If you have already obtained credits or a higher education diploma, you may be eligible for exemptions for similar course units within LUCA.

An exemption is the lifting of an obligation to take an examination of a course unit or part thereof, based on a credit certificate, another study certificate or a certificate of proficiency. There are two categories of exemptions: exemptions based on previously acquired qualifications (PAQ) and exemptions based on previously acquired competencies (PAC).

You can receive an exemption based on previously acquired qualifications (PAQ) based on one or more course units for which you have passed another higher education course.

The final competences (knowledge, skills and attitudes) for this must correspond to a course unit in the course for which you want to register. Every formally recognized certificate for qualifications obtained serves as proof here.

The procedure for the recognition of PAQ is free. The procedure is based on 'supporting documents' (= certificates from previous successfully completed courses or parts thereof, courses) and a comparative analysis of the ECTS course description.

An exemption based on previously acquired competences (PAC) is based on competence. You can obtain this proof via a PAC procedure. Thanks to a PAC file and practical work, you have to convince the assessment jury that you already have certain competences. Most of the PAC candidates have acquired certain competences thanks to their work experience.

The PAC procedure is not free, takes a few months and requires greater commitment, not only from the student, but also from the institution that provides guidance during the entire procedure. In this procedure, an assessment is made to determine whether you already have certain competences.

With a partial exemption, part of the course unit is exempt. This course must be subdivided into ‘educational learning activities’ in order to make partial exemptions possible. You remain registered for the whole course and you have to take an (adapted) exam for it. in the case of a partial exemption, the full number of credits of the course unit is counted for all applications (this also means tuition fees, study credit, tolerance credit, ...). The only thing that a partial exemption has influence on is that you no longer have to take part of the whole course.

What are the consequences of (partial) exemptions? If you receive an exemption, you no longer have to take an exam for (part of) that course.

Exemptions also have an influence on your tolerance credit (in bachelors and transition and preparatory programs): after all, how many tolerance credits you will receive is determined on the basis of the courses that you still have to take. Exemptions do not count for this. For example, if you have 20 credits for a bachelor's degree of 180 credits, instead of the normal 18  tolerance credits (= 10% of 180), you get 16 tolerance credits. After all, you only take 160 credits effectively.

Exemptions do not count in the calculation of the final percentage and the degree of merit, except in the case of exemptions with retention of result. You do not pay tuition fees for exemptions and you do not use any study credit for this (unless it concerns partial exemptions).

Questions or you want to apply? About PAQ exemptions, it is best to contact your learning path counselor or the educational administration of your study program. For more information about the PAC procedure, contact Christian Vancraenenbroeck.