Education and Examination Regulations of previous academic years, may submit a request, stating reasons, to the Board of Examiners in order to be as yet awarded the designation cum laude.

Statements on diploma and diploma supplement

The master’s diploma states name, date of birth, place of birth, diploma date and master’s programme. The diploma supplement states all information that is on the diploma itself, but also holds your transcript and contains general information about the UvA and the educational system in the Netherlands.

Questions

If you have questions concerning graduating please do not hesitate to stop by during open office hours (Monday through Thursday 2- 4 pm, room C2.118 and C2.119), to send the study advisors an email (studieadviseur-iis@uva.nl) or to call (tel. 020 525 5509 or 020 525 5589)