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General information
What you have to know about your stay at FUSL….
The ECTS and marking System at FUSL
This system has been set up by the European Commission in order to facilitate the recognition of periods of study abroad (not of the final degrees !) for Erasmus students. It is now widely adopted across Europe also as a basis for a credit system for every student.
The ECTS system is above all a methodology aiming at creating transparency, at fixing the necessary conditions for bringing together the different institutions and at enlarging the choice proposed to the students. Its implementation by the partner institutions makes the recognition of the academic results easier thanks to the use of measures understandable by all in the same way – the credits and the marks.
This system is based on 3 essential elements : • the information about the study programmes and the student results • the mutual agreement (between the Institutions and the students) • and the use of this ECTS system (values that represent the amount of work effectively carried out by the students).
The total academic recognition is a sine qua non condition of the students' mobility in the scope of Socrates-Erasmus programmes. This recognition assumes that the period of study abroad (exams and other evaluation systems) effectively replaces a comparable period of study in your Institution of origin, even if the contents of the established programme might be different.
In the scope of this system, 60 ECTS represent the quantity of work carried out during one year. So, generally, 30 ECTS are needed for one semester.
The marks scale The ECTS grades have been created by the European Commission in order to facilitate the Institutions of origin to interpret the marks received by their students in the host Institutions.
This scale is a complementary information on the marks attributed to the student by the host Institution, but it doens't replace the system locally used.
At FUSL, according to the Faculty, the courses are given during one semester or all the year through. Generally speaking, a 2 hours/week course given during one semester is equivalent to 30 hours and amounts to 3 or 4 ECTS. The courses which represent a geater quantity of work - for example, the French course given to foreign students, most courses given in English - amount to 4, 5 or even 6 ECTS !
At FUSL, the common exam or work mark is noted on 20 points.
The visa
Any foreign student who wants to participate to an exchange programme must respect a few legal conditions in order to enter the country.
1) For European students, the identity card or a valid passport is enough.
2) For non-European students who want to study in Belgium, they have to personnally apply for a student visa : type D - visa.
Please find hereafter the visa application procedure : Therefore, the student has to go to the nearest Belgian Embassy or Consulate and respect the rules in application. The student needs an official acceptance letter from FUSL to get the visa ! Sometimes it takes time to get the visa : so the sooner the best for the request ! The students needs to request it at erasmus@fusl.ac.be
Besides the costs that the student will have to pay, the student must provide • a passeport valid during at least 15 months • two original visa application forms, duly completed, dated and signed • two recent pictures (passport format) signed on the back-side • a nationwide criminal history record (for students 21 years and over) • a recent medical certificate (imposed model) • a financial support declaration, signed by the applicant?s parents or sponsor. Students who have a scholarship or grant should submit original proof of this. • an attestation from the academic host institution, certifying that the applicant is accepted and/or registered as a regular, full-time student
More precisions may be obtained on the following web- site : www.dofi.fgov.be in Belgium or www.diplobel.us/travelingBelgium/Visas/Students-Higher Education.asp in the USA
Registration to the Town Hall
Within 8 jours after his/her arrival in Belgium, the student must apply in person at the Town Hall ("service des étrangers") of the area where he/she lives in order to register and obtain the visa or staying permit in accordance to his/her study period. Besides the passport and visa, he/she will have to bring : • 3 photos, • an official registration document from his/her university of origin • an exchange student certificate issued by the FUSL after his/her arrival in Belgium • a proof of health insurance • the housing contract • ± 30,00 Euros for administrative costs.
The health insurance
During their stay, all foreign students who take part in an Erasmus exchange programme must be covered by a health insurance.
1) For students who are European citizens, they have to bring the European blue insurance card. Don't forget to ask and obtain it before leaving your home country. Once you are in Belgium, it might be very difficult to get it !! If you need to be paid back for any health care, you need it in Belgium !!
2) For non-European citizens, they have to sign a contract (from their mutual benefit or insurance company) in order to cover medical cares, hospitalization, rapatriation and other complementary social security risks.
The weather in Belgium
Belgium benefits from a temperate climate.
During the summertime (from May to September), temperatures fluctuate between 15 and 25 (sometimes up to 30°C) Celsius degrees. A warm pullover or sweat and a light jacket are indispensable for the fresh evenings besides the summer clothing.
During the wintertime (from October to February), temperatures can go down below 0°C and we might have some snow. You have to take good and warm clothes with you.
During the inetermediate period (March and April), you may have very nice days but it can also be very cold... So you have to be provident !
This is the theory about our weather but lately somes changes have occurred and it is no more so determined !
Anyway, an umbrella or a raincoat is absolutely indispensable as it may rain at any time of the year....
The Library at FUSL
Le FUSL Library is located on the ground floor of the « Préfecture » building (Entrance by the main entrance – 43 Boulevard du jardin botanique or through the parking place) (Tel : 02/211 79 09) (Lib@fusl.ac.be) (www.bib.fusl.ac.be)
There are three main sections in the FUSL Library:
• a general library and a philosophy and letters department • a library specialized in Law, economic, social and political sciences • a special library dedicated to the European Studies at the IEE (Institut d’Etudes Européennes) (119 Rue du Marais) .
Ideal to work inside, the reading rooms are well adapted to the Bachelor’s requirements and books are brought together according to the Institution specificities. The people responsible for the Library take care of the specific needs of the (complementary) Master programmes.
Recently, the increasing number of dynamic research centers in the 3 Faculties have boosted the developmenet of specialized Funds, in particular in environmental Law, Law theory and philosophy and human rights.
Member of the CIUF « Libraries » Commission and of the BICfB (" Bibliothèque interuniversitaire de la Communauté française de Belgique", ) association , the FUSL Library participates with the 8 other university institutions of the Belgian French Community (CfB), to the purchase in consortium of electronic documents and to the development of common computerized projects. Since 29 June 2004, the FUSL Library has been member of BOReAL, the network of Libraries of the « Louvain » University Academy.
The reader’s guide is available at the welcome desk of the Library.
Opening hours : - during the courses period: from Monday to Friday : 8.45 am till 6.45 pm On Saturdays: 9 am till 4 pm - during the Christmas or Eastern holidays: from Monday to Friday: 9 am till 5 pm - during the exams sessions : from Monday to Friday : 8.45 am till 6 pm
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